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Deepali Aggarwal

22 May 2017,Monday

Indian cab driver beaten, racially abused in Australia

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indian-cab-driver-hospitalised-racial-attack-australia/1/959755.html

An Indian cab driver in Australia has been hospitalised after allegedly being beaten up and racially abused by a couple. The driver alleged that he was attacked after warning the female passenger not to open the cab's door to vomit repeatedly. The husband then attacked him from behind and kicked him, calling him a 'bloody Indian' and 'f***ing Indian.'

An Indian cab driver suffered injuries and fell prey to a racist attack in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, on Friday.Speaking to ANI in Hobart, the driver, who said he was not allowed to disclose his name due to legal proceedings, narrated his horrific ordeal.He picked up a couple on Friday night around 10.30 pm, and was heading to a McDonald's drive-thru.The female passenger reportedly kept opening the door to throw up despite requests from the driver to close it to avoid a possible collision.After his repeated objections in opening the car door, the couple started hurling profanities and racial slurs at the driver.The couple then de-boarded the taxi and started damaging the vehicle by repeatedly kicking it, the driver said.'YOU F****** INDIAN'The female passenger then started screaming racial slurs at the Indian driver calling him a "bloody Indian," as the cab driver filmed their violence.The taxi driver reported that the male passenger subsequently punched him from behind, and pushed him to the ground.He was repeatedly kicked and punched on the ground as the male passenger said, "You f****** Indian, you deserve it."Subsequently few people came to his rescue, as police and ambulance reached the spot. The victim was admitted in the hospital overnight due to his injuries.The victim has alleged that the police have not registered the seriousness of the matter and have not checked the CCTV footage from the drive-thru.Another witness has come forward to testify on behalf of the cab driver and has presented a video footage of the incident.

Deepali Aggarwal

31 Jul 2017,Monday

Chinese Army capable of defeating invading armies: Prez

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/chinese-military-has-ability-to-defeat-invading-enemies-president-xi-jinping/story-1cRzc1PUgxyLIip0pcZY6O.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Addressing a military parade on Sunday to mark the 90th anniversary of the country's Army, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the Army has the capability to defeat invading enemies and protect the country's sovereignty. This comes amid the ongoing China-India military standoff over the disputed Doklam region in which China has accused India of trespassing into its territory.

The People?s Liberation Army (PLA) has the capability to defeat ?invading? enemies and protect the country?s sovereignty, President Xi Jinping told China?s armed forces on Sunday amid the Sino-India military standoff at the Donglang area near the Sikkim border.Addressing a military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the PLA at the Zhurihe combat training base in Inner Mongolia, Xi in camouflage military fatigue, said, ?The PLA has the confidence and capability to defeat all invading enemies and protect China?s national sovereignty, security and development interests.??The PLA also has the confidence and capability to build a stronger military and make new and greater contribution to realising China?s two centenary goals and the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, and safeguarding world peace,? Xi was quoted as having said by the official media. In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops perform a flag raising ceremony for the parade. (AP) There was no direct reference to India or any mention of the ongoing military standoff in the Donglang (Doklam) area in the excerpts of Xi?s speech released by the official media but the reference to ?invading enemies? seems to be clear indication who the Chinese President was talking about.China?s officials and media have repeatedly alleged that Indian troops had ?invaded? and ?illegally trespassed? into Chinese territory in Donglang by crossing an established border in Sikkim.It was the first time that Xi presided over such a large military parade in the field, official news agency, Xinhua reported.The Xinhua report added that Xi stood in an open-roof vehicle that drove slowly past troop formations to a backdrop of military music.In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops march in formation as they arrive for the military parade. (AP) The report said: ?Every few moments, Xi called out ?Salute to you, comrades,? to which assembled troops responded ?Hail to you, chairman?.?Xi alternated the greeting with ?Comrades, thanks for your hard work,? to which soldiers replied ?Serve the people!??Follow the Party! Fight to win! Forge exemplary conduct!? Servicemen and women exclaimed to Xi.China has blamed India for the ongoing impasse, accusing Indian soldiers of trespassing and preventing Chinese soldiers from building a road in the region which is also claimed by Bhutan.Beijing wants India to withdraw its troops from Donglang before the two sides can open talks. New Delhi says the road, if built, will have serious security implications for India.Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi has so far been the highest ranking Chinese politician to have directly blamed India on the military impasse.Wang told reporters in Bangkok last week that the ?problem was very straightforward? and that ?even Indian officials publicly said that Chinese soldiers didn?t enter the Indian territory. In other words, Indian side admitted (crossing) into Chinese territory.?The resolution of the problem is very ?simple?, he said: ?Indian troops have to go out?.Xi?s mentioning of ?invading enemies? is very significant as he is both general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Mansha Mahajan

18 May 2017,Thursday

Nestlé loses bid to trademark four-finger shape of KitKat

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/17/kitkat-trademark-bar-nestle-cadbury?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Slack

Confectionery multinational Nestlé has lost its bid against Cadbury to register the shape of the four-finger KitKat chocolate as a trademark, marking its fourth unsuccessful attempt to do so. The court ruled the four-finger design had "no inherent distinctiveness" and the shape was not a "badge or origin". This will let competitors produce their own KitKat copies without legal consequences.

It?s enough to make anyone need a sit-down with a cup of tea and a four-fingered chocolate wafer biscuit. The confectionery multinational Nestlé has lost the latest round of its long-running battle with rivals Cadbury to trademark the shape of the KitKat bar in the UK. The court of appeal ruled that the four-finger design had ?no inherent distinctiveness?.After deliberating for months, the three appeals judges delivered their judgment on Wednesday in a 16,000-word ruling that found the KitKat shape was not a ?badge of origin?.?We are concerned here with ... the three-dimensional shape of a chocolate product, that has no inherent distinctiveness,? said Lord Justice Kitchin.The ruling marks the latest stage in a bitter-tasting battle between Nestlé and Mondel?z, the US owner of Cadbury, that have been battling over the KitKat trademark for seven years.Nestle?s appeal followed a UK high court ruling in January last year that blocked the trademark attempt. The European court of justice had previously found that the four-fingered shape, breaking apart with a snap, was not distinctive enough to merit a trademark and that such a designation would not comply with European law.The ruling clears the way for competitors, including the major supermarkets as well as other confectioners, to produce their own copycat KitKats without fear of legal consequences.But a Nestlé spokesperson indicated the Swiss firm was not necessarily prepared to give up, saying it was considering its next move. The company could potentially try to take the case to the UK supreme court.?Nestlé is disappointed by the court of appeal judgment and is considering its next steps,? said the spokesperson. ?KitKat is much loved around the world and its four-finger shape is well known by consumers. Nestlé?s four-finger shape has been granted trademark registration in many countries of the world, for instance Germany, France, Australia, South Africa and Canada, further protecting it from imitations.?Following the appeal ruling, a Mondel?z spokesperson said: ?As we have previously stated, we do not believe the shape of the KitKat bar should be protected as a trademark in the UK.?The case turned on whether a the product?s shapewas sufficiently distinctive to the brand to prevent any other manufacturer using a similar format. Protected ?shape marks? are not without precedent ? Toblerone, which is owned by Mondel?z, has successfully trademarked its ?zigzag prism? shape.But the appeal judges found that while the four-finger shape might be ?very well known? in association with KitKat, ?that does not necessarily mean that the public have come to perceive the shape as a badge of origin such that they would rely upon it alone to identify the product as coming from a particular source.?They might simply regard the shape as a characteristic of products of that kind or they might find it brings to mind the product and brand name with which they have become familiar.?These kinds of recognition and association do not amount to distinctiveness for trademark purposes.?The judges also noted that the chocolate bar?s shape had not been central to its marketing in recent years: ?It has nothing, therefore, to do with the informed choices that consumers make between similar products.?The judges heard that Nestlé had spent between £3m and £11m a year advertising and promoting KitKats between 1996 and 2007. More than 40m were sold in Britain in 2010.?The appeal court?s ruling indicates that shape marks are going to be increasingly difficult to obtain,? said Guy Wilmot, partner who specialises in intellectual property law at Russell-Cooke.?The court were ... concerned that if they granted the trade mark, Nestlé would have a potentially permanent monopoly on the four-finger shape, which they felt would be unfair given that KitKat had never used the shape alone to promote KitKats.?Clare Jackman, an intellectual property lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright, said the fact the two multinationals were prepared to battle through the courts for so long showed the value of what was at stake. ?Trademarks are very important and valuable business assets. They confer monopoly rights, so I can see entirely why Nestlé thought, ?our four-finger bar KitKat has been around for ages, let?s register it, because we can stop anyone from producing a bar in four fingers??, she said.?It is typically brand owners in this space that will spend the money and push the boundaries, in trying to get as much protection as possible, because at the end of the day trademarks can potentially last forever, so it really is a signficant monopoly right.?Asked if she could foresee a challenge in supreme court, Jackman said: ?I?m not going to rule it out, because I think these are two brand owners who are prepared to push this as far as it can go.?The four-fingered battle is not the only protracted legal disputes between the two confectioners. In 2004, Cadbury attempted to trademark the shade of purple it uses for its Dairy Milk bars, registering Pantone 2685C in a move that was initially successful before the court of appeal backed Nestlé challenge in 2013. An attempt last year by Cadbury to resurrect an earlier trademark on the colour was rejected by the high court.The first KitKat-type bar was sold in Britain by Rowntree in 1935, when it was called Chocolate Crisp, and the shape has changed little since then. Nestlé acquired Rowntree in 1998.A lookalike called Kvikk Lunsj, translated as ?quick lunch?, launched in Norway in 1937 and is available in some UK shops.? This article was amended on 18 May 2017. The judge?s ruling was not a ?badge of origin?, a previous version said the judge?s ruling was not a ?badge or origin?.

Aarushi Maheshwari

21 Jul 2017,Friday

Bengaluru patient plays guitar during brain surgery

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/patient-strums-guitar-as-doctors-perform-operation/1/1007032.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

A 37-year-old patient played the guitar while undergoing a seven-hour brain surgery at a private hospital in Bengaluru. The patient was suffering from Musician's Dystonia, a neurological muscle disorder causing involuntary muscle contractions. He played the guitar to help doctors target the problem area, as he suffered from the condition only while playing the guitar.

Bengaluru, Jul 20 (PTI) A musician played the guitar on the operation table as he underwent a surgery at a private hospital here for a rare movement disorder affecting guitarists. The successful brain circuit surgery, believed to be the first such operation in the country, was performed on July 11 by a team of doctors from Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain Hospital on 37-year-old Abishek Prasad, who has a passion for the guitar, to rid him of the neurological disorder guitarist dystonia that had crippled his fingers. During the entire surgery, the patient was fully awake and was playing the guitar as the problem only occurred when he tried playing guitar. So the feedback from the patient was important to get the exact location of the target, doctors told reporters here today. Expressing joy over the successful procedure, Prasad, a native of Bihar, said even the doctor did not expect 100 per cent result. "It was a great feeling for both me and the doctor. It was 100 per cent result on the operation table itself. Im very excited, finally now I can live my dream, can play my guitar again after one month of recovery... "Now my fingers are completely listening to me, earlier my fingers were erect and changing from one chord to other was difficult," he added. Prasad had developed the problem with his left hand fingers resulting in difficulty to move his little finger, and the trouble grew gradually into disability because of which he had to abandon playing guitar. After consulting various specialists, Prasad was referred to the doctors at the BMJ hospital here. Calling it a rare disorder, neurologist Dr Sanjiv C C who specialises in movement disorders, said it occurs to one per cent among professional musicians. "If the medical management that included Botulinum toxin and drugs fails, then surgery is the next option," he said.

Chhavi Tyagi

31 Jan 2017,Tuesday

Former Minister E Ahamed collapses in Parliament

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kerala-mp-e-ahamed-suffers-heart-attack-in-parliament/1/870674.html

E Ahamed, the former MoS for external affairs in the Manmohan Singh administration and an Indian Union Muslim League MP from Kerala, collapsed in the Parliament on Tuesday. The 78-year-old was then rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where doctors said that his condition is critical and added that he has been put on a life support system.

IUML leader E Ahamed today suffered a heart attack and collapsed in Parliament's Central Hall when President Pranab Mukherjee was addressing it.His condition is critical, doctors at RML hospital said. "The condition of Ahamed is serious and he is currently under close observation of doctors in the ICU," said a senior doctor at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital.The 78-year-old Ahamed has served as Minister of State for External Affairs in the UPA government and has been a Lok Sabha member from Malappuram in Kerala since 1991.The Parliament staff tried to give him first aid but as his pain continued, he was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, they said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi inquired about his health.PM @narendramodi enquired about the health of MP Shri E Ahamed. 

Niharika Prabhakar

09 Jul 2017,Sunday

Differently-abled people to get quota in 3AC lower berths

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/lower-berth-in-3ac-coach-to-be-reserved-for-differently-abled/1/997849.html

The Indian Railways has fixed a quota for the lower berth in third AC coaches of trains for 'divyangs', or the differently-abled, reports said. Currently, the provision is available only in sleeper class. Recently, an inquiry was ordered after a wheelchair-bound para-athlete, Suvarna Raj, was forced to sleep on the floor after being denied a lower berth on a train.

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Now, differently-abled passengers will not face any problem in getting a lower berth in Third AC coaches as the Indian Railways has fixed quota for Divyangs in 3AC of mail and express trains to make the journey hassle- free. Currently, there is a provision for lower berth quota in sleeper class only. A lower berth in 3AC coach will be reserved for Divyangs in trains and the necessary software is being readied for this, said a senior Railway Ministry official. The railway move comes close on the heels of an incident in which a wheelchair-bound athlete faced difficulty in securing a lower berth. Alloted an upper berth, Subarna Raj, the medal winning para-athlete, could not get a lower berth in the Nagpur- Nizamuddin Garib Rath express and had to sleep on the floor of the train. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had ordered an inquiry into the incident and instructed corrective measures so that this does not happen again.

Saloni Tandon

01 Jun 2017,Thursday

Shane Warne sledged me for 10 years, says Sourav Ganguly

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/salaam-cricket-2017-shane-warne-sourav-ganguly/1/967521.html

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has said Australian spinner Shane Warne sledged him continuously for 10 years. "We were playing for different counties and he would sledge me. Even when it was Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, he would start sledging me from the toss itself," said Ganguly. Warne replied saying, "Sourav never said a word back."

The Aaj Tak Salaam Cricket 2017 brought together some of the most iconic names in the cricketing world and there were some expected fireworks right through the day, especially when the likes of Sourav Ganguly and Shane Warne came face-to-face with Michael Clarke watching on.Ganguly had, in 2001, tamed Australia in that historic series which the hosts won 2-1 after bouncing back from a defeat at the Wankhede Stadium. It was in the course of that iconic series that the then Indian captain Ganguly, had got to the Australians' nerves by delaying the toss.Sixteen years later, Shane Warne, who was an integral part of Steve Waugh's team, said he was okay with what Ganguly did in his home turf and thought it was a smart, aggressive move to derail the Aussies by coming out late for the toss.However, Ganguly, who was present along with Clarke for the session titled "Warnie, Pup and Dada" show, reiterated that Warne wasn't as accepting of the tactic back in 2001: "Everytime I came out to bat , he would pitch the ball outside leg and remind me to play the game in the right spirit."Known for their wit and humour, both Ganguly and Warne kept 'sledging' each other as the audience burst into laughter. However, their mutual respect was palpable."I have seen Warne sledge me throughout. We were playing for different counties and he would see me come out and he would sledge me. Even when it was Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, he would come at the toss and start sledging me from there itself. And all this happened for a period of 10 years. But he's a fabulous bowler and the best I have faced. I have played against Muttiah Muralitharan too and I'm lucky to get some runs against both of them," Ganguly said.Warne said he got sledged by Ganguly in equal measure.: "Sourav never said a word back - can you believe that ?"But Warne showed his admiration for Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag - known as the Fab 5 of Indian cricket and said their contributions towards Indian cricket was immense.  "Don't ever underestimate how good these guys are - I would much rather bowl to the modern day Indian guys than these guys. India became one of the best sides in the world under Sourav," Warne said.Warne said sledging Ganguly made the legendary Indian batsman more determined than ever: "I sledged him thinking I could get him out this time but that only made him more determined. It was under Sourav that India because one of the best sides from one of the better sides because he gave them the toughness, the feeling of not going under any team."Clarke, who had captained Australia with great success after Ricky Ponting stepped aside, said he was lucky to play the game alongside legends such as Warne and Ganguly."The players I idolised I got to play with and against - it's a great example of why you play the game. They were so competitive on the field. That's why the game is so special.

Daisy Mowke

01 Aug 2017,Tuesday

Ryan Reynolds shares 1st look of 'Domino' from Deadpool 2

http://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/ryan-reynolds-shares-first-look-of-domino-from-deadpool-2/story-cBbh5VJKtkcBxUXvpXtTAL.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds took to social media to share the first look of actress Zazie Beetz from the upcoming superhero film 'Deadpool 2'. "Some people just know how to work a red carpet," wrote Ryan. Zazie will portray the superhero character 'Domino' in the film. Directed by David Leitch, 'Deadpool 2' is scheduled to release on June 1, 2018.

Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds seems to know exactly what Deadpool fans want to see. The 40-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared the first image of actress Zazie Beetz as Domino.With his usual quirky style, he captioned the snap, ?Some people just know how to work a red carpet.? In the photo, Domino is seen lounging in front of a fireplace atop of Deadpool, who has been flattened out into a rug.Some people just know how to work a red carpet. #Domino #DeadPool2 pic.twitter.com/llCc8JfKT6? Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) July 31, 2017The snap is a callback to one of the first photos of Reynolds as Deadpool, the one where he was lying on a rug in front of a huge fireplace.The real name of the character is Neena Thurman and like her mutant name might suggest, she has the ability to alter her luck in situations through telekinetic acts.Reynolds has not been shy about sharing photos from the set of the highly-anticipated sequel, which will also star Josh Brolin as Cable. In June, Reynolds posted a photograph posing in front of the X-Mansion in costume, and two weeks ago, he confirmed Leslie Uggams? return as Blind Al in another photo.Similarly, Brolin has also documented his transformation into the psychic mercenary on social media, too.Helmed by David Leitch, Deadpool 2 also stars Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Julian Dennison and Jack Kesy in pivotal roles. The flick is slated to hit theaters on June 1, 2018. Follow @htshowbiz for more

Akshita Jain

05 Mar 2017,Sunday

I-T dept attaches assets worth ?33cr linked to AAP minister

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/i-t-dept-attaches-assets-worth-rs-33-crore-under-benami-act-to-aap-s-satyendar-jain/story-G50qPh6wbxprOwcNBb2ioI.html

The Income Tax Department has provisionally attached assets, amounting to ?33 crore, allegedly purchased by AAP Minister Satyendar Jain. The assets attached under the Benami Prohibition Transactions Act include more than 100 bighas of land and shares worth ?16 crore. Jain has denied the allegations by saying, "my name has been wrongly dragged to create a false impression."

The Income Tax department dealt a body blow to the reputation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by attaching assets allegedly amassed illegally by Satyendar Jain, a senior minister in the Delhi government.The assets attached under the Benami Act include more than 100 bighas of land with investment value of Rs 17 crore and shares amounting to Rs 16 crore.Jain, who holds the portfolios of industry, power, health and public works department in Delhi?s AAP government, denied the allegations.??my name has been wrongly dragged to create a false impression against me,? Jain said in a statement.But if the allegations are substantiated, it will be a major setback to AAP and the government headed by Arvind Kejriwal. The central claim, which powered the party so dramatically to power in Delhi two years ago, was built on anti-corruption. Coming just ahead of the municipal elections in Delhi, the revelations could potentially impact AAP?s prospects in the electoral contest.The AAP also denied all charges.?There has been no order that has been received by Satyendar Jain on this issue. He was an architect by profession before he joined politics. He was a member of the board of the companies but he quit six months before he was given a ticket by the AAP in 2013,? said a senior party leader, who did not wish to be named.The provisional attachment orders, dated February 27, were issued under the Benami Prohibition transactions act 1988 by the initiating officer of the National capital territory of Delhi to Indo Metalimpex Pvt Ltd, Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions and Mangalaytan Projects Pvt Ltd under the act.The order said that cash consideration for making illegal entries in Indo Metalimpex Pvt Ltd and Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd was provided by Jain. The money received from the accommodation entries in the form of share capital/premium was used to purchase the properties, the order added. Jain said in his statement that he had not been associated since July 31, 2013 with any of the companies. ?I have earned all my income with my hard work and I have been a tax payer for decades. I am not afraid of any probe about my income details, nor am I scared of any political vendetta, but I reserve the right for appropriate legal action in case my name is unnecessarily dragged into a controversy.?The AAP has, in the past, claimed a witch-hunt by a ?hostile? union government led by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), a political rival. Since 2015, more than ten MLAs of the Delhi assembly have been arrested in various cases.This is not the first time Jain has come under the scanner. According to the Press Trust of India, in September, the income tax department issued summons Jain and asked him to appear in connection with a tax evasion probe against certain Kolkata-based firms.

Prashanti Moktan

03 Jun 2017,Saturday

Fire broke out on sets of Bhoomi but no one got hurt: Aditi

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bhoomi-sanjay-dutt-comeback-fire-accident-aditi-rao-hydari/1/969851.html

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari revealed that a fire broke out on Thursday evening on the sets of Sanjay Dutt's comeback film Bhoomi but no one was injured. Aditi added, "We were shooting for the song with Ganesh (Acharya) master when a short circuit caused a fire. There were about 300 people on set, including the dancers, cast and crew."

Aditi Rao Hydari and the team of Sanjay Dutt's comeback film Bhoomi escaped a near fatal accident, when a short circuit caused a fire on the sets on Thursday evening, reported Mumbai Mirror. Aditi and her co-star Sidhant Gupta were shooting for a wedding sequence in RK Studio when the incident took place, stalling the shooting for two hours, after which the Bhoomi team decided to call it a day.Aditi told the publication, "We were shooting for the song with Ganesh (Acharya) master when a short circuit caused a fire. There were about 300 people on set, including the dancers, cast and crew. Thankfully we were escorted out safely. We have a deadline to finish the song so everyone was just glad the fire was controlled in time. Work resumed on Friday."Bhoomi is a revenge drama that explores the relationship between a father and daughter. The film features Aditi Rao Hydari as the titular character and Sanjay Dutt's daughter. The film will hit theatres on September 22.

Chhavi Tyagi

15 Jul 2017,Saturday

4 sanitation workers in Delhi die after inhaling toxic gases

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/four-sanitation-workers-die-after-falling-in-septic-tank-in-south-delhi/story-6Og7xcJLhFMKEUK80pLn5M.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Four men died after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a septic tank in Delhi on Saturday. The police received information that the five men cleaning the tank had not come out for a long time, following which fire department was called that pulled out all the men in unconscious state. One man who survived in the incident is undergoing treatment.

Four men died after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a septic tank in south Delhi on Saturday morning. The incident was reported at around 10.43am, when police control room received information that the five men cleaning the tank had not come out for a long time. The men had gone down to clean a tank at 100 feet road in Ghitorni. They were pulled out in an unconscious state by fire department personnel after an hour-long operation.Police said that five men were rushed to Fortis, AIIMS Trauma Centre and Safdarjung hospital. The four who died were identified as Swarn Singh,45, Deepu,28, Anil,23, Balvinder,32. One of the men, Jaspal, who survived the incident is receiving treatment at a city hospital. Police said are all residents of Ambedkar Colony in Chattarpur Pahari in Mehrauli.Details of the incident are awaited.

Parmeet Kaur

03 Aug 2017,Thursday

Chopper flying critically low led to 2015 Bombay High crash

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/2015-bombay-high-helicopter-crash-pilots-were-flying-critically-low-probe-finds/story-KddDT2hcY01MvLb70MDUSI.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

An inquiry by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that the Pawan Hans helicopter was flying at a critically low height, resulting in its crash near Bombay High in 2015. The report further mentioned that the instructor, despite being aware of the low height, didn't take control of the helicopter after the trainee pilot wasn?t able to manage the situation.

Two years after a helicopter crash near the Bombay High offshore oil field killed two pilots, an inquiry by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) found that the chopper was flying at a critically low height, without the pilots realising it. The Pawan Hans helicopter was on a training sortie on the evening of November 4, 2015. Aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked AAIB?to conduct an inquiry. The inquiry report, which was made public on Wednesday, said that the main pilot was flying low and that the other did not realise it. After taking off, the Rontappmeyer (RYTYR) helicopter may have faced difficulties as the moon was waning, the report said. The report mentioned that the instructor, Captain E Samuel, wasn?t disoriented and was aware of the low height of the helicopter. He alerted Captain TK Guha a little late, but even after realising that Guha wasn?t able to manage the situation, Samuel did not take control of the helicopter.AAIB recommended that ONGC, which owns Bombay High along with the helicopter operators, identify helidecks from where night flying can take place. AAIB also said that Pawan Hans pilots need to rest sufficiently before flying. Guha was flying during the night after a gap of almost a year, read the report. READPawan Hans chopper crash: Both pilots on board still missingWatch: Maharashtra CM?s helicopter crash-lands, Devendra Fadnavis safe

Ayushi Ahluwalia

19 Jul 2017,Wednesday

Noida police train 20 volunteers to regulate traffic

http://www.hindustantimes.com/noida/noida-traffic-police-train-20-volunteers-to-regulate-traffic/story-4XDufm6T1ExeajEH0uc4VO.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The Noida traffic police on Sunday trained 20 civilian volunteers on road safety rules to assist them in regulating traffic. The police had earlier appealed to residents through social networking sites to help them reduce vehicular congestion and around 40 residents extended their support. The volunteers will work during peak traffic hours at intersections, markets, and roads.

The Noida traffic police imparted road safety training to 20 volunteers on Sunday who will assist them in reducing vehicular congestion and curbing traffic violations in their respective residential areas.Earlier in June, the traffic police had appealed to residents through social networking sites to assist them in reducing traffic congestion. Residents? welfare associations were also roped in to encourage residents to be a part of the initiative.Officials said that the volunteers will also be given reflector jackets for their safety and identification. The volunteers will mostly have to perform their duty during the peak hour when there is a high volume of traffic on city roads.On Sunday, the superintendent of police (traffic), Anil Kumar Jha interacted with the traffic volunteers at his office in Sector 14A and briefed them on their role. He assured them all assistance from the traffic police for regulating traffic movement on city roads.He also made them aware of the major traffic problems in Noida and sought their cooperation to curb them. Jha said that forty volunteers have extended their support and will work in their free time to streamline movement on city roads.The next batch of 20 volunteers will be given training in the coming week, the police said. Those who were given training were also provided reflector jackets and whistles to man traffic.Traffic inspector Layak Singh said that the volunteers will mostly be stationed at intersections, markets and roads. Noida city has 301 intersections and not all are equipped with traffic signals.Singh said that the initiative will generate awareness among commuters to follow traffic rules. Another reason behind inviting volunteers is a shortage of traffic personnel in Gautam Budh Nagar.According to senior police officials, the traffic police department has a shortage of 130 traffic personnel in the district. The department has two traffic inspectors, two traffic sub-inspectors, 38 head constables and 113 constables in the district.

Tarun Khanna

18 Mar 2017,Saturday

I will never accept a job of Rahul's adviser: Amit Shah

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amit-shah-says-he-wont-like-to-be-rahuls-adviser/1/906833.html

BJP President Amit Shah on Friday said he will never accept a job of becoming Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's adviser. When asked if he is assured of his party's victory as long as Congress is led by Rahul, he said, "We don?t depend on our rivals' weakness". He further added, "We were smart, so we got Goa and Manipur".

Mumbai, Mar 17 (PTI) BJP chief Amit Shah today said he will "never accept" the job of advising the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. "I will never accept this job," Shah said, when asked what would he do if he were asked to advise Rahul Gandhi after the Congress poor show in the recent elections.

Sumedha Sehra

26 Jun 2017,Monday

People wear black arm bands in protest during Eid namaaz

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/haryana-train-lynching-ballabgarh-eid-junaid/1/987448.html

People in Haryana's Kandhawali village wore black arm bands during Eid namaaz to protest against the lynching of 17-year-old Junaid on a train last week. Junaid's brothers were also injured by the mob. According to one of his brothers, Hashim, the 20-25 people who attacked them, pointed to the caps on their heads, and called them Pakistani, anti-national and beef-eater.

People in Ballabgarh's Kandhawali village in Haryana wore black arms bands during Eid prayers to express their angst over lynching of a 17-year-old in a train last week. Junaid (17) was stabbed to death while his two brothers - Hasim (21) and and Sakir (23) - were injured by a mob who also allegedly passed slurs against them after the dispute over the seat on board the Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations on Thursday (June 22) night.Situation in Junaid's village - Kandhawali - remains tense as people demand strict and fast action against the culprits.DCP Vishnu Dayal, who has been camping in the village, told India Today that one accused has been arrested so far and others involved in the incident have been identified and would be nabbed soon.WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENEDThe arrested accused, before being remanded to police custody by a court in Faridabad district, told reporters that he was in an inebriated state at during the incident.However, Hashim gave a different account indicating that there was no dispute over seats in the train.Giving details, he said that they finished their Eid shopping from Sadar Bazaar in Delhi and boarded a train from there on Thursday."When we sat in the train, it was almost empty. By the time it reached Okhla, the compartment was full. About 20-25 persons boarded the train from Okhla. My brother Junaid was asked by an aged man who boarded the train to give seat to him. He got up and gave the seat to him," he said."All of a sudden the group of 20-25 persons who had boarded the train from Okhla station pushed us and my brother Junaid fell down. When I and Junaid told them why they were pushing they pointed to a skull cap on my head. They told us that we are Muslims, anti-nationals, Pakistani, ate beef and then while hurling abuses at us they pulled my cap and threw it down. They also tried to pull my beard," Hashim said recounting the harrowing experience.Hashim said that later the group started beating him and his brothers in the train.ALSO READ:Man lynched, 3 thrashed over rumours of beef eating on Delhi-Ballabhgarh train route

Sumedha Sehra

27 Jul 2017,Thursday

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar Chief Minister

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bihar-political-crisis-live-nitish-kumar-to-take-oath-as-cm-today-sushil-kumar-modi-likely-to-be-deputy-cm/story-RhXfJXja7Bmu82ltsX5xSO.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Thursday, a day after resigning from the post due to a rift in the Congress-RJD-JD(U) alliance. He had submitted a letter of support with 132 members' signatures, asking to form the government with the BJP as an ally. Kumar has two days to prove majority.

Less than a day after resigning as Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar took oath on Thursday as the head of the government for the sixth time with Sushil Kumar Modi sworn in as deputy chief minister.Kumar met governor Keshari Nath Tripathi late on Wednesday with NDA leaders and staked claim to form a new government with support of 132 MLAs. He has been asked by the governor to prove his majority in the Assembly within two days of taking oath.Here are the updates:9:39pm: RJD?s Bhai Virender says the party will demand for secret ballot in the assembly. ?Then, we?ll know who won and who lost,? ANI?reported him saying after RJD MLAs meet in Patna8:52 pm: RJD supporters threw stones on the Saran district magistrate and superintendent of police Aunsuiya Ransingh Sahu during protests against Nitish Kumar. The protestors were shouting slogans in favour of RJD on Jay Prakash Narayan overbridge in the district, PTI reported.An FIR has been registered in this connection.Reports of road blockade and protest march by RJD supporters also poured in from Hajipur and Begusarai among others during the day.8:35 pm: Meanwhile, senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Panchayati Raj Minister Pradip Maharathy said the party will not return to the NDA fold, IANS reported.Talk of a possible BJP-BJD alliance gained ground in the wake of BJD president Naveen Patnaik?s recent stand backing the NDA government?s demonetisation move, GST and the latest presidential choice.?Nitish Kumar may have believed in ?Jod-tod Ki Sarkar?, we are not going to have any alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We are strong enough in Odisha and can counter any party in the ensuing elections,? said Maharathy.8:30 pm: Two petitions have been filed in the Patna High Court, challenging the formation of the new government, IANS reports. One petition was filed by Jitender Kumar and the second by RJD legislator Saroj Yadav and Chandan Kumar Verma, contended that the mandate in 2015 Bihar assembly polls was given to Grand Alliance of JD-U, RJD and Congress led by Nitish Kumar against the BJP and it was to rule for five years.8:17 pm: Bihar Assembly to meet at 11 am on Friday for the trust vote by Nitish Kumar, PTI reports.8:15 pm:Patna: Lalu Prasad Yadav with family members at his residence. Party MLAs also present pic.twitter.com/ItmPnGgJHd? ANI (@ANI_news) July 27, 20177:45pm: Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, says he spoke to Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi and congratulated them.Petroleum Ministry is fully committed to complete projects worth Rs. 21,476 Crores, covered under 'Bihar Package' announced by Hon'ble PM.? Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 27, 20177:30 pm: JD(U) Maharashtra unit head Kapil Patil has criticised Nitish?s decision to go with the BJP. He says the party will decide future course of action in a meet soon.6:55 pm: The official Rashtriya Janata Dal Twitter account claims Nitish Kumar was threatened by Tejashwi?s popularity.He is new youth icon of Indian politics and flag bearer of social justice politics. #BiharWithTejashwi pic.twitter.com/5hGCpL4fQ1? Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) July 27, 2017?Tejashwi proved himself on all fronts and that?s what perturbed Nitish and BJP. Tejashwi Yadav?s performance forced BJP and Nitish to come together so they can collectively fight against him. Nitish was envy of his Deputy as Tejashwi was drawing more crowds and acceptance than Nitish,? the party tweeted.6:50 pm: Sitaram Yechury tells ANI, ?Every few years Nitish Kumar takes oath as CM from different alliances. Quite a record. Straightforward political opportunism.?6:25 pm: Samajwadi Party?s Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan reacted to the developments in Bihar.Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav struck a musical note, quoting 1965 Bollywood film Jab Jab Phool Khile, to mock Nitish for allying with BJP.?? ?? ????, ????? ??????? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ?? ????Bihar Today? Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 27, 2017Azam Khan said the Bihar CM?s name should be ?Nitish Tyagi?. ?First, he made sacrifice and came in power. This time also, he sacrificed and again came in power. He is a kind of man who sacrifices a lot. He should be named Nitish Tyagi,? Khan told ANI.6:22pm: After meeting with Sharad Yadav, JD(U)?s Ali Anwar says, ?We, including Sharad ji, had no idea that such a big development would happen overnight. We are surprised.?6: 12 pm: Arun Kumar of JD(U) says, ?Sharad (Yadav) ji is concerned over Nitish Kumar?s decision.In 1-2 days Sharad ji will talk to senior leaders of all national parties.?5:40 pm: JD(U) MPs Veerendra Kumar and Ali Anwar reach Sharad Yadav?s residence in Delhi, ANI reports.5:20 pm: Sushil Kumar Modi tweets, ?With the swearing-in of NDA-2 government in Bihar, the state has also been rid of 20 months of a bad phase. We will not step back from prosecuting criminals and the mafia. We will have inclusive growth with the help of collective effort.?He adds, ?After 37 years, with the same alliance in power both in the state and at the Centre, this is a historic moment for Bihar. With mutual cooperation we will give development new life in every sector. This is the beginning of ?acche din? for 11 crore people.?????? ??? NDA-2 ????? ?? ???-????? ?? ??? ????? 20 ????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ????? ??????????-?????? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??????.? Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 27, 20172/1..???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ????? ?????????? ?? ??? ???????????? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 27, 2017????? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??, ?? 37 ??? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ?? ?? ??????? ??? ????? 2/n? Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 27, 20172/2..?? ?? ?????? ?????? 11 ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) July 27, 20175:10 pm: Meanwhile in Kerala, as the state JD(U) unit voiced disapproval of Nitish Kumar?s move, the CPI-M made another bid to woo the party. State Communist Party of India-Marxist Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said his party welcomed the ?right reaction? of Rajya Sabha member and Kerala JD(U) chief Veerendra Kumar, who had frowned upon the Bihar developments. ?Now, what the state JD(U) should do is to quit the Congress-led United Democratic Front (in Kerala). Once it is done, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will discuss taking back JD(U) into its fold,? Balakrishnan told reporters in the Kerala capital.It is the second time within weeks that Balakrishnan has extended an open invite to the state JD(U) to return to the LDF fold.5:00 pm: Senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh says: RJD is the largest party in the state Assembly. We have majority but were not invited by the Governor to form government. The RJD will not allow the Assembly to function.? 4:50 pm: Lalu Prasad tweets:????? ?????, ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ????-???? ???? ??? ???? ????? Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) July 27, 20174:45 pm: RJD MLA Maheshwar Yadav tells ANI that most party MLAs wanted Tejashwi Yadav to resign so that the alliance and the govt could be saved. ?Nitish ji ki aadat hai ki wo apne gathbandhan mein daagi vyakti ko nahi rakhte hain, isiliye gathbandhan toot gaya ( It is Nitish ji?s habit to remove tainted people from the alliance. This is why the mahagathbandhan broke),? he says.?Affection of children and family makes person weak in politics. Nitish Kumar walks alone and with honesty. That is why he is successful,? Yadav adds.4:14 pm: The developments in Bihar found mention in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, IANS reported.As the House met and took up Question Hour, Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav of RJD raised the issue of the JD(U)leaving the ?Grand Alliance? and forming a new government with the BJP.Yadav was seen shouting from his seat, calling it a ?murder of democracy?.4:12 pm: The JD(U) unit in Kerala opposed Nitish Kumar for tying up with the BJP and announced it was severing ties with him, IANS reported. The chief of the party?s Kerala unit, MP Veerendra Kumar, a Rajya Sabha member, told reporters in Delhi that he was even ready to quit the Upper House to pursue his fight against ?fascist forces?. ?Whatever the price, we?re ready to pay,? he said. ?We are not accepting the JD(U) joining the NDA and our relations with Nitish Kumar have ended. It?s shocking that Nitish Kumar has joined the NDA. We all thought that he will fight the fascist tendencies but he has now become a part of it.?Veerendra Kumar said he expected JD(U) senior leader Sharad Yadav and its MLAs in Bihar not to accept Nitish Kumar?s decision. ?I call upon Sharad Yadav and JD(U) MLAs to say that we won?t accept it.?3: 30 pm: ED registers money laundering case against Lalu Prasad and his family members in a railway hotel allotment corruption case: Official2:38 pm: JD(U) hits back at Lalu Yadav?s accusation against Nitish Kumar in a murder case.2:36 pm: Lalu Prasad has a habit of twisting facts: JD(U) leader at press conference.2:33 pm: Lalu Yadav tweets picture of Nitish Kumar?s affidavit filed with his nomination papers. ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ???? affidavite ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?? ??? ??? ????? pic.twitter.com/MUmOkKgV3q? Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) July 27, 20172: 30 pm: Sharad Yadav, former JD (U) president, calls a meeting of disgruntled party legislators in Patna in the afternoon. Around half of the 71 JD(U) legislators are Muslims and Yadavs.2:20 pm: This, indeed, is a black day for democracy: Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Nitish Kumar switching sides.?PM questioned political DNA of Nitish Kumar. it has been proved that DNAs of JDU & BJP are identical, its opportunism,? says Surjewala.2:12 pm: Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad says, ?I think it has become Nitish ji?s habit to change parties and stand every few years.?2:05 pm: JDU member Ajay Alok questions Congress claims that his party betrayed them.?Congress says we betrayed them, also says this was going on since 3-4 months. How can it be betrayal if they already knew?? he asks.2:02 pm: Deputy CM Sushil Modi says good days for Bihar will usher in the future, holds Congress and RJD responsible for collapse of grand alliance.1:45 pm: RJD workers protest against Nitish Kumar in Patna.1:44 pm: Nitish Kumar thanks PM Modi for his wishes over Twitter.?There will be no compromise on corruption. I?m confident that with the cooperation of the centre, developement in the state will get a boost,? tweets Nitish.1:39 pm: RJD MLA Jagadanand Singh says CM & deputy CM must resign, until they don?t, we will not let the Vidhan Sabha to function.1: 10 pm:Reaction of opposition party membersMayawati says whatever is happening doesn?t bode well for democracy. People of the country have to come forward to protect this institution from weakening. Shashi Tharoor tweets, ?If after campaigning against BJP you want to join BJP, spirit of democracy requires you2resign&seek a fresh mandate. This is amoral politics.??This is now the 3rd time that BJP has formed a state government after losing an election. Goa, Manipur&Bihar show our democracy in poor light?1:08 pm: We didn?t push them, they went there on their own: Lalu Yadav?This is all fake news from Delhi ,? says Lalu Yadav when asked if he was approached to break unity in lieu of some incentive.1:04 pm: So what if Nitish has gone to the BJP, we will get Mayawati, Akhilesh, Mamata together: Lalu Yadav on Opposition unity.12: 59 pm: Nitish Kumar government to seek trust vote tomorrow: says Brajesh Mehrotra, principal secretary, Cabinet Coordination Department of Bihar govt.12:50 pm: Nitish Kumar, the CM of Bihar, my younger brother is accused of murder under sections 147, 148, 149, 302, 307: Lalu Yadav12: 49 pm: Lalu Yadav says considering to appeal in Supreme Court against governor?s decision.UP Assembly passes resolution congratulating Nitish Kumar on becoming Bihar CM again.12:44 pm: Nitish Kumar to prove his majority in a special session of the Bihar Assembly on July 28.12: 35 pm: Some media who we had thought were good, they took supari. See how the US media is fighting Trump, here media fights opposition. Amit Shah is the super editor, he decides how news should be & he tells owners of media, who tells editors, not reporters fault: alleges Lalu Yadav12: 29 pm: This match was fixed. I have not caused any inconvenience for Nitish. On many occasions, Nitish met PM Modi, had lunch. The timing of whatever happened was already fixed: Lalu Yadav12:27 pm: I charge Nitish Kumar that he collided with BJP to conduct the raids by CBI, ED on RJD leaders and to malign them: Lalu Yadav.12:23 pm: If I was greedy I would not have made Nitish Kumar the chief minister. He used to say that I?ll perish but never tie up with BJP: Lalu Yadav.Narendra Modi put up a charade of achhe din and of giving jobs. The BJP is fooling India: Lalu Prasad Yadav12:21 pm: Nitish Kumar is huge opportunist. The mandate was against BJP, to throw out Modi-Shah out of Bihar: Lalu Yadav12: 17 pm: PM Modi attacks below the belt, had said that there was fault in Nitish Kumar?s DNA. BJP and Nitish Kumar had a divorce. Past 15-20 year, I have been fighting cases in courts. I was sentenced in a hurry. There was a conspiracy between Nitish Kumar and BJP: Lalu Yadav12:15 pm: Will support Modi government in both houses of Parliament: JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi.12:11 pm: The state of Bihar is a very aware; today everyone in very angry :Lalu Prasad Yadav to reports.He says it is regrettable there is no Gandhiji among us to unite this country. Amit Shah & Modi?s khandan of Godse - RSS killed him.11: 51 am: A person can do anything for his greed- there is no limit, no credibility. They do anything for power: Rahul Gandhi on Twitter.11:50 am: ?He (Nitish) had joined hands with us in the anti- communal fight, but Nitish Kumar, for his personal politics, joined hands with those against whom he had fought,? Gandhi says in a seething tweet.11: 45 am: Dalits,OBCs & EBCs intact & consolidated in Bihar tht?s y RSS & BJP hell bent to reimpose past caste based order in society wth help of JDU: tweets Tejashwi.11: 41 am: BJP president Amit Shah congratulates Nitish Kumar and Dy chief minister Sushil Modi for ?unitedly standing against corruption?.11:40 am: Frequent change of stand by Nitish Kumar doesn?t show him in good light: tweets Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh.11:23 am: Digvijaya Singh says if JD(U) had problems with Tejashwi, they could have suspended him, called a RJD-JDU-Cong meeting, there was no need to cheat the grand alliance.11:11 am:?In a series of strongly-worded tweets, Tejashwi Yadav lashes out at Nitish Kumar. ?Vicious greed for power of opportunism will spell it?s own doom. People are not fools that they digest their penchant for wicked power grab, tweets Tejashwi11: 05 am: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleges that BJP tried all tactics to destabilize states where Opposition had government.11: 03 am: Development will be a priority, will take Bihar to greater heights: Sushil Modi after being sworn in as Bihar deputy CM.11: 00 am: After taking oath, Nitish Kumar says his decision is in Bihar?s interest and for its development.11:00 am: Tejashwi tweets saying ally and BJP resorted to ?low level vindictive & opportunistic politics?Vendetta against me exposes their viciousness: Tejashwi.10:55 am:?Scandal- tainted RJD?leader Tejashwi Yadav joins the fray in tweeting, says: ?Entered in govt with clean slate,keen desire of writing a positive story for Bihar ppl, only to find opportunist rival.?Allegations against Tejashwi and Lalu triggered the crisis in Bihar, with CM Nitish Kumar claiming he couldn?t stay in the Grand Alliance because his ?conscience??didn?t allow it. 10:50 am:?Shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Nitish Kumar and Dy CM Sushil Modi. ?Looking forward to working together for Bihar?s progress & prosperity,? tweets PM Modi.10:40am:?Nitish Kumar does not care about Indians or the people of Bihar. He only cares about his seat:?ANI?quotes RJD MLA Bhai Birendra10:30am:?We knew about Nitish Kumar planning to join NDA for the past three to four months. This is the problem with Indian politics, people can do anything for their selfishness... Nitish Kumar has cheated us: TV quotes Rahul Gandhi as saying on Nitish Kumar switching sides. ?Mandate was given to Nitish ji for the anti-communal fight but now he has joined hands with them (BJP)?for his personal politics.?10:07 am: Sushil Kumar Modi takes oath as deputy chief minister for the third time.10:03 am: Nitish Kumar takes oath as chief minister of Bihar.10:02 am: RJD protest march cancelled after section 144 imposed around Raj Bhawan in Patna10:00 am: Governor arrives at Raj Bhawan, ceremony begins.9:51 am: Nitish Kumar reaches Raj Bhawan in Patna.9:49 am: Sushil Modi reaches Raj Bhawan in Patna, set to be sworn in as Bihar deputy chief minister.9:45 am: Will raise the issue in Parliament strongly, will also speak to other parties and protest in front of Gandhi statue: RJD MP JP Yadav.9: 45 am: JDU MP Sharad Yadav refuses to comment on Bihar political tussle, NDA-JDU tie up.9:37 am: Nitish ji?s step against corruption is a courageous one. BJP wants development and wants to help bring stability in Bihar: JP Nadda in Patna9:33 am: BJP?MLA Nitin Navin says Lalu is anxious, there is going to be revolt within the RJD.9:27 am: Bihar governor invites Nitish Kumar to form government. 9:09 am: Preparations underway at Raj Bhavan for oath-taking ceremony of Nitish Kumar.7:50 am: JD(U) MP Ali Anwar says his conscience doesn?t allow him to support the decision of Nitish Kumar. He says will voice his opinion in the party if given an opportunity.7: 15 am: RJD supporters block Mahatma Gandhi Setu, connecting north Bihar with Patna, over Nitish Kumar?s resignation and forming government.4:00 am: ?RJD being the single largest party should have been invited to form the government. We are taking legal advice and will move court against the governor?s decision,? Tejashwi tells reporters after the meeting.This whole drama was planned and Tejashwi was just an excuse for him (Kumar) to go with BJP: Tejashwi Yadav2:40 am: Tejashwi Yadav meets Bihar governor Keshri Nath Tripathi in Patna to register protest over Nitish Kumar being invited to form his government ahead of RJD. ?Governor gave us time of 11 a.m. and now suddenly has asked NDA for oath ceremony at 10 a.m. Why so much hurry & rush Mr. Honest & Moral?? Tejashwi Yadav had tweeted.2:37 am: #FLASH Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi invites Tejashwi Yadav & 5 RJD MLAs for discussion. pic.twitter.com/sicW9oRVqn? ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 20172:30 am: RJD leaders attempt to storm the Raj Bhawan with Tejashwi Yadav and his brother Tej Pratap and ten other former ministers in the Nitish cabinet. The strong security force deployed in the area wall them back.12.30am: Lalu Prasad says: ?Nitish Kumar has underlined that he is an opportunist. Having done what he has, he cannot stake claim without a challenge. The Congress, CPI-ML and independents will back our claims to form the next government... Struggle is my life. I have to be in Ranchi for the next three days. However, Tejashwi has been asked to present the claim to the governor in the forenoon tomorrow.?12.07am: Taking a letter of support to governor to stake claim for forming government: Prem Kumar, BJP, on Sushil Modi and Nitish Kumar?s meet with governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.(With inputs from agencies)

Chhavi Tyagi

02 Feb 2017,Thursday

Arvind Kejriwal backing extremists, says Rahul Gandhi

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/punjab-assembly-election-arvind-kejriwal-backing-extremists-rahul-gandhi/1/872904.html

On the last day of campaigning for the Punjab Assembly polls, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Delhi CM and AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal is backing extremists. "A few days ago, six people were killed in a bomb blast. Kejriwalji, who is the CM of Delhi, is helping these negative forces to flourish in the state," Gandhi said.

On the last day of campaigning before the February 4 voting, Rahul Gandhi today launched a frontal attack on the Aam Aadmi Party, which is contesting the Assembly election in Punjab for the time.Assembly Elections 2017: Full Coverage Speaking during a sanjha chulha (community kitchen) event in Sangrur, Rahul Gandhi accused Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal of supporting extremists."Kuch din pehle bomb blast mein 6 log maare gye. Kejriwalji jo Delhi ke CM hain, wo in shaktiyon ko madad kar rhe hain, unhe khada hone de rhe hain (Kejriwalji is backing those who were behind the bomb blast which killed 6 people a couple days ago," Rahul said while referring to the January 31 blast in Bathinda district.ALSO READ: Phata kurta, nikla Rahul Gandhi: What the Congress leader said on Modi's kurta"Wo shaktiyaan jinhone pehle Punjab ko barbaad kiya, jinke kaaran hinsa hui thi, wohi shaktiyan phir khade hone ki koshish kar rahi hain (People who ruined Punjab, spread violence in the state, are again looking to spread their terror. This is a dangerous thing," he said.  Six people, including a Congress worker were killed in a car blast in Bathinda's Maur. The blast took place during a road show by Congress' candidate Harminder Singh Jassi, who escaped unhurt. RAHUL SHARES DAAL, ROTI WITH VILLAGERS  Dressed in white kurta, blue jeans and a half jacket, Rahul Gandhi sat on a wooden cot, flanked by the village headman and council members, and interacted with the residents of Baliyan village, 145 km from Chandigarh.He later shared a traditional meal with commoners and party leaders at the sanjha chulha (common kitchen) put up by the villagers.A number of village elders, women, youth, including girls, also shared the meal with the Congress leader.(With inputs from IANS) WATCH : India Today survey on Assembly elections 2017: Final verdict before the polls

Pragya Swastik

10 Jan 2017,Tuesday

Printing of ?2,000 notes should be stopped in future: Ramdev

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/printing-of-rs-2k-notes-should-be-stopped-in-future-ramdev/1/853557.html

Hailing PM Narendra Modi for scrapping ?1,000 and ?500 currency notes, Baba Ramdev on Tuesday said printing of ?2,000 notes should also be stopped in future. "The adverse effect of high denomination currency is evident as fake ?2,000 notes have arrived," said Ramdev. "Fake currency in high denomination is convenient for printing, transportation and difficult to trace," he added.

Raipur, Jan 9 (PTI) Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev today said printing of Rs 2,000 currency notes should also be stopped in future. "The adverse effect of high denomination currency is evident as the fake currency in the denomination of Rs 2,000 notes has arrived (in the market). The bigger value note has the same problem for which Modiji has scrapped the other ones," Ramdev told reporters here. "Fake currency note in high denomination is convenient for printing, transportation and difficult to trace...I feel the printing of Rs 2,000 note should be stopped in future," he added. "In future, wherever there will be strong need, cash should be used otherwise we should move towards a cashless economy. As we move ahead toward digital transaction it will ensure transparency and accountability in the economy," Ramdev added. The Yoga guru further said he has full faith in the prime minister, saying he is enacting good policies for empowering the county. "The prime minister is making strong efforts for the betterment of the country. But we cant be dependent only on politician or political party to bring Achhe din (good days). I have already said that both the government and the society will have to work together to make the country prosperous and bring good days," he added. Terming demonetisation as a historic and brave step, he said, black money constitutes 80-85 per cent of the economy and Modiji has taken bold step to solve the issue.

Niharika Prabhakar

22 Jul 2017,Saturday

Raveesh Kumar to be Foreign Ministry spokesperson

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ifs-officer-raveesh-kumar-to-be-next-ministry-of-external-affairs-spokesperson/story-OAIyHkX0eYrE7PD31wXWsI.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Raveesh Kumar is reportedly going to be the next spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. Kumar, who is currently posted in Frankfurt as Consul General of India, is a 1995-batch IFS officer. He will replace Gopal Baglay, who was appointed as the joint secretary in the Prime Minister?s Office on Friday.

Raveesh Kumar, a 1995-batch IFS officer who is currently posted in Frankfurt as Consul General of India, is understood to be the next spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs. Kumar will replace Gopal Baglay, who was on Friday appointed the joint secretary in the Prime Minister?s Office.The IFS?officer started his career at the Indian Mission in Jakarta. It was followed by a stint in Thimphu and London.During his previous tenure in Delhi, he looked after the East Asia desk.

Ankur Vyas

31 Dec 2016,Saturday

British-Indian professor receives knighthood from Queen

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/british-indian-professor-knighted-in-new-years-honours/1/846566.html

Shankar Balasubramanian, an Indian-origin British professor has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to the field of science and medicine. The Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at Cambridge University was honoured for his work as a co-inventor of Next Generation DNA sequencing. "His work has spawned an entirely new discipline of Bioinformatics," his citation read.

From Aditi Khanna London, Dec 31 (PTI) Shankar Balasubramanian, an Indian-origin British professor of chemistry, has received a Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to the field of science and medicine. Balasubramanian, 50, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at Cambridge University, has been recognised for his work as a co-inventor of Next Generation DNA sequencing, described as the most transformational advance in biology and medicine for decades. "Solexa sequencing, as it is now known, allows an individual genome to be sequenced in a day or two at a cost of less than 1,000 pounds; previously, sequencing the human genome took years of work and cost billions. His work has spawned an entirely new discipline of Bioinformatics," his citation reads. "More recently, he has made major contributions to understanding the role of DNA-quadruplexes in cancer and invented a method for the sequencing of epigenetic modifications," his citation reads. Olympic stars Andy Murray, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis- Hill are among others honoured in the 2017 New Year Honours list, which also includes big names from the entertainment world, including actors Mark Rylance and Patricia Routledge. Rio 2016 mens tennis champion Murray and double gold- winning athlete Farah receive Knighthoods, while heptathlete Ennis-Hill becomes a Dame.

Chhavi Tyagi

29 Mar 2017,Wednesday

Another African national attacked in Greater Noida

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/greater-noida-nigerian-female-student-attacked/1/915313.html

According to reports, a female African student was pulled from inside an autorickshaw by some unidentified men who misbehaved with her and then beat her up when she shouted for help. Notably, this comes a day after a mob thrashed four Nigerian nationals with bricks, knives and rods following the death of a teenager.

In yet another attack on foreign nationals in Greater Noida, a Kenyan student was thrashed by some unidentified men near Knowledge Park today. According to reports, the female student was inside a cab when some unidentified men pulled her out and started misbehaving. The men beat her up when she tried to shout out for help. She informed the police which took her to a local hospital. The police said it is probing the matter. Talking to India Today about the incident, SP Sujata Singh said, "We have asked for an official complaint to be filed before an FIR can be lodged. She isn't in a condition to speak right now. We'll figure out how the events transpired."Meanwhile her friend Adam said, "She is shaken up right now. Why we are being attacked we do not know." Greater Noida, which houses numerous colleges and universities where thousands of foreign nationals study, has witnessed a spurt in violence against African nationals.Earlier this week, a mob thrashed four Nigerian nationals following the death of a teenager. Local residents claimed that 19-year-old  Manish Khari died of drug overdose and was last seen with a group of Nigerians.The Greater Noida police booked over 1000 people and arrested five in connection with the case. An FIR was lodged against nine people and around 300 were booked for culpable homicide. While 5 have been arrested, 54 accused have been identified from video clips of the incident. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who assured her of a "fair and impartial" probe into Monday's incident."I have spoken to Yogi Adityanath ji Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh about attack on African students in Greater Noida. He has assured that there will be a fair and impartial investigation into this unfortunate incident," Swaraj said.(With inputs from Ilma Hassan) WATCH: Nigerians attacked in Greater Noida: Rumours fuelling xenophobic violence?

Mishika Bangia

18 Jun 2017,Sunday

Teenager killed for not lending scooter, minor among 3 held

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/teenager-killed-for-not-lending-scooter-juvenile-among-3-held/1/981370.html

Two men have been arrested and a juvenile apprehended for allegedly killing 18-year-old boy Gulfam in Delhi's Nand Nagri area after he refused to lend his scooter to the juvenile, the police said. Gulfam's sister told police that he was forcibly taken to a park on Thursday by the three accused, where the juvenile attacked him with a knife.

New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) Two men have been arrested and a juvenile apprehended for allegedly killing an 18-year-old boy after he refused to lend his scooter to one of the accused in northeast Delhis Nand Nagri area, police said today. On June 15, Gulfam was stabbed and beaten by the three accused in a park after he was forcibly taken there from his house, the police said. Gulfam was shifted to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, Devender Arya, additional deputy commissioner of police (Northeast). His sister told police that Karan, Sunny and the juvenile took her brother to a park. Karan and Sunny caught hold of Gulfam while the juvenile attacked him with a knife, said the police officer. Karan and Sunny were arrested yesterday and later the juvenile was also apprehended.

Rini Sinha

28 Feb 2017,Tuesday

Aishwarya, Abhishek to star in Kashyap's next film: Reports

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/aishwarya-rai-abhishek-bachchan-anurag-kashyap-gulab-jamun/1/893064.html

As per reports, actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan will feature together in filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's next film tentatively titled 'Gulab Jamun'. The couple was last seen together in Mani Ratnam's 2010 film 'Raavan'. Reportedly, the romantic comedy will also feature Amitabh Bachchan in a pivotal role.n

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are set to come together after seven years in Anurag Kashyap's Gulab Jamun, if reports are to be believed. The couple last worked together in Mani Ratnam's Raavan in 2010.Reportedly, Gulab Jamun is a romantic comedy written and directed by a newcomer and produced by Kashyap's Phantom Films. Abhishek and Aishwarya have liked the script, but are yet to give it a nod. Buzz is that Amitabh Bachchan might also play a pivotal role in the film.In fact, speculation suggests that Abhishek is dropping a major hint through his throwback post on Instagram last week, where he shared a photo with Aishwarya from the sets of Raavan, that their jodi is ready to return on screen.#flashbackfriday on the sets of Ravan in 2008.A post shared by Abhishek Bachchan (@bachchan) on Feb 16, 2017 at 7:22pm PSTThe two have worked together in films like Kuch Naa Kaho, Guru, Dhoom 2 and Sarkar Raj.

Parmeet Kaur

31 Jul 2017,Monday

Delhi among 29 cities, towns highly vulnerable to quakes

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delhi-chandigarh-among-29-cities-and-towns-highly-vulnerable-to-quakes/story-EoOMOhuHRrmuDZBBqJWjkK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Twenty-nine Indian cities and towns including Delhi fall under 'severe' to 'very severe' seismic zones, according to National Centre for Seismology. Different regions across the country were classified into earthquake zones II to V by Bureau of Indian Standards, with Zone V being the most active. Delhi, northern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir fall under Zone IV.

Twenty-nine Indian cities and towns, including Delhi and capitals of nine states, fall under ?severe? to ?very severe? seismic zones, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).A majority of these places are in the Himalayas, one of the most seismically active regions in the world.Delhi, Patna (Bihar), Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), Kohima (Nagaland), Puducherry, Guwahati (Assam), Gangtok (Sikkim), Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Imphal (Manipur) and Chandigarh fall under seismic zones IV and V.These cities have a combined population of over three crore.The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has classified different regions in the country into zones II to V, taking into consideration earthquake records, tectonic activities and damage caused, the director of the NCS, Vineet Gauhlat, said.The NCS, which records earthquakes and carries out studies pertaining to microzonation of cities, comes under the India Meteorological Department (IMD).Seismic microzonation is the process of subdividing a region into smaller areas having different potential for hazardous earthquake effects.Zone II is considered the least seismically active, while Zone V is the most active. Zone IV and V fall under ?severe? to ?very severe? categories respectively.Zone V includes the entire northeastern region, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand, the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, parts of north Bihar and the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.Parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Sikkim, northern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat and a small part of Maharashtra fall under Zone IV.Bhuj, which was struck by a massive earthquake in 2001 in which 20,000 people were killed, Chandigarh, Ambala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Roorkee fall under zones IV and V.Kusala Rajendran, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and an expert on paleoseismology, earthquake recurrence and active tectonics, said most of the cities in the list have a high population density and fall in the Indo-Gangetic plains.?The Himalayan arc, stretching from the upper Assam region to Jammu and Kashmir, is known to be a high seismic zone and these cities in the Indo-Gangetic belt fall within reasonable limits of the Himalayas. So repercussions are bound to be felt there,? she observed.M Rajeevan, secretary, ministry of Earth Sciences, said 31 new earthquake observatories will come up in the country by March next year. At present, there are 84 observatories.This is being done to detect and record earthquake parameters more accurately and identify possible precursors of tremors.The NCS has also carried out microzonation of cities like Delhi and Kolkata to study the possible impact of earthquake in these mega cities.

Deepali Aggarwal

13 Jul 2017,Thursday

Chinese troops depart for first overseas military base

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-sends-troops-to-first-overseas-military-base-in-djibouti-sparks-concerns-in-india/story-2GR96KViyYi6dsEbXHlLxK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Ships carrying Chinese troops are headed to Djibouti to set up China's first overseas military base in an effort to enhance its global reach. The base will be used for peacekeeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and West Asia, China said. However, India believes the base would become another of China's "string of pearls" of military alliances and assets.

Ships carrying Chinese military personnel for Beijing?s first overseas military base, in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, have left China to begin setting up the facility as China?s rapidly modernising military hones its global reach.Djibouti?s position on the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean has fuelled worries in India that it would become another of China?s ?string of pearls? of military alliances and assets ringing India, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.China began construction of a logistics base in strategically located Djibouti last year that will resupply naval vessels taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, in particular.This will be China?s first overseas naval base, although Beijing officially describes it as a logistics facility.State news agency Xinhua said in a short report late on Tuesday the ships had departed from Zhanjiang in southern China ?to set up a support base in Djibouti?.Navy commander Shen Jinlong ?read an order on constructing the base in Djibouti? but the report did not say when the base might formally begin operations.Xinhua said the establishment of the base was a decision made by both countries after ?friendly negotiations, and accords with the common interest of the people from both sides?.?The base will ensure China?s performance of missions, such as escorting, peace-keeping and humanitarian aid in Africa and west Asia,? it said.?The base will also be conducive to overseas tasks including military cooperation, joint exercises, evacuating and protecting overseas Chinese and emergency rescue, as well as jointly maintaining security of international strategic seaways,? the Xinhua report.?Not military expansionism?The People?s Liberation Army Daily said in a front-page commentary this was a landmark move that would increase China?s ability to ensure global peace, especially because it has so many United Nations peacekeepers in Africa and is so involved in anti-piracy patrols.China would not seek military expansionism or get into arms races no matter what happened, it said.?These promises will not change because of the construction of the overseas logistics base,? it said.The state-run Global Times said in an editorial on Wednesday there could be no mistake that this was in fact a military base.?Certainly this is the People?s Liberation Army?s first overseas base and we will base troops there. It?s not a commercial resupply point. It makes sense there is attention on this from foreign public opinion,? said the paper, which is published by the official People?s Daily, said.However, China?s military development was about protecting its own security, it said. ?It?s not about seeking to control the world.?Djibouti, which is about the size of Wales, is located at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal. The tiny, barren nation sandwiched between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia also hosts U.S., Japanese and French bases.There has been persistent speculation in diplomatic circles that China would build other such bases, in Pakistan for example, but the government has dismissed this.

Chhavi Tyagi

22 Apr 2017,Saturday

Choose BJP, blame yourself for dengue, chikungunya: Kejriwal

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhi-mcd-election-arvind-kejriwal-bjp-dengue-chikungunya/1/934846.html

Ahead of the Delhi civic polls, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "If you (citizens) vote for the BJP and if your child falls prey to dengue or chikungunya, then you will be responsible, because you voted for a party that spreads mosquitoes." He further said, "BJP is in MCD for the last 10 years but still it cannot clean Delhi."

Two days before the Delhi MCD elections, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lashed out against BJP and Congress and appealed to the people not vote for them. Targeting BJP, he further said, "if your children get dengue or chikungunya, then you yourself will be responsible for it, because you voted for a party that spreads mosquitoes that breed dengue or chikungunya."He said that, "BJP is in MCD for the last 10 years but still it cannot clean Delhi. How a party can clean Delhi if it cannot get rid of mosquitoes in 10 years? And if you vote BJP, then in the coming 5 years, there will be so much garbage in Delhi that people will have dengue and chikungunya."While talking about Congress, Kejriwal said, "Congress has lost its hold over the country and is finished in Delhi. People should not waste their votes by voting for Congress."He further said that, "We are getting complaints about water and electricity shortage. I want to tell the people of Delhi that BJP and Congress workers have stolen oil from 70 places, and at many places they have put cement in sewer pipelines because of which water is flowing on roads at some places. Till Sunday, these people will steal oil and create water scarcity in the city.Polling for the upcoming MCD election ends today evening. The AAP is fighting in all the 272 wards. They won five wards last year.The MCD election in Delhi's 272 municipal wards will be held on Sunday while the results will be declared on April 26.The total number of voters in Delhi stands at 1,32,10,206, which include 73,15,915 men, 58,93,418 women, and 793 voters in the other category. Among them, over 1.10 lakh people will be exercising their franchise for the first time.Also read: Delhi MCD election: Ruling AAP survey claims it's winning, ABP News-C Voter opinion poll gives it to BJP

Mansha Mahajan

20 Jan 2017,Friday

Trump's going to fail and Theresa May won't last, says Soros

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/20/george-soros-theresa-may-wont-last-and-donald-trump-is-would-be-dictator?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+categories&utm_term=209316&subid=19543693&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2

Billionaire investor George Soros said that UK PM Theresa May will not remain in power for long as Brexit cripples her government, while US President-elect Donald Trump is a ?would-be dictator? who's ?going to fail?. On the eve of Trump?s inauguration as President, Soros further said Trump was an ?impostor and con-man? and was ?gearing up for a trade war?.

Theresa May will not remain in power long as Brexit cripples her government, while Donald Trump is a ?would-be dictator? who is ?going to fail?, the billionaire investor George Soros has told the Davos world economic forum.On the eve of Trump?s inauguration as president, Soros delivered a scathing assessment, saying the ?impostor and con-man? was ?gearing up for a trade war? which would have ?a very far-reaching effect in Europe and other parts of the world?.The ?would-be-dictator ? didn?t expect to win, he was surprised?, Soros told an audience of business leaders and journalists in Davos where the World Economic Forum is being held.?I personally have confidence that he?s going to fail ? because his ideas that guide him are inherently self-contradictory,? added Soros, who was a supporter of Trump?s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential election campaign.Soros said he expected financial markets to ?not do very well? because of the uncertainty generated by the Trump administration.On Theresa May and Brexit, Soros predicted economic upheaval in Britain and substantial difficulties in bringing about a clean break with the European Union ? and the prospect of the UK quickly joining again or entering a successor arrangement once the referendum mandate of leaving the EU was fulfilled.?In my opinion it is unlikely that prime minister May is actually going to remain in power. Already she has a very divided cabinet, a very small majority in parliament. And I think she will not last,? he said.?At the moment the people in the UK are in denial. The current economic situation is not as bad as was predicted and they live in hope. But as the currency depreciates, and inflation will be the driving force, this will lead to declining living standards.?This is going to take some time, but when it does happen they?ll realise that they are earning less than before because wages won?t rise as fast as the cost of living.?The divorce is going to take a very long time. It?s much harder to divorce than to get married, so I think the desire for rapprochement will develop, and in theory or maybe even in practice you could have a situation in 2019 or 2020 when Britain will leave the EU, because it does have to take place, but they could leave on a Friday but join over the weekend and have the new arrangement in place in Monday morning.?Soros said he hoped both sides would realise they must find some common ground and find common ground to avoid a bitter divorce.The future for Europe looked bleak, Soros said, after a disastrous 2016. Europe had become too complicated, leaving people alienated and anti-European parties gathering force.May, speaking earlier at the forum, said Britain had voted with ?determination and quiet resolve? to leave the EU but it was ?overwhelmingly? in Britain?s interests for Europe to succeed.?Britain must face up to a period of momentous change. It means we must go through a tough negotiation and forge a new role for ourselves in the world. It means accepting that the road ahead will be uncertain at times, but believing that it leads towards a brighter future for our country?s children, and grandchildren too.?We are going to be a confident country that is in control of its destiny once again.?With the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse

Abhishek Bansal

09 Feb 2017,Thursday

Everyone born in India is a Hindu: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/everyone-born-in-india-is-a-hindu-says-rashtriya-swayamsevak-chief-mohan-bhagwat/1/878164.html

During a speech in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said every person born in India is a Hindu. "Even Muslims are Hindus by nationality, they are Muslims by faith only," Bhagwat added. "Just as the English live in England, Americans in America and Germans in Germany, Hindus live in Hindustan," Bhagwat further said.

In a remark likely to court controversy, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said every person born in India is a Hindu."Everyone born in the country is a Hindu -- of these some are idol-worshipers and some are not. Even Muslims are Hindus by nationality, they are Muslims by faith only," he said in Baitul, Madhya Pradesh. Bhagwat, who is in the state on an eight-day visit, went on to say, "Just as the English live in England, Americans in America and Germans in Germany, Hindus live in Hindustan." 'MUSLIMS BY FAITH, HINDUS BY NATIONALITY'"It is no surprise if members of Rashtriya Muslim Manch do an 'aarti' of Bharat Mata because they are Hindus... They may have become Muslims by faith but they are Hindus by nationality," he added.

Prashanti Moktan

25 Jan 2017,Wednesday

SRK is like my son: Mother of man who died at Raees promo

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/raees-shah-rukh-khan-fan-death-vadodara-station/1/866060.html

The mother of the man, who died in a stampede caused by actor Shah Rukh Khan's visit to the Vadodara railway station for promoting 'Raees', has said that SRK is like her son. She added, "We have nothing against SRK as he is not at fault. My son fell prey to the crowd and succumbed to death due to suffocation."

Suffocation due to crowd led to the death of a social activist who collapsed during Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's train stopover at Vadodara railway station, confirmed the deceased's family members, who also said they have "nothing against" the actor.Farid Khan Pathan, a resident of Hatikhana area of Vadodara, was at the railway station with his wife and daughter, when Shah Rukh was present there for the promotional tour for his film Raees.ALSO READ | Raees By Rail: Shah Rukh Khan reaches Delhi to heavy security and shouting fans Pathan fell unconscious and upon being rushed to a hospital, was declared dead.Journalist Samina Shaikh, niece of the deceased, was travelling with the Raees team at the time.In a statement issued on behalf of the film's team, Samina said: "It's unfortunate that my uncle lost his life due to suffocation in the crowd as he was a heart patient.""However, Shah Rukh Khan and his team made sure that my mother and I reach safely to my uncle's funeral. We got down at Ratlam and Shah Rukh's team arranged a car for us to Vadodara to attend my uncle's burial."Dear certain media ppl,blowing @iamsrk 's rail trip out of proportion won't bring back my Uncle.It's an unfortunate incident,don't blame himThe scribe also said Shah Rukh also ensured arrangements were made for their other relatives to fly in from Mumbai to Vadodara to attend her uncle's last rites.The Quint quotes the deceased's mother also thanking SRK for his help. She said, "We have nothing against Shah Rukh Khan as he is not at fault. He is also like my son, I would like to thank him for making last moment arrangements for our family to be a part of my son's funeral. The incident has nothing to do with SRK's Raees promotional event, my son fell prey to the crowd and succumbed to death due to suffocation. All we want is prayers from everyone for my son."While Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Manoj Tiwari slammed Shah Rukh for the incident and urged him to compensate the family, the deceased's mother said in the statement: "We have nothing against Shah Rukh Khan as he is not at fault.""He is also like my son... The incident has nothing to do with the Raees promotional event. My son fell prey to the crowd and succumbed to death due to suffocation. All we want is prayers from everyone for my son."A huge crowd had thronged Vadodara railway station to see Shah Rukh on Monday night as he was travelling to Delhi on August Kranti Rajdhani Express from Mumbai to promote his film.

Aarushi Maheshwari

02 Aug 2017,Wednesday

Egypt's Islamic authority sets up fatwa kiosk at metro

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/01/egyptian-islamic-authority-sets-up-fatwa-kiosk-in-cairo-metro?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Egypt's highest Islamic authority Al-Azhar Al-Sharif has opened a fatwa kiosk at Cairo metro to offer commuters religious advice in an effort to counter extremism. A sheikh said, "We usually talk about the issues of daily life, and what religion says about such things. The topics we mostly discuss are marriage, divorce and inheritance."

Sheikhs from Egypt?s highest Islamic authority have opened a fatwa kiosk in the Cairo metro to offer religious advice to commuters in what they say is an effort to counter extremism.The idea is proving popular with travellers passing through Cairo?s al-Shohada metro station, a busy transport hub, who queue up to sit with a group of religious scholars inside a green patterned booth, sheltered from the bustle of the metro.?We usually talk about the issues of daily life, and what religion says about such things. The topics we mostly discuss are marriage, divorce and inheritance,? said one sheikh staffing the booth for the morning commute, who declined to be named.According to al-Azhar al-Sharif, Egypt?s top Islamic body, which installed the booth, the project is intended to correct misinterpretations of Islam. The institution has frequently clashed with the government of the president, Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, who has repeatedly called for a ?religious reformation? in Islam to combat extremism.Egypt has grappled with a spike in jihadist activity since Sisi came to power in 2013, including a recent string of large-scale attacks on Coptic Christian sites as well as ongoing violence in the Sinai peninsula.Al-Azhar, established in Cairo in 971 as a centre of Sunni Muslim learning, is hoping that the booth will help steer Egyptians away from extremist thought.Sheikh Tamer Mattar, the coordinator of its International Centre for Electronic Fatwas, said that the booth was designed to direct citizens to seek advice from al-Azhar, instead of extremist groups. ?The experiment was successful so far and we hope that it will expand,? he said. ?We can say it was successful, as in the eight days of the initiative, we received 1,500 questions. At any moment you can find tens of people waiting to present theirs.?The booth operates two shifts daily, welcoming visitors from 9am until 8pm. Yet few seemed convinced that the project would attract those with pre-existing extremist tendencies to seek guidance, especially as those staffing the booth noted down the identity card number of those visiting along with their complaints. Extremists won?t come to us to seek advice,? said the sheikh staffing the booth for its morning shift. ?We?re targeting people on the street who are ignorant of religious matters ? they come to us and we try to put them on the right track of moderation.? Mohamed Abu-Hamed, an Egyptian MP who has sparred frequently with al-Azhar over a desire for greater government regulation of the religious body and its teachings, dismissed the booths. ?The whole project is absurd. It is a superficial understanding of the call to renew the religious rhetoric,? he said.?When we talk about renewing religious rhetoric, we mean the main content [of their teachings],? he said. ?If al-Azhar created these kiosks while thinking that this is renewing religious rhetoric, then they don?t get it. They are doing this to evade making any real changes.?

Shubhodeep Datta

24 Mar 2017,Friday

Maharashtra doctors call off their strike after meeting CM

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maharashtra-doctors-strike-devendra-fadnavis-indian-medical-association/1/911847.html

As many as 40,000 Maharashtra doctors associated with the Indian Medical Association called off their strike over inadequate security in hospitals, after meeting CM Devendra Fadnavis on Friday. Fadnavis said more security has been provided since Thursday, and further arrangements will be made in the next 10 days. Earlier, doctors were warned to join work or take a pay cut.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called off doctor's strike in Maharashtra after a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. CM Fadnavis met IMA representatives at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai where they were briefed about the steps the government has taken to ensure the safety of doctors in hospitals.Doctors joined duty late at night, ANI reported early on Saturday morning. Fadnavis told IMA representatives that more security has been provided in 16 hospitals since Thursday, and the government will make more arrangements in next 10 days.Fadnavis, who on Thursday appealed resident doctors to call off their strike, had said in the Assembly today that 'enough was enough' and that continuing the strike despite assurances was totally insensitive."Patients are suffering and people are getting annoyed. Attacks on doctors are wrong, but if despite the written assurances from the government they continue the strike they are being insensitive," he said."Enough is enough, we are willing to request them, but if they do not call off their strike, we will take legal action. Why shouldn't we? If they do not agree to the request, the government will not sit back with folded hands," he had added.Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court warned Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) that if they do not file an affidavit by 3 pm today, it will initiate contempt proceedings against the association's president and secretary.The court also reprimanded MARD and doctors for not complying with the orders and for not resuming their duties.Further, Advocate General Rohit Deo told the court that the state government will wait till 6 pm today for the doctors to resume work, and if they don't then action will be taken against them.MARD on the other hand, told the court that it will ask doctors to join work by 8 am tomorrow. Watch Video: Maharashtra doctors strike: Protesters unrelenting, health crisis continuesAlso Read:

Deepali Aggarwal

01 Aug 2017,Tuesday

Pak extends house arrest of JuD chief Saeed by two months

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistan-extends-house-arrest-of-jud-chief-hafiz-saeed-s-by-two-more-months/story-ypPdboy2XHWbbY2yjs8v4J.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Pakistan has extended the house arrest of UN-designated terrorist and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed for another two months to maintain public order. Liberty of Saeed is a continuous threat to the peace and tranquillity in the country, Pakistani authorities said. The Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief has been under house arrest since January 31 this year.

Authorities in Pakistan?s Punjab province have extended the house arrest of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed for another two months to maintain public order.Saeed, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, has been under house arrest since January 31 this year. His detention had been extended for three more months in April.On January 31, Saeed and his four close aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain) -- were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.This time Saeed?s house arrest has been extended under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order.In a notification issued on July 28, the Punjab Government Home Department said on the recommendation of the federal interior ministry the detention of the activist -- Saeed -- has been extended for another 60 days. It said Saaed and others? detention expired on July 27.According to the notification, ?The Counter Terrorism Department has reported that keeping in view the expected release of said activist (Saeed) and other leaders and workers of said organisations (JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat) they have planned to spread chaos in the country. They have planned to make demonstrations under the leadership of Saeed.??He will be portrayed as a hero and his acts will be glorified. Abdul Rehman Makki who is the central leader of the JuD has been making preparations for the purpose and has launched a secret campaign to muster support of the workers,? the notification said.It said the ?liberty? of Saeed is a continuous threat to the peace and tranquillity in the country.The notification further said that the District Intelligence Committee Lahore separately noted that Saeed would create law and order situation upon his release.Additional home secretary Azam Suleman believes that the activities of Saeed are ?prejudicial to public safety and maintenance of public order?.?Thereby the Home Department in exercise of powers conferred under sub-section 1 of Section-3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 Hafiz Saeed is detained for a period of 60 days with effect from July 28, 2017.?A Lahore high court bench headed by Justice Abdul Sami Khan, which was scheduled to announce the verdict today on the detention of Saeed and four others, deferred its verdict for an indefinite period.The court had reserved the decision on June 7 after the Punjab government law officer submitted a reply and Saeed?s counsel advocate AK Dogar completed his arguments.

Daisy Mowke

12 Mar 2017,Sunday

Huma Qureshi slams body-shamers in new ad

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/huma-qureshi-new-ad-levis-body-shaming-jeans-lifest/1/901120.html

Actress Huma Qureshi has slammed body-shamers in an advertisement for a clothing brand. "Body shaming is as harmful as anything else; as an actor you...have to have a really thick hide," she said. Huma added, "Whoever I am today is because of the fact that I don't fit in... Who wants to blend in when they can stand out?"

That Huma Qureshi is a class apart is known throughout the industry. Not only is she classy externally, she's actually classier on the inside. Huma was recently part of a big Indo-British movie called Viceroy's House that also starred Hugh Bonneville. In fact, she was also at the BRIT Awards this year for the same, but did you hear anyone make a big pump and show about it? No, right? That's class, right there.But that's besides the point. The point here is that Huma has faced a lot of negativity in the industry for being "different". She's a couple of sizes bigger than most actresses in Bollywood, and frankly, that's what makes her so beautiful and elegant. Some people, however, fail to see that. And Huma is making a point about exactly those people in a new ad she's starred in, and might we add, is looking super hot in:You keep trying to put me down .. say rubbish.. I will keep raising the bar #DownNaysayers #IShapeMyWorld @levis_in @levisA post shared by Huma Qureshi (@iamhumaq) on Mar 9, 2017 at 6:19am PSTAnd what Huma says in the ad has us all pumped and proud of our own bodies: "Being an actor is I think the most vulnerable space you can be in, everyone has an opinion. A lot of people make these sexist comments in passing every single day without realising the damage they're causing. Body shaming is as harmful as anything else; as an actor you just have to have a really thick hide. Someone wrote a really nasty review about the film I did, and they also said Huma Qureshi is 5 kilos too heavy to be a mainstream heroine. There are only two ways to deal with a bully, no, either you stop crossing paths  or you give it back to the bully, because ultimately bullies are just really, really insecure people who basically are projecting their own sense of self worth onto the outside world.Whoever I am today is because of the fact that I'm an outsider, because I don't fit in. Who wants to blend in when they can stand out? I am Huma Qureshi and this is how I shape my world."  

Chhavi Tyagi

18 Jan 2017,Wednesday

Girls in Crazy Sumit's "kiss & run" video say he's a friend

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/youtube-kissing-prankster-sumit-faces-police-again-girls-say-he-s-their-friend/story-u2lIj7z5lju107Knwz1tKO.html?home-latest

Two girls seen in the controversial kiss and run 'prank' video, which was uploaded on YouTube channel 'Crazy Sumit', have said that the YouTuber is their friend. However, they said that they were unaware that the video would be uploaded on the internet for monetary gain, contrary to Sumit's claims. Following the contradictions, the police would now grill Sumit again.

New Delhi: Delhi Police are planning to question YouTuber Sumit Kumar Singh, also known as Crazy Sumit, and his associate Satyajeet Kadyan once again after the two girls seen in their ?prank? video claimed they were unaware the video would be uploaded on the Internet. The girls, one from Gurgaon and the other from Delhi, were questioned on Tuesday at their respective homes by crime branch officials in connection with the molestation case registered after the video surfaced early this month. Police said the girls admitted they knew about the prank video but claimed that Sumit and Kadyan had not told them the video would later be uploaded on YouTube for money.Senior crime branch officials said they were taking legal advice to act against Sumit and Kadyan. ?Sumit and Kadyan had told us the girls were their friends and the video was made with their consent. They had also claimed the girls knew it was a prank video which will be later uploaded on YouTube,? said a senior officer.?But now the statements of the girls contradict the claims made by the two men, we want to question them again. If needed, all four of them will be questioned together and confronted with each other?s statement,? the officer added.Sumit, who runs the YouTube channel ?Crazy Sumit?, and Kadyan were apprehend last week in Gurugaon over a video where the former was seen randomly kissing girls and running away.A case was registered against Sumit under I-T Act, among other charges, following outrage over the clip.

Chhavi Tyagi

10 May 2017,Wednesday

BSP expels Naseemuddin Siddiqui for anti-party activities

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bahujan-samaj-party-muslim-naseemuddin-siddiqui-son-expelled/1/950165.html

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday expelled senior leader and prominent Muslim face Naseemuddin Siddiqui and his son Afzal Siddiqui from the party for carrying out anti-party activities. BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra claimed that Siddiqui has slaughterhouses and 'benami' properties in his name and he also took money during Assembly polls which resulted in the party's defeat.

Naseemudin Siddiqui, Bahujan Samaj Party's Muslim face, and his son were today expelled from the party for carrying out anti-party activities. "Siddiqui and his son Afzal have been expelled from the party. He has a partnership in a number of slaughter houses and 'benami' properties in his name. He also took money during assembly polls due to which party had to suffer defeat", said BSP General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member Satish Chandra Mishra.Siddiqui, who hails from Banda, was earlier removed as the party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and was appointed as the the MP unit in-charge after the assembly poll debacle.Mishra also alleged that Nasimuddin used to accept money from people in return for work and added that the BSP will not tolerate such indiscipline.MAYAWATI'S ORGANISATIONAL REJIGBSP supremo Mayawati had carried out a major organisational rejig after the assembly polls, and launched her brother Anand Kumar in active politics making him the party's vice-president.With a view to revamp her party, Mayawati had also dissolved the existing team of zonal, divisional and district coordinators and brotherhood committees set up to woo different castes and communities like Brahmins, Thakur and Muslims.After the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in which BSP failed to open its account, the BSP again suffered a humiliating defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections where the party had managed to secure only 19 seats out of the total 403 seats.Mayawati had blamed EVMs for her party's poor performance.On the AAP's demonstration on EVMs in Delhi Assembly yesterday, Mishra said, "BSP was the first to raise the issue of misuse of EVMs".Also ReadMayawati's brother Anand Kumar is now BSP Number 2Uttar Pradesh: Local BSP leader shot dead in Allahabad

Ayushi Ahluwalia

01 Aug 2017,Tuesday

Female labourer who turned arms supplier arrested in Delhi

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/woman-labourer-turns-interstate-gunrunner-arrested-with-weapons-in-delhi/story-rZiHYoyWhCG5pulHZPRCMJ.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a 45-year-old woman for supplying illegal weapons and recovered fourteen semi-automatic sophisticated pistols with magazines from her possession. A mother of five children, the accused had started supplying illegal arms after she was unable to meet her basic needs as a farm labourer. She was arrested based on a tip-off before an arms delivery.

Delhi Police special cell on Saturday arrested a woman in connection with an arms trafficking racket and recovered 14 semi-automatic sophisticated pistols of 7.65mm with 14 magazines from her possession.Mobai (45), police said, is a proclaimed offender with many cases of arms act registered against her. The recovered weapons are engraved with ?Made in England? and ?Made in USA? markings.A mother of five children, she earlier worked as a labourer in the fields but her income was not sufficient to meet her basic needs. Being unable to make her ends meet, she came in contact with arms traffickers in MP and started supplying illegal arms. ?It had come to notice that arms manufacturers and suppliers from MP are supplying sophisticated firearms in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas of UP. A team was deputed to identify the gang in Delhi. The team deployed informers in and around Delhi-NCR, MP and UP to gather leads about the gang and the racket,? DCP special cell, PS Kushwah said.Police recovered 14 semi-automatic sophisticated pistols of 7.65mm with 14 magazines from Mobai?s possession.?Last Wednesday, we received an information that one woman supplier of illegal arms, who is also a proclaimed offender, would come near Shastri Park, between 6pm and 7pm to deliver a huge cache of semi-automatic weapons and meet her contacts,? Kushwah said. A trap was laid and the woman was spotted. ?She was carrying a black and a red bag on her right shoulder. She started waiting there for someone. After some time when no one turned up and as she was about to leave, she was apprehended with the help of woman staff,? Kushwah said.Mobai told police that she collected the weapons from a manufacturer in Gandhwani, MP, and supplied them to contacts in Delhi and Western UP. During interrogation, she said she had supplied weapons in Delhi-NCR and UP West to different persons on many occasions in the last 15 years, police said.?She was found involved in cases of arms supply. Her other involvements are being verified,? Kushwah said.

Radhika Chugh

27 Jul 2017,Thursday

Gurugram apartment fixes potholes after civic body refuses

http://www.hindustantimes.com/gurgaon/gurgaon-fresco-residents-pool-funds-to-repair-potholed-road/story-TUkR5lEsOYnFo2fhxiEDEI.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Residents of Gurugram's Fresco Apartments spent ?1.5 lakh of their money to fix potholes on the road leading to the residential complex after the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram allegedly refused to fix them. The apartments' resident welfare society reportedly conducted a survey where 70% of the residents opted for voluntarily contributing ?1,000 to fix the road.

Tired of waiting for the authorities to take up repairs of their damaged road, residents of the upscale Fresco apartments in Sector 50 took the onus on themselves instead. Upset over the civic body allegedly dragging its feet in the matter, residents pooled money and got a fresh layer of concrete laid on the road.They used cold mix technology to fill the potholes, which is five times cheaper than the concrete material generally used in road repairs. Residents said the monsoon would have made entry to their residential complex an arduous affair if they had not taken this step.Cold mix asphalt is a combination of mineral aggregate and emulsified or cutback asphalt with additives.The residential society is located inside Nirvana Country and the 140-metre stretch connecting the society to the main road, was badly damaged and riddled with potholes.After the MCG allegedly refused to re-lay the road despite repeated requests, residents decided to collect money and run repairs on the stretch. The move, they said, was critical to saving their vehicles from getting damaged.?We conducted a survey among our residents using technology and the social media. We used Google forums asking residents to choose between three options ? wait for the MCG to repair the road, contribute money and repair the road or put pressure on the builder and ask them to repair the road,? Nilesh Tandon, president, RWA, Fresco apartments, said.As many as 70% of residents opted for contributing money and building the road.Based on the survey response, the RWA members did a research on the material required to lay new road and fill the potholes. Since monsoon was approaching, using bitumen was not the solution as unless there is a proper drainage system, water accumulates on the road and the bitumen gets washed away.?We found that in the Western countries cold mix technology is used to fill potholes and this technology has also used in the Northeast and south India. We got in touch with some organsations in Bangalore and Hyderabad who had been using this technology and took their advice. A lot of data was available on the internet and we learnt about the advantages of using cold mix,? Tandon said.Read I 7-year wait ends, Fresco apartments in?Gurgaon to get canal water connectionResidents got tenders of ?15 lakh to lay the new road, but by adopting cold mix technology they could fix the potholes by spending ?1.5 lakh, saving 90% of the money.The RWA sought a voluntary contribution of ?1,000 and spread the word using WhatsApp groups. Many residents paid more than ?1,000. In less than a week, they collected the required money and got the work started.One bag containing 25 kg of Cold mix costs approximately?350 and 400 bags were used to fix potholes on the entire stretch of road from T-point to the Fresco entrance.?Few of our senior citizens stood and supervised the (road laying) work,? Supriyo Dasgupta, secretary, Fresco RWA, said.MCG?s joint commissioner (IV) Gaurav Antil said, ?The area is still with Unitech developer, as it has yet to hand over the colony to the MCG. Hence, there is no liability on us.?

Aarushi Maheshwari

02 Aug 2017,Wednesday

Plane built for Russian airline may be next US Air Force One

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/planes-built-for-russian-airline-may-be-next-us-air-force-one/story-QDfZhX9oSrsnqZR8ruYOmK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The US Air Force is negotiating with Boeing to purchase two 747-8 jetliners once built for Russian airline Transaero, which went bankrupt before the planes were delivered. The jetliners will be used as the new Air Force One and its backup. Air Force One is the aircraft that carries the President of the United States.

Facing pressure from President Donald Trump to cut the cost of new Air Force One aircraft, the US Air Force is negotiating with Boeing to purchase two 747-8 jetliners that were built for a Russian airline that went bankrupt before they were delivered.?We?re working through the final stages of coordination to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft and expect to award a contract soon,? said Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek, who declined to elaborate on the details.National security publication Defense One, which first reported the negotiations, said the Air Force was believed to be getting a good deal on the aircraft, which sell for about $386 million on average.The two aircraft were initially ordered four years ago by Transaero, a Russian airline that went bankrupt in 2015, a person familiar with the talks told Reuters.Boeing built two 747-8s out of an order of four. But the airline never took ownership of them, and the planes have been stored in the Mojave Desert, where the dry, hot climate slows corrosion, Defense One said.Trump rattled Boeing in December before taking office by saying in a Twitter message: Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg called Trump and told him the cost could be reduced if the Air Force changed its requirements, sources familiar with the conversation said at the time.White House officials in December were unclear where Trump obtained the $4 billion figure. The Air Force has estimated it would spend $2.87 billion through 2021 for development of a new presidential aircraft. The cost of refitting the commercial 747-8s with the enhanced electronics and security systems required for Air Force One were unclear.Boeing had said it expected to add the Air Force One jets to its backlog, which currently numbers 20 planes - five passenger models and 15 freighters.The redeployment to the Air Force of jets already built for another customer would effectively reduce Boeing?s future 747 production plans by two aircraft. But it would provide a home for two airframes that have been built but remain unsold.The Air Force operates two military versions of the Boeing 747-200B aircraft that serve as Air Force One when the president is aboard. Both are nearing the end of their planned 30-year life.

Aarushi Maheshwari

24 Jun 2017,Saturday

India's progress not possible without Hindi: Venkaiah Naidu

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/venkaiah-naidu-hindi-national-language-mk-stalin-modi-government/1/986348.html

After Hindi signboards at the recently-unveiled Bengaluru Metro were criticised, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, "Hindi is our national language. India's progress isn't possible without Hindi." Naidu said Hindi is India's mother tongue and Indians should be proud of it. He added, "Angrezi seekhte seekhte hum angrezi mind mein bhi aa gaye hain. Ye desh ke hit mein nahi hai."

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu may have just stoked fresh controversy over use of Hindi language. Venkaiah Naidu today said Hindi language is the identity of the Indians. "(Hindi) Hamari matribhasha hamari pehchan hai. Hamein ispe garv karna chahiye (Hindi is out mother tongue, our identity. We should be proud of it)," Venkaiah Naidu said. PAST CONNECTION Earlier in April, Venkaiah Naidu had defended a move by the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language proposing to make use of Hindi mandatory both in speech and writing for MPs and Union ministers, who could read and write the language. DMK leader MK Stalin had criticised the Narendra Modi government for trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking people and states. Venkaiah Naidu had said that the Centre was only 'promoting' not 'imposing' Hindi on anyone. WHAT IS AT CORE? Venkaiah Naidu had then said that the latest notification on use of Hindi language was based on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee headed by the then home minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram in 2011. The parliamentary panel had recommended the use of Hindi by parliamentarians and ministers. The recommendation had been sent to the President in June, 2011. The Narendra Modi government notified the recommendation of the parliamentary panel on March 31 this year after President Pranab Mukherjee gave his nod to the suggestion.Also Read:DMK doesn't oppose Hindi, it's only against its imposition: Kanimozhi

Sumedha Sehra

25 Apr 2017,Tuesday

DMK's MK Stalin arrested in farmers protest

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/stalin-arrested-dmk-protests-tamil-nadu-thiruvarur/1/937487.html

DMK's Working President MK Stalin was arrested in Tamil Nadu's Thiruvarur today during the day-long statewide bandh called by his party, and supported by other Opposition parties like the Congress, CPM and CPI. The bandh was called in support of the state's drought-hit farmers, who have been demanding a waiver of farm loans among other things.

DMK working president MK Stalin was arrested today at Tamil Nadu's Thiruvarur while protesting with the farmers near the town's bus depot in the wake of a day-long statewide bandh called by his party across the state.Normal life has been affected in Tamil Nadu due to the shutdown strike called by the Opposition parties led by the DMK, which along with the Congress, CPM, CPI, VCK, IUML, had called for the shutdown on April 16.The Opposition parties have urged the Tamil Nadu government to waive off all farm loans and convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss the farmers' issues.They have also passed resolutions urging the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board, the Cauvery Regulatory Authority, declare the Cauvery delta region as Special Agriculture Zone, scrapping of the hydro-carbon project and others.A host of trade unions affiliated to the Opposition parties, farmers bodies, the film fraternity and other organisations including a lorry operators association, have pledged support to the general strike.

Aarushi Maheshwari

14 Jan 2017,Saturday

Mughal-era gardens in Delhi to be redeveloped

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/delhi-s-historic-mughal-era-gardens-to-be-redeveloped/story-XMRqrWQZiUxViMSGTWOyoL.html

Two Mughal-era gardens in Delhi, Roshanara Bagh and Qudsia Bagh, are set to be redeveloped after the Union Tourism Ministry agreed to fund the projects on Friday. An official said that ?10 crore will be allocated for Roshanara Bagh and ?4 crore for Qudsia Bagh. This will be used for the upkeep of the cricket pitch, monuments, and playgrounds.

Historical Mughal-era gardens ? Roshanara Bagh and Qudsia Bagh in North Delhi ? will be redeveloped as the Union tourism ministry has agreed to fund the projects. The redevelopment of both the sites was conceived long ago, however, no development has taken place in this regard so far. The decision came after a joint visit to these monuments and their vicinity by Union science and technology minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and tourism and culture minister Dr Mahesh Sharma on Friday. According to an official of the science and technology ministry, with the funds provided by the tourism ministry, a cafeteria, facilities like public convenience and garbage recycling units will be created in two gardens. ?The tourism ministry will allocate ?10 and four crore for Roshanara Bagh and Qudsia Bagh, respectively, for their beautification, upkeep of monuments, cafeteria, playgrounds, benches, dustbins and garbage recycling units. The cricket pitch at Roshanara Bagh will also be refurbished,? said the official. The joint visit was initiated by Dr Harsh Vardhan, who is also the area MP. Earlier, the ministers went to Chandni Chowk to take stock of the redevelopment project of Shahjahanabad. They visited other monuments and historical sites ? Town Hall, Tripolia Gate (near Rana Pratap Bagh), Naini Lake in Model Town area ? which come under Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency. Officials in the ministry said Vardhan also urged the tourism minister to take over the Shahjahanbad redevelopment project as it has been hanging fire for years. ?The Delhi government isn?t taking these projects seriously. Hence, he requested the tourism minister to take an initiative,? the official said.The union tourism minister also issued directions to prepare a plan to renovate and upgrade the Delhi Public Library and Hardayal Municipal Public Library situated near Chandni Chowk area. The tourism minister also instructed to prepare development plans for Naini Lake in Model Town with boating and laser lights facilities.Dr Harsh Vardhan also informed that the historic Town Hall of Delhi, the erstwhile headquarters of unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi, may be redeveloped as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Memorial. The 150 years old structure has been lying vacant since the head office of the civic body was shifted to the civic centre in 2010. The tourism minister has already issued directions to prepare a plan in this regard.

Daisy Mowke

21 Apr 2017,Friday

Snake falls from ceiling, remains undiscovered for 2 days

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/snake-australian-gym-ceiling-undiscovered-bizarre/1/934726.html

The owner of a gym in Australia discovered that a snake was living in her gym for two days. It had fallen from the ceiling after finishing a meal. The owner came to know about the snake's presence after she was informed by the gym cleaner. "He was really well behaved actually because he was so full," said the owner.

Gym is a great place for getting your body in shape, but how will you react if a huge snake falls over you while you are flexing those muscles? Well, you will probably freak out and pass out on the spot. But this Australian gym owner did not. Chantal Vaughan, the owner of a gym located in Rockhampton, Australia, was shocked when she got to know that a dangerous serpent was living in her gym for two days. She had noticed a hole in her gym's ceiling but thought it was a possum, and ignored it. But, it was actually a huge snake that fell from the ceiling after a massive meal and hid in the gym for two days while the gym held regular work-out sessions. Also read: Watch: Deadly python swallows man, police cuts open snake's stomach to retrieve his bodyAccording to a report by The Morning Bulletin , the cleaner of the gym informed Vaughan about the snake's presence after 48 hours. When she saw the reptile, she immediately posted pictures on a local Facebook page called 'CQ snake identification, relocations and queries.' Bokwa CQ, Vaughan's gym was subjected to possum trespassing on a regular basis which made her take the "hole-problem" lightly assuming it was a possum, a tree-dwelling Australasian marsupial mammals. Also read: Goes down in hissstory: Woman ends up with a snake in her ear piercingVaughan looked on social media to get help for getting the serpent removed from her gym. "He was really well behaved actually because he was so full, you can clearly see that he had a possum in his belly," she said.Also watch: Roasted Bats, Skewered Rats and Sliced Snakes - Tomohon Food Market Has It All  

Deepali Aggarwal

22 Jan 2017,Sunday

Oxford University faces trial over Indian student's lawsuit

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/oxford-faces-trial-over-indian-students-bad-teaching-lawsuit/1/863848.html

Oxford University has been directed to face trial over a claim for $1 million (around ?6.8 crore) compensation after an Indian-origin student Faiz Siddiqui sued the varsity for "hopelessly bad" and "boring" teaching, according to reports. Oxford University had argued that the claim was baseless and should be struck out because it had been over 16 years since Siddiqui graduated.

From Aditi Khanna London, Jan 22 (PTI) Oxford University has been directed to face trial after an Indian-origin student sued the varsity for "hopelessly bad" and "boring" teaching which allegedly resulted in him getting a second class degree and in turn led to loss of earnings in his career as a lawyer. The world-famous university had applied to the High Court in London to dismiss the claim by Faiz Siddiqui but in an 18-page judgement by Justice Kerr last week the court ruled that Oxford does have a case to answer, The Sunday Times reported. Siddiqui, who studied modern history at Brasenose College at the university, accuses its staff of "negligent" teaching of his specialist subject course on Indian imperial history, which led to him getting a 2:1 back in 2000. The 38-year-olds barrister Roger Mallalieu had told the court that the problem came down to four of the seven staff teaching Asian history being on sabbatical leave at the same time during the 1999-2000 academic year. Siddiqui believes he could have had a high-flying career as an international commercial lawyer if he had not got lower grades and decided to take the legal route, which came to light last month. His legal team had singled out the "boring" standard of tuition that Siddiqui had received from David Washbrook, an expert on the history of southern India between the 18th and 20th centuries. Mallalieu claimed that the eminent historian?s teaching had suffered from the "intolerable" pressure of the staff shortages on the course. "There is no personal criticism of Dr Washbrook. Our target is on the university?s back for allowing this to happen," Mallalieu told the court. Siddiqui, who trained as a solicitor after college, suffers from depression and insomnia, which he links to his "disappointing examination results". Oxford University had argued that the claim was baseless and should be struck out because of the over 16 years that had passed since Siddiqui graduated.

Tanya Dhingra

28 Jul 2017,Friday

Why would I fight with someone asking me for a selfie: Arjun

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/i-have-never-fought-with-my-fans-arjun-rampal-on-recent-selfie-brawl/story-DYQAD9bnqusoom1N59Ge6N.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Arjun Rampal, while talking about rumours of a brawl with fans over a selfie, said, "Why would I fight with someone who is asking me for a selfie?" Arjun added, "I have always respected my fans and it's because of their love that I am here." He further said celebrities should always oblige fans asking for selfies or autographs.

Actor Arjun Rampal recently hit headlines with reports that he lost his cool when some young fans chased his car from a restaurant to his house, and hounded him for selfies. Clearing the air, the 44-year-old denies the incident and says he would never treat his fans that way. ?I don?t understand from where these people cook up stories and who were these people I misbehaved with? Why would I fight with someone who is asking me for a selfie? I have always respected my fans and it?s because of their love that I am here,? he said.The actor, who was in Delhi to walk for designer Rohit Bal at the India couture Week 2017, said that he has never been snobbish. He also added that if fans are coming to the celebs for an autograph or selfie, they should always oblige.Arjun, who plays the role of gangster-turned-politician Arjun Gawli in his upcoming movie, Daddy, said that he had to rehearse a lot to learn the dialect and put in a lot of effort to perfect the portrayal. ? This character is the most challenging role in my career and my fans are going to see a different side of me,? he said.

Chhavi Tyagi

01 Aug 2017,Tuesday

Demonetisation has led to squeezing of terror funds: Jaitley

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/parliament-day-12-live-updates-bills-and-discussion/story-43XpNM8WZZT0cyk7SWEf3I.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said in Lok Sabha that the Centre's demonetisation decision has led to squeezing of terror funds, including in Jammu and Kashmir. Jaitley added that as a result of demonetisation, terrorists were forced to rob banks for money, and the number of stone throwers in Jammu and Kashmir has gone down in last few months.

A united opposition stalled proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, protesting the government?s decision to hike the prices of domestic cooking gas (LPG) by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by next March.Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Left MPs stormed into the Well of the House shouting slogans seeking withdrawal of the decision. The issue was raised by TMC?s Derek O?Brien who gave a notice under rule 267 that seeks to set aside business of the day to discuss an important issue.The LPG subsidy issue was raised in the Lok Sabha as well. Outside the Parliament, Dharmendra Pradhan said, ?Subsidy will not be cut down, it will only be rationalised. The (Opposition) uproar is baseless.?The Opposition in Rajya Sabha also protested and questioned the NOTA provision for the upcoming election to the house. Deputy leader of the Congress Anand Sharma said the decision to provide the NOTA option had been made without amending the Constitution or the law as per the direction of the Election CommissionHighlights of Day 12 of the Parliament?s Monsoon Session:7.18 pm: Expansion of GST will help benefit states: Jaitley.6:46 pm: Demonetisation has led to squeezing of terror funds, including in Jammu and Kashmir, says finance minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha.3:15 pm: Rajya Sabha moves to consider and vote on Right of Children to Free and Complaint Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017.3:10 pm: TMC?s Sudip Bandhopadhyay speaks about impact of demonetisation and GST. He says that a GST-oriented supplementary demand for grant may be necessary. 2:49 pm: The discussion partially goes back to Demands for Supplementary Grants.2:45 pm: Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha is discussing the violation of conditions of Letter of Permit by foreign trawlers in deep sea fishing through a Calling Attention motion.2:40pm: It has turned into a discussion on demonetisation. BJP?s Nishikant Dubey responds. He quotes the World Bank chief as saying demonetisation will clean up Indian economy and cites OECD report saying the move will have short-term cost, but will be good for the economy in the long-run.2:35 pm: Venugopal says demonetisation and hasty implementation of GST has destroyed the economy. He concludes by quoting Lincoln, ?You can fool all the people some of the time, you can fool some people all the time, but you can?t fool all the people all the time.?2:32pm: Venugopal says everyone agrees GST is good but criticises the implementation of the regime saying there are still multiple taxes.2:30 pm: Venugopal talks about deteriorating situation in Kashmir and job loss in 2017.?We discussed the lynchings yesterday. Everyone in the Opposition agrees it is terrible. Only the BJP ministers are justifying it,? he says.2:20 pm: Lok Sabha reconvenes. House begins discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants.Congress MP KC Venugopal asks what the real impact of demonetisation has been. ?We, the members of the Lok Sabha, have the right to know the exact figures? how much demonetised currency has come back, how many new notes have been printed and how much black money has been unearthed. We are expecting answers from the finance minister today.2:05 pm: Government moves to withdraw The Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990. Motion is passed.2:02pm: Rajya Sabha reconvenes. Jairam Ramesh raises issue of new rules regarding Finance Act notified by the government in June but not tabled in the Upper House yet.1:15 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned for lunch till 2:15 pm.1:05 pm: Amid ruckus, MPs continue to present their notices. BJP?s Anju Bala says making cow the national animal like Nepal has will reduce violence against the animal.1:00 pm: Zero Hour continues even as TMC MPs continue to protest in raised voices. Chair asks names of the companies mentioned by Somaiya to be expunged.12:57 pm: BJP?s Kirit Somaiya says one of the shareholder companies allegedly involved in a scam reportedly has the West Bengal chief minister?s as reigstered address.TMC MPs shout and raise objection.12:52pm: Kirron Kher says stalking should be considered crime against women. Invasive stalking should be criminalised, she says12:49 pm:?TMC?s Saugata Roy refers to resignations by Congress MLAs in Gujarat and BJP?s alliance with JD(U)?s Bihar. ?There are allegations the government is using its money power,? he says.12:41 pm: Outside the Parliament, Dharmendra Pradhan says, ?Subsidy will not be cut down, it will only be rationalised. The (Opposition) uproar is baseless.?12:35 pm: In the Lok Sabha, BJP?s Varun Gandhi asks whether MPs need higher salaries when the Cabinet and state lawmakers take salary cuts to support farmers. Tamil Nadu farmers have been holding protests in Delhi over farmer suicides.Gandhi wants MP salary examined in 15th Finance Commission.12:29 pm: Rajya Sabha reconvenes. Opposition raises of NOTA issue.Chair asks, ?How does this relate to the Question Hour???This is the ultimate question!? one MP replies.As Opposition MPs raise their voices and demand answers, Chair adjourns house till 2 pm.12:24 pm: Earlier in the day, during the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Amit Shah pulled up MPs over their absence in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, PTI reported.?When the party issues a whip, members must be present in the House. The party president has taken a serious view of the absence of members. He said it should not have happened and must not be repeated,? Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saidA BJP MP present in the meeting said Shah wondered if the absentee MPs should be named as the party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has repeatedly stressed on the need for their presence in Parliament.12:20 pm: Opposition MPs shout slogans. Many walk out.12:16 pm: In the Lok Sabha, KC Venugopal of Congress raises issue of LPG subsidy and rising oil prices. RSP?s NK Premachandaran says, ?The oil companies were told about this in March. Prices increased in July. Why is the government hiding its policies??Opposition demands response from minister.12:13 pm: Derek O?Brien intervenes and says , ?Opposition united on issue of LPG subsidy.?Chair tries to resume Question Hour but is interrupted. Ruckus in the house. Rajya Sabha adjourned for another 10 minutes.12:10 pm: Sharma asks, ?How can the EC remove the NOTA option without coming to this House and amending laws? This will be examined but now is not the Time.??Only the courts can direct the EC,? Leader of the House, Arun Jaitley says.Opposition raises concerns about the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections. 12: 05pm: Rajya Sabha resumes business. Vice President Hamid Ansari in the Chair.Congress? Anand Sharma says there was no NOTA option in the Rajya Sabha election. Chair asks him to take it up with Election Commission. 12:02 pm: Rijiju refutes allegation that refugee camp in Jammu and Kashmir. ?You misunderstand. We are not making concentration camps. They are coming there and getting concentrated there,? he says.Speaker disallows all adjournment notices.11:58am: In the Lok Sabha, Congress? Mallikarjun Kharge questions the government?s response that no accurate date is available about number of illegal immigrants in the country.Impossible to get accurate number, but we are taking steps to have special task forces and prosecute such immigrants, replies MoS Kiren Rijiju.11:47 am: Rajya Sabha adjourned for a second time till noon.11:45 am: Speaker exhorts members to listen to Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan?s response. Opposition MPs walk to well of the house shouting slogans.11:40 am: Rajya Sabha resumes. Ghulam Nabi Azad on government?s rollback of LPG subsidy: This government is killing the poor. This is unacceptable.11:30 am: TMC?s Derek O?Brien questions government notification on gas subsidies that says rates are going to be hiked month on month by Rs 4 and by March all LPG subsidies will be eliminated. O?Brien says the government is not keeping its promises.Uproar in Rajya Sabha over house not being informed about government notification.Chair adjourns house for 10 minutes.11:15 am: Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raises issue of members of the house not being invited to the Parliament Annexe foundation stone laying ceremony on Monday. No one from the Rajya Sabha including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman were invited. Members of the house were not told about the event.Chair PJ Kurien takes note and says Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha has already written to the Lok Sabha regarding this impropriety.11:05 am: Question Hour begins in Lok Sabha. AIADMK?s Elumalai Vellaigounder asks the government if more Centres will be set up to expedite creation of Aadhaar cards?.11:00 am: Legislative business in the two Houses of Parliament todayIn the Lok SabhaDiscussion and voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2017-18 & Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2014-15Bills for consideration and passing:The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017The Central Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017 In the Rajya SabhaCalling attention on the situation arising out of violation of conditions of Letter of Permit by foreign trawlers in deep sea fishing in Indian seas and the action taken by the Government on it. Bill for withdrawal:The Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990Bills for consideration and passing:The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill,2017The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Akshita Jain

18 Feb 2017,Saturday

Delhi govt adds 100 new GPS-enabled buses

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/delhi-s-commuting-woes-set-to-ease-as-100-new-gps-enabled-buses-hit-the-roads/story-CBGCKmK6rD7mVHZvTLMxYM.html

The Delhi government has added 100 new GPS-enabled buses in its fleet and plans to add 250 more in the coming months. The passengers will be given tickets through e-ticketing machines. The new buses also have mobile charging sockets. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the buses will facilitate connectivity for commuters in the Capital.

In a step towards improving the public transport in the city, the Delhi government has added 100 new GPS-enabled buses in its fleet and plans to add 250 more during the next two months and 450 AC buses this year.Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia flagged off new buses outside the Delhi Secretariat. The induction of 100 new cluster buses will facilitate connectivity for commuters in the Capital, he said. ?The new cluster buses are GPS-enabled and comfortable. We are also developing 31 new bus depots and are awaiting approval from DDA in this regard,? transport minister Satyendar Jain said.A plan is also being processed to facilitate a multilevel parking at bus depots to ease traffic congestion and parking woes, he added.The buses have mobile charging sockets. (Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times) According to KK Dahiya, special transport commissioner, ?Approximately 20 acre land is being utilised in Bawana and Narela to develop new bus depots that will have multilevel parking.?Besides urban specifications and safety tests, the buses are fitted with 41 ?anti-vandalism? seats (that won?t come off easily) and have a better seating arrangement to ensure the comfort of passengers.With the addition of 100 buses, the cluster fleet strength has risen to 1,725. They will be largely catering to north, east and west Delhi on eight additional cluster routes. Additional buses will not only boost public transport, but will also help take at least 5,000-6,000 cars off the city roads.Digital ticket systems have been installed in the 100 new cluster buses. (Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times) In their first budget, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had promised to induct 10,000 more buses in five years while in the manifesto, the promise was to add 5,000 buses. In its second budget presented last year, the government said it would procure 1,000 new low floor non-AC buses, 1,000 under the cluster bus scheme and another 1,000 under a new premium category during 2016-17.However, not a single bus has been added to the low-floor fleet and only 215 have been added under the cluster scheme. The plan for premium buses did not materialise as the L-G asked the government to rework on the proposal.Data show that bus fleet has reduced by over 35% in the last six years. Delhi Transport Corporation, which used to operate 6,204 buses in 2010-11, is operating only 4,020 buses due to which ridership has also reduced considerably. Only 21.80% Delhi commutes by buses, but the share of buses among all registered vehicles in Delhi has gone down from 1.52% in 1980-81 to less than 0.36% now. The depleting fleet of DTC buses and its image of poor man?s service have kept commuters away. A first-aid box. With the addition of 100 buses, the cluster fleet strength has risen to 1,725. (Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO) The Delhi government and the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) which runs the cluster bus service are in the final leg of procuring standard floor non-AC buses. The buses will be able to seat 42 people, more than DTC?s 35-seater low floor buses. ?The fares will be charged through electronic ticketing machines,? said an official.In September, the government inducted 100 buses under the cluster fleet. In the next phase, it promised to add 800 buses, of which 450 buses will be air conditioned.

Chhavi Tyagi

04 Mar 2017,Saturday

Modi concludes road show in UP, offers prayers at temples

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/varanasi-roadshow-up-assembly-election-2017-narendra-modi-akhilesh-yadav-rahul-gandhi/1/896548.html

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today concluded his road show for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and offered his prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple and Kaal Bhairav temple in Varanasi. PM Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi goes to polls on March 8 in the seventh phase of Assembly elections and the poll results are scheduled on March 11.

Rounding off a day of hectic electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minster Narendra Modi has arrived for a town hall rally in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency.Earlier in the day, Modi Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi held separate road shows in the holy city. BSP supremo Mayawati also held a rally on the outskirts. After Samajwadi Party and Congress supporters were pelted with stones during their joint roadshow in Varanasi, the city police asked Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi to speed up the event.    Prime Minister Modi, who also addressed a rally in Jaupur, attacked the Samajwadi Party saying, "BJP will celebrate Holi with the party's victory in UP. Farmers' loan waiver to be the first decision after we come to power."The BJP is aiming for a revival in the state where it was in decline for more than a decade, before making a dramatic comeback in the 2014 general elections - when it won a stunning 71 Lok Sabha seats, its best-ever performance till date.Here are the live updates:Dimple Yadav joins CM Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Varanasi #uppolls2017pic.twitter.com/Z5TCVObTvMCongress VP Rahul Gandhi and UP CM Akhilesh Yadav hold joint roadshow in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/JbH3u69SZ3PM Narendra Modi offered prayers at the Kaal Bhairav temple in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/2bN5rvsWSwPM Narendra Modi's roadshow to reach Kaal Bhairav temple in Varanasi shortly pic.twitter.com/fxj3L2LGV1#WATCH: Supporters cheer 'Modi Modi' as Prime Minister's roadshow proceeds towards Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/CWZJHVdGlw#UttarPradesh: PM Modi to reach Kashi Vishwanath temple covering Ravidas gate Lanka, Assi, Madani, Sonarpura, Godowlia and Basphatak areas pic.twitter.com/BzjaElUbItPM Narendra Modi's roadshow underway in Varanasi, supporters raise slogans 'Har har Modi, Ghar ghar Modi' pic.twitter.com/n8YwQYepPiPM Narendra Modi arrives at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi pic.twitter.com/uUhQZsYD9sPM Narendra Modi arrives at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi pic.twitter.com/uUhQZsYD9sAlso read:Uttar Pradesh elections: PM Modi mocks Rahul Gandhi's 'factory' ideasUttar Pradesh election: Varanasi doesn't need to be Kyoto, city's top mahant slams PM Modi's idea

Gaurav Shroff

15 Jul 2017,Saturday

Blue whale replaces dinosaur at London museum after 112 yrs

http://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/dippy-the-dinosaur-makes-way-for-a-blue-whale-at-london-s-natural-history-museum/story-S2Q6lUvT95iNwkxMHDYq0K.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

An 82-foot-long blue whale skeleton has replaced a dinosaur skeleton at London's Natural History Museum, 112 years after the latter was unveiled there. The dinosaur replica, named 'Dippy', was cast from original fossil bones discovered in 1898. The replacement aims to raise awareness for blue whales which have gone down from 2.5 lakh in the 1800s to 20,000, officials said.

Hope, the blue whale, takes over from Dippy, the dinosaur, as the centrepiece of the revamped atrium of London?s Natural History Museum on Thursday despite a spirited campaign to keep the much-loved attraction.The towering replica skeleton had been in the museum for more than 100 years and news of its impending demise in 2015 sparked an outcry from dinosaur fans who sent the hashtag #savedippy trending on Twitter. Some 14,000 people signed a petition to stop the move.Sad times, @NHM_London will not be the same without Dippy #SaveDippy https://t.co/DhY2TWAlLD? Jordan Bhatt (@Jordan_Bhatt) July 13, 2017But the museum said the skeleton of the blue whale, the largest animal to have lived on Earth ? which has been hunted to near extinction ? would better raise awareness of mankind?s impact on nature.The 25.2-metre (83-foot) real skeleton suspended from the ceiling ?is a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the responsibility we have towards our planet,? museum director Michael Dixon said.The whale was previously in the mammals section but was not fully in view and will now take centre stage in the diving lunge feeding position in Hintze Hall, a cathedral-like space built in the late 19th century.Fans of Dippy need not despair as the replica will in any case be preserved for posterity in a bronze cast to be placed outside the museum.Prince William?s wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, attended a gala launch reception for Hope on July 13 along with famous British conservationist David Attenborough.Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge (in white), and David Attenborough (in blue) are shown the blue whale skeleton by museum director Sir Michael Dixon during the reopening of Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum in London on July 13, 2017. (Yui Mok/AFP) There were estimated to be around 2,50,000 blue whales in the world?s oceans in the 1800s, but commercial hunting brought the species to the brink of extinction in the 1960s with just 400 specimens left. Legal protection from hunting has since seen their levels rise up to around 20,000 now.The skeleton on display is of a whale that became stranded in Wexford Harbour in Ireland in 1891, 10 years after the opening of the Natural History Museum.Follow @htlifeandstyle for more

Sumedha Sehra

25 Jul 2017,Tuesday

I bow to the 125 crore citizens of this great nation: Kovind

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/text-speech-new-president-ram-nath-kovind-central-hall-parliament/1/1010310.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday said in a speech that "nation building requires national pride", adding "each citizen of India is a nation builder". He talked about the various professionals of India, and how they act as nation builders. He also said that India has believed in the philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the World is My Family".

Ram Nath Kovind was sworn in as the 14th President of India in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday. The following is the full text of the speech delivered by him."Respected Shri Pranab Mukherjee ji,Shri Hamid Ansari ji,Shri Narendra Modi ji,Shrimati Sumitra Mahajan ji,Shri Justice J. S. Khehar ji,Excellencies,Honourable Members of Parliament,Ladies and Gentlemen, andFellow CitizensI thank you for electing me to the responsibility of the President of India, and I enter this office with all humility. Coming here to Central Hall has brought back so many memories. I have been a Member of Parliament and here, in this very Central Hall, have had discussions with many of you. Often we agreed, sometimes we disagreed. But we learnt to respect each other. And that is the beauty of democracy.I grew up in a mud house, in a small village. My journey has been a long one, and yet this journey is hardly mine alone. It is so telling of our nation and our society also. For all its problems, it follows that basic mantra given to us in the Preamble to the Constitution - of ensuring Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and I will always continue to follow this basic mantra.I bow to the 125 crore citizens of this great nation and promise to stay true to the trust they have bestowed on me. I am conscious I am following in the footsteps of stalwarts such as Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and my immediate predecessor, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, whom we address out of affection as Pranab Da.Our Independence was the result of efforts by thousands of patriotic freedom fighters led by Mahatma Gandhi. Later, Sardar Patel integrated our nation. Principal architect of our Constitution Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar instilled in us the value of human dignity and of the republican ethic.These leaders did not believe that simply political freedom was enough. For them, it was crucial to also achieve economic and social freedom for millions of our people.We would be completing 70 years of our Independence soon. We are also well into the second decade of the 21st century, a century that so many of us intuitively believe will be an Indian century, guided and shaped by India and its accomplishments. We need to build an India that is an economic leader as well as a moral exemplar. For us, those two touchstones can never be separate. They are and must forever be linked.The key to India's success is its diversity. Our diversity is the core that makes us so unique. In this land we find a mix of states and regions, religions, languages, cultures, lifestyles and much more. We are so different and yet so similar and united.The India of the 21st century will be one that is in conformity with our ancient values as well as compliant with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There is no dichotomy there, no question of choice. We must combine tradition and technology, the wisdom of an age-old Bharat and the science of a contemporary India.As the gram panchayat must determine our consultative and community based problem solving, the Digital Republic must help us leapfrog developmental milestones. These are the twin pillars of our national endeavour.Nations are not built by governments alone. The government can at best be a facilitator, and a trigger for society's innate entrepreneurial and creative instincts. Nation building requires national pride:- We take pride in the soil and water of India;- We take pride in the diversity, religious harmony and inclusive ethos of India;- We take pride in the culture, heritage and spirituality of India;- We take pride in our fellow citizens;- We take pride in our work; and- We take pride in the little things we do every day.Each citizen of India is a nation builder. Each one of us is a custodian of India's well-being and of the legacy that we will pass on to coming generations.- The armed forces that protect our borders and keep us safe are nation builders.- Those police and paramilitary forces that fight terrorism and crime are nation builders.- That farmer toiling in the blazing sun to feed fellow citizens is a nation builder. And we must never forget that so much of our farm labour comprises  women.- That scientist concentrating tirelessly and 24 x 7 to send an Indian space mission to Mars, or invent a vaccine, is a nation builder.- That nurse or doctor helping the sick to recover and fighting disease in a remote village, is a nation builder.- That young person who founds a start-up and becomes a job creator is a nation builder. The start-up could be on a small farm, converting mangoes to pickles. Or in an artisans' village, weaving carpets. Or at a laboratory lit up by giant screens.- That tribal and ordinary citizen striving to preserve our ecology, our forests, our wildlife, to push back climate change and to advance the cause of renewable energy, is a nation builder.- That committed and driven public servant who works beyond the call of duty, whether on a flooded road, directing traffic; or in a quiet room, poring over detailed files, is a nation builder.- That self-less teacher who equips young children and shapes their destinies, is a nation builder.- Those countless women who take care of families with so many other responsibilities, at home and work, and raise children to become ideal citizens, are nation builders.People elect their representatives from the Gram Panchayat to Parliament. They vest their will and hopes in these representatives. In turn, the people's representatives devote their lives to the service of nation.But, our endeavours are not for ourselves alone. Down the ages, India has believed in the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the World is My Family. It is appropriate that the land of Lord Buddha should lead the world in its search for peace, tranquility and ecological balance.India's voice counts in today's world. The entire planet is drawn to Indian culture and soft power. The global community looks to us for solutions to international problems - whether terrorism, money laundering or climate change. In a globalised world, our responsibilities are also global.This links us to our global family, our friends and partners abroad, and our diaspora, that contributes in so many ways across the world. It brings us to the support of other nations, whether by extending the umbrella of the International Solar Alliance or being first respondents following natural disasters.We have achieved a lot as a nation, but the effort to do more, to do better and to do faster should be relentless. This is especially so as we approach the 75th Year of our independence in 2022. What must also bother us is our ability to enhance access and opportunity for the last person and the last girl-child from an under-privileged family if I may put it so, in the last house in the last village. This must include a quick and affordable justice delivery system in all judicial forums.The citizens of this country are the real source of strength to me.I am confident that they will continue to give me the energy to serve the nation.We need to sculpt a robust, high growth economy, an educated, ethical and shared community, and an egalitarian society, as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi and Deen Dayal Upadhyay ji. These are integral to our sense of humanism. This is the India of our dreams, an India that will provide equality of opportunities. This will be the India of the 21st century.Thank you very much!Jai HindVande Mataram" Also Read:Ram Nath Kovind sworn in as India's 14th President; accept role with humility, he saysAll you need to know about Ram Nath Kovind, 14th President of India15 initiatives President Pranab Mukherjee will always be remembered forRam Nath Kovind set to enter Rashtrapati Bhavan: All about 340-room Raisina Hill palaceBJP's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind: An ardent dog lover

Dishant Sharma

17 Feb 2017,Friday

West Indies' Marlon Samuels cleared to bowl in int'l cricket

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/west-indies-marlon-samuels-icc/1/884586.html

West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been cleared to bowl in international cricket after his action was found to be legal following reanalysis. The 36-year-old was last reported for suspect bowling action during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in October 2015 and was subsequently suspended for 12 months in December 2015.

West Indian all-rounder Marlon Samuels was on Thursday cleared to bowl in international cricket after his action was found to be legal, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced here.The 36-year-old was last reported for bowling action during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in October 2015 and was subsequently suspended for 12 months in December 2015 after an independent assessment revealed he had employed an illegal bowling action for the second time in 24 months."The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that following remedial work and reassessment, the bowling action of West Indies Marlon Samuels has been found to be legal, and the player can now resume bowling in international cricket," the ICC said in a statement.

Shubhodeep Datta

27 Dec 2016,Tuesday

Delhi police receives nearly 72,000 blank calls daily

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/delhi-police-harassed-with-72-000-blank-calls-every-day-contacts-dot-for-help/story-6QA0IsFcFp0Bi7jKUg9QzH.html

The Delhi police receives nearly 72,000 blank calls every day with some callers dialling the helpline numbers over 50 times "by mistake", said a senior police officer. The police has reportedly prepared a list of such callers who "harass" the control room personnel with repeated calls and have sent it to the Department of Telecommunication for a solution.

Delhi Police is hassled by around 72,000 ?blank calls? everyday with some callers dialling the Police Control Room helpline numbers over 50 times ?by mistake?.With ?112? also being in the trial run, along with ?100?, the number of blank calls received on both these helpline numbers totals to around 72,000 everyday, said a senior police officer.Earlier, on an average, the PCR unit received around 27,000 calls daily with around 40% of them being blank calls.Delhi police has now prepared a list of such callers who ?harass? the control room personnel with repeated calls and has shared it with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and DCPs of the districts concerned.The list contains details of callers who have dialled ?100? and ?112? (India?s equivalent to 911 of the US? all-in-one emergency services) four or more times ?without any reason?, said the officer.?On one of the days, we received over 99,000 blank calls. In the last couple of weeks, we have looked into the details of these calls and made a list of 67 callers who dialled the numbers four or more times. We have sent the list to DoT for a solution,? he added.The PCR unit has also identified a few callers who have dialled ?100? or ?112? around 70 times or more, traced their addresses and shared the details with the concerned DCPs.?We dialled some of these numbers and most of them said they had dialled the numbers by mistake. They could have dialled once or twice by mistake, but it?s unlikely that someone would do that 70-80 times,? he said.

Pragya Swastik

25 Jun 2017,Sunday

SBI Chief Arundhati Bhattacharya got ?28.9L pay in 2016-17

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sbi-chiefs-salary-zilch-compared-to-counterparts-in-pvt-banks/1/986899.html

The Chairperson of one of the world's 50 largest banks, SBI's Arundhati Bhattacharya received a basic salary of ?28.9 lakh in 2016-17. In comparison, her counterparts in private banks like ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar received ?2.66 crore and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma received ?2.7 crore as basic salary. HDFC Bank's MD Aditya Puri's remuneration stood at ?10 crore.

New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) SBI, one of the worlds 50 largest banks, pays only a small fraction to its top management as compared to private sector players like ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank. Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan had flagged the low remuneration issue last August saying it makes difficult for state-owned banks to "attract top talent, especially a lateral entry". According to annual reports of various banks, SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya took home Rs 28.96 lakh last fiscal, which is pittance when compared to remuneration her counterparts in private banks receive. In comparision, ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar received a basic salary of Rs 2.66 crore last fiscal besides Rs 2.2 crore performance bonus. In addition, she received allowances and perquisites of over Rs 2.43 crore. Similarly, Shikha Sharma, MD and CEO of Axis Bank, took home a basic salary of Rs 2.7 crore and Rs 1.35 crore as variable pay, besides host of perk and allowances, like Rs 90 lakh HRA. Yes Bank MD and CEO Rana Kapoor, who also happens to be promoter of the bank, took home Rs 6.8 crore as salary in 2016-17. HDFC Banks Managing Director Aditya Puri saw his remuneration rise marginally to Rs 10 crore and exercised stock options worth over Rs 57 crore during the last fiscal. Speaking about public sector banks at a banking conference in Mumbai, Rajan had said state-owned banks tended to overpay at the bottom but underpay their top executives. He jokingly said he himself was underpaid and the disparity made it harder to attract talent from outside at the top level in public sector banks. On the business front, SBI, after merger with its subsidiary banks, caters to 42.04 crore customers with a market share of 23.07 per cent and 21.16 per cent in deposits and advances, as opposed to 18.05 per cent and 17.02 per cent respectively, before the merger.

Rini Sinha

17 Jul 2017,Monday

Sudesh compares Kapil, Krushna's shows to Dangal, Sultan

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/heres-what-sudesh-lehri-has-to-say-about-the-drama-companys-comparisons-with-kapil-sharmas-show-lifetv/1/1003706.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Comedian Sudesh Lehri gave examples of Dangal and Sultan, while speaking about comparisons between Krushna Abhishek's show 'The Drama Company' and 'The Kapil Sharma Show'. "People assumed...Dangal and Sultan would be the same as they revolve around wrestling but the content was so different." Sudesh, who'll feature in The Drama Company, added that comparison between the two shows is inevitable.n

The Drama Company premiered on Sunday on Sony TV. Actor-comedian Krushna Abhishek is making a return to the small screen with this show. The show also features former TKSS members like Sugandha Mishra, and Ali Asgar, apart from other talented artists like Sanket Bhosle and Sudesh Lehri. The show will be aired on the same channel as The Kapil Sharma Show and comparisons between the two are inevitable. 

Tarun Khanna

01 Apr 2017,Saturday

One who betrays his father, can?t be others' friend: Mulayam

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mulayam-singh-yadav-akhilesh-yadav/1/918085.html

Samajwadi Party Founder Mulayam Singh Yadav has slammed his son Akhilesh Yadav, stating, "One who betrays his father, can't be a friend of others". "No father made his son the CM during his own lifetime. And, what did Akhilesh do? He sacked his own uncle from his Cabinet," Mulayam said. "I've never been insulted so much," he added.

After morale-breaking drubbing in Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the question of who controls the Samajwadi Party might have become irrelevant for some time, but the bitterness between party founder father Mulayam Singh and SP president Akhilesh Yadav continues.Lok Sabha MP Mulayam Singh Yadav slammed Akhilesh Yadav for his revolt against the then party leadership and family ahead of Uttar Pradesh election.Mulayam Singh Yadav said, "One who betrayed his father, can't be a friend of others. I made Akhilesh the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh." "No father had made his son the CM during his own lifetime. And, what did Akhilesh do? He sacked his own uncle as a minster in his government," Mulayam said."I have never been insulted so much," Mulayam Singh said.THE SAMAJWADI PARI'WAR'Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav were engaged in a bitter political war both within the party and the family. After Mulayam Singh made his brother Shivpal Yadav the UP unit chief of the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh revolted and sacked his uncle from the government.In what followed, two obvious camps were formed in the party with Akhilesh and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav shooting down every move of the other side led by Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav.At one point of time, Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav were expelled by Mulayam-Shivpal camp. Akhilesh camp responded by convening the national convention of the party and removing Mulayam Singh Yadav as the Samajwadi President. Akhilesh was elected as the Samajwadi Party president making it clear that the founder had lost control over his own political outfit.

Mansha Mahajan

11 Jun 2017,Sunday

Banks told to give all details on Mallya-Kingfisher bad loan

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/cic-directs-banks-to-reveal-information-kingfisher-airlines-bad-loan/1/975839.html

The Central Information Commission has directed a banks' consortium that lent a bad loan to Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines to reveal details about not just the loan, but also about the loan's approval. Banks earlier rejected an RTI petition, refusing to give most of the information about the process that led to "unwarranted" granting of loan that eventually went bad.

In a landmark judgment, the information watchdog Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed a consortium of banks that lent a bad loan to embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines to reveal all the details of not just the loan the company defaulted on, but such information about the approval of the loan that is expected to land several top bank officials in a legal soup.Hailing it as a big victory, RTI activist Harinder Dhingra told Mail Today that it was a lesson to such public authorities and institutions that tried to hide behind the exemption clauses in the RTI Act to ensconse their "wrongdoings".The consortium had denied Dhingra much of information about the process that led to "unwarranted" granting of loan that eventually went bad."It is strange that innocuous information pertaining to public money was denied in the name of hampering investigation. It is also strange that the bank does not know of what happened to the money it lent to the company. It doesn't know if the company has been declared a defaulter," said Dhingra.While Mail Today was the first to report that such a loan, nearly Rs 55 crore, had been given to Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines by the Oriental Bank of Commerce-led consortium, the latter had been stonewalling giving information regarding who approved the loan and on what grounds, such as collaterals etc, by invoking Section 8 (1) (h) of the RTI Act. The bank had argued that the matter was pending before different investigating agencies and disclosure of the information could hamper the investigation process. The concerned enforcement agencies are the CBI, ED and the SFIO.SUPREME COURT PRECEDENTThe CIC had earlier, at the case hearing on February 10, questioned the invoking of the exemption clause. In its latest judgment in the case, the CIC quoted several judgments from the Supreme Court as well as the Delhi High Court and observed that the bank had to furnish information asked by Dhingra and that the exemption did not apply.IC Sharat Sabharwal observed: "Except for stating that the matter is under investigation of some agencies, the respondents (bank) have not made any other submission to justify invocation of Section 8 (1) (h) to deny most of the information and why its disclosure would hamper the investigation process. As stated above, the investigation agencies have chosen not to make any submission in spite of an opportunity given to them for the purpose."The IC also cited that the exemption clause itself made it clear that "a public authority may allow access to information, if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests."The IC also quoted, among others, an SC observation in the case of UP Financial Corporation vs gem Cap India Pvt (AIR 1993, 1435). "In fact, information about industrialists who are loan defaulters of the country may put pressure on such persons to pay their dues."

Ayushi Ahluwalia

12 Jul 2017,Wednesday

SC orders Punjab to construct Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-to-punjab-haryana-construct-the-syl-canal-first/story-6WanyXci2af27zYs0db1HK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Punjab to complete its share of construction on the disputed Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal. "How much water should be shared can be decided later," the court added and fixed the next hearing for September 7. Notably, Haryana completed its portion of constructing the canal, which will carry its share of Ravi-Beas water through Punjab.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday told the governments of Punjab and Haryana to first build the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (SYL Canal) before bringing their respective points of view and challenges on the vexed issue before the apex court.The Supreme Court also fixed September 7 as the next date of hearing for the case.The apex court order came even as activists of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) blocked the national highway near Ambala and on four other roads in Haryana as part of their one-day ?Road Roko Aandolan? (road blockade protest).Indian National Lok Dal party workers during the SYL protest at Saddopur barrier, locate don the border of Punjab and Haryana, on Monday. (HT File ) The INLD said that it is seeking the immediate construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab to bring more water to Haryana, and said that its protest will continue till 3 pm this afternoon.Media reported that scores of INLD activists hoodwinked the Haryana Police and central security forces and blocked National Highway One near Ambala. Traffic was also stopped near Dabwali in Sirsa district. Road links to Delhi and Amritsar were also blocked as part of the protest. Ambulances and fire brigades, however, were allowed to pass.Inter-state bus services in both Punjab and Haryana were suspended till 5 p.m. today as a precautionary measure, causing inconvenience to commuters.Security personnel in riot gear, riot-control vehicles and other equipment were patrolling key points in both states to maintain law and order.Vehicles are being stopped on the Lalru-Chandigarh stretch, Ambala-Shambhu border, Narwana-Dhanauri border, Ratia-Budhlada Road (Jakhal point) in Fatehabad district and Dabwali in Sirsa district.The Supreme Court had on November 11, 2016 declared the Punjab government law (passed in 2004) that it will not share water with Haryana as ?unconstitutional?.It also directed Punjab to mobilise a central agency to take control of the canal works immediately and complete it expeditiously.Immediately after the decision, Punjab government de-notified the land and even returned Haryana?s share back, stating that it cannot share even a single drop of water. The Haryana government moved the Supreme Court and the court stayed Punjab Government proceedings.Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had expressed the hope that the contentious issue could be resolved through dialogue. Punjab has been maintaining that it does not have surplus waters to share with Haryana.The Sutlej-Yamuna Link is a proposed 214-kilometer-long canal to connect the Sutlej River in Punjab and the Yamuna River in Haryana. Both states, however, have repeatedly created obstacles, which has prevented the project from taking off. The Supreme Court of India has been approached by both and asked to define river water sharing norms.

Saloni Tandon

07 Feb 2017,Tuesday

Never thought I'd take 10 wickets in an innings: Anil Kumble

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/anil-kumble-10-wickets-perfect-ten-pakistan/1/877035.html

Team India coach Anil Kumble, who is only the second bowler to take 10 Test wickets in an innings, has said he never thought he would be able to achieve the feat. "It can happen tomorrow...or it may not happen at all...I don't think anybody gave me a chance of picking up ten wickets. It's very rare," said Kumble.

Reminiscing his 'Perfect Ten' against Pakistan on this very day 18 years ago, leg-spin legend and current India coach Anil Kumble on Tuesday said nobody gave him a chance to pick all the 10 wickets in an innings and he felt privileged to achieve the "rare" cricketing feat.Back on February 7, 1999, Kumble returned epoch-making figures of 10/74 in 26.3 overs to hand India a remarkable 212-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi.Ahead of India's one-off Test against Bangladesh, the 46-year-old, who emulated English off-spinner Jim Laker by picking all 10 wickets, termed such milestones as "unique".

Saloni Tandon

11 Mar 2017,Saturday

Bopanna loses to Djokovic in Indian Wells men's doubles

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rohan-bopanna-pablo-cuevas-atp-indian-wells-masters-novak-djokovic-viktor-troicki/1/902154.html

Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna and his Uruguayan partner Pablo Cuevas lost 2-6, 6-3, 7-10 against world number two Novak Djokovic and partner Viktor Troicki at the ATP Indian Wells Masters in California on Saturday. Bopanna and his partner, who won just one match at the Australian Open this year, were playing their third tournament together this season.

Rohan Bopanna and Pablo Cuevas yet again failed to click as a team, losing the closely-fought opening round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters to Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki, on Saturday.Bopanna and Cuevas lost 6-2 3-6 10-7 to the Serbian combination in one hour and six minutes. The winners logged 55 points, just two more than Bopanna and Cuevas.Bopanna and his partner from Uruguay were playing their third tournament together this season and have managed to win just one match at the Australian Open.

Shubhodeep Datta

29 Apr 2017,Saturday

Don't deny flats to meat eaters, warns Raj Thackeray's MNS

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mns-non-vegetarian-non-veg-builders-mns-spokesperson-sandeep-deshpande/1/941680.html

Raj Thackeray-led MNS has written letters to building constructors to stop discriminating against people on the basis of caste, creed, religion and even eating habits while selling flats in their buildings. Moreover, the MNS warned of intensification of their agitation if non-vegetarian people were denied flats by the builders. "[W]e may take law in our hands," an MNS spokesperson said.

Now, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has written letters to building constructors and asked them to stop discrimination while selling flats in their buildings. In the letter, MNS requests various realty developers of Mumbai not to discriminate between people on the basis of caste, creed and religion.One such letter was written to Shri Chamunda Realtors by MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande. Deshpande, who was former corporator and group leader in BMC for MNS, writes that he has received complaints about Chamunda Realtors that they discriminate between customers while selling flat. In the letter, Deshpande alleges that the said company doesn't sell flats to people who eat non-vegetarian food."We had raise this issue in BMC and had asked mayor to make a strict law so that there will not be any discrimination about not selling flats to non-vegetarian people. This proposal was unanimously passed by BMC house, but ex-mayor didn't make any law. Now, we have intensified our agitation, and in extreme case, we may take law in our hands if situation remains the same," said Sandeep Deshpande, MNS spokesperson.MNS workers have been asked to gather information about such builders who don't sell flats to non-vegetarian people. They will be writing letter to all such builders throughout this week. In the past, MNS had intensified its agitation against BMC's decision of shutting meat shops during Jain community festival Paryushan, and their workers had sold meat openly during that week. Raj Thackeray-led MNS has seen debacle over debacle since last Lok Sabha election. The party didn't even perform well in last BMC election. Now, it seems to revive the party after Marathi Manus agenda, now Raj Thackeray has taken up the issue of veg-non-veg.Also read:Mumbai: MNS corporator denied flat for being non-vegetarian, files complaint

Dishant Sharma

20 Jun 2017,Tuesday

Dravid urges decisive call on Dhoni, Yuvraj's role in team

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rahul-dravid-ms-dhoni-yuvraj-singh-virat-kohli-west-indies-tour/1/983228.html

Rahul Dravid has asked for a decision to be taken on the role of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh in the Indian team. "Do you want to look at the available talent and see what they have to offer before going back to these... players?" asked Dravid. He further said that a decision about India's spin combination should be taken.

Time has come for India to take decisions with focus on the 2019 World Cup and that includes a call on the role of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh in the current team, feels former captain Rahul Dravid."It is a call that is got to be taken by the selectors and the management," Dravid told 'ESPNCricinfo' when asked about future of Yuvraj and Dhoni, who were the team's number four and five in the Champions Trophy."And what they see as the road map for Indian cricket, and where they see the role of both these cricketers going ahead for the next couple of years. Is there a place for both of them? Is there a place for only one of them?"Do you want to reassess it in a year's time, six months' time? Do you want to look at the available talent and see what they have to offer before going back to these two players," he elaborated further.India will play the limited overs series in the West Indies beginning Friday with a full strength squad. However, Dravid hopes the youngsters get a chance in the playing eleven."They have taken a decision to go to the West Indies with a full-strength squad. I really hope they are willing to experiment at least in the playing XI and give more opportunities to people."If you don't do that, suddenly you don't want to come to a situation and, say, in a year's time, where you say, 'We haven't given people chances so these are the only guys we have got.'"Better position to be in: 'We have tried everything else, but we still feel that Yuvi and Dhoni are fit, they are playing very well, and they are the guys to see us through.' And no one will complain about that," he said.Dravid added that time has come to also decide on the spin combination with finger spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja not making much of an impact on flat pitches during the Champions Trophy.

Tarun Khanna

01 Mar 2017,Wednesday

It was not notebandi, but nasbandi: Lalu Prasad Yadav

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/it-was-not-notebandi-but-nasbandi-lalu/1/893876.html

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday equated notebandi (demonetisation) to forced nasbandi (sterilisation). "It wasn't notebandi but nasbandi, carried out by the Modi government on crores of people, who were forced to stand in queue for withdrawing their own money from the banks," said Lalu. He further called PM Narendra Modi a twin brother of US President Donald Trump.

Varanasi, Feb 28 (PTI) Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav today sought to liken BJP-led NDA governments last November demonetisation decision with infamous mid-1970s Emergency-era phenomena of forced nasbandi (sterilisation). "It was not notebandi but nasbandi, carried out by the Modi government on crores of people, who were forced to stand in queue for withdrawing their own money from the banks," said Lalu, launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lalu attacked Modi while addressing an election campaign rally here in support the SP-Congress alliance candidate and dubbed the Prime Minister as twin brother of US President Donald Trump, saying "no one knows what will the two do next." Lalu dubbed Modi Trumps "twin brother," while seeking to describe Congress president Sonia Gandhi as bahu (the daughter-in-law) of the country. "Sonia Gandhi is the bahu (daughter-in-law) of India, she is no more a foreigner for us," he said attacking the PM and inadvertently raking up Gandhis foreign origin issue. It was not clear what made Lalu suddenly assert Gandhis identity as an Indian.

Tarun Khanna

07 Jan 2017,Saturday

Those with 4 wives responsible for population rise: BJP MP

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sakshi-maharaj-uttar-pradesh-muslims/1/851628.html

Addressing a gathering in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj has said the rise in population isn?t because of the Hindus, but due to those who support the concept of four wives and 40 children. Notably, his remarks came after the Supreme Court ruled that religion, caste, community wouldn't be allowed to play any role in the electoral process.

Days after the Supreme Court ruled that no politician or political party was allowed to seek vote in the name of religion, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj has created a fresh controversy by blaming Muslims for population boom.Sakshi Maharaj's speech came merely two days after the Election Commission announced the dates for polling in five states including Uttar Pradesh.

Ayushi Ahluwalia

27 Jul 2017,Thursday

Geelani's kin, 6 J&K separatists held over terror funding

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nia-arrests-7-kashmiri-separatists-on-charges-of-funding-terrorism-unrest-in-valley/story-LC3Y23VBV2TNW68xNLJWxI.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The National Investigation Agency has arrested Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Shah and six other Kashmiri separatists in a probe linked to terrorist funding. The agency is probing if funds from Pakistan were used to fuel the unrest triggered by terrorist Burhan Wani's death last year that left 100 people dead in the Kashmir Valley.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested seven Kashmiri separatist leaders, including hardline Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani?s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah, in a probe linked to terrorist funding.The NIA is investigating if funds from Pakistan were used to fuel last year?s unrest in the Kashmir Valley that left 100 people dead.Tehreek-e-Hurriyat?s Ayaz Akbar and Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, who is from the Mirwaiz faction of the Hurriyat, Nayeem Khan of the Jammu Kashmir National Front and Peer Saifullah were arrested in Srinagar.Farooq Ahmed Dar aka Bitta Karatay was taken into custody in New Delhi.The six leaders held in Srinagar were brought to New Delhi for questioning and to appear before a court.Shah, popularly known as Altaf Fantoosh, was under preventive detention of Jammu and Kashmir police from early July.In the past few weeks, the NIA raided places across Kashmir, New Delhi and Haryana looking for evidence of separatist leaders and businessmen receiving funds from Hafiz Saeed, who heads the Jamaat-ud-Dawa group, and other Pakistan-based militant outfits.Kashmir was rocked by violent protests after Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with security forces on July 8, 2016.The Hurriyat leadership called for a bandh in Kashmir on Tuesday to protest the arrest of its leaders.Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, in a joint statement, called the strike to condemn the ?revengeful, arbitrary and illegal arrests of Hurriyat leaders?.The Mirwaiz ?tweeted the arrests were aimed at misleading the people.?Drama enacted by govt using the NIA to malign people?s political movement & leadership in Kashmir & to mislead people of India. Lies, propaganda..,? he tweeted.The Hurriyat statement did not mention Nayeem Khan and Bitta Karatay.Khan was suspended by the Geelani-led Hurriyat after his alleged confession of receiving funds in a TV sting operation. Karatay is associated with a lesser-known faction of the JKLF.

Abhishek Bansal

23 Mar 2017,Thursday

May change Sidhu's ministry if he continues TV work: Singh

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/navjot-singh-sidhu-kapil-sharma-sharma-amarinder-singh/1/910234.html

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has said Navjot Singh Sidhu's ministry might have to be changed if he wants to continue working in TV. "If it's permissible then we have no issue. Otherwise, he has Culture Ministry and we may have to change his portfolio," Singh said. Sidhu earlier said there was no conflict of interest due to his TV work.

Navjot Singh Sidhu's ministry will have to be changed if he wants to continue working in TV, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said today. Sidhu, who has been given the responsibility of the culture ministry, had earlier said that he would continue his television work and that there was no conflict of interest in doing so."If it's permissible then we have no issue otherwise he has Culture Ministry and we may have to change his portfolio," Amarinder Singh said. The controversy over Sidhu's appearance as a celebrity-judge on the hugely popular television show -  The Kapil Sharma Show - erupted after Punjab CM Amarinder Singh told India Today that he would seek legal opinion over Sidhu continuing his TV work even after becoming a minister.On Tuesday, Sidhu said he respects Amarinder and will follow his orders but added that there was no conflict of interest in him appearing on TV."Whatever Captain Amarinder Singh said, the boss is always right. But I want to tell you that the term office of profit only implies to a post held under government office. BJP MP and actor Kirron Kher works for television. I have quit IPL and nearly 70 to 80 per cent  television assignments. I perform the government duties between 9 am to 6 pm. If I go anywhere after 6 pm and return by 9 am whatever I do at night should not be the business of anybody. Nobody should evince interest in it," Navjot Singh Sidhu had said.  Sidhu, who was believed to be a front runner for the post of deputy chief minister, was given a rather lightweight department to look after. He was  made minister of tourism and culture, and local bodies in the new Congress government in Punjab.WATCH: Navjot Singh Sidhu: TV job isn't office of profitALSO READ:

Pragya Swastik

16 Jan 2017,Monday

World's eight richest people have same wealth as poorest 50%

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jan/16/worlds-eight-richest-people-have-same-wealth-as-poorest-50?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+categories&utm_term=208612&subid=19543693&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2

The world's eight richest people together own assets worth $426 billion, equivalent to the wealth owned by world's poorest 50%, according to a report by charitable organisation Oxfam. Microsoft's Bill Gates is the world's richest person followed by Zara's Amancio Ortega and Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett. The report attributed wealth inequality to aggressive wage restraint and tax dodging.

The world?s eight richest billionaires control the same wealth between them as the poorest half of the globe?s population, according to a charity warning of an ever-increasing and dangerous concentration of wealth.In a report published to coincide with the start of the week-long World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Oxfam said it was ?beyond grotesque? that a handful of rich men headed by the Microsoft founder Bill Gates are worth $426bn (£350bn), equivalent to the wealth of 3.6 billion people.The development charity called for a new economic model to reverse an inequality trend that it said helped to explain Brexit and Donald Trump?s victory in the US presidential election.Oxfam blamed rising inequality on aggressive wage restraint, tax dodging and the squeezing of producers by companies, adding that businesses were too focused on delivering ever-higher returns to wealthy owners and top executives.The World Economic Forum (WEF) said last week that rising inequality and social polarisation posed two of the biggest risks to the global economy in 2017 and could result in the rolling back of globalisation.Oxfam said the world?s poorest 50% owned the same in assets as the $426bn owned by a group headed by Gates, Amancio Ortega, the founder of the Spanish fashion chain Zara, and Warren Buffett, the renowned investor and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway.The others are Carlos Slim Helú: the Mexican telecoms tycoon and owner of conglomerate Grupo Carso; Jeff Bezos: the founder of Amazon; Mark Zuckerberg: the founder of Facebook; Larry Ellison, chief executive of US tech firm Oracle; and Michael Bloomberg; a former mayor of New York and founder and owner of the Bloomberg news and financial information service.Last year, Oxfam said the world?s 62 richest billionaires were as wealthy as half the world?s population. However, the number has dropped to eight in 2017 because new information shows that poverty in China and India is worse than previously thought, making the bottom 50% even worse off and widening the gap between rich and poor.With members of the forum due to arrive on Monday in Switzerland, where guests will range from the Chinese president Xi Jinping, to pop star Shakira, the WEF released its own inclusive growth and development report in which it said median income had fallen by an average of 2.4% between 2008 and 2013 across 26 advanced nations.Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Iceland and Denmark filled the top five places in the WEF?s inclusive development index, with Britain 21st and the US 23rd. The body that organises the Davos event said rising inequality was not an ?iron law of capitalism?, but a matter of making the right policy choices.The WEF report found that 51% of the 103 countries for which data was available saw their inclusive development index scores decline over the past five years, ?attesting to the legitimacy of public concern and the challenge facing policymakers regarding the difficulty of translating economic growth into broad social progress?.Basing its research on the Forbes rich list and data provided by investment bank Credit Suisse, Oxfam said the vast majority of people in the bottom half of the world?s population were facing a daily struggle to survive, with 70% of them living in low-income countries. It was four years since the WEF had first identified inequality as a threat to social stability, but that the gap between rich and poor has continued to widen, Oxfam added.?From Brexit to the success of Donald Trump?s presidential campaign, a worrying rise in racism and the widespread disillusionment with mainstream politics, there are increasing signs that more and more people in rich countries are no longer willing to tolerate the status quo,? the report said.The charity said new information had shown that poor people in China and India owned even fewer assets than previously thought, making the wealth gap more pronounced than it thought a year ago, when it announced that 62 billionaires owned the same wealth as the poorest half of the global population.Mark Goldring, chief executive of Oxfam GB, said: ?This year?s snapshot of inequality is clearer, more accurate and more shocking than ever before. It is beyond grotesque that a group of men who could easily fit in a single golf buggy own more than the poorest half of humanity. ?While one in nine people on the planet will go to bed hungry tonight, a small handful of billionaires have so much wealth they would need several lifetimes to spend it. The fact that a super-rich elite are able to prosper at the expense of the rest of us at home and overseas shows how warped our economy has become.?Mark Littlewood, director general at the Institute of Economic Affairs thinktank, said: ?Once again Oxfam have come out with a report that demonises capitalism, conveniently skimming over the fact that free markets have helped over 100 million people rise out of poverty in the last year alone.?The Oxfam report added that since 2015 the richest 1% has owned more wealth than the rest of the planet. It said that over the next 20 years, 500 people will hand over $2.1tn to their heirs ? a sum larger than the annual GDP of India, a country with 1.3 billion people. Between 1988 and 2011 the incomes of the poorest 10% increased by just $65, while the incomes of the richest 1% grew by $11,800 ? 182 times as much.Oxfam called for fundamental change to ensure that economies worked for everyone, not just ?a privileged few?.

Shubhodeep Datta

21 Dec 2016,Wednesday

More time needed before reintroducing Odd-Even: Delhi govt

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/need-thorough-planning-before-introducing-odd-even-delhi-govt/story-cFXT4N6GaABhkkdmvTxneP.html

The Delhi government has asked for sufficient time to sensitise people about the Odd-even scheme before reintroducing it. More buses will be needed to improve public transport and volunteers will have to be hired, a government official said. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered the government to automatically enforce the Odd-even formula for private cars as pollution level worsens.

The Delhi government on Tuesday asked for sufficient time to sensitise people about the Odd-even scheme before reintroducing it while proposing a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the Union government to oversee cleaning of the Yamuna. The issues related to pollution were discussed in the NCR planning board meeting.Odd-even car restrictionsDelhi transport minister Satyendar Jain has urged the central government to allow sufficient time to sensitise the public about implementation of Odd-even scheme before reintroducing it. The Supreme Court had ordered to automatically enforce Odd-even formula for private cars as pollution level dips.Sources in the department said that at least a month of planning is required if the government wants to enforce the scheme. Jain met the Union urban development minister M Venakaiah Naidu during NCR planning board meeting where measures to tackle pollution were discussed.?There will be chaos on the streets if we don?t plan it. As we don?t have enough number of buses, we have to hire buses to improve public transport. Hiring buses will need a month and similarly, we also hire to civil defence volunteers to manage traffic on roads. Doing all this in 48 hours is impossible,? said a transport department official.New roadsJain also pointed out that work on Eastern and Western expressway by the DDA, which has been underway for the last 15 years, needs to be expedited. This project is expected to ease traffic congestion in a major way. The issue of three urban extension roads were also raised, which are located in Mahipalpur, Rohini and Kanjhawala.Read: Need a month to prepare for re-introducing odd-even scheme: Delhi govtNCR board discussed 14 inter-state connectivity links with the aim of facilitating seamless travel in the NCR. Some of these link roads are Kalindi bypass road from Ashram Chowk, Delhi to Faridabad bypass, connection of Nelson Mandela T-Point in Vasant Kunj with the existing Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, road from Ring Road (Inder Lok Metro Station) and existing Yamuna Canal Link Road up to Haryana border and bridge over Yamuna between Chhaprauli and Hathwada village in Haryana. Delhi government bats for SPV for YamunaJain proposed setting-up of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the Union government to oversee cleaning of the Yamuna and Yamuna Development Front activities. ?We have proposed setting up of a special purpose vehicle, along the lines of Delhi Metro, to help in cleaning Yamuna. The Delhi government and the Centre can be the key stakeholders in the project,? said Jain. Shifting of power plantsThe AAP government also presented recommendations by IIT Kanpur on the rising pollution level. ?As a part of pollution control measures, IIT-Kanpur has recommended that the power plants within 300km vicinity of the Capital should be shut down. We have requested them to shift power plant from Jhajjhar and Dadri,? Jain said.Contain air pollution in Delhi-NCR: Board tells statesThe states have given details of measures being taken to contain air pollution being caused by stubble and biomass burning in the adjoining states of Delhi and Punjab, burning of garbage, solid waste management and road dust and construction activities. The measures include supply of equipment for mechanical disposal of stubble and crop residues, imposition of fines for burning, management of sanitary landfills and so on.In the meeting, the Central Pollution Control Board informed that an action plan has been prepared under the directions of the Supreme Court in the context of high levels of air pollution in Delhi in November this year. This plan includes monitoring air quality in Delhi, centralised analysis of pollution data being collected by different agencies, preventive actions and graded action plan.

Saloni Tandon

13 May 2017,Saturday

Fans will see my romance with Anjali: Sachin on biopic

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sachin-tendulkar-biopic-sachin-a-billion-dreams/1/952983.html

Sachin Tendulkar has said that the story of his romance with his wife, Anjali, will be shown in his upcoming biopic 'Sachin: A Billion Dreams', which releases on May 26. "How I met my wife and how we took it forward is part of film...I had to speak with the whole family before coming out with this film," said Sachin.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar's illustrious career and his life off the field has been extensively covered in the upcoming movie 'Sachin - A Billion Dreams'. The film, written and directed by James Erskine, is slated to release on May 26.The trailer, which was released in a star-studded event in Mumbai last month, gave the eager audience a hint of what the film has in store for Tendulkar's fans. With glimpses of key scenes from the film showing moments of cricketing glory, personal moments, unseen footage from the dressing room and much more, the film promises to be every Tendulkar fan's dream come true.The Master Blaster, in an interview with India Today, spoke about what we can expect from the upcoming biopic which has already garnered a lot of attention worldwide."The audience will get to see my romance with Anjali (Tendulkar). How I met my wife and how we took it forward is part of film."The biopic will show things that no one else had access to before. I had to speak with the whole family before coming out with this film. The most important objective is that the fans should have something to take back," Tendulkar told India Today's consulting editor Boria Majumdar in an exclusive chat.Tendulkar has a deep connection with Shivaji Park in Mumbai, the place where he met his coach, Ramakant Achrekar. Tendulkar had the opportunity to relive those days when he went back to the same place to shoot some portions of the film."Going to Shivaji Park again was an emotional moment. Achrekar Sir has been an integral part of my life and I always took his blessings before every tour. Shivaji Park is the place where I had my first net session. I stood on that very pitch once again as we started to shoot at 5.15am."The film will be a mixed bag of the highs and lows of Tendulkar's 24-year career, as revealed by the cricketer himself."The film will cover my highs and lows in various chapters. People will know about my feeling during 2007 World Cup loss, and when I lost my father. Or personal moments which I recorded on mobile," Tendulkar added.The film's music has been composed by the legendary AR Rahman and the songs are already being loved by the masses. Tendulkar said even the current members of the Indian cricket team cannot wait to see the film themselves."Me and my family are very happy with film. The music is wonderful. Each and every song grows on you. That's what a Rahman does you know," Tendulkar stated.The producer of the film Ravi Bhagchandka, said that the last 24 years of his life has been shown here. "When I went to him in 2012 and asked him about making a film on him and said that your story needs to be told as it's an inspiring story. Every Indian must experience this story and even globally...he was hesitant because we all know how private he is.So at first I didn't tell him that he has to act. But having seen everything real on the field, we wanted to see the real Sachin not an actor Sachin. That's what we have done. We have picked up situations from his life over the past 24 years and put him on those situations again and shot in real time. We have archived around 10,000 hours of footage and from that we have made a film of two hours " he said.

Tarun Khanna

04 May 2017,Thursday

Assam govt changes names of all major roads of Guwahati

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/assam-sarbanand-sonowal-guwahati/1/945450.html

The BJP-led Assam government on Thursday changed the names of all the major roads of Guwahati. The existing names were in use since the colonial times, hence we decided to change them, said Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. While GS Road has been renamed as Mahapurush Srimanta Sankerdev Path, Beltola-Khanapara Road is renamed as Peer Azan Fakir Road.

All the major roads of Guwahati have been rechristened. The Sarbananda Sonowal government has changed the names of all the major roads of the most important city of Assam.Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswam Sarma announced the government's decision to rename the Guwahati roads. The roads have been given new names after either the local leaders from the past of the BJP ideologues.The complete list of the major roads of Guwahati is given below:The decision to change the names of the roads comes close on the heels of the report that the Sonowal government is considering to bring some changes in the dress code for official purposes. The government is mulling if tradition Assamese attire - dhoti and kurta for male and mekhela chadar for female - can be made optional on certain days.Also read:

Shubhodeep Datta

11 Mar 2017,Saturday

Punjab: Cong crosses halfway mark, leads in 64 of 117 seats

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/assembly-election-results-2017-live-uttar-pradesh-punjab-uttarakhand-goa-manipur-modi/1/901863.html

After the counting of votes began for all the 117 seats in Punjab, the Congress Party crossed the halfway mark with a lead in as many as 64 seats. The incumbent Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance was leading only in 26 constituencies across the state whereas the Aam Aadmi Party stood third with a lead in 25 seats.

AAJ TAK LIVE TV WITH LIVE ELECTION RESULTS I congratulate Shri. Narendra Modi and the BJP on their victory in Uttar Pradesh & UttarakhandMy heartiest congratulations to Capt Amarinder Singhji & all our party workers who worked tirelessly @capt_amarinderTo all Congress workers across India: We stand resolute & committed to our values & our belief in an India united in strength & purposeOur fight continues and will not end till we win the hearts & minds of peopleCongratulations to @AmitShah, party office bearers & state units for their exemplary work in taking the party to new heights.  Spoke to @capt_amarinder & congratulated him on the win in Punjab. Also wished him a happy birthday & prayed for his long & healthy life.  .@BJP4India takes lead over @INCIndia in #ManipurWatch #Verdict2017 : https://t.co/TFg6M7I5XDpic.twitter.com/N0J8NNjN3oIn Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand we are disappointed. The alliance had lot of expectations: Sanjay Jha, CongLIVE https://t.co/4fqxBVUizLpic.twitter.com/AxCle4efLiIn a nutshell there is no leader today with a pan India acceptability who can take on Modi & the BJP in 2019.At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024.How the hell did almost all the experts/analysts miss this wave in UP? It's a tsunami not a ripple in a small pond.Celebrations galore at BJP HQ as Ashoka Road gets barricaded. #[email protected]/3zdaWhfHBA.@narendramodi be like#[email protected]/0KVevi8dGT#ElectionResults2017: Meanwhile in the Delhi @BJP4India headquarters (Photo: @NeerajGupta20) pic.twitter.com/SR7may7Q0B  In #UttarPradesh, @BJP4India hasn't left much to imaginationWatch #Verdict2017 : https://t.co/TFg6M7I5XDpic.twitter.com/UyufTVNxcM#Verdict2017It's BJP everywhere in UP. @rahulkanwal shares the latest numbers from UP assembly polls. Live:https://t.co/oIU1FtZewBpic.twitter.com/vnUtSdIF1APunjab is proof that the Congress can win an election despite Rahul Gandhi. #PunjabElection2017Modi magic still working in Uttar Pradesh. Demonetisation, what demonetisation??#ElectionResultsScenes of celebration @BJP4India HQ in Delhi. Pic by @the_hindu photog Sandeep Saxena pic.twitter.com/0oQ8s6FOayThe brilliant @MANJULtoons strikes again on #ElectionResults day.Only the guy in the middle is not getting his wish today. ð??? pic.twitter.com/D9JA8jJOGe#UPElection2017 Results LIVE: Counting of votes underway, #BJP emerges as clear winner with lead in 287 seats https://t.co/0eCLGTAeEQpic.twitter.com/p8l2eOX1iEThe Loha Singh Live Blog: Assembly Election Result updates with a punch ð??? Grab some popcorn ð??? and read ð??? https://t.co/sQ5MPCReyUpic.twitter.com/ATo9PXtyQk@KyaUkhaadLega AAP is ready with victory posters ð???ð???ð??? pic.twitter.com/lyQUr0PEGdBJP leading in Uttar Pradesh: Party workers celebrate in Lucknow #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/SmmoBRNKSV#UttarPradeshElection2017 Counting shuru ho gayi hai, humari badi jeet hogi: Shivpal Yadav, SP #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/7C91hJWhcJ#ResultsWithNdtv@ndtv at Lucknow counting centre , drone cameras being used to monitor activity pic.twitter.com/VKhU0XCPGUMuscle, money power openly used by parties: Irom Sharmila https://t.co/d91oCpXEtZ Read @ANI_news story #Manipurpic.twitter.com/gdQ1KJMv3h#ABPResults UP Assembly Election Result Live: @samajwadiparty accuses EC of being biasedhttps://t.co/6I474e06FOpic.twitter.com/DAjGeq1RDh#UttarPradeshElection2017 Security arrangements in place outside counting centres in Moradabad #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/XlwpiN5ZecSP-Congress alliance will win today,and we will expose the people who were conspiring against CM: Rajendra Chaudhary,SP #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/iEq4OAiloXSamajwadi Party workers perform Havan in Lucknow #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/SP9iJcdwfX                                                                                                                                               

Niharika Prabhakar

19 Jul 2017,Wednesday

Mumbai blasts convict Abu Salem seeks bail to get married

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/1993-mumbai-blasts-case-convict-abu-salem-moves-court-seeking-parole-to-marry/story-C62GwWhsiq0h2bDCAfEh1I.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Abu Salem on Monday moved a plea before a Mumbai court seeking temporary bail to get married, reports said. In his application, Salem cited examples of convicts who have been granted bail to get married. The trial court judge has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its response to Salem's petition.

Gangster Abu Salem, convicted last month in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, moved a plea on Monday seeking parole or temporary bail for marriage. Two years before, a woman had moved a plea before the TADA court seeking its permission to get married to the gangster .The woman had in June 2015 approached the court to allow her to marry Salem after it was reported that Salem had married her ?over the phone? during a train journey when he was being taken to Lucknow for a court hearing under police escort.The application has been since pending before the TADA court hearing the case of 1993 Mumbai blasts case where Salem was recently convicted.Read: 1993 Mumbai serial blasts: Why Abu Salem is likely to escape capital punishmentOn Monday, Salem moved an application through his lawyer Farhana Shah that he may be allowed to attend the officer of the registrar to marry the woman. Salem, in his application, attached judgements of the apex court citing examples in which the accused were allowed to marry. The court has asked CBI to file a reply on the plea.?We have given the court two citations -- one from the Bombay High Court and another from the Delhi High Court -- stating that a person can be granted bail or parole for marriage,? said Shah.The TADA court in Mumbai had convicted Salem and five others in June for their role in the serial bomb blasts of March 12, 1993 in which 257 people were killed.The CBI had earlier this month sought life imprisonment for Salem, convicted under stringent sections of the now-repealed TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in the bomb blast case. (With PTI inputs)

Prashanti Moktan

14 Jul 2017,Friday

Only date I remember is Katrina Kaif's birthday: Salman

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/salman-khan-kisses-katrina-kaif-sings-happy-birthday-iifa-2017/1/1001845.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Actor Salman Khan has said that the only date he remembers is actress Katrina Kaif's birthday despite being bad at remembering dates. Salman joked, "It's a national event. In India, July 16 is a holiday, who knows USA might also announce it as a national holiday soon." He made the comments at an IIFA Awards 2017 event in New York.

If Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif couldn't take their eyes off each other at IIFA 2017, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor made the event all the more memorable for his 'close friend' Katrina when he sang Happy Birthday for her. The Jab Tak Hai Jaan actor will turn 34 on July 16, but the 51-year-old actor couldn't wait that long to wish her, and grabbed the first opportunity to wish his friend. So much so that Salman confessed on stage that he's bad at keeping track of dates, however the only date he remembers is Katrina's birthday which is this Sunday, July 16. He said, " I am very bad with dates.The only date I remember is Katrina's birthday. It's a national event. In India, July 16 is a holiday, who knows USA might also announce it as a national holiday soon."More from #salmankhan at #iifa2017 #newyork @viralbhayaniA post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) on Jul 13, 2017 at 3:43pm PDT He then started singing "Happy Birthday", before moving forward to give her a side hug and a peck on the cheek.

Prashanti Moktan

03 Jun 2017,Saturday

Sanjay Dutt biopic's release date postponed to next year

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sanjay-dutt-biopic-tiger-zinda-hai-box-office-clash-ranbir-kapoor/1/969069.html

The Ranbir Kapoor starrer biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt has postponed its release date to March 30, 2018. The film was earlier set for a release on Christmas this year, which would have been the same release date as the Salman Khan starrer Tiger Zinda Hai. Hirani reportedly did not want to release the biopic alongside another big-budget film.

One of the biggest box-office clashes of 2017 got averted when Rajkumar Hirani decided to postpone the release of Sanjay Dutt biopic. Earlier the film was supposed to clash with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer Tiger Zinda Hai. But that seems to be not happening anymore. Sanjay Dutt biopic will now hit the screens in 2018, while Tiger Zinda Hai will release this Christmas. Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to confirm the news and revealed that the Dutt biopic will now release on March 30, 2018.#BreakingNews: Sanjay Dutt biopic to release on 30 March 2018... Rajkumar Hirani directs... Stars Ranbir Kapoor... NOTE: Not titled yet. It seems Hirani did not want to release Sanjay Dutt biopic along with another big-budget film. A source was quoted as telling Deccan Chronicle, "This biopic is one of the most awaited films in recent times. We have to release it at a time when it can garner maximum eyeballs. We know Salman has a huge fan following, so it only made business sense to avoid the on-screen clash." The biopic will focus on Sanjay's formative years, his relation with his father Sunil Dutt, his struggles coping up with the loss of his mother and his many affairs. ALSO READ: Salman's Tiger Zinda Hai to clash with Ranbir's Sanjay Dutt biopic

Chhavi Tyagi

21 Jan 2017,Saturday

Maoists to target Modi during election rallies: Intelligence

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maoists-targetting-pm-modi-during-election-rallies-intelligence/1/862854.html

The central intelligence agencies have reportedly said that top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are the targets of Maoists during election rallies for the upcoming Assembly polls. The Maoists have also suggested to carry out serial IED blasts in Uttar Pradesh by deploying 'suitable cadres' from outside. The intelligence has briefed Special Protection Group in this regard.

In the run up to Republic Day celebrations followed by Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah face threat from Maoists and several other quarters.Top intelligence sources said inputs have been received according to which leaders of the front organisations of the CPI(Maoist) have urged their central leadership to target the election rallies of the Prime Minister, union home minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah.Sources said central intelligence agencies have carried out a special briefing to Special Protection Group in this regard, to apprise them of possible threat perceptions to the PM ahead of Republic Day and Assembly elections.Since the top leaders will be visiting various places for the election campaigning, Maoist cadres have urged the leadership to target them during their campaign for Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. They have further suggested to carry out serial IED blasts in Eastern UP by deploying 'suitable cadres' from outside, while promising to provide assistance to carrying out the task.Also read | PM Modi wants a week-long Republic Day-like Independence Day

Radhika Chugh

17 Jul 2017,Monday

AAP campaigns to get anti-corruption activist back in party

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/aap-workers-demand-anti-corruption-activist-damania-s-return-to-party/story-uoYJMVc9dzqDaEFIGvSGTO.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

A group of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers have started a campaign to get anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania back in the party. Damania had exposed corruption cases including the ?1,000-crore irrigation scam and the Maharashtra Sadan scam which led to the arrest of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal. She has not yet taken a decision regarding rejoining AAP.

A group of workers from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have recently started a campaign to get anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania back in the party.Damania has been responsible for exposing irrigation scam as well as Maharashtra Sadan scam that saw Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal being put in jail. A well-known face in Maharashtra, Damania quit the AAP in 2015 following allegations levelled against the party leadership. On Saturday, 150 AAP volunteers reached her home in Santacruz requesting her to return to the party. ?We want all good people to come back to the party and continue their fight against the corrupt,? said Abhishek Bhat, an AAP volunteer. The volunteers have asked Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to convince Damania to return. They have also started a twitter campaign to get her back. Damania, who was a part of veteran activist Anna Hazare?s agitation India Against Corruption (IAC), was also the founding member of AAP in 2012. She led the Maharashtra unit exposing various scams during the tenure of Congress-NCP government in the state. She also fought the 2014 Lok Sabha election unsuccessfully against Union minister Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur. AAP lost all the 48 seats it contested in Maharashtra. AAP then did not contest the Assembly polls and in September 2014 Damania resigned from the post of party?s convenor in Maharashtra. In February 2015, following allegations of alleged horse trading against Kejriwal, Damania quit the outfit. She tweeted ?I quit. I have not come to AAP for this nonsense. I believed him. I backed Arvind for principles not Horse-trading.?She became active again in the political circles when she started a campaign against the then revenue minister Eknath Khadse, who was forced to resign. Damania said she has not taken any decision on rejoining AAP. ?They gheroed me and asked me to return to the party. It is too early to react now,? said Damania. The AAP has lost much of its steam. Top leaders like Medha Patkar have quit th eparty. Apart from the occasional exposes against political leaders, the Maharashtra unit seems to be going nowhere.

Vaibhav Gupta

16 Jan 2017,Monday

TN declares public holiday for MGR's 100th birth anniversary

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/govt-declares-jan-17-public-holiday-for-mgr-birth-centenary/1/857052.html

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday declared former CM MG Ramachandran's 100th birth anniversary, January 17, as a public holiday for the state. MGR was the state's CM from 1977 to 1987, and founded the ruling AIADMK in 1972. The Centre has also agreed to release a special postage stamp on MGR's birth centenary, the Tamil Nadu government has said.

Aarushi Maheshwari

11 Jan 2017,Wednesday

McDonald's announces masala dosa burgers, anda bhurji

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mcdonalds-mumbai-masala-dosa-burgers-anda-bhurji-desi-breakfast-menu/1/854660.html

Fast-food chain McDonald's has announced that it is adding masala dosa burgers and anda bhurji (scrambled eggs) to its breakfast menu. The Indian breakfast menu, which will be launched on Friday at 44 outlets across Mumbai, will be priced between ?30 and ?135. McDonald's added that the new additions will gradually be introduced across other Indian cities.

Fast-food giant McDonald's will soon be adding masala dosa burgers with molaga podi sauce and anda bhurji as part of its famous breakfast menu, which until now was largely limited to vegetarian and egg cheese McMuffin, waffles, and hash brown.To be launched in Mumbai shortly, the world's largest fast-food company said the desi breakfast menu is aimed at increasing footfall by making the fare healthier. McDonald's said the new additions would be grilled instead of fried.The expanded menu will be available at 44 McDonald's outlets in Mumbai from January 13. Priced between Rs 30 and Rs 135, McDonald's will also serve breakfast through McDelivery and takeaway kiosks. The company said the menu will be gradually introduced across India.Also read:  Michael 'Jim' Delligatti, the man who invented the McDonald's Big Mac, passes away"Breakfast convenience on the go will increase as more people enter the segment. As a western quick service restaurant, we are going to grow the Indian breakfast market dramatically," Amit Jatia, vice-chairman of Westlife Development, which runs over 240 McDonald's restaurants across west and south India told The Economic Times newspaper.However, this isn't the first Indianisation of McDonald's menu. The company added its now iconic McAloo Tikki burger in 1997, and later added paneer burgers and wraps.Also read:  Okhla residents not 'lovin it', McDonald's accused of not delivering in Muslim areas

Shubhodeep Datta

15 Jan 2017,Sunday

BSF starts operation to strengthen vigil at Rajasthan border

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bsf-launches-operation-sard-hawa-at-rajasthan-border/1/857863.html

The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched an operation 'Sard Hawa' at the Rajasthan border, under which vigil will be beefed-up as infiltration rises due to dense fog in the area. The operation will continue till January 28. BSF Deputy Inspector General Ravi Gandhi said the jawans will patrol with advanced weapons in the areas near to the border.

Jaisalmer, Jan 15 (PTI) Border Security Force (BSF) today launched operation Sard Hawa at the western international border of Rajasthan, under which vigil will be beefed-up to check the instances of infilteration due to the dense fog in the area. The operation will continue till January 28.

Sonu Kumari

24 Jul 2017,Monday

Online petition seeks to save over 1,700 trees in Delhi

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/activist-launches-online-petition-to-save-1700-pragati-maidan-trees-from-getting-axed/story-wpQRs3Qp97UUdCpzHrMzeN.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

An activist has launched an online petition to save over 1,700 trees in Delhi's Pragati Maidan from being cut down. This comes after an RTI response revealed that the Delhi Forest Department had allowed cutting the trees to construct an exhibition centre. Activists have already raised concerns that 15,000 trees were felled in the Capital over the last three years.

A green activist has launched a petition on change.org to stop the felling of 1713 trees, which are set to make way for the construction of an integrated exhibition-cum-convention centre at Pragati Maidan. The petition had garnered 193 (out of required 200) signatures till Saturday.Hindustan Times had on July 6 highlighted that more than 1,700 trees may be felled to make way for a integrated exhibition-cum-convention centre at Pragati Maidan, according to the reply of an RTI query. Green activists say that the trees to be felled are mostly more than 60 years old.Tree activist Radhika Bhagat, who has started the petition on change.org, says it is a plea to the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change, Delhi chief minister, environment and forest minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state level Environment Impact Assessment Authority and India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) to stall the felling of trees.?This petition is helping bring social recognition on the Pragati Maidan tree cutting issue. A significant number of people have signed it and we want to show the authorities that this matter is crucial to the public and needs attention,? Bhagat told Hindustan Times.Environment activists have already raised concerns and said that more than 15,000 trees have already been felled in the Capital over the last three years. While more than 6,000 were cut in 2014-15, around 4,600 and 4,700 trees were felled in 2015-16 and 2016-17.The petition on change.org says that tree felling will be done right in the heart of the city with several schools, hospitals and residential areas in the vicinity. ?These areas, along with the rest of Delhi-NCR, will suffer from the resulting pollution, that will only worsen. Over the last 3 years , Delhi has already lost 15,000 trees to development and we cannot afford to lose any more,? it says.?Do you feel embarrassed and worried to be living in the most polluted city on our planet?... Are you concerned about your and your dear ones health due to Delhi?s consistently hazardous levels of air quality ?... Here is your chance to take action about this situation by protecting the lungs of Delhi, the trees,? the petition reads.Forest officials have already issued permission for cutting down the 1700 trees around Pragati Maidan as per Delhi Preservation of Trees Act and the required fees has also been deposited.Another Delhi-based environmentalist has started a separate crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for printing costs, lawyer?s and court fee to stall the ?losing 1,713 healthy big trees in the heart of the city that will lead to severe health damage to lakhs of residents?.Advocate Aditya Prasad, who had filed the RTI that revealed the plan to fell these trees, has earlier said, ?They have not got any Environment Impact Assessment clearance but still got permission to cut these trees from the forest department. There is a tree authority, which is supposed to clear these kind of projects, under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994. On paper it is there but doesn?t meet or act.?

Tarun Khanna

17 Mar 2017,Friday

Over 10 lakh Muslims sign RSS petition against Triple Talaq

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/triple-talaq-rss-petition-muslim-women-uttar-pradesh-results-bjp/1/906039.html

Over a million Muslims, mostly women, have signed a petition moved by RSS-affiliated Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) against the practice of triple talaq. "The representatives from the state and the government must come and sit together to start a debate on this so that Muslim women can claim a human status," the MRM stated.

Even as the BJP and the Opposition are still calculating if there was a shift in Muslim votes towards the saffron party in UP that contributed to its landslide victory, over a million Muslims from across the country - mostly women - have already signed a petition moved by RSS-affiliated Muslim body Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) against the practice of triple talaq.The Muslim body - RSS pracharak Indresh Kumar is the liason from the Sangh's side who "guides" the MRM - has also called for a nationwide discussion on the issue that involves all the stakeholders."This is a problem of the community and the stakeholders within the community as well as the representatives from the state and the government must come and sit together to start a debate on this so that Muslim women can claim a human status," the organisation told Mail TodayBJP: TRIPLE TALAQ STAND HELPED PARTY IN UPAs the party itself puts it, one of the major contributing factors, as it claims, in its victory was a definite support from Muslim women who were moved by the party's stance on triple talaq as a repressive practice that needed to be done away with."Three factors, I suppose, defined our victory in the UP polls: first was Ujjwala scheme that provided LPG cylinders to poor women; second was construction of toilets under the Swachh Bharat programme, which also appealed to women; and last but not the least, our stand on triple talaq," said Sidharth Nath Singh, party secretary and newly elected MLA from Allahabad West.While the signature campaign of MRM is still on, the outfit had warned the traditionally conservative clergy of the community to desist from making a religious issue out of a practice that was a social problem."The fact that the BJP was able to get Muslim votes in UP, the fact that they also won the Muslim-majority Deoband seat - that is long supposed to be the stronghold of orthodox Ulema - suggest that the party and the central government need to heed the voice of the Muslim women. Their support in polls is a tacit approval of the BJP's stand on the issue," said MRM national coordinator Mohammad Afzal."The fact that the BJP did not field a single Muslim candidate for the UP polls did not deter women of the community to at least in part vote for the party," claimed another functionary of the MRM on conditions of anonymity.Afzal also said the traditional clergy of the community needed to wake up. "The fact that a terrorist was killed and his father denounced him in the light of the latter's love for the nation and then a girl is issued a fatwa against for singingâ?¦all these things point to the changing scenario in India. They should wake up now and stop trying to convert the social evil of triple talaq from a social problem into a religious problem."Even the great grandson of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a tall Muslim Congress leader of Indian history, extolled Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "positive attitude towards the Muslims". "The Ulemas are taking the Muslim community not in the medieval ages, but the dark ages and towards the stone age," said Firoze Ahmad Bakht.

Sumedha Sehra

17 Jul 2017,Monday

Voting to elect India's 14th President begins

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/presidential-election-live-updates-nda-s-ram-nath-kovind-vs-opposition-s-meira-kumar/story-JFhGWbnOeGRwHV5ZuTbgeL.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Voting to choose the 14th President of India began at the Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies at 10 am on Monday. A total of 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs cast their vote to choose between NDA's Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition's Meira Kumar. Votes will only be valid if cast using special violet ink pens provided by the Election Commission.

India?s elected MLAs and MPs voted to elect the next President and BJP-led NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind appears to have the advantage against his opponent Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and the opposition?s nominee.Paper ballots were used in the presidential election. The electoral college of the presidential election comprises 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs with a total vote value of 10,98,903 -- 549,408 for 543 Lok Sabha and 233 Rajya Sabha parliamentarians, and 549,495 for 4,120 legislators in state assemblies. Read more: How India picks its President: Visually explainedThe halfway mark is expected to be 549,442, but that will depend on the number of valid votes.Kovind is expected to win the polls, described by his rival, opposition candidate Meira Kumar, as a battle of ideologies. The result will be declared on July 20. President Pranab Mukherjee?s tenure ends on July 24.Here are live updates:5.30 pm: Voting for the presidential poll in Assam was completed more than three hours before the time limit.?The voting went very peacefully and there was no issue at all,? the principal secretary to Assam assembly Mrigendra Kumar Deka said.Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and BPF member Kamal Shing Narzary are supposed to vote in Delhi, he said adding the rest 124 MLAs of the 126-member house cast their votes before noon itself.Voting to elect the 14th President of India saw a total of 234 ballots cast in Tamil Nadu. Aam Aadmi Party?s HS Phoolka was the only MLA in the 117-member Punjab assembly not to cast his vote4.50 pm: The voting for the presidential election ended in the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly premises today with 228 legislators casting their votes.4:30pm:?The 81 MLAs of Jharkhand Assembly cast their votes to elect the 14th president of the country on Monday.4:05pm:?We voted for Meira Kumar in presidential poll to register our protest against ?present atrocities? in the country, says TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.3.30pm: Voting for the presidential election in Tamil Nadu got over in just about two hours with 232 legislators, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and a Kerala MLA casting their votes at the Assembly.3.14pm: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said this is a vote against injustice. ?For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP and stand beside people.? It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside ppl: WB CM on #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/g1cwAhcUtQ? ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 20173.12pm: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) dismisses reports that its lawmakers are voting for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. ?The rumours are false. We are voting for our candidate Meira Kumar,? NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik says.2.55pm: Himachal Pradesh records 100% polling with all 67 MLAs casting their vote.2.45pm: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal are among those who cast their votes for the presidential election.2.30pm: AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam says he hopes the issues plaguing Tamil Nadu be resolved after the presidential election. 2pm: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Telangana?s KC Rao cast their vote at the respective state assemblies in the presidential election.1.20pm: SP leader Shivpal Yadav says he cast his vote for Kovind and added: ?Kovind will win?.1.10pm: Senior NCP leader Praful says NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind will win the presidential election, ?there is no rocket science involved in this prediction?.1.04pm: 214 votes have been cast till noon at UP Vidhan Bhavan.1pm: Former minister and SP legislator Shivpal Yadav arrives at the Uttar Pradesh asembly to cast his vote. ?I will vote for Ramnath Kovind. And more and more SP voters should vote for Kovind,? he had said before leaving for casting his vote.Former minister and SP legislator Shivpal Yadav arrives at the UP assembly to cast his vote. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT?Photo) 12.50pm: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik casts hhis vote in the presidential election at the state assembly in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Patnaik?s Biju Janata Dal had earlier announced its support to NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik casts his vote in the presidental election at the Assembly in Bhubaneswar on Monday. (Arabinda Mahapatra/HT?Photo) 12.38pm: NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind appears ahead of Opposition?s Meira Kumar in presidential election. Watch Hindustan Times? analysis on Facebook Live. 12.31pm: Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar says she is fighting the battle of ideologies. ?Had urged collegium to listen to voice of their conscience and decision will be taken in India?s favour.?12.30pm: Leader of SP legislature party, Ram Govind Chaudhary, said 29 party MLAs had cast their votes by 12.30pm. Fearing cross-voting, Chaudhary is holding meeting with loyal MLAs at the party legislature party office located in Vidhan Bhawan. 12.12pm: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, sacked AAP leader Kapil Mishra, Two of the three BJP MLAs -- OP?Sharma and Jagdish Pradhan ? and other Delhi legislators cast their votes at the assembly. (Live updates)11.55am: ?We are thankful to PM?Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah for giving UP the pride of giving the country its next president,? says UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath comes out of the UP assembly after casting his vote in the presidential election on Monday. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT?Photo) 11.50am: Samajwadi Party legislator Shivpal Yadav says ?NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind is a known to me already. He is our neighbour and a Dalit.?11.40am: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and party?s chief whip in Lok Sabha, Jyotiraditya Scindia, cast their votes in the Parliament. 11.30am: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote at the Parliament.Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote at the Parliament on Monday. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo) 11.22am: Meanwhile, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till Tuesday after a short proceeding in the first day of monsoon session on Monday. 11.20am: The former Presidents of India and their winning margin..Headline_bar {font-family: "Open Sans";font-size: 100%;color: #FFF;background-color:#40a3d3;font-weight: bold;text-align: center;}.normal {font-family: "Open Sans";font-size: 100%;text-align: left;}.normal_centre {font-family: "Open Sans";font-size: 100%;text-align: center;}.source {width:auto; font-size:80%; color:#333; text-align:right; font-family:"Open Sans"}.wrap {width:100%; height:400px; float:left; padding:5px; border:1px dashed #999; margin-right:8px; overflow:scroll}.presidentelections1 {width:100%; font-family:"Open Sans"; font-weight:bold; margin:10px 0px 10px 0px; text-transform:uppercase; line-height:26px; font-size:120%; color:#F00; float:left}.presidentelections2 {width:100%; font-family:"Open Sans"; font-weight:normal; margin:10px 0px 10px 0px; line-height:26px; font-size:100%; color:#000; float:left}.clrboth {clear:both}@media only screen and (max-width:360px) {.wrap {width:auto; float:none; padding:5px; margin-right:0px}}1st Presidential poll (1952)Candidate NameVotes Dr. Rajendra Prasad 507,400 K.T. Shah 92,827 Thatte Lakshman Ganesh 2,672 Chowdhry Hari Ram 1,954 Krishna Kumar Chatterjee 533 2nd Presidential poll (1957)Candidate NameVotes Dr. Rajendra Prasad 459,698 Chowdhry Hari Ram 2,672 Nagendra Narayan Das 2,000 3rd Presidential poll (1962)Candidate NameVotes Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan 553,067 Chowdhry Hari Ram/t6,341 Yamuna Prasad Trisulia 3,537 4th Presidential poll (1962)Candidate NameVotes Zakir Hussain 471,244 Kota Subbarao 363,971 Khubi Ram 1,369 Yamuna Prasad Trisulla 232 Bhamburkar Shriniwas Gopal 232 Brahma Deo 232 Krishna Kumar Chatterjee 125 Kumar Kamla Singh 125 Chandradutt Senani 0 U.P. Chugani 0 Dr. M.C. Davar 0 Chowdhry Hari Ram 0 Dr. Man Singh Ahluwalia 0 Manohara Holkar 0 Seetharamaiah Ramaswamy Sharma Hoysala 0 Satyabhakt 0 5th Presidential poll (1969)Candidate NameVotes Varahagiri Venkata Giri (INDEPENDENT) 401,515 / 420,077 Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (INDEPENDENT) 313,548 / 405,427 C.D. Deshmukh 112,769 Chandradatt Senani 5,814 Furcharan Kaur 940 Rajabhoj Pandurang Nathuji 831 Babu Lal Mag 576 Chowdhry Hari Ram 125 Sharma Manovihari Anirudh 125 Khubi Ram 94 Bhagmal 0 Krishna Kumar Chatterjee 0 Santosh Singh Kachhwaha 0 Dr. Ramdular Tripathi Chakor 0 Shri Ramanlal Prushottam Vyas 0 6th Presidential poll (1974)Candidate NameVotes Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (INC) 754,113 Tridib Chaudhuri (INDEPENDENT) 189,196 7th Presidential poll (1977)Candidate NameVotes Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Won unopposed* *37 candidates filed nominations, 36 got rejected8th Presidential poll (1982)Candidate NamePartyVotes Zail Singh Indian National Congress 754,113 H.R. Khanna Independent 282,685 9th Presidential poll (1987)Candidate NamePartyVotes R. Venkataraman Indian National Congress 740,148 V. R. Krishna Iyer Independent 281,550 Mithilesh Kumar Independent 2,223 10th Presidential poll (1992)Candidate NamePartyVotes Shankar Dayal Sharma Indian Nationlal Congress 675,864 G.G. Swell Independent 346,485 Ram Jethmalani Independent 2,704 11th Presidential poll (1997)Candidate NamePartyVotes K.R. Narayanan Indian National Congress 956,290 T.N. Seshan Independent 50,631 Kaka Joginder Singh a.k.a. Dharti Pakad Independent 1,135 12th Presidential poll (2002)Candidate NamePartyVotes Abdul Kalam Independent 922,884 Lakshmi Sahgal CPI(M) 107,366 13th Presidential poll (2007)Candidate NamePartyVotes Pratibha Patil Indian National Congress 638,116 Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Independent 331,306 14th Presidential poll (2012)Candidate NamePartyVotes Pranabh Mukherjee Indian National Congress/UPA 713,763 P.A.Sangma Independent 315,987 11.15am: Former Lok Sabha speaker says Somnath Chatterjee said it appears that NDA candidate Kovind will win the presidential election. ?Happy that vast majority of votes from West Bengal will go to Meira Kumar,? he says.11.10am: In Madhya Pradesh, controversial Congress MLA Shakuntala Khatik, who got bail from Supreme Court in connection with a case of inciting violence during Mandasur farmers? protest, casted her vote with along with her party MLAs at the MP State Legislative Assembly.Congress MLAs going to cast their vote for presidential election in Bhopal. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT?Photo) 11.02am: In Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) is supporting NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, while senior partner of the Grand Alliance RJD?is backing opposition candidate Meira Kumar.11am: As voting begins at the Bihar assembly, NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind enjoys an edge over UPA-backed Meira Kumar. 10.57am: Uttar Pradesh chief minister is confident of Kovind?s win after casting his vote: ?It is good fortune of UP that for the first time President will be from UP.?10.53am: Assam legislators, including chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, cast their votes in the presidential election. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal casts his vote at the assembly in Guwahati. (AN) 10.50am: Madhya Pradesh chief minister wishes NDA?candidate Ram Nath Kovind.All the best to Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for the #PresidentialElection. Am confident you will receive huge support & emerge victorious.? ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) July 17, 201710.48am: BJP MP and Union minister Uma Bharti voted in UP Vidhan Bhavan. ?Who will win is clear. We only have to see how big will be the victory margin,? says Uma Bharti.10.44am: In Tamil Nadu, DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote in the presidential election.10.41am: Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting.10.30am: BSP?MLA Lalji Verma said all the 19 legislators from his party will vote for Meira Kumar.10.28am: BSP president Mayawati said: ?No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement and party.?10.25am: On Samajwadi Party legislator?s Shivpal Yadav?s open support for NDA presidential candidate Kovind, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kesav Prasad Maurya said, ?He is most welcome?.10.20am: MLAs queue up at Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to cast their votes in the presidential election.10.15am: PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament.Delhi: PM Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/UXk1Xz7Wou? ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 201710.10am: Voting begins at the UP Assembly in Lucknow amidst heightened security following discovery of PETN (explosive) in Vidhan Sabha on July 12.10.09am: MPs begin to cast vote in the presidential election in the Parliament.10.08am: PM Modi says ?Growing Stronger Together? is the other name for GST. ?GST shows the good that can be achieved when all parties come together and work for the nation,? PM?tweeted. 10.07am: BJP president Amit Shah, a legislator from Gujarat, arrives at the Parliament to vote in the presidential election. 10.05am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks ahead of monsoon session. ?This monsoon session is special because we have got an opportunity to elect the next President and vice-president,? says the PM. 9.57am: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will be among the first lawmakers to vote at the UP assembly in Lucknow.9.50am: Preparations are underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly in Bengaluru ahead of the presidential election.Bengaluru: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/HsMv3y3qTN? ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 20179.40am: Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said NDA presidential candidate ?Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin?. 9.33am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to cast their votes at 10 am in the Parliament, news agency ANI tweeted.9.20am: BSP chief Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav (though he himself is not a voter as he is an MLC) are supporting Meira Kumar while the Mulayam-Shivpal faction is extending support to Kovind.9.15am: Uttar Pradesh has a total of 403 MLAs. Of these, BJP and allies include 325 legislators, SP 47, BSP 19, Congress 7, RLD 1 and NISHAD 1. There are three independent MLAs.9am: Of the total value of 10,96,004 votes, the opposition is eyeing around 400,000 and also is hopeful of cross-voting in the absence of a party whip. The opposition parties are taking all steps to ensure there lawmakers don?t vote for Kovind.8.53am: BJP supporters perform ?hawan? at Varanasi for NDA?s presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind?s victory. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/LxySX4cHmK? ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 20178.45am: Rehearsal has begun for the swearing-in ceremony of the new President at Delhi?s Vijay Chowk.8.34am: Leaders of opposition parties to meet at 10am in the Parliament: ANI8.25am: How opposition parties standApart from the JD(U), the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the YSR Congress Party, both factions of the AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal have extended support to Kovind.With the Samajwadi Party still a divided house, its two factions are likely to vote for two different candidates during the presidential election.8.20am: Here?s what Congress president Sonia Gandhi saidA day before the presidential election, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi described on Sunday the contest as a fight against a ?narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision?.Addressing opposition leaders in the presence of their presidential and vice presidential nominees --- Meira Kumar and Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the Congress president told participants to ?fight the battle and fight hard? despite the ruling dispensation seemingly having a numerical advantage.8.15am: PM Modi Congratulates Kovind ?in advance?Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind ?in advance? and assured him of his government?s support, a day before the election to the top constitutional post.Modi termed the ?lack of bitterness? in the poll campaign as a sign of maturity in the Indian democracy.

Deepali Aggarwal

27 Jul 2017,Thursday

Trump's tweets reveal his creative personality: Study

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/trump-s-tweets-unveil-his-creative-but-neurotic-personality-study/story-mTT6h8w7Cxx7jNThj5W9vM.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Tweets by US President Donald Trump show that he is a creative and competitive person who has neurotic tendencies, a study has found. Trump is a distinct type of person who shows strong features of typical successful entrepreneurs, the study added. He has tweeted 35,000 times since joining the platform in 2009 and is the second-most followed politician on Twitter.

The Twitter messages of US President Donald Trump show that he is creative, competitive and a rule-breaker, but also has neurotic tendencies, a study has found.Since joining the social media platform Twitter in 2009 to May 2017, Trump has issued more than 35,000 messages.This amounts to about twelve tweets a day. With 30 million followers, he is the second most followed politician on Twitter after his predecessor, Barack Obama, who on average tweeted about four times a day.The researchers, Martin Obschonka from Queensland University of Technology in Australia, and Christian Fisch from Trier University in Germany analysed how aspects of Trump?s personality are revealed in the language he used in 3,200 tweets issued by October 2016, before he became president.They used established software for assessment of language and text for psychological purposes.Trump?s language use and online personality were also compared with that of 105 other famous business managers and entrepreneurs including Apple?s Tim Cook and Tesla?s Elon Musk who are not on the political stage.Their results indicate that Trump is indeed a distinct type of person who shows strong features of a so-called Schumpeterian personality that is said to be typical of successful entrepreneurs.This personality was described by Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s as being very creative, change-orientated, competitive and rule-breaking.The analysis further indicates that Trump has neurotic tendencies, and experiences underlying low well-being.?These traits are rather untypical for entrepreneurs since working as an entrepreneur may not only require emotional stability and optimism but also be able to increase happiness due to procedural utility,? said Obschonka.He added that neuroticism isn?t necessarily all bad, for it can also stimulate competitiveness.?Maybe this high neuroticism is a major motivator to succeed in Trump?s entrepreneurial projects in his business life, but also in his role as political leader,? said Fisch.?If social distinction is a core principle of the entrepreneurial personality, then we clearly see this principle reflected in his unusual personality profile,? said Fisch.?Many experts agree that really successful entrepreneurs not only dare to be different - they are different,? he said.The researchers speculate that having entrepreneurial personality traits could be advantageous in leading and governing an entrepreneurial society as a top-down process.However, they stress that leading a company is very different from leading a country and it is unclear whether political leaders with an extremely entrepreneurial personality can indeed act strictly entrepreneurially in their highly responsible role.The study was published in the journal Small Business Economics.

Aarushi Maheshwari

24 Jun 2017,Saturday

Union ministers skip Pranab Mukherjee's last Iftar as Prez

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/central-ministers-skip-president-iftar-party/1/986352.html

No minister from the Union Cabinet attended President Pranab Mukherjee's last Iftar party as Indian President on Friday. Although Narendra Modi has not attended the Iftar party since he became Prime Minister, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley have previously attended the annual event. However, Sonia Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad attended the party held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Central government went unrepresented at outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee's iftar party that was held on Friday evening. No minister from the Narendra Modi cabinet attended the event - while Modi has stayed away from the presidential iftar party ever since he became prime minister, ministers like Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley have previously been present at the yearly get-together. On Friday, however, no one from the Union Cabinet was present at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Opposition leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad were present at the event. Sources told India Today that Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Naqvi could not attend the iftar party because of a hurriedly called meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.Notably, PM Modi left for a three-nation tour today. The trip includes a two-day visit to the United States where Modi will meet with President Donald Trump. This was President Pranab Mukherjee's last iftar party before he demits office later this month.Also Read:Nitish hosts Iftar party, Lalu Yadav and sons in attendance

Arshiya Chopra

31 Jul 2017,Monday

Assam woman kills husband for raping teen daughter

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/assam-woman-kills-husband-for-allegedly-raping-teenage-daughter/story-SBEqGZJUhWb6VlanJcaHxO.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

A woman in Assam killed her husband for allegedly raping their teenage daughter. "The woman alleges that her husband routinely misbehaved with their daughter and had even raped her. That's the reason she decided to kill him," police said. Husband's body was found in a field by villagers and bore several wound marks, probably inflicted by a sharp dagger.

A 45-year old man in Assam?s in Lakhimpur district was murdered by his wife on Sunday for allegedly raping the couple?s teenage daughter. Manik Narah, a resident of Nowboicha in upper Assam, was killed by his wife Junaki who accused him of raping their daughter on several occasions. ?The woman alleges that her husband routinely misbehaved with their daughter and had even raped her. That?s the reason she decided to kill him,? Sudhakar Singh, superintendant of police Lakhimpur told HT. Narah?s body, which bore several wound marks, was found from a field by villagers. Preliminary investigation suggests he may have died due to excessive bleeding from injuries inflicted by a sharp dagger.Despite her allegations of rape and sexual misconduct, Junaki had not filed any complaint against her husband with the police. ?We believe two more people, who are on the run, were involved in the murder. The woman has been arrested and investigations are on to ascertain the exact reason for the murder,? said Singh. Police quoting villagers say the victim used to misbehave with other girls in the area.

Tanya Dhingra

26 Jul 2017,Wednesday

Kargil Diwas celebrates nameless heroes like my dad: Celina

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/celina-jaitly-on-kargil-diwas-our-values-say-yaad-rahey-naam-namak-aur-nishaan/story-cIeh9yf50Q0N2FudqOVX9M.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Actress Celina Jaitly said that Kargil Vijay Diwas is a day to celebrate nameless heroes like her father late Colonel Vikram Kumar Jaitly. Celina called her father one of the strongest officers of the Indian Army. She added, "Every Indian must be proud of the exemplary courage...displayed by the Indian soldiers in Kargil War. Their sacrifice should never be forgotten."

For actor Celina Jaitly, the mention of Kargil War of 1999 brings back memories of the time, when most of the men in her family ?were deployed in the valley?. The actor is also reminded of the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers and urges that ?it should never be forgotten because for our tomorrow, they sacrificed their today.?Celina?s father, late Colonel Vikram Kumar Jaitly [who died on July 2, 2017] was an Indian Army Colonel from Punjab. One of her brother still serves the Indian Army Special Forces. ?As a fourth generation Army Brat, I would like to begin by saying that it is very important to remind every Indian citizen that a soldier is a national asset to whom the motto ?Nation Before Self? is dearer than life itself,? says Celina, who is married to Hotelier Peter Haag and is a mother of five-year-old twins. #MissYou Papa... it's been #10 days since you left us, nothing can fill the void.. you always looked at me like you are doing in this picture when I was 5 days old taken outside the #armyhospital where I was born..Hope you are fine, hope you are free of pain, hope you still remember us, hope you are free in soldiers heaven where you always wanted to be when you crossed over.. #dad #myworld #missingyou #missyoudad #missyoudaddy #restinpeace #celina #celinajaitly #celinajaitley #bollywood #love #crossingover #militaryfamily #indianarmy #indianarmedforces A post shared by Celina Jaitly (@celinajaitlyofficial) on Jul 11, 2017 at 10:07pm PDTTalking about her father, Celina says, ?One of the strongest and bravest officers of the Indian Army Infantry division, known as TIGER, served the maneaters of 17 Kumaon, commanded the incredible infantry battalion of the maneaters of 16 Kumaon. He got two wound medals from multiple gunshots and shrapnel injuries in 1971 war, besides a Sena Medal for counter terrorism insurgency. He was an expert in mountain warfare and counter terrorism studies and always brought us up with one value ?Yaad Rahey.. Naam, Namak aur Nishaan?, which is the selfless value of all our troops serving our country.?The 35-year-old adds that during Kargil war, along with the contribution of brave jawans, she also experienced the strength of army wives in full force for the first time in her life.?So many of my friends lost their fathers, too many gone too young. Every Indian must be proud of the exemplary courage, indomitable spirit and irrepressible valour displayed by the Indian soldiers in the Kargil War. Their sacrifice should never be forgotten? says the actor, adding that Kargil Vijay Diwas is significant to all Indians.?It?s a day to celebrate nameless heroes just like my dad, who is no more, but he fought for our country and the legacy that he left behind is that of peace and security and self-sacrifice for the greater good for generations of Indians to come,? Celina signs off.Follow @htshowbiz for more

Sumedha Sehra

06 May 2017,Saturday

MP whose behaviour resulted in 'no-fly' rule hails the move

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/shiv-sena-ravindra-gaikwad-no-fly-list-guidelines-airline-staff/1/946935.html

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, whose assault of a 60-year-old Air India staffer resulted in the formation of the government's 'no-fly' rule, has called the ruling a "welcome move". However, he also called for "stricter guidelines for airline staff as well". Gaikwad was banned from travelling in various airlines after he attacked an Air India staffer with a slipper.

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who was temporarily banned from domestic flight travel after he assaulted a 60-year old Air India staffer, has now called for guidelines to control the behaviour of airline staff.Earlier on Friday, the civil aviation ministry announced a new set of guidelines for dealing with unruly passengers on flights. The government announced draft rules for a national 'no-fly list' which proposes a ban on domestic air travel  that can last for a period ranging from three months, to two years or beyond.Gaikwad called it a "welcome move," but he had more to say."But these are just draft guidelines. I think there should be stricter guidelines for the airline staff as well" Gaikwad told India Today in Mumbai."Sometimes even passengers have to suffer due to the behaviour of airline staff, that also should have some strict guidelines...Forget us, we usually fly on domestic routes, but you can ask passengers who travel long distance," he added.THREE LEVELS OF OFFENCESThe proposed draft has three levels of offences that can lead to a person being listed on the No Fly List.The first level includes disruptive behaviour such as physical gestures, punishable by suspension for three months. The second level is for physical abuse - pushing, kicking, sexual harassment and the like - punishable by a 6-month suspension.Level 3 offences include murderous assault, life-threatening behaviour, or causing damage to aircraft operating systems. The penalty for such offences would be suspension for two years or more.The new guidelines also have a penalty structure through which an unruly passenger can be fined up to Rs 5 lakh for delaying a flight by an hour, Rs 10 lakh for delays longer than an hour, and Rs 15 lakh for delays longer than two hours.

Arshiya Chopra

21 Jun 2017,Wednesday

Petrol theft racket busted in Maharashtra, 11 pumps sealed

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/petrol-pump-scam-thane-police-dombivali-maharashtra/1/983606.html

Thane crime branch on Saturday busted a petrol pump racket that was operating across Maharashtra. The racketeers used electronic chips to dispense less fuel than what was displayed on the vending machines. Following arrests of several people involved, including the owners of the petrol pumps, a total of 11 petrol pumps were sealed across the state.

If the fuel in your bike or car gets over too soon, it may not be due to the vehicles poor mileage. The poor fuel efficiency is due to racketeers using an electronic chip to dispense less fuel than what you were being charged for.The Thane crime branch on Saturday busted a state wide petrol pump racket wherein customers were being duped by petrol pump owners who used of an electronic chip that dispensed less fuel than the purchased quantity. A total of eleven petrol pumps have been sealed following arrests of several people involved in the racket including petrol pump owners and employees and engineers who developed the electronic chip.

Ayushi Ahluwalia

26 Jul 2017,Wednesday

PM Modi expresses support for CM Nitish after resignation

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bihar-political-crisis-live-updates-cm-nitish-kumar-meets-governor-keshari-nath-tripathi-amid-row-over-graft-charges-against-tejashwi-yadav/story-TWzgT6JfRqu1MJ7GF6MyiN.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Expressing support for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar after his resignation, PM Narendra Modi tweeted, "Congratulations to Nitish Kumar for joining the fight against corruption." He further added that the 125 crore citizens of the country welcome and support his honesty. Kumar had submitted his resignation to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi citing a crisis in the ruling Congress-RJD-JD(U) alliance.

In dramatic developments in Bihar, Nitish Kumar on Wednesday resigned as chief minister, dumping the RJD and Congress to stitch a new alliance with BJP, which quickly announced support to a new government under him. Kumar, whose resignation was immediately accepted by governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, will take oath at the chief minister at 5pm on Thursday.?In the circumstances that prevail in Bihar, it became difficult to run the grand alliance government,? Kumar told reporters outside Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation to governor Keshri Nath Tripathi.Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Kumar?s resignation, saying in doing so he has joined the fight against corruption. Immediately after Kumar announced his resignation, Modi tweeted: ?Congratulations! Mr Nitish Kumar for joining the fight against corruption.?Here are Wednesday?s highlights on the political crisis in Bihar:12.30am: Lalu Prasad says: ?Nitish Kumar has underlined that he is an opportunist. Having done what he has, he cannot stake claim without a challenge. The Congress, CPI-ML and independents will back our claims to form the next government... Struggle is my life. I have to be in Ranchi for the next three days. However, Tejashwi has been asked to present the claim to the governor in the forenoon tomorrow.?12.28am: Tejashwi Yadav along with RJD delegation will meet Bihar governor KN Tripathi at 11 am on Thursday; to stake claim for forming government.12.07am: Taking a letter of support to governor to stake claim for forming government: Prem Kumar, BJP, on Sushil Modi and Nitish Kumar?s meet with governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.12.04am: Have asked Governor for time to meet, being the largest party we will stake claim to from government, tweets Tejashwi Yadav. We will also get support from JDU MLAs, he says.11.56pm: Nitish Kumar, Sushil Modi and BJP, JDU leaders leave for Raj Bhavan to meet governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.11.11pm: Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi reaches Raj Bhavan after being discharged from hospital.10.36pm: Nitish Kumar to take oath as CM of Bihar at 5pm tomorrow.10.31pm: Bihar governor KN Tripathi admitted to Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna due to an ENT problem.10.20pm: Nitish may take oath on Thursday. A meeting of JD(U) and BJP MLAs is underway.10.07pm: When Nitish Kumar broke alliance with BJP in 2013 he choreographed and followed the same script to secure himself. He surrenders as per needs: Lalu Prasad?s tweet9.55pm: Sushil Modi says BJP has handed over a letter of support to the governor, and will be part of the new government. All NDA members are heading to 1, Aney Marg to elect Nitish Kumar as the leader, Modi adds.9.49pm: Sushil Modi, Nityanand Rai and other BJP MLAs reach Nitish Kumar?s residence in Patna for a meeting of JDU-BJP MLAs, reports ANI.9.30pm: Sushil Kumar Modi says BJP will be part of the government under Nitish Kumar. BJP and JD(U) leaders are headed to the Raj Bhawan to meet governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.9.02pm: ?There are charges against both Nitish and Tejashwi. The MLAs of the Grand Alliance parties should sit down and pick a new leader. Bihar?s poor, deprived and reservation-backed sections gave the Grand Alliance historic majority against the BJP. This is foeticide of the Grand Alliance? There were corruption allegations against us before. Did Nitish Kumar not know while making an alliance and forming a government?? -- Lalu Prasad?s tweets9.01pm: Nityanand Rai and I called Nitish Ji. The BJP decides to support him; we will support the government formed under him. We will inform the governor also: ANI?quotes Sushil Modi as saying9pm: Thank PM Modi for his tweet on my decision, tweets Nitish Kumar after resigning as Bihar CM8.55pm: There?s involvement of Narendra Modi. Nitish Kumar slapped people of Bihar. People like Sushil Modi are eager to form a government in Bihar: Lalu Prasad8.40pm: Meeting underway at Lalu Prasad?s residence in Patna. Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and senior RJD leaders present.8.23pm: CP Joshi was informed at the governor?s house; he asked Kumar to wait. Joshi said he will get back after a word with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi: ANI quotes sources8.21pm: Nitish Kumar did not inform Rahul Gandhi about his intention to resign in their meeting: ANI?quotes sources.8.02pm: I appeal to Nitish Kumar... All RJD, JD(U) and Congress MLAs should sit down and pick new leader and make a government... His unwillingness to do so will prove he has already struck a deal with the BJP: Lalu Prasad7.59pm: The BJP welcomes the battle against corruption in Bihar; not in favour of midterm elections... A three-member panel from Bihar will report to central leadership for final call: JP Nadda after the BJP?s parliamentary board meeting.7.58pm: We are deeply disappointed by the news of Nitish Kumar?s resignation. The Congress respects Nitish Kumar as a leader: Randeep Surjewala, Congress7.57pm: Nitish Kumar knew that he is accused of section 302; one of India?s CM is main accused in murder and arms case : Lalu Prasad7.51pm: Nitish Kumar had said that he will never join hands with BJP: Lalu Prasad7.50pm: RJD chief Lalu Prasad says did not speak to the press over corruption allegations against Tejashwi following lawyers? advice. 7.49pm: Nitish Kumar did not ask for resignation: RJD chief Lalu Prasad at a press conference after Nitish Kumar quits as Bihar CM.7.45pm: RJD chief Lalu Prasad to address a press conference shortly.7.42pm: We are happy that Bihar CM didn?t compromise on issue of corruption and did not kneel down before RJD: BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi7.36pm: We don?t want midterm elections in Bihar. The MLAs should complete their term. A three-member committee will talk to MLAs and apprise the Centre of the situation in the state: BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi7.26pm: Source say BJP legislature party to finalise support without preconditions at its meeting late evening today.7.25pm: Nitish-Lalu alliance was a mismatch. This had to happen: Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Nitish Kumar?s resignation7.24pm: PM Narendra Modi arrives for BJP parliamentary meeting in Delhi.7.09pm: The country and time require that for the bright future of India, and especially Bihar, people need to rise above political disputes and fight against corruption together: Prime Minister Narendra Modi7.09pm: I congratulate Nitish Kumar for joining the fight against corruption. The 1.25 billion people of the country are welcoming and supporting his honesty: Prime Minister Narendra Modi7.08pm: Before resigning, I had informed Laluji and Congress Bihar in-charge CP Joshi: Nitish Kumar.7.05pm: Gandhiji always said needs can be met on the Earth, but greed can never be fulfilled: Nitish Kumar7.04pm: I am not blaming anyone, those who want to blame me are free to do so: Nitish Kumar7.02pm: I felt that for a person like me it was not possible to run this government. I don?t want to create a dispute... When I saw there was no other way... I broke myself away (from the alliance with the RJD). The governor has accepted my resignation, and asked me to continue working till the next development.6.58pm: We worked in the alliance till the point we could: Nitish Kumar6.57pm: If there are charges then they must have replied to it. We felt they were not in a position to speak: Nitish Kumar6.56pm: It?s not possible to work in this environment; I tried. Tried to find out a solution: Nitish Kumar6.52pm: The situation is such that it?s not possible to work. Whatever we do, the discussion is only about one thing: Nitish Kumar6.50pm: Not possible to work in the grand alliance. We made all attempts. We never asked for anyone?s resignation: Nitish Kumar6.34pm: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reaches Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi amid speculation that he may resign.6.33pm: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on his way to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

Saloni Tandon

12 Jul 2017,Wednesday

We have moved on, says Shastri on fight with Ganguly

http://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/ravi-shastri-says-no-fight-with-sourav-ganguly-indian-cricket-top-priority/story-GadUhn5EYwxCHmuxCkU7JK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Newly appointed India coach Ravi Shastri has said both he and Sourav Ganguly have moved on from their alleged spat last year, after Shastri was rejected for the coaching role. Speaking on his interview this year, Shastri said, "There were good questions asked...We are two former captains...Everyone is not on the same page all the time. But there's mutual respect."

Ravi Shastri, a day after being named as the next Indian cricket team head coach, announced that individuals don?t matter in his philosophy. The former India captain added that Team India is the priority.The 55-year-old Shastri was answering to a question on his frosty relationship with Sourav Ganguly, member of Board of Control for Cricket in?India?s (BCCI) Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). A year back, Ganguly had rejected Shastri and was the pivotal figure to appoint Anil Kumble as India coach.But after being named the India coach, Shastri said it was time to move on. ?There will be arguments, but we need to look at the bigger picture. He (Ganguly) asked some very good questions during my interview. We need to move on. ?Individual don?t matter, and we should all work in the best interest of Indian cricket. It should take the centre-stage,? Shastri said in an interview to India Today.In fact, after the initial interviews on Monday, Sourav Ganguly said that the CAC would name the coach only after discussions with Kohli. There were even reports that Ganguly was not on the same page with others regarding Shastri being the coach. However, late on Tuesday Ravi Shastri was confirmed as the coach.READ | Ravi Shastri named India coach after intense drama: Suresh Raina & others reactGreat expectationsRavi Shastri, who has been the Team Director of India, said that Indian team and Virat Kohli can reach great heights in the next few years. READ | Ravi Shastri - Indian cricket team?s ultimate comeback man?I think Virat has not yet reached his peak. The next five to six years will define Virat Kohli. The current Indian team can be No. 1 across all formats. It can be better Test team than any Indian side of the past. It has the skill, the potential. We have a battery of fast bowlers who can take 20 wickets,? he said.?This is a team you can travel with. There are bowlers who can do well in all conditions. Their age is such that they are playing at the right time,?Rapport with Zaheer, DravidWhile Ravi Shastri?s appointment as India coach was anticipated, the real surprise came when BCCI announced as Rahul Dravid as the overseas batting consultant and Zaheer Khan as the bowling coach. Dravid is also the India A and India Under-19 coach.Regarding working with bowling coach Zaheer Khan and overseas batting consultant Rahul Dravid, Shastri said:??Their inputs will be invaluable. In fact when I was the Team Director, I had as the two of them to come and talk to the team ahead of tours. Any good suggestion will be welcome,? he said. Asked about the challenges of coaching the Indian team, especially after his predecessor and former India skipper Kumble?s one-year stint ended on a sour note amid widespread reports of a tiff with Kohli, Shastri said he is up for the challenge.?I have always relished a challenge and I am looking forward to my stint with India. When you are asked to open the batting in overcast conditions, it is a challenge.??I am used to challenges, bring on another one,? Shastri said.

Sumedha Sehra

12 Jul 2017,Wednesday

How can you be silent: SC to EC on politicians' life ban

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-raps-ec-for-shying-away-on-life-ban-on-elections-for-convicted-politicians/story-wHp5ex6msL5Nx93evlLr8M.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The Supreme Court slammed the Election Commission on Wednesday after the latter said it cannot take a stand on whether to ban convicted politicians from contesting polls for life. "Is silence an option for you? You must say either yes or no. How can you be silent? If you are constrained please let us know," the bench said.

In a u-turn the Election Commission said on Wednesday that it cannot take a stand on a demand to bar convicted politicians for life from contesting polls, prompting the Supreme Court to criticise the poll panel for shying away from a crucial issue.?Is silence an option for you? You must say either yes or no. How can you be silent? If you are constrained please let us know,? a bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the EC counsel whose submission was a departure from the stand the commission took in its affidavit.In response to a public interest litigation raising the demand, the EC had on April filed an affidavit where it supported the petitioner?s plea. The short affidavit said the commission supported the cause of the petitioner to decriminalise politics. When the court asked the commission?s lawyer, the latter replied: ?The commission is not taking an adversarial stand. We feel the issue (debarring convicted politicians) is in the legislative domain and we have no stand.??If you feel constrained by the legislature then let us know,? the bench shot back at the counsel. The Centre has already made its stand clear on the issue by opposing the petition. In its affidavit in April it had said that the court should not pass orders on the issue as this is a matter best decided by the Parliament.The court also took a swipe at the petitioner for invoking Article 14 (right to equality) in the case. The petitioner had contended that while a convicted bureaucrat and judicial officer lose his or their jobs, the same principle should apply to convicted politicians.?Are you espousing the cause of public servants, complaining of discrimination on the ground of Article 14,? the bench told the petitioner, fixing July 19 to hear the matter again.Under the Representation of the People Act, a politician convicted and sentenced to a jail term of two years or more shall be disqualified from contesting polls for six years from the date of his release from prison after conclusion of the term.The poll panel had said in its affidavit it was ?alive to the issues that concern the conduct of free and fair elections and functioning of healthy democracy and as such asserting for bringing in electoral reforms which further the cause of free and fair elections.?

Tarun Khanna

26 Mar 2017,Sunday

Both Romeo and Juliet are welcome in Delhi: AAP Minister

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mail-today-culture-conclave-aap-kapil-mishra-bjp-uttar-pradesh-anti-romeo-drive/1/913009.html

In an apparent jibe at UP's anti-Romeo squads, Delhi's Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra has said both Romeo and Juliet are welcome in Delhi as there would be no Mogambo (a Hindi movie villain) to object. He further stated the AAP government is working on improving Delhi's nightlife. "The nightlife ensures the law and order of a place," he added.

While the lives of Uttar Pradesh's Romeos and Juliets have taken a tragic turn with critics accusing the state's week-old BJP government of "moral policing", the star-crossed lovers may find refuge in the nation's Capital.The culture of India is love and resistance, AAP minister Kapil Mishra said on Saturday. Speaking at the MAIL TODAY Culture Conclave, he announced that both Romeo and Juliet are welcome in the city and there would be no Mogambo to object, referring to one of Hindi cinema's best-known villains.His remarks came against the backdrop of the UP government's controversial anti-Romeo drive, described as a crackdown on people harassing women in public places. "Every year when the tourism calendar of the government of India is sent to all countries, there are two places which are always mentioned- Taj Mahal and Khajuraho. One symbolises divine love and the other material love," the city's tourism and culture minister said.Indian culture is known to embrace dissenting voices, he pointed out. "We are a flexible society. People who invaded and made an attempt to destroy our culture eventually blended in."UP GOVERNMENT'S ACTION CRITICIZED ON SOCIAL MEDIAThe Uttar Pradesh government's action has sparked criticism on social media video with commentators terming it infringement of individual rights with TV footage showing young men being caned by police and others being made to do sit-ups as punishment."After taking over as tourism and culture minister, I got to know that a concert of (Pakistani singer) Ghulam Ali sahab had been cancelled in Mumbai. The first thing I did was to call him and invite him to Delhi for a concert," Mishra recalled. "Ghulam Ali is one of those artists whose music is immensely popular among Indian soldiers. His music is without boundaries. Our culture is flexible and convergent."The minister compared Indian culture to the voices of Kabir and Maharishi Charvaka- known for their anti-norm views. Some people are trying to enforce uniformity is the garb of unity, he said. "India with such diverse culture is a culture of resistance and we should celebrate it."The Aam Aadmi Party and other critics have accused the ruling BJP at the Centre as well as affiliated groups of trying to muzzle dissent and paint nonconformists as "anti-nationals".ON RAMJAS, JNU INCIDENTSTalking about clashes at educational institutions in recent months including the violence at Delhi's Ramjas College in February and JNU last year, Mishra said university culture is all about healthy discussion on politics and policies."It is wrong to term the voices of dissent as Naxalite, terrorist or anarchist. However, the anti national slogans that were raised in JNU are unacceptable and people responsible for it should be behind bars," he said. "But hitting a college professor in the name of culture is not a trait of a Hindu."The Capital will hold cultural and tourism festivals in six months on the lines of Dubai and Singapore, the minister announced."We are working on the packaging and the branding of the Capital," he said. "We are introducing seven tourist circuits. We have collaborated with INTACT to protect 250 archeological sites in the Capital." MISHRA APPRECIATES CENTRE'S SUPPORTAmid all the criticism for the Centre, the minister did not hold back in appreciating the support he received from the Modi government."The Centre and Delhi government are closely working in tandem to promote tourism and clean the Yamuna," he said."We believe, to promote culture it is important to connect the society with the river. Therefore, we organised a mega Yamuna aarti and are also going to develop river tourism and a `200-crore budget has been earmarked for this year. We have a 22-km stretch of clean water which is still an unexplored point. We have begun water sports. We will develop a 5-km ecological river front."The city's nightlife is an important part of the culture and it's beyond going to India Gate or nightclubs, Mishra argued. "The nightlife ensures the law and order of a place," he said.ALSO READ | No moral policing in the name of anti-Romeo squads, says UP government

Ankur Vyas

24 Apr 2017,Monday

CRPF death toll in Sukma Naxal attack rises to 25

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/naxal-attack-crpf-jawans-sukma-all-you-need-to-know/1/937329.html

The death toll of CRPF personnel in Monday's Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district has risen to 25. The personnel, belonging to the 74th battalion, were assisting in road construction work in the area when they were ambushed. Following the encounter, Chief Minister Raman Singh called an emergency meeting of senior officials to assess the situation.

The Naxalite ambush in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district is the worst Naxal attack on the Central Reserve Police Force in the last seven years. The attack left 25 CRPF personnel dead and six injured.Also read:Sukma attack: 25 CRPF jawans killed, worst Naxal attack in years

Daisy Mowke

10 Jan 2017,Tuesday

Swami Om claims he slapped Salman Khan on Bigg Boss

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bb-10-now-om-swami-claims-he-slapped-salman-khan-on-bigg-boss-lifetv/1/853817.html

Former Bigg Boss 10 contestant Swami Om has claimed that he slapped host Salman Khan when he visited the house for the New Year episode. He added there is no video recording of the incident as there are no cameras in the smoking zone. He has also threatened to sabotage the finale if he is not invited to the show.

Om Swami has been suffering from verbal diarrhea since his ouster from the Bigg Boss house. He has been making obnoxious statements in his interviews for news channels and print media. From calling Salman an ISI agent to accusing Bigg Boss of feeding him drugged food, Swami has been going overboard with his bizarre claims, in a desperate attempt to garner publicity.Also read: Bigg Boss 10: These three contestants deserve to be in Top 3This is not all. He has now claimed that he slapped the "greatest hero" Salman Khan when he visited the house on January 30 (New Year special episode). He also said that there are no cameras in the smoking zone, so there is no video recording of the incident.

Tanya Dhingra

31 Jul 2017,Monday

I went mad on Twitter after watching Bajirao Mastani: Shahid

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/there-re-no-scenes-of-romance-between-khilji-and-padmavati-shahid-kapoor/story-vOsYSgHnPT24bDz2phFsDN.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Shahid Kapoor said he went mad on Twitter after watching Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani' and started appreciating everyone. Shahid, who will be seen in Bhansali's upcoming film 'Padmavati', added, "Never knew that I will be part of his (Bhansali's) next film...It's awesome to be working with someone whose work I have admired in the recent past...I am really excited."

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor says his upcoming film Padmavati, marred by controversies, is made with a good intent.Shahid, who won the Big Zee Entertainment Award for the best actor for Udta Punjab on Saturday, spoke to the media on the sidelines of the event.Talking about the controversies surrounding the historical drama, whose shooting was disrupted for showing a romantic angle between Rajput queen Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji, Shahid said: ?According to me, I have not shot any scene which has been changed. I think there were a lot of presumptions about the film, and people were presuming about the scenes.?Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor and wife Mira Rajput arrive for the IIFA Awards. (AFP) ?The clarification has been given that no such scene is there in the film. I hope when people see this film, they will realize that the heart of the film and intent of the film is very good,? he said.?This country and the people who live in it, and specially the area we are talking about in the film, will be glorified. I play a Rajput king and my character, I feel, will be admired by people.?Padmavati is being directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and Shahid is happy about collaborating with him for the first time.Shahid Kapoor accepts his award at the 2017 International Indian Film Academy Festival. (AP) ?It?s a very big film, very intense, romantic and looked forward to film for various reasons. I think it?s a labour of love for Mr. Bhansali. I had gone mad on Twitter after watching his last film (?Bajirao Mastani?), appreciating everyone, and never knew that I will be part of his (Bhansali?s) next film,? Shahid said.?So, it?s awesome to be working with someone whose work I have admired in the recent past. The film (Padmavati) has a great cast and going to be a huge film. I am really excited, but I want to underplay it, so I am trying to do that right now,? said the Haider actor.Padmavati also stars Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padulone and Aditi Rao Hydari in key roles.Follow @htshowbiz for more

Dishant Sharma

17 Jun 2017,Saturday

Amit Shah rules out resumption of Indo-Pak bilateral cricket

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/shah-rules-out-resumption-of-indo-pak-bilateral-cricket-ties/1/981220.html

BJP President Amit Shah ruled out the resumption of bilateral cricketing ties between India and Pakistan in the near future, saying that the two countries would continue to play against each other only in international tournaments. Shah, who is the head of the Gujarat Cricket Association, said, "[N]either India plays in Pakistan nor Pakistan plays in India".

(Eds: With additional quotes of BJP chief Amit Shah) Mumbai, Jun 17 (PTI) BJP president Amit Shah today ruled out resumption of bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan anytime soon, saying the two countries would continue to play against each other in international tournaments. "India and Pakistan will continue to play at international tournaments but neither India plays in Pakistan nor Pakistan plays in India," Shah, who heads the Gujarat Cricket Association, told reporters, a day ahead of the clash between the arch rivals in the Champions Trophy final in England. On Kashmir issue, Shah said the states PDP-BJP government was working on a solution which will "change the current picture". He, however, did not elaborate on what the solution to the vexed issue could be. When asked about the recent attacks on security forces in Kashmir, Shah said, "Such a situation has been there since 1989... violence erupts after a lull of few weeks or months. BJP and PDP are working on some solutions and the change will be seen soon." Shah, who is here on a three-day visit to strengthen the party organisation in the state, and is scheduled to meet Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, said BJP would consult its allies before finalising the NDAs presidential candidate. He was responding to questions at a press conference about ally Shiv Sena, which has often been critical of the BJP and the Modi government, suggesting the name of M S Swaminathan, known for steering India?s Green Revolution, as its presidential choice. The Shiv Sena had earlier said it may choose an "independent" path in the election to the highest constitutional office. It had backed Congress nominees -- Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee -- in the last two presidential elections. Shah defended the approach of his party in meeting opposition leaders over presidential election without proposing a name. He said if BJP proposed a name to them, there would not be discussion. "If we suggest a name of the candidate then they (opposition) will think that the name has already been finalised. Then there will not be any scope for discussion. Hence, we are asking them to suggest names," said Shah. "Once the names have been suggested, we will finalise our name for the post of president," he said. "We will consult all our allies and then reach a decision on the presidential poll nominee," he said. When asked about Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis remark that the BJP was prepared for snap assembly election, in an apparent reference to continued strain in ties with the Shiv Sena, Shah said, "What he meant was that if mid-term polls are forced on us, we are ready to fight." He went on to add that "I think the government is going to complete its five-year term. But, if the situation arises, we will not run away from the battleground and contest the election and win it." Speaking about the recent farm loan waiver announced by the Maharashtra government, Shah said, "Through it we are offering relief to the farmers. The burden of loan waiver will be on the government and not banks. "The NPAs that are largely talked about are the ones we have inherited from the previous government. We are also improving the situation of the banks in our country." Maharashtras agriculture growth rate was in negative (minus 8 per cent) a few years back. Today, it stands at 20 per cent, which is a huge achievement of the Fadnavis government, he said. The water conservation programme-- Jalyukta Shivar-- has also yielded good results, Shah said. Calling Narendra Modi the most popular leader since Independence, Shah said the prime minister was making all efforts to transform India into a world power by 2022, when the nation celebrates 75 years of freedom. Under Modi, he said, India had become the worlds fastest growing major economy. The BJP chief said Modi had restored dignity to the prime ministers office. "Every minister in the previous UPA government considered himself the PM, but nobody considered the PM as PM," he said. Lauding Modi for enacting the Goods and Services Tax law, the BJP leader said nobody else had the "daring or capability" to do it.

Saloni Tandon

06 Jun 2017,Tuesday

Man arrested for stalking BJP leader Nupur Sharma

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bjp-leader-nupur-sharma-stalker-held-delhi-cops/1/971682.html

Delhi Police on Monday arrested a 32-year-old man for allegedly stalking BJP leader Nupur Sharma. The man, who hails from Vadodara, sent obscene and threatening messages on Facebook, Twitter, email, besides text messages after which Sharma filed a complaint with the police. He was accused of using abusive language and threatening Sharma with dire consequences, besides accessing her family details.

A person stalking BJP leader Nupur Sharma for more than a month now has been arrested by Delhi Police, for breach of peace.Police are however, probing his role in stalking the BJP leader, who had contested against Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi Assembly elections. Sources said Mihir Bhai Patel was arrested by New Delhi district team after he misbehaved in the police station and threatened to harm the leader.After this development, Delhi Police Security Wing are also carrying out a threat assessment of Nupur Sharma. Patel had allegedly started sending obscene and threatened messages to Nupur through Facebook, Twitter, email and SMSes.Investigations revealed he had also made ingress into Nupur's privacy and had gathered details about her family members.32-year-old Patel was arrested on Nupur Sharma's complaint even last month by Gujarat Police in Vadodra, but since he was booked under bailable offence, he was released after he furnished security.Also Read:Vadodara man arrested for stalking BJP leader Nupur Sharma

Tarun Khanna

28 Dec 2016,Wednesday

TDP MLA claims to be B Com graduate with Maths, Physics

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/andhra-pradesh-mla-vijayawada-telugu-desam-party-physics-mathematics/1/844292.html

Telugu Desam Party MLA Jaleel Khan, who represents Vijayawada west constituency, has in an interview to a news portal reportedly claimed that he graduated in Commerce, but had Physics and Mathematics as subjects. As per the report, he further claimed to have always secured 100 out of 100 marks in every Maths examination. "Commerce is nothing but Mathematics," he added.

In what only brings to the fore sheer brazenness of politicians, a video of an Andhra Pradesh MLA lying about his educational credentials has gone viral on social media.    Telugu Desam Party legislator Jaleel Khan, who represents Vijayawada west constituency, graduated in B.Com. But wait a minute, what he studied during his graduation years was anything but Commerce. Physics and Mathematics, he claims, were his subjects. The interview, which was shot by a local Telugu news portal, has now gone viral on social media. People have been mocking the MLA's lack of such a basic understanding of subjects.LAUGHABLE DEFENCEOn being asked about his degree, his defence of his qualifications was as laughable. "Commerce is nothing but mathematics", he said.Also read | Cancellation of ex-Delhi Law ministers degree recommendedSurprised at the lawmaker's answer, the interviewer tried to reconfirm but the confident MLA said that he indeed graduated in Commerce, but had Physics and Mathematics as subjects.  The TDP leader went on to add that he always secured 100 marks out of 100 in every Maths examination.Jaleel Khan was earlier a YSR Congress leader, who later switched over to the TDP. PREVIOUS INSTANCES

Chhavi Tyagi

02 Feb 2017,Thursday

TN panel recommends ban on PETA website for explicit content

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/peta-tamil-nadu-child-rights-nude-models-sexually-explicit-content-animal-welfare/1/872848.html

A Child Rights Commission in Tamil Nadu has recommended blocking People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals website alleging that they carry sexually explicit advertisements and content. Social activist Enoch Moses said in his petition that when children searched for information on PETA on the internet, they were directed to images of nude models and ads carrying double meaning quotes.

After a complaint filed by a child rights activist claiming that PETA websites carry sexual contents which are openly available to children, Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights has recommended to block all PETA web pages and take action against the sexually explicit ads shown on it.Enoch Moses, a social activist and researcher on children's behavior had earlier lodged a complaint with TNCPCR about how a child had complained to him that when she searched for PETA on Google, she was directed to images of nude models."I found out how PETA has been using pornography and models to promote the cause of animal welfare. It is startling how PETA India has been allowed to use porn producers, promoters and other women who strip for money in advertisements, this is illegal in India", stated Enoch in his complaint.Enoch had also clarified that many of PETA's adds carry a double meaning quote which can provoke explicit thoughts in a child's mind.

Sonu Kumari

15 Jul 2017,Saturday

East Delhi to link Aadhaar with birth and death certificates

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/to-check-fraud-east-delhi-corp-to-link-aadhaar-with-birth-and-death-certificates/story-2MywL2ReTgRfJMnrbMS5aP.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

To control fraudulence in issuing of birth and death certificates, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation is planning to link them with Aadhaar numbers. The applicants will have to mention the Aadhaar number of parents of new born babies and the Aadhaar number of the deceased/their heirs in the birth and death certificates.

To control the alleged fraudulence in issuing of birth and death certificates, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to link them with the Aadhaar numbers soon.EDMC commissioner Mohanjeet Singh has on Tuesday directed the Information Technology department to chalk out the plan for speedy implementation of the project.Officials say requisition has already been sent to a private company (Tech Mahindra) for collecting data and initiating work on linking death and birth certificates with Aadhaar number. The civic agency will ask the applicants to mention the Aadhaar number of parents of new born babies and the Unique Identity number (UID) of the deceased/his heirs in the birth and death certificates.?In Phase I, the civic agency will inquire the Aadhaar numbers of parents approaching us for their child?s birth certificate. Similarly the Aadhaar/UID number of deceased/parents of the deceased/ spouse (if the deceased is married) need to be filled with application for death certificate,? said a senior official from the public health department, EDMC.?In Phase 2, we will start approaching the people, who have already been issued the birth/death certificates, to provide us the Aadhaar number. However, the provision won?t be made compulsory for the time being,? he said further.According to the official, EDMC has already received reminders from the Government of India twice, which is why the work is going on a war footing. ?But no timeline has being fixed for accomplishing the data so far,? he said.The officials also admitted that linking of Aadhaar card will ensure prompt availability of birth and death certificates in the jurisdiction, as all information can be accessed in one go.The decision has also been taken in the backdrop of a series of incidents involving stealing/ illegal issuing of birth and death certificates in North and East Corporations that took place in the last two years.In November 2015, the EDMC?s website was hacked and 76 birth/death certificates were issued illegally. Similarly in May 2016, about 20,000 pre-printed (blank) birth/death certificates were stolen from one of the offices of the North Corporation. In both the cases, action were taken against the defaulting staff, but to avoid these incidents in future, the step would be taken.Prior to this, in July 2015, the CBI had also allegedly detected large number of irregularities in issuance of birth certificates by the North Corporation, during a surprise check. ?The initiative will help in avoiding duplicity as details of the person can be accessed with the help of one (Aadhaar) number,? said Yoginder Singh Mann, EDMC spokesperson.

Sonu Kumari

17 Jul 2017,Monday

Delhi to develop driving cycle to tackle air pollution

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/a-first-for-delhi-vehicles-and-location-to-decide-anti-pollution-plan/story-17hQPNC6toD2lAxSFxX9pK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The Central Pollution Control Board is planning to develop a city-specific 'driving cycle' and location-specific air quality management in Delhi. Notably, driving cycles estimate how much pollution a vehicle is emitting and its fuel consumption. The plan will be pursued with the money which manufacturers and dealers deposited with the Board over the last one year as Environment Protection Charge.

Delhi could become the first city in the country to have its own ?driving cycle? and location-specific air quality management plans, which would help in tackling the city?s rising pollution levels. Driving cycle gives an idea as to how much pollution a vehicle is emitting and its fuel consumption while travelling from one point to another in a city. It depends on various factors such as road conditions, vehicular speed and engine health among others. A better driving cycle denotes less pollution. ?The Central Pollution Control Board is planning to develop a Delhi-specific driving cycle and location-specific air quality management plans with the money which manufacturers and dealers have deposited with it over the past one year as Environment Protection Charge,? said a senior official of the CPCB. On August 12, 2016 the Supreme Court had directed all dealers and manufacturers to deposit 1% levy of ex-showroom price for every diesel car and SUV with engine capacity 2000cc and above sold in Delhi-NCR as environment protection charge. The CPCB was directed to open bank accounts where the money could be deposited. ?More than Rs 35 crore has already been deposited over the past one year. We have submitted a proposal to National Green Tribunal on how to use the money. As the entire money was collected from Delhi-NCR as per directions of the Supreme Court, it would be spent solely to better tackle air pollution in the region only,? said the official. Even though several countries in the US and Europe have already developed such city specific driving cycles to tackle air pollution, India is yet to come up with a driving cycle. ?This is a very good proposal. If we get to know the driving cycle of Delhi it would help us to bring down the pollution levels by doing away with those elements on the roads which cause pollution,? said Kamal Soi member of the National Road Safety Council. The CPCB is also planning to take the help of more advanced monitoring systems such as satellite imageries, sensor-based instrument and strengthen its existing ambient air quality and noise monitoring network with the accumulated fund. According the proposal submitted to the NGT plans are also afoot to install LED display screens in some locations for creating awareness among the citizens on the rising air pollution levels of Delhi. ?We would also invite expression of interest where in research activities on how to retrofit vehicles with advanced technologies and alternate cleaner fuels could be funded,? the CPCB official said.

Daisy Mowke

24 Dec 2016,Saturday

Vatican Museums get first ever female director

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vatican-city-first-woman-barbara-jatta-museum-director-lifest/1/842120.html

Pope Francis has chosen Dr Barbara Jatta as the first woman to direct the Vatican Museums. Barbara, who is presently the Deputy Director of the museums, will assume office on January 1, 2017, becoming the highest-ranking female administrator in the Vatican. The Vatican Museums are among the most popular in the world and reportedly drew six million visitors in 2015.

In a move being hailed as historic by many, Pope Francis has given the Vatican Museums their first-ever female director. Dr Barbara Jatta, presently the Deputy Director of the museums, will reportedly assume office on January 1, 2017. In doing so, Dr Jatta will become the "highest-ranking female administrator in the Vatican," a report in New York Times reads. The top administrative positions at the ancient Vatican Museums, are generally dominated by bishops and cardinals, but Jatta's recent appointment as the director seems like a ray of hope for women everywhere. Also Read: List of 'First' Indian women in Indian historyJatta, 54, who has been serving the museum as the Deputy Director since June 2016, is an Italian art historian and graphic arts expert, whose first tryst with Vatican dates back to 1996 when she headed the Vatican Library's departments of prints, reports catholicnews.com.