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Mon, 01 December 2014
PM Modi condemns brutal Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh
Timeline Refresh
23:21 Christmas biscuit sugar sparks German terror alert
Vanilla sugar for Christmas biscuits trickling from an envelope sparked a bioterrorism scare at a German mail distribution centre today, local police said.
Police, paramedics and a fire brigade team in full protective suits swarmed the facility after staff spotted the white powder and an employee complained of itching, apparently fearing it was a dangerous chemical or biological agent.
23:18 Rafale issue will be resolved in fast-tracked manner: Parrikar
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian tonight raised the issue of the multi-billion dollar deal for 126 Rafale combat aircraft during talks with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar who said it would be "resolved in a fast-tracked manner".
India had in 2012 selected Rafale aircraft in a deal estimated to be over Rs 60,000 crore but negotiations are still continuing between the Defence Ministry and the French firm Dassault Aviation.
22:55 PM Modi condemns brutal Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh
Condemning the Naxal attack on the Central Reserve Police Force in Chhattisgarh PM Narendra Modi said, "Words not enough to condemn the brutal and inhuman attack by anti-national elements."
Maoists on Monday killed 13 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, including two officers, and injured an equal number in the second attack on the force in 10 days in the same area in the Naxal hotbed of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh.
22:18 GSLV III to be launched in third week of Dec
Having succeeded in its MARS mission, ISRO is planning for the launch of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV-Mk III) in the third week of this month, a senior official said today.
Speaking at a function "Mangal Mahotsav" to celebrate successful insertion of Mangalyan into MARS orbit, M Pitchaimani, Deputy Director, ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network, Bengaluru, said through the launch of GSLV-Mk III, Indian national space agency intends to study ascent phase of the rocket as well as the recovery of a human capsule, after it lands in the sea.
The launch would also be the first step towards India's ambitious future Human Space Flight proposal.
22:08
Suspected militants tonight shot at and critically injured a sarpanch who joined PDP earlier in the day in the second attack on a village head in Shopian district of Kashmir Valley in as many days.
The attack by militants on Shiraz Ahmad Bhat--who was earlier affiliated to ruling National Conference -- took place in Shigan area, police said. It happened on the eve of the second phase of the five-phase assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Shopian goes to polls in the fourth phase on December 14, a police spokesman said.
Bhat was rushed to a hospital in Pulwama from where he was referred to Srinagar hospital in view of his critical condition. Sources said Bhat had joined the opposition PDP today and that he was earlier affiliated to the NC.
Unidentified militants last night shot dead a sarpanch of the NC in Shopian district near his residence. Mohammad Sultan Bhat was in his car when the ultras stopped his vehicle about 500 metres from his residence in Nazneenpora in Shopian and pumped bullets into him from close range at around 9.30 pm, according to police. Bhat died on the spot while the assailants managed to escape, it said.
22:04
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian raises Rafale deal issue with Manohar Parrikar, told it will be resolved in a fast-track manner.
22:04 Case lodged against Sharad Yadav for his remarks against Manjhi
A case has been filed against Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav in Bihar on Monday for his alleged remarks against Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi regarding his caste, the police said.
Lok Janshakti Party leader Vishnu Paswan has filed a case against Yadav in Patna for calling Manjhi's a musahar (rat eater).
"I have filed a case against Yadav for hurting the sentiment of Dalits by saying that Manjhi, a musahar is not qualify to become the prime minister of the country as he is not literate," Paswan told the media.
21:18 Hindu outfit says never demanded ban on jeans but half-jeans
A day after Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha had demanded that girls be banned from wearing jeans, the right-wing outfit today said it never demanded a ban on jeans but half-jeans (capris).
"We are not against girls wearing jeans but we are against girls wearing skimpy clothes," state spokesperson of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha Lalit Bhardwaj said.
He was responding to a question by reporters based on the statement of the girls to a TV channel saying if they had not worn jeans, they would not have been able to protect themselves.
The outfit had yesterday demanded that a dress code be introduced in schools and colleges and mobile phones be banned on their premises "to check increasing obscenity".
20:52 Hisar court extends Rampal's police remand
A local court today extended the police remand of self-styled godman Rampal, who has been slapped with cases of sedition and murder among others, by seven days. Rampal was produced before Judicial Magistrate (Hisar)Prateek Jain after the completion of his six-day police remand in connection with sedition and other cases registered against him on November 19 when he was arrested.
The police sought extension of Rampal's remand for seven days which was accepted by the court. The 63-year-old controversial godman was arrested from his Satlok Ashram at Barwala in Hisar. He was produced before the Punjab and Haryana High Courta day after his arrest in connection with a contempt case andwas sent to police custody for five days by a magistrate.
Rampal has been slapped with cases of sedition, murder,attempt to murder, waging war against the state government,rioting, illegal detention and others. Violent clashes between followers of Rampal and police led to death of five women and an infant and left over 200 people injured including some policemen.
20:38 Bill in Parliament likely this week to repeal obsolete laws
The government is set to bring a new bill in Parliament this week to repeal another set of obsolete laws, including Railways Appropriation Acts, which have outlived their utility.
The law ministry has already identified 892 Appropriation Acts of the Finance Ministry and the railway ministry which can be repealed. While the railway ministry has given a go-ahead to the law ministry to repeal its set of old Appropriation Acts, the finance ministry is in the process of taking a call on the issue.
A large number of Appropriation Acts passed in the past several years have lost their meaning but these are still shown on statue books. Appropriation Acts are intended to operate for a limited period of time -- authorising expenditures for the duration of one financial year, the law commission has said.
Though these Acts are not usually included in any list of Central Acts, either by the law ministry, or elsewhere, these laws still technically remain in the books.
20:25 Burdwan blast: NIA takes arrested terrorists to their operation site
The NIA today took the two terrorists arrested in connection with the Burdwan blast to Beldanga area of Murshidabad district to identify the places from where they used to operate.
"Today we took Sajid and Hakim to Beldanaga area in Murshidabad district to identify the site of their operation and the kind of activities they used to do," a National Investigation Agency official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
The team also went to Lalgola area near the Indo -Bangladesh border and inspected some spots, a top district police officer said. Shakil Ahmed, one of the JMB terrorists who died in the Burdwan blast on October 2, had spent several months in Beldanga and ran a shop there.
20:09
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting here tomorrow to decide on a successor to CBI chief Ranjit Sinha, who will be also demitting his office on the same day.
This will be the first appointment of the CBI director after the Lokpal Act came into being this year. Among the names doing rounds for the top post were Director General of Rajasthan Police Omendra Bharadwaj and Special Secretary in Home Ministry Prakash Mishra.
They are 1977-batch IPS officers from Rajasthan and Odisha respectively. K S Balasubramaniam, a 1978-batch IPS officer and at present chief the of Kerala police, was also reported to be in the race for the post.
After receiving a nod from President Pranab Mukherjee on the amended Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2014, the Government set in motion the procedure for selection of a CBI chief.
19:56 Fire breaks out in Delhi church; community suspects foul play
A substantial part of a catholic church here in northeast Delhi's Tahirpur area was gutted when a fire broke out at its premises here this morning with the Christian community suspecting foul play in the incident.
Police have registered a case under section 436 IPC (Mischief) on the complaint of the church authorities.
"Samples have been picked up from the spot. We are waiting for a report by them to ascertain the cause of fire. We have received a complaint in this regard following which we have registered an FIR and further investigations are underway," said a senior police official on condition of anonymity.
The blaze broke out at around 6:30 am at St Sebastian's Church following which the fire brigade was called in.
19:43 ISIS youth from Kalyan to be questioned by US intelligence
Sleuths of US intelligence agencies are likely to question Arif Majeed, who returned home after being associated with ISIS in Iraq and Syria, as he is believed to have loads of information about the group running a reign of terror in the region.
Official sources said the US, which is fighting a battle against ISIS, is keen to know about activities of the terrorist group and Arif could give inputs about the ground situation in the territory the outfit holds on.
Arif has told interrogators that even though he was a civil engineer, he was deployed to work in Mosul dam as a mason following instructions from some ISIS leaders.
During interrogation, Arif has said that apart from him and three other Mumbai youth, he had met one more Indian-origin youth who joined the ISIS.
19:06 PM announces Rs 28,000 crore for new rail projects in North East
In a development package for the Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today promised to provide Rs 28,000 crore for laying new railway lines and announced sanctioning of Rs 5,000 crore for 2G mobile coverage in the region.
Wrapping up his three-day visit to the region, Modi also dedicated to the country a Rs 10,000-crore 750MW Palatana power project, an ONGC-Tripura government joint venture considered the biggest power plant in the region.
On the last day of his three-day visit to the region, the Prime Minister said in Kohima that the Centre has earmarked Rs 53,000 crore in the budget for the development of the Northeast and would focus on developing the "untapped" tourism potential of the region and laying of new railway lines for the purpose.
19:05 No recruitment for two Haryana molesters: Army
In line with its zero tolerance policy, the army will not go ahead with the recruitment process of two of the three alleged molesters on board a moving Haryana roadways bus, who had cleared physical and medical tests for the force.
Army sources said the next step for the youths would have been a written test but since they have been booked under an FIR for such an act, they will be barred from further recruitment process.
19:02 Rajnath to review situation in Chhattisgarh
Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh is going to visit Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the Naxal attack in Sukma which saw 13 CRPF personnel dead.
Rajnath Singh spoke to CM Raman Singh immediately after the Sukma ambush.
"I have asked the Chattisgarh chief minister to monitor the situation in Sukma," said Singh, while condemning the killings, calling them an 'act of cowardice'.
19:00 Rajnath to review situation in Chhattisgarh
Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh is going to visit Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the Naxal attack in Sukma which saw 13 CRPF personnel dead.
Rajnath Singh spoke to CM Raman Singh immediately after the Sukma ambush.
"I have asked the Chattisgarh chief minister to monitor the situation in Sukma," said Singh, while condemning the killings, calling them an 'act of cowardice'.
18:47 Prince Harry reveals his 'big' secret
To show his solidarity with those fighting the dreaded disease, Prince Harry revealed his big secret on World Aids Day.
To know Harry's secret, click here.
18:19 Asaram can't be given special treatment: SC
There is no medical urgency to grant bail to self-styled 'godman' Asaram Bapu and he cannot be given special treatment, the Supreme Court today said and asked him to undergo medical test at AIIMS.
A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur refused to pass any order on how 76-year-old Asaram is to be brought from Jodhpur jail to the national capital, saying that it is for the state government to decide on it.
17:55 Maoists kill 13 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh
Just in: 11 CRPF jawans and two officers were killed in a Maoist attack in the Chintagufa area in Chhattisgarh's Sukhma. The CRPF patrol was ambushed by the Maoists. This is the biggest casualty the CRPF has suffered this year.
More details are awaited.
17:47 Moet congratulates brand ambassador Roger Federer
French winery Moet and Chandon congratulates their brand ambassador Roger Federer and the Swiss team in The Times, London.
17:31 Prof Stephen Hawking: make me a Bond villain
Prof Stephen Hawking says his wheelchair and computerised voice make him the ideal choice for the next James Bond film.
Read full story here.
Read full story here.
17:29 The starter's guide to selfie sticks
If you've been near a tourist attraction lately, you may have seen someone posing either solo or with a gaggle of friends for a camera phone attached to the end of a telescoping pole. If you have then you have encountered a selfie stick.
Read full story here
Read full story here
17:16 First openly gay mayor elected in Poland
Voters in Poland have elected the country's first openly gay mayor, a sign of growing tolerance for gays and lesbians in a country that has long been defined by a deep Roman Catholic conservatism.
Robert Biedron, who already made history in 2011 by becoming the first openly gay lawmaker in parliament, was elected mayor of the small city of Slupsk in northern Poland.
Results were released today of the runoff race, which took place on yesterday.
17:12 Nithari serial killer Koli's execution stayed till December 22
The Allahabad high court on Monday further extended the stay on hanging of the Nithari serial killer Surinder Koli until December 22.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed the execution of Koli until December 1. Koli has been charged with killing children in a house in Noidas Nithari village near New Delhi in 2006,
A bench comprising justices H L Dattu and A R Dave had stayed the execution for a period of one week.
The case came to light in December 2006 when a girl who was found missing was found murdered later by Koli. Investigations into the case led the probe team to the skeletal remains of the children that were recovered from a drain adjacent to the house where Koli was working as a domestic servant.
Koli, who brutally killed and later axed children in Nithari locality of Noida in Uttar Pradesh, was awarded the death sentence by a lower court which was upheld by the Allahabad high court and confirmed by the Supreme Court on February 15, 2011 for the murder of Rimpa Halder in 2005.
17:06 Tannus tyres: The end of the road for bike punctures?
A South Korean company believes it has invented a tyre that might just change the world.
Read full story here
17:00 Army Chief visits Line of Control
General Dalbir Singh, Chief of the Army Staff, being briefed on the situation along the Line of Control.
His visit comes after an increase in militant activity in and around LOC during the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.
An IED exploded in the Gambhir area on Monday morning after which the security forces cordoned off the area. On Saturday last week, militants had carried out a similar attack by detonating an IED in Krishnagati belt of Poonch.
16:46 Centre names O P Singh as new NDRF chief
The process of filling vacancies in central police forces has begun with the appointment of O P Singh as full-time Director General of National Disaster Response Force besides a minor rejig at senior posts in BSF, CRPF and CISF.
A 1983-batch IPS officer of UP cadre, Singh will now be the full fledged chief of the NDRF in the rank of Additional Director General for his remaining period of central deputation till January 15, 2018.
A 1983-batch IPS officer of UP cadre, Singh will now be the full fledged chief of the NDRF in the rank of Additional Director General for his remaining period of central deputation till January 15, 2018.
16:33 JK: 28 school drop-outs, 55 crorepatis contesting in 2nd phase
Out of the 175 candidates in fray in 18 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir which are going to polls in the second phase tomorrow, 97 or more than 50 per cent are not graduates and nine have criminal cases against them.
A total of 55 candidates or 31 per cent are crorepatis and have declared their properties to be worth over Rs one crore. There are only eight women candidates in the fray.
A total of 109 candidates or 62 per cent have not declared their income tax details.
The average value of assets per candidate contesting in the second phase of the polls is Rs 1.41 crore.
Among major parties, the average assets per PDP candidates is Rs 2.01 crore, for Congress party candidates it is Rs 1.78 crore, while for NC Rs 1.74 crore and for BJP it is Rs 1.54 crore.
Nine assembly segments each are going to polls in the second phase in the state.
16:26 59.4% rural households do not have toilet facilities
The government has spent over $3 billion ( approx Rs 18,000 crore) on constructing toilets across the country but the sanitation campaigns are yet to achieve success with nearly 60 per cent rural households lacking toilet facilities. With the effort put into the sanitation programme, the coverage in rural areas has gone up from one per cent in 1981 to 32.70 per cent as per Census 2011, and to 40.60 per cent as per National Sample Survey Office report 2012. As per NSSO report 2012, 59.4 per cent rural households do not have toilet facilities,' Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ram Kripal Yadav told Rajya Sabha said in his reply to a question.
16:19 Modi government a 'U-turn sarkar': Cong
Dubbing the Narendra Modi dispensation as a "U-turn sarkar", Congress today released a booklet projecting it as a "farce" in the name of government while accusing it of "umpteen somersaults" on a range of promises from black money to incursions.
In a 30-page booklet titled "chhe mahine paar, U-turn sarkar" (Six months after, a U-turn sarkar), it said the prime minister and his government have gone back on virtually each and every poll pitch "with a U-turn every week".
16:12 Ebola virus suspect shifted to hospital in Pak
A 47-year-old Pakistan national returning from Liberia has been shifted to a special facility at a hospital in Pakistan from the airport on suspect that he contracted the deadly Ebola virus abroad. The passenger arrived in Karachi from Liberia via Qatar and appeared to be in poor health condition. after a brief medical assessment, the suspected patient was sent to Jinnah hospital, while his blood samples were sent to Islamabad for testing.
15:52 Srinivasan drags Pawar's name in scandal
After being rapped, the BCCI president in exile, N Srinivasan dragged in former BCCI president Sharad Pawar into the scandal. Srinivasan said that he had sought Sharad Pawar's opinion before he had bid for the Chennai Super Kings franchise. He further added that Pawar had told him that since he was part of a private company, there would be no issue and that they could bid.
The Supreme Court criticised the BCCI for not setting up an inquiry in the IPL scandal.
15:46 IPL spot-fixing scandal: Srinivasan refutes all charges against hm
Narayanswami Srinivasan, who was due to appear in court today in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing and betting scandal, said all the allegations against him are incorrect. His counsel, who appeared on his behalf in the Supreme Court, said that BCCI's president-in-exile had done nothing wrong and he had, in fact, taken immediate action against his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan after allegations had been made against him and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra.
Earlier in the day, when Srinivasan was asked about Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he made it clear made it clear that the India captain, who also leads Chennai Super Kings, would not be asked to resign despite questions about conflict of interest being raised against him.
15:13 PM salutes BSF on its Raising Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Border Security Force on its foundation day for tirelessly protecting the country's borders and said the dedication and valour of their personnel will always inspire. "On BSF Raising Day, we salute our BSF personnel, who tirelessly and courageously protect our borders. Their dedication and valour always inspire," he tweeted.
15:03 Surge in donations after AAP muffler man campaign
Despite being mocked by many, including the Opposition parties, the 'Muffler Man' campaign initiated by the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers on social media has resulted in rise in online donations for the party. The campaign, which was inspired by former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's appearance with his trademark muffler has been trending on Twitter for several days now.
Party workers said the idea of Muffler Man initially came from a volunteer in Mumbai. "#mufflerman is trending in top three since last 11 days. The expression Muffler Man was used 3 lakh times on Twitter in three days. The purpose is to take the campaign to the people and we are succeeding in it," an AAP volunteer said.
14:30 Ahead of polls, IED explodes along LoC
JUST IN: An IED just exploded in Rajouri sector near the Line of Control. As of now, there are no reports of any injuries and security officials have cordoned off the area. The explosion comes a day before the area goes to the polls during the second-phase of the state elections.
14:21 Why did they make the 100-day promise: Anna on BJP vow to bring black money
After the Congress slammed the BJP for failing to live up to its election promises on black money, social crusader Anna Hazare also slammed the Modi sarkar on their failure to live up to its words. "I knew before polls that the procedure to get back black money is long. Why did they make the 100 day promise?" asked Hazare.
Congress, too, has slammed the BJP saying that during elections the BJP had made tall claims of bringing back all the black money but it was still do so.
14:00 Military justice in a political season
The Indian Army last week sentenced five of its personnel, including two officers, to life imprisonment for staging the killing of three Kashmiri civilians in the Macchil fake encounter case in 2010 and branding them as foreign militants for rewards and remunerations. Soon after, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the decision calling it a "watershed moment".
The Indian Army's court martial verdict presents us with an indictment of state brutality, while simultaneously inviting us to consider the vacillations of those who peddle the promise of a more benign, transformed rule in Kashmir. The verdict is not a watershed moment, but indicative of the manner in which political considerations and interests of the army override larger principles of justice and accountability.
Read the full article HERE
13:54 US magazine accidentally publishes Kirk Douglas obituary
It's a journalist's worst nightmare. An obituary of Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas was mistakenly published on one of America's leading entertainment websites. People magazine. The US magazine accidentally published a pre-written obituary of the actor online. Douglas is alive and will celebrate his 98th birthday on December 9. He is the father of Michael Douglas and his most famous films include
Spartacus.
13:31 Recounting the horror of 26/11
On a mildly nippy night in November 2008, during a meeting with photographer Dhaval Dhairyawan's sister Vrushali I received a text message informing me of a gang-war that has broken out in Colaba. We were seated at a Barista in Bandra and I requested the manager to switch to a news channel. Much to everyone's discomfort, I caught a glimpse of my guru Srinivas Akella walking around taking pictures of people helping a blood soaked man outside Leopold. I called Raju Shinde of Mumbai Mirror and he said, "Sab chod, VT aaja! ("Leave everything, come down to Victoria Terminus)", says Ritesh Uttamchandani, a photographer, who has captured the horrible tragedy of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.
Read the full account HERE.
13:25 Govt suspends bus driver and conductor in Rohtak incident
Haryana government announced that it will honour the two sisters, whosingle-handedly took on three alleged molesters in a moving bus, on Republic Day as the girls came in for praise for their bravery. Both the girls showed indomitable courage and bravery by opposing the misdemeanour of three youth who tried to "molest" them in a moving bus of Haryana Roadways at Rohtak, said Chief Minister ML Khattar. Additionally, the bus driver and conductor have been suspended and other staff have been directed to ensure that such incidents don't occur again.
13:16 Why I quit AAP
Surajit Dasgupta a founder member of the Aam Aadmi Party has resigned from party. Surajit, a journalist who has written for The Statesman and the Pioneer, said that he quit the party after realizing that his interventions to correct the party's economic policies and a wrong interpretation of secularism were bearing no fruit, as some mindless cheerleaders and sycophants had formed the leaders' core group of advisers.
Read Surajit's full account HERE
12:59 Trinamool MP Srinjoy Bose hospitalised
Trinamool Congress MP Srinjoy Bose, who is in judicial custody in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, was admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital after he complained of heart problems. Bose had taken ill last night inside the jail and was admitted to the hospital this morning, attending doctors said. He had complained of pain related to spondylitis and heart problems. His treatment is going on and several medical tests will also be conducted, they said.
12:13 TMC members keep disrupting Rajya Sabha proceedings
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 1 pm again after Trinamool Congress members continued to disrupt proceedings. TMC members kept demanding that BJP president Amit Shah's links to Sahara be debated and did not allow proceedings to continue.
12:06 Phillip Hughes' funeral to be live screened at SCG
The Sydney Cricket Ground will be open to the public on Wednesday for a live screening of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes' funeral. Hughes' funeral will be held in his home town of Macksville at on Wednesday. Hughes last knock of unbeaten 63 was at the SCG before he collapsed at the pitch after being hit by a Sean Abbott bouncer around the neck last Tuesday during a Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and New South Wales.
Image: The scorecard showing Philip Hughes's last knock of unbeaten 63 at the SCG
11:59 BJP-Sena on the brink of an alliance in Maharashtra
Hours after it was reported that today would most likely be the day that the deadlock between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena would end, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that talks with the Sena was 80% complete and that an alliance between the two was on the brink.
So, will we finally see BJP-Sena joining hands again? Let's wait and watch
11:25 Mumbai law college imposes bizarre dress code on students
Imagine going to a college where strict adherence to the rules would require a girl to measure her sleeves to ensure they are no less than four inches long and her top to see that it flows at least seven inches below her waist. A college where she can't wear footwear that doesn't cover the entire foot and whose principal thinks students in t-shirts and jeans look like 'taporis'. A circular issued by Nalanda College of Law in Borivalim which prescribes these and other rules - including a ban on displaying body piercings and tattoos - as part of a dress code, has a section of the students up in arms.
Read more HERE
11:22 PM Modi addresses the crowds at the Hornbill Festival
Prime Minister Narendra Modi donning a beautiful headgear addressed the crowds at the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland. Modi said that it was a great honour to be in Nagaland and that the festival was the perfect way of showcasing Nagaland's unique cultural diversity. He also listed out the various initiatives taken up by his government for the North East.
11:06 Amnesty asks Modi govt to take up Bhopal gas tragedy with Obama
Amnesty International called for urgent steps to provide adequate compensation to the victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy and bring the Union Carbide and Dow Chemical to book."Thirty years is more than enough to wait. They can't wait any longer, can't wait for compensation, health care and clean water, can't wait for clean-up, can't wait for the perpetrators of corporate crimes to be brought to justice,' said Salil Shetty, global head of the organisation. Shetty regretted that not a single American employee who was on top of the chain of command had so far been brought to justice and said India should raise the matter with the US government.
10:51 Home Minister Rajnath Singh sings praises of BSF on Raising Day
On the ocassion of the 49th BSF Raising Day, Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the troops and lauded them for their efforts in keeping the country secure. Speaking of the role the BSF troops have played at the border, Singh said, "Pakistan was repeatedly violating ceasefire still you maintained your calm and patience and then gave them a befitting reply. Our BSF jawans are most concerned about 'rashtriya swabhimaan'. I can say that no country can raise its eye on India."
10:19 PMO refuses to share Netaji files
Toeing the United Progressive Alliance line, the National Democratic Alliance government has refused to make the files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose public, saying the revelations would "prejudicially affect" relations with foreign countries. The Prime Minister's Office has shared only a list of 41 such files. In the run-up to the general elections, the then BJP president and present Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in January asked the UPA government to reveal the mystery behind Netaji's death. However, in its response to an RTI application by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal filed about 14 months ago, the PMO has declined to share copies of the files.
09:51 Prince Harry set to reveal secret for World Aids Day
Prince Harry will today reveal one of his personal secrets, as part of a campaign to help reduce the stigma of HIV. He will be joined by a host of celebrities, including actress Gemma Arterton and singer Nicole Scherzinger who will each release a never-before-told fact about themselves on video as part of a 'Feel No Shame' social media campaign for World Aids Day. Harry said the project was aimed at tackling the fear which still surrounds HIV, and providing young people who carry it with the opportunity to enjoy their childhood, free from stigma.
09:44 Sena leaders to meet Maharashtra CM Fadnavis, decide future
After days of uncertainty, today might be the day when it is finally decided if the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena will join hands again in Maharashtra. According to sources, Sena leaders will be meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and deliberate on power-sharing. The decision will come after weeks of meetings between the two parties' senior leaders with either sides refusing to blink.
09:34 Father travels to Syria to rescue son from Islamic State
The father of a British teenager has successfully snatched his son from the clutches of Islamic State, after travelling to Syria. Karim Mohammadi journeyed from his home in Cardiff, UK, to the war torn country after discovering that his son, Ahmed, 19, had allegedly joined up with a group of British jihadists.
Read the entire story HERE
09:10 Museum gives voice to Bhopal survivors
A museum to Bhopal gas victims opens on the disaster's 30th anniversary on Tuesday as a symbol of defiance against government attempts to chronicle the horror. The 'Remembering Bhopal Museum' is no sprawling edifice but a nondescript flat a stone's throw away from the defunct Union Carbide factory from where deadly gases leaked on the night of December 2, 1984, killing thousands and maiming countless.
Read more HERE
08:57 Cops arrest three in Rohtak incident
Three men who were caught on tape harassing two teenage girls on a Rohtak bus were arrested by the cops. On Sunday, the men were thrashed by the girls after they harassed them on a moving bus. The girls, angry and frustrated, hit back at the trio and used their belts to hit them. While the incident took place, none of the other passengers on board helped the girls. One of the girls involved in the incident said that in fact, after the incident, they were asked to get off the bus. However, the girls went ahead and filed a police complaint following which the men were nabbed.
08:48 Model Gauhar Khan slapped for wearing 'skimpy clothes'
Actor and model Gauahar Khan was allegedly slapped by a 24-year-old youth who was in the audience of a singing show hosted by her at Film City, Goregaon (East), on Sunday.
The Aarey Sub police have detained the suspect, Akil Malik. Police sources said the accused told them he disapproved of the actor wearing a short skirt.
According to the police, the incident took place during the final episode of the show at studio number 9. "A preliminary probe has revealed that someone from the audience started teasing Khan to which she protested. An argument ensued between Gauahar and the man who was teasing her. Things turned ugly when the man suddenly slapped the actor," an Aarey police officer said.
08:17 India's First Lady vacuum
Wives and daughters have shouldered the burden for presidents and prime ministers. A niece is doing so right now in Nepal. Many in India's diplomatic establishment are hoping Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has renounced his teenage marriage and only meets his family once a year, too would appoint someone to regularly perform the diplomatic tasks of India's 'First Lady'.
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08:15 Kohli, Shastri, Fletcher to attend Phil Hughes funeral
Stand-in skipper of the Indian team Virat Kohli will attend the funeral of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, which is scheduled for Wednesday. He will be joined by team director Ravi Shastri, coach Duncan Fletcher and team manager Arshad Ayub. Three or four other Indian players are expected to join them and a final decision will be made once the team reaches Brisbane today.
08:06 Pakistans PTI chief Imran steps up protests against PM Nawaz Sharif
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan announced that he would shut down major cities in Pakistan as part of his next move in the campaign for the prime minister's resignation.
Addressing people at D-Chowk, Imran said, "I will go to Lahore and shut it down on December 4. I will shut down Faisalabad on December 8 and will seal Karachi on December 12. I will close down the entire Pakistan on December 16."
"We still have no word on the investigation of rigging," Imran said. "We want justice. We want an investigation of 2013 elections and a result within 4 to 6 weeks under supervision of the Supreme Court," Khan stressed.
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