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Sat, 06 September 2014
Live! Kashmir floods: 108 jawans airlifted from border
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23:34 Shah asks BJP workers to join in relief work in J&K
Expressing concern over flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP president Amit Shah has asked party MPs, MLAs and workers in the state to join in relief and rescue operations in flood-affected areas.
Shah also condoled the loss of lives caused by the raging floods and said all efforts would be made to help the people affected by the crisis, BJP said in a statement.
Party general secretary J P Nadda said BJP MPs, MLAs from all northern states -- Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi -- and the Union Territory of Chandigarh have been asked to help the relief and rescue operations.
Shah also condoled the loss of lives caused by the raging floods and said all efforts would be made to help the people affected by the crisis, BJP said in a statement.
Party general secretary J P Nadda said BJP MPs, MLAs from all northern states -- Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi -- and the Union Territory of Chandigarh have been asked to help the relief and rescue operations.
22:48 Kashmir floods hit security infrastructure along the Indo-Pak border
The Indian Air Force and army aviation choppers have airlifted 108 Border Security Force and army men from forward Border Out Posts as floods have badly hit security infrastructure along the Indo-Pak border.
"A total of 108 BSF and army jawans were evacuated from various marooned BoPs and forward posts along Indo-Pak border in Jammu sector today," a senior army official said today.
Floods have inundated most the stretches of border fencing and trapped BSF jawans in BoPs and also army jawans in forward posts along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Samba sectors.
"A total of 108 BSF and army jawans were evacuated from various marooned BoPs and forward posts along Indo-Pak border in Jammu sector today," a senior army official said today.
Floods have inundated most the stretches of border fencing and trapped BSF jawans in BoPs and also army jawans in forward posts along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Samba sectors.
22:33 12 injured as 4.5 quake strikes Pakistan
At least 12 people were injured today when an earthquake of 4.5 magnitude jolted Pakistan's southern Sindh Province.
The earthquake struck Nawabshah district and its adjoining areas in the province, causing panic and forcing people to come out on streets. Residents from Lahore, Nankana and Sheikhupura also headed to open spaces after receiving reports of the tremors. About 12 people have been injured and shifted to a nearby hospital, rescue officials said.
The earthquake struck Nawabshah district and its adjoining areas in the province, causing panic and forcing people to come out on streets. Residents from Lahore, Nankana and Sheikhupura also headed to open spaces after receiving reports of the tremors. About 12 people have been injured and shifted to a nearby hospital, rescue officials said.
22:23 Delhi deadlock: Congress to hold rally against BJP
Hitting out at the BJP over its reported attempt to form the government in the national capital, the Delhi unit of the Congress today said it would launch agitations against the saffron party for its "unconstitutional act".
The Congress is going to organise 'Aakrosh Rally' tomorrow in the northeast area. "The move at the behest of the Union home minister to form a BJP Government in Delhi is unconstitutional," DPCC chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said.
The Congress is going to organise 'Aakrosh Rally' tomorrow in the northeast area. "The move at the behest of the Union home minister to form a BJP Government in Delhi is unconstitutional," DPCC chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said.
21:39 Sonia urges Centre to declare J&K flood a 'national calamity'
Expressing grave concern over the grim situation of flood in Jammu and Kashmir which has claimed 107 lives so far, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today urged the Centre to declare the crisis a "national calamity".
She has also appealed to the Centre and state government to make every effort at relief and rehabilitation, according to a statement from the Congress. "(Senior party leader) Ghulam Nabi Azad and the state Congress (unit) have demanded that the situation in the state be declared a national calamity and the Congress President has expressed hope that the Government of India will take necessary steps for the same," the party said.
Gandhi is in constant touch with state leaders of the Congress, which along with its ally National Conference is in power there, to keep herself abreast of the ground situation, it said.
She has also appealed to the Centre and state government to make every effort at relief and rehabilitation, according to a statement from the Congress. "(Senior party leader) Ghulam Nabi Azad and the state Congress (unit) have demanded that the situation in the state be declared a national calamity and the Congress President has expressed hope that the Government of India will take necessary steps for the same," the party said.
Gandhi is in constant touch with state leaders of the Congress, which along with its ally National Conference is in power there, to keep herself abreast of the ground situation, it said.
21:36 Modi to personally assess damage caused by Kashmir floods
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow has been confirmed. He will personally assess the damage caused by floods in the state. He will first travel to Jammu where he will undertake an aerial survey, sources said.
Later in the day, he will go to Kashmir and take stock of the situation. The visit takes place a day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh's tour of the state which has been hit badly by the floods, claiming the lives of over 100 people.
Modi, while condoling the deaths in the flood, on Thursday announced Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia relief for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured.
Later in the day, he will go to Kashmir and take stock of the situation. The visit takes place a day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh's tour of the state which has been hit badly by the floods, claiming the lives of over 100 people.
Modi, while condoling the deaths in the flood, on Thursday announced Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia relief for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured.
21:09 Situation grim in Kashmir, PM likely to visit areas afftected by floods
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow, say sources. The situation in the state is grim where torrential monsoon rains triggered flooding, landslides and house collapses. 107 people have been killed as rescuers struggled to evacuate tens of thousands of people to safety with major rivers in spate.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh rushed to Srinagar and Jammu to take stock of the situation in the wake of the heaviest rains and flooding in the state in six decades but could not make an aerial survey due to inclement weather.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh rushed to Srinagar and Jammu to take stock of the situation in the wake of the heaviest rains and flooding in the state in six decades but could not make an aerial survey due to inclement weather.
20:25 With Rs 1999-ticket, SpiceJet joins air fare war
SpiceJet has launched two new slabs of competitive basic airfare rates, as other Indian carriers extended dates for booking low cost tickets over the past few days.
The low one-way base fare tickets of the no-frill carrier start at Rs 599 for travel between January 16 and October 24 next year. SpiceJet is also offering all-inclusive fares from Rs 1,999 on travel between October 7, 2014 and January 15, 2015.
For the Rs 599 offer, taxes and other fees and charges, barring fuel surcharge, would be additional, but the Rs 1,999 offer is all-inclusive. Ticket under both schemes can be bought till September 10.
The low one-way base fare tickets of the no-frill carrier start at Rs 599 for travel between January 16 and October 24 next year. SpiceJet is also offering all-inclusive fares from Rs 1,999 on travel between October 7, 2014 and January 15, 2015.
For the Rs 599 offer, taxes and other fees and charges, barring fuel surcharge, would be additional, but the Rs 1,999 offer is all-inclusive. Ticket under both schemes can be bought till September 10.
20:21 Why ISIS is flaunting its brutality
Mass killings, crucifixions and public executions -- here's why ISIS are broadcasting their terrorism.
Read the full report on CNN
Read the full report on CNN
20:18 Unidentified plane over Mumbai triggers panic
An unidentified aircraft today caused a security scare in Mumbai airspace after it was spotted by an Etihad Airways flight and reported to the air traffic control in Mumbai, official sources said.
The incident was also reported to the Chennai ATC to establish the identity of the plane, the sources said. However, the sources did not divulge the make of the aircraft or whether it was a civilian or a military plane, as reported by the aircraft of the Etihad Airways which was flying from its home base of Abu Dhabi to Jakarta.
Investigations have been launched by the air traffic control, which is under the Airports Authority of India, and other security agencies, the sources said. The incident caused panic among the aviation authorities as they were reminded of the 1995 Purulia arms drop case.
The incident was also reported to the Chennai ATC to establish the identity of the plane, the sources said. However, the sources did not divulge the make of the aircraft or whether it was a civilian or a military plane, as reported by the aircraft of the Etihad Airways which was flying from its home base of Abu Dhabi to Jakarta.
Investigations have been launched by the air traffic control, which is under the Airports Authority of India, and other security agencies, the sources said. The incident caused panic among the aviation authorities as they were reminded of the 1995 Purulia arms drop case.
19:47 Poor weather hampering rescue operations in Kashmir: Omar
Faced with the worst floods in Jammu and Kashmir in half a century, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said air-lifting of marooned people may begin tomorrow if weather improves even as South Kashmir remains completely cut-off.
"We have not been able to touch South Kashmir. One NDRF battalion has been air-dropped at Awantipur airport because we could not transport them from Srinagar. So, we are trying to send them to affected areas. Two more battallions have been sent to Pulwama," Omar said speaking to mediapersons.
Emphasising that the state administrative machinery had swung into action soon after getting warning from the meteorological department, the CM said the magnitude of the problem was such that efforts were not proving to be sufficient. "We just need one break of weather. Our helicopters are on standby at Jammu and Srinagar. As soon as we get that break from bad weather, we will start air-lifting people and providing them with relief material," he said.
"We have not been able to touch South Kashmir. One NDRF battalion has been air-dropped at Awantipur airport because we could not transport them from Srinagar. So, we are trying to send them to affected areas. Two more battallions have been sent to Pulwama," Omar said speaking to mediapersons.
Emphasising that the state administrative machinery had swung into action soon after getting warning from the meteorological department, the CM said the magnitude of the problem was such that efforts were not proving to be sufficient. "We just need one break of weather. Our helicopters are on standby at Jammu and Srinagar. As soon as we get that break from bad weather, we will start air-lifting people and providing them with relief material," he said.
19:34 'Not an A+ answer', says student who asked Modi 'How to become PM'
Seventeen-year-old Nickson Laisram gets an A+ for his question (How did I become PM?) to Narendra Modi during an interaction on Teachers' Day. But what does this teen show-stealer of the much-talked about telecast think of the PM's answer?
Modi laughed before saying, "Start preparing for 2024 elections. It also means till then I do not have any threat."
Nickson said he can't really give the PM an A+ for that answer. "The answer he gave was satisfactory, but I was expecting more. Like me, our prime minister also comes from a humble background so I wanted him to tell us how we can make that big, how we can be like him, how we can achieve in life. That whole context was missing," he said, according to NDTV.
He added that just in case he does not make PM, he would like to be an IAS officer.
Read the full report here
Modi laughed before saying, "Start preparing for 2024 elections. It also means till then I do not have any threat."
Nickson said he can't really give the PM an A+ for that answer. "The answer he gave was satisfactory, but I was expecting more. Like me, our prime minister also comes from a humble background so I wanted him to tell us how we can make that big, how we can be like him, how we can achieve in life. That whole context was missing," he said, according to NDTV.
He added that just in case he does not make PM, he would like to be an IAS officer.
Read the full report here
19:00 'BJP will think about forming govt in Delhi if formally invited'
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the BJP will think about forming government in Delhi if it is formally invited by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, adding the party would "doesn't believe in horse-trading", according to an NDTV report.
The remarks come shortly ahead of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee in the wake of reports that Jung has recommended that the option of inviting the single largest party -- the BJP -- to form a government in the capital.
The remarks come shortly ahead of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee in the wake of reports that Jung has recommended that the option of inviting the single largest party -- the BJP -- to form a government in the capital.
18:46 HC gives time to Maha govt to reply to sisters' plea on death row
The Bombay high court has granted further two weeks time to Maharashtra government to file an affidavit in reply to a petition filed by two sisters urging that their death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment.
The mercy petitions of Renuka Shinde and Seema Gavit, who were sentenced to death in 2001 for kidnapping 13 children and killing nine of them between 1990 and October 1996, were rejected by the President recently.
The apex court had earlier upheld death for the duo. However, being aggrieved, they moved the high court seeking reduction of punishment to life imprisonment.
The mercy petitions of Renuka Shinde and Seema Gavit, who were sentenced to death in 2001 for kidnapping 13 children and killing nine of them between 1990 and October 1996, were rejected by the President recently.
The apex court had earlier upheld death for the duo. However, being aggrieved, they moved the high court seeking reduction of punishment to life imprisonment.
18:44
Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh has urged the CBI to question him along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and jailed Saradha group chief Sudipta Sen.
18:07 Chit fund scam: CBI takes TMC MP Kunal Ghosh into custody till Sept 12
The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh into custody till September 12 for questioning in the Saradha chit fund scam.
Sources told Rediff.com that Ghosh allegedly played a role in helping Saradha win the contract.
Read: CBI sees Kunal Ghosh as key to Mamata-Saradha puzzle
Sources told Rediff.com that Ghosh allegedly played a role in helping Saradha win the contract.
Read: CBI sees Kunal Ghosh as key to Mamata-Saradha puzzle
17:34 Australia, Malaysia contribute AUD 60 mn each for MH370 search
An escalated underwater search operation for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 will begin in two weeks' time, with both Malaysia and Australia committing 60 million dollars each towards the effort.
The announcement came at the joint press conference of visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Tun Rajak, state-run Bernama news agency reported.
Both countries committed to give 60 million Australian Dollar each in their quest to locate the plane which is believed to have crashed in Southern Indian Ocean, it said. Abbott said the hunt for the plane, which inexplicably veered off its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route on March 8 with 239 people on board, would continue for as long as required.
The contribution was part of the new underwater search phase for the aircraft in the remote ocean sea bed, it said quoting premier Abbott. "It will utilise the best available technology. It will last as long as it needs to scour the seabed," Abbott said.
The announcement came at the joint press conference of visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Tun Rajak, state-run Bernama news agency reported.
Both countries committed to give 60 million Australian Dollar each in their quest to locate the plane which is believed to have crashed in Southern Indian Ocean, it said. Abbott said the hunt for the plane, which inexplicably veered off its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route on March 8 with 239 people on board, would continue for as long as required.
The contribution was part of the new underwater search phase for the aircraft in the remote ocean sea bed, it said quoting premier Abbott. "It will utilise the best available technology. It will last as long as it needs to scour the seabed," Abbott said.
15:51 RGV booked for 'poking fun at Lord Ganesha'
A criminal complaint has been filed against film maker Ram Gopal Varma in a Magistrate's court in Mumbai alleging that he had hurt religious sentiments of people by poking fun at Lord Ganesh with his Twitter comments.
The Andheri Magistrate has posted the complaint for hearing on September 30 when he would hear the parties on the point of issuing process against Varma.
The complaint, filed by Viveck Shettyy, Managing Director of Indus communications and Head of Media Cell, Consumer Guidance Society of India, alleged that Verma's comments were in bad taste and insulting to the elephant God.
The 52-year-old producer-director, who, apart from questioning the ability of Lord Ganesha to remove obstacles from the path of his devotees, made fun of his physical attributes, the complaint alleged.
These tweets are per se outrageous and are on the face of it, hurting and inciting religious feelings and sentiments of people who practice, preach and propagate Hindu religion.
Lord Ganesha is considered as a God in Hindu religion and people pray to him and perform pujas and rituals. They have a strong religious faith and belief in Lord Ganesha and have a strong devotion towards him, said the complainant.
14:54 Ever wonder what the black-and-white ISIS flag means?
It has become a symbol that's hard to ignore this summer: The black flag with white Arabic writing flown by ISIS, the militant group in Iraq and Syria that calls itself the Islamic State.
The flag has shown up everywhere -- from images posted online by the militants to the suburbs of New Jersey. But just what are the origins of this flag?
The flag is often called the Black Standard or the Black Banner. "The black banner of Islam as an idea goes back to the 8th century, when the Second Dynasty of Islam came to power with black banners," says Jonathan Bloom, a professor of Islamic Art at Boston College.
The white writing that you see at the top of the flag is the first half of an Islamic phrase called the shahada, or declaration of faith, which reads: "There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God."
Read more HERE
14:53 Iran forces plane carrying Americans to land
A charter plane carrying 100 people, including Americans, out of Afghanistan was ordered to land in southern Iran because of errors in its flight plan, a Tehran-based official said today.
The rare incident prompted a flurry of reaction in the United States but the problem was solved and the aircraft headed on to Dubai, its original destination, after a few hours on the ground.
"We realised that the flight information was incorrect and to be sure there was no problem, we asked to pilot to land," said Mohammad Ali Ilkhani, head of the Iranian Airports Organisation.
Flight FZ 4359, operated by Fly Dubai, landed at an airport in Bandar Abbas, a port city on the Gulf. The plane had earlier left Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, US officials said yesterday.
The State Department quickly refuted US media reports that Iran had scrambled fighter jets and forced the charter plane to land.
Ilkhani said airport officials had not been aware that Americans were on board but the plane was asked to land because it was in Iranian airspace and there was a problem with its route information.
14:51 DGCA threatens to suspend licenses of nearly 140 Jet pilots
Aviation regulator DGCA has cracked down on nearly 140 Jet Airways pilots for continuing to fly without clearing mandatory biannual exams and issued show cause notices to the airline questioning its pilot training programme.
The notices were issued to the pilots, as also Jet's chief operating officer and training chief, on the basis of an audit of its training programme by a three-member DGCA team.
The DGCA, through the show cause notices, asked these pilots why their licenses should not be suspended as they were flying without clearing their Pilot Proficiency Check (PPC) tests, which have to be carried out every six months.
The audit was ordered after one of the airline's planes plunged several thousand feet while flying over the Turkish airspace on the Brussels-Mumbai route early last month.
When contacted, a Jet Airways spokesperson said the airline "has not seen the report from the DGCA nor has the airline been advised on when it will be received. We therefore cannot comment on the so called findings in the report or the speculation in the media."
14:37 Russia dispatches naval force to reopen Arctic base
Russia today sent six ships carrying personnel and equipment to a Soviet-era military base in the Arctic that it is reopening to bolster its presence in the region, Russian news agencies reported.
Moscow is ramping up its military presence in the pristine but energy-rich region as other countries such as Canada and Norway are also staking claims to access its resources.
President Vladimir Putin last year ordered the military to return to a base on the far-Northern New Siberian Islands that was abandoned in 1993.
Today, a fleet of six ships including two large landing ships set off from the port of Severomorsk in northern Russia, a spokesman for the Western military district, Vadim Serga, told ITAR-TASS news agency.
The ships will be accompanied by several icebreakers.
"The main task of the latest expedition by a number of Northern Fleet ships to the Arctic is to deliver staff, equipment and supplies to the taskforce that from this year will serve on the New Siberian islands on a permanent basis," said the northern fleet's commander, Admiral Vladimir Korolyov.
14:36 S H Raza painting fetches 8.17 crore at Delhi sale
Leading modern Indian master S H Raza's artwork "La Terre" was sold for Rs 8.17 crore ($1.36 million) that was a tad higher than its top estimate of Rs 7 crore by the first live auction by Saffront in a decade in New Delhi.
The 50 inches by 29 inches acrylic on canvas by Raza, was the top lot of the Modern Evening sale and auctioneer claimed the work epitomised the convergence of the painter's artistic and philosophical assimilations throughout his 70-year career.
Total sales of Rs 38.3 crore ($6.4 million) were realised at auction against a pre-auction estimate range of Rs 25.8 crores to Rs 35.2 crores ($4.3 mn to $5.9 mn) which also saw live bidding through phones and on the auctioner's website.
A total of 86 lots out of the 90 lots on offer were sold with 60 lots fetching above estimated prices, according to the sale analysis by the auctioneer. Eight lots sold for over Rs 1 crore.
Jehangir Sabavala's "The Flight into Egypt-I" fetched the second highest price when it went under the hammer for Rs 3 crore ($500,00) and fetched a world record for the artist.
"Estimated at Rs 80-Rs 90 lakh ($133,335 - $150,000), competitive bidding between room and phone bidders drove it to a value of Rs 3 crore ($500,000), amidst resounding applause from the audience," auctioneers said.
14:19 Death toll climbs to 100 in Kashmir flood
Eleven more people were killed today in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the toll to 100 in the worst floods in the state in nearly six decades.
Seven persons died in two separate incidents of house collapse due to landslide triggered by heavy rains in Udhampur district and four more bodies have been recovered in Rajouri district today, a state government official said.
Five members were killed and two went missing when a house collapsed in Rakha Jaganoo area of Ramnagar teshil in Udhampur
district, DIG Udhampur-Reasi range Gareeb Dass said, adding, the two missing are being traced as five bodies have been
recovered.
In the second incident, two children died and their mother was critically injured when their house collapsed in Rakh batla belt in Udhampur today, Dass said.
Four more bodies were recovered from Thursday's bus mishap in which 63 members of a marriage party were washed away in Rajouri district, SSP Rajouri Mubasir Latiffe said.
A total of 29 bodies have been recovered so far, he said.
With today's deaths, a total of 100 people have died in the state hit by floods and landslides due to incessant rains since Wednesday. While 89 people have been killed in Jammu, 11 have died in the Kashmir Valley so far.
13:25 China says 2 pilots died in aircraft carrier tests
Two Chinese test pilots were killed during development of the country's first aircraft carrier fighter wing, state media said, in a rare admission of problems with the hugely popular naval program.
The admission came in a report by the official Xinhua News Agency saying President Xi Jinping had signed an order awarding honorary titles to all pilots in the first squadron to conduct take-off and landing tests aboard the Liaoning,
China's only aircraft carrier.
"Two test pilots of the squadron sacrificed their lives during the tests," the report said. No details were given.
The original Xinhua report ran Aug. 28, but went largely overlooked at the time. It was picked up by US defense blogs and linked yesterday to the blog of the US Naval Institute.
Carrier flight operations are inherently risky, and the loss of two pilots is far from unusual. However, China's military still operates under a shroud of secrecy and no deadly accidents relating to the carrier had been reported at the time.
12:28 Jaya sacks Dairy Minister Moorthy, comeback for Ramanaa
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today sacked Milk and Dairy Development Minister V Moorthy and appointed B V Ramanaa in his place.
Ramanaa, who was sacked as Revenue Minister on May 19, is staging a comeback in the Ministry.
Governor K Rosaiah accepted the recommendations of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in this regard, a Raj Bhavan communique said.
Ramanaa represents Thiruvallur assembly constituency
12:26 9 armymen washed away during J&K flood rescue op
Just In: Nine army jawans washed away during rescue operation in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Efforts are on to rescue them
12:20 California blue whales bounce back to near historic numbers
Researchers believe that California blue whales have recovered in numbers and the population has returned to sustainable levels.
Scientists say this is the only population of blue whales to have rebounded from the ravages of whaling.
The research team estimate that there are now 2,200 of these giant creatures on the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean.
But concerns remain about their vulnerability to being struck by ships.
At up to 33m in length and weighing in at up to 190 tonnes, blue whales are the largest animals on the planet.
The California variety is often seen feeding close to the coast of the state, but they are found all the way from the Gulf of Alaska down to Costa Rica.
Read more HERE
Read more HERE
12:16 Key IM terrorist Ejaz Sheikh arrested from Saharanpur
Indian Mujahideen terrorist Ejaz Sheikh, wanted in several cases including a terror strike in Jama Masjid in New Delhi, was arrested on Friday night from Saharanpur area of western Uttar Pradesh by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.
"IM operative Ejaz Sheikh has been arrested. He was nabbed from Saharanpur last night. He was involved in several terror cases including the Jama Masjid attack," Special Commissioner (Special Cell) S N Shrivastava told PTI.
Sheikh is a resident of Pune. He is considered a "technical expert" and a key member of Indian Mujahideen. He had been absconding since long and was apprehended by team of Special Cell last night following a specific tip off.
The arrest of Sheikh is yet another major setback to IM in the last two years.
In March this year, Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, the India operations chief of Indian Mujahideen (IM) was arrested from Indo-Nepal border by the Special Cell.
His arrest had come days after the same unit of Delhi Police had nabbed another top IM operative Zia Ur Rehman alias Waqas from Ajmer in Rajasthan along with three of his associates.
One of the most wanted terrorist of the country, Ahmad Siddhibappa Zarar alias Yasin Bhatkal and his key associate Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi were arrested from Indo-Nepal border last year.
12:14 Martoma's bid for a new trial denied by court
A bid for acquittal and fresh trial filed by an Indian-origin portfolio manager, convicted for his role in the most lucrative insider trading scheme in US history, has been denied by a court which ruled that evidence in the case "overwhelmingly" showed that he is guilty.
Mathew Martoma, 39, will be sentenced on the scheduled date of September 8 after US District Judge Paul Gardephe denied his motion for a judgement of acquittal and alternatively for a new trial.
Martoma was convicted in February for his role as the "central figure" in one of the most lucrative insider trading schemes in US history.
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara has said in court papers that Martoma should be handed down a "significant period of imprisonment" that is more than the eight years recommended by the probation department.
Bharara has also asked the court to order Martoma to forfeit his 2008 bonus totalling $9.4 million and pay a separate fine to reflect the "serious offense" committed by him.
11:15 110 perish in Pakistan floods
A government official in Pakistan said 110 people have been killed across the country in heavy monsoon downpours and flooding as more rain is forecast for the coming days.
Ahmad Kamal, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority, said on Saturday that 61 people died in the eastern Punjab province since Thursday.
He said another 38 people died in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and 11 died in northern Gilgit Baltistan province.
He said another 38 people died in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and 11 died in northern Gilgit Baltistan province.
Kamal said officials believe all those were killed when the roofs of their homes collapsed.
Authorities fear the death toll may rise as more flooding and rain is forecast for the coming days.
11:14 NATO allies agree to take on ISIS threat
The United States and nine key allies agreed Friday that the Islamic State group is a significant threat to NATO countries and that they will take on the militants by squeezing their financial resources and going after them with military might.
With the Islamic State militants spreading across eastern Syria and northern and western Iraq, President Barack Obama noted that the moderate Syrian rebels fighting both the group and the government of Bashar Assad are outgunned and outmanned.
In addition to the action pledged by fellow NATO leaders, he pressed Arab allies to reject the nihilism projected by the group.
The new NATO coalition will be able to mount a sustained effort to push back the militants, Obama said. The US secretaries of State and Defence, meeting with their counterparts at the international gathering, insisted the Western nations build a plan by the time the UN General Assembly meets this month.
I did not get any resistance or pushback to the basic notion that we have a critical role to play in rolling back this savage organization that is causing so much chaos in the region and is harming so many people and poses a long-term threat to the safety and security of NATO members, Obama said at the summit conclusion.
So theres great conviction that we have to act, as part of the international community, to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL, and that was extremely encouraging.
11:06 Rawatbhata N-plant makes history; runs non-stop for over 2 years
NDTV reports: An indigenously made nuclear plant in Rajasthan has created history by running continuously for a period 765 days, or a little over two years. Usually, most nuclear plants globally need to be shut down every year for maintenance; only well-maintained facilities can run for longer periods.
With this achievement, the 220 MW reactor has beaten an American unit which ran for 739 days at a stretch.
Unit-5 at Rawatbhata, a Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) made at a cost of Rs 1200 crore in 2010, is run by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and is now ranked number two globally for continuous generation of electricity by a nuclear plant.
The pole position is still held by a Canadian reactor, Ontario Power Corporation's Pickering-7 plant, which ran continuously for 894 days before it was shutdown in 1994.
The PHWRs are a type of reactors that are easier to run for longer periods as fuel can be added into the reactor without shutting them down for maintenance.
11:00 2 girls hung from same rope on tree; post-mortem report today
The bodies of the two schoolgirls who were found hanging from the ends of the same rope on a tree in Assam's Karimganj district were handed over to their families after post-mortem late last night. A report is expected later today.
The girls had been missing since Wednesday evening. Their bodies were found on Thursday morning by a relative who was looking for them accompanied by some policemen. The tree where the girls were found hanging is barely 200 metres from the house of one of them that is located in a thickly forested remote part of Assam, barely two kilometres from the border with Bangladesh.
Sources in the police say mobile phones belonging to the girls were on till at least three hours after they disappeared during which multiple calls were made to a few numbers. Their call records are being studied to find out more leads in the case.
Locals suspect that the girls were first raped and then killed. The police said a post-mortem will determine if that is correct. "We have recovered the bodies and sent those for postmortem and forensic test," said a senior officer handling the case.
10:27 Pakistan Army, ISI to be blamed for Al Qaeda's advance into India: Expert
Two days after Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announced the creation of a South Asian branch of his outfit to "raise the flag of jihad" in the Indian subcontinent, a US intelligence analyst accused the Pakistani military of 'stage-managing' the terror outfit's latest advance into India.
In his column, Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst and National Security Council official for South Asia, also said that Pakistan should be warned that it will be placed on the list of states sponsoring terrorism, a newspaper said.
Riedel has directly blamed the Pakistan military and its intelligence outfit ISI for the renewed terror threats against India in order to secure gains in their country's political arena. There was no uncertainty that Zawahiri recorded the latest video in his hideout in Pakistan, secured by the ISI, claimed Riedel.
"The domestic politics of Pakistan are central to this drama, and to this threat," he said.
09:31 Modi is world's 2nd most-popular leader on Twitter, Facebook after Obama
Social media seems to be too impressed with PM Narendra Modi as he has been rated as the world's second-most followed politician on Twitter after Barack Obama.
After being appointed as the Prime Minister of the country, he has added more than 2 million followers in the first 100 days of his government on Twitter, an official blog on the micro-blogging website said.
He uses both his personal Twitter handle (@narendramodi) and official account of the Prime Ministers Office (@PMOIndia) to connect with the people.
His Twitter account (@narendramodi) has crossed the 6 million follower mark since his election win, while the official account of the Prime Ministers Office (@PMOIndia) has grown more than 40% since his swearing-in ceremony, the blog added.
Also, Narendra Modi has the fastest growing Facebook page for any elected official in the world and is only second to US President Barack Obama, who has over 40 million fan following on Facebook.
09:31 HM Rajnath Singh to survey flood-hit Kashmir today
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will on Saturday undertake an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Jammu and Kashmir to assess the situation there.
Weather officials have, meanwhile, offered hope, saying the rains could end today and fair weather was expected next week.
Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, Secretary (Border Management) Snehlata Kumar and Additional Director General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will accompany the Home Minister, who will arrive in Srinagar this morning.
Before going for the aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts, Singh will hold a review meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and state government officials.
After the survey, the Home Minister would arrive in Jammu, where he will meet representatives of the state government and take stock of the situation.
Flood situation has worsened in the last two days in Jammu and Kashmir where several rivers have been flowing above the danger mark and most parts of south Kashmir, including Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam district have been submerged.
09:30 Hundreds attend memorial service for slain US journalist
Murdered American journalist Steven Sotloff urged his friends and family to live life "to the fullest," in a letter penned during his captivity in Iraq and read at a memorial service in his honor.
Hundreds of mourners paid their last respects to the journalist at a somber and emotional ceremony held yesterday just days after his beheading by Islamic State militants.
"Please know I'm OK. Live your life to the fullest and fight to be happy," the reporter said in a letter read to the congregation at the service.
Parts of letters written by Sotloff were smuggled out to his family during his captivity, US news reports said.
Flags flew at half-staff across his home state of Florida yesterday, and a large meeting room at a Miami synagogue, said to hold up to 700 people, was filled beyond capacity.
Sotloff, 31, was beheaded by Islamic State militants in a video released Tuesday, two weeks after the similar video of US journalist James Foley's killing was posted online. The freelance reporter, who had written for various publications, including Time magazine, Foreign Policy and others, was kidnapped April 4, 2013 in Aleppo near the Turkish border.
04:10 Leader of al-Shabaab killed in Somalia by US strike
The leader of the Islamic militant organization behind the slaughter at a Kenya mall last year was killed during a U.S. military strike earlier this week, U.S. officials confirmed on Friday.
Ahmed Abdi Godane '" the leader of al-Shabaab '" was killed during an airstrike Monday that also claimed the lives of 10 other militants.
President Obama, speaking at a NATO summit in Wales, said the successful strike was an example of his administration's push against terrorism.
04:07 Hawaii island declares emergency over volcano threat
Hawaii's Big Island has declared a state of emergency as lava from an active volcano threatens nearby homes, which could be evacuated within days, officials and reports have said.
Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi signed a proclamation Thursday after the lava flow from the Kilauea volcano advanced to within a mile of a residential area known as the Ka'ohe Homesteads.
04:07 EU agrees new sanctions on Russia
The European Union has said it had agreed on a new package of economic sanctions against Russia, despite a ceasefire between government forces and pro-Kremlin rebels in Ukraine.
The sanctions tighten existing measures imposed in July, targeting more individuals with travel bans and asset freezes, as well as tightening access to capital markets for Russian oil and defence companies.
04:06 Plane with unresponsive pilot crashes off Jamaica
Shadowed by two US fighter jets, a small plane with its windows frosted over and its pilot apparently incapacitated flew a ghostly 1,700-mile journey down the Atlantic Coast and beyond before finally crashing in the waters off Jamaica.
The fate of the two or more people aboard was not immediately known. Maj Basil Jarrett of the Jamaican Defence Force said the plane went down about 22 kilometres northeast of the northern coastal town of Port Antonio and the military sent two aircraft and a dive team to investigate the area where the plane went down.
04:05 Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels reach ceasefire deal
Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels reached a ceasefire agreement on Friday, the first step toward ending fighting in eastern Ukraine that has caused the worst standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cold War ended.
The ceasefire deal was struck in the Belarussian capital Minsk along with a deal allowing for prisoner exchanges, deliveries of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of heavy weapons after five months of a conflict that has killed more than 2,600 people.
02:54 Outside Ukrainian city, fighting continues ahead of truce's start
The Ukrainian captain sat on a fallen tree amid drifting smoke, clutching his bare head, as the wreckage of an artillery convoy destroyed by enemy fire smoldered nearby.
"Don't go out there, don't look at the shame of Ukraine's army," he said with a moan, narrow lines of blood streaking slowly out of his ears and nose. "These cannons were meant to give hell to Russians. They didn't fire a shot. Such a shame!"
02:45 NATO creates 'spearhead' to deter Russia
NATO's creation of a rapid-reaction "spearhead' force to protect Eastern Europe from Russian bullying reflects a cool-eyed calculation that Vladimir Putin and his generals won't risk head-to-head confrontation with the US and its nuclear-capable Western European allies.
The new force will be small, with just a few thousand troops, but it's a powerful message from major powers that they're willing to follow through on NATO's eastward expansion with their own metal '" and blood.
01:33 US: 'No plans' for military coordination with Iran over IS
The United States said today it has "no plans" for any military coordination with Iran in the fight against Islamic State fighters operating in Iraq and Syria.
"We are not going to coordinate military action or share intelligence with Iran and have no plans to do so," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said, reacting to reports that Tehran had approved such an arrangement.
00:19 GNLA threatens serial blasts in Garo Hills
Meghalaya's proscribed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) today threatened to carry out serial blasts in the Garo Hills region in protest against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma's decision to intensify counter insurgency operations there.
"We will blast serially all government (including Congress) offices in all the five Districts of Garo Hills. Now the ball is in government court to decide whether they stop or continue with police operations," GNLA said in a statement.
00:18 Snag, power outages spoil Modi's speech at many schools
Technical snag and power outages spoilt telecast of the Prime Minister's much talked-about Teachers' Day speech at many schools, while many parents rued the "wrong timing" of the event as they had to make a dash from offices to pick up their wards.
Non-availability of last mile connectivity, rains, lack of refreshments, and poor set-top boxes, television sets and speakers also disrupted the telecast at many city schools.
00:14 Nato tries to reassure eastern members with new 'spearhead' force
A new "spearhead" force which can deployed rapidly is among several measures agreed at Nato's summit to reassure eastern members worried by Russia's actions in Ukraine.
The force, numbering several thousand, could be deployed within days, Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.Supplies and equipment will also be pre-positioned in eastern Nato states.
Nato accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this.
00:12 'Unresponsive aircraft': Two F-15s race to plane over Atlantic
Two F-15 fighter jets were dispatched over the Atlantic Ocean on Friday to follow a turboprop plane that stopped responding to radio calls and flew hundreds of miles off course. The pilot was spotted "unconscious and slumped over' in the cockpit, U.S. officials told NBC News.
NORAD, the joint American and Canadian air command, said the fighter jets broke off the trail after the plane entered Cuban airspace. The plane was flying at about 25,000 feet, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
00:11 Top headlines in that last 24 hours
India, Australia sign landmark civil nuclear deal
Justice Dattu appointed next Chief Justice of India
Army reaches out to Kashmiris facing worst floods in 60 yrs
15 Christians arrested in Pakistan under blasphemy law
Hyderabad cops foil attempts by 4 men to join IS
I am a taskmaster; had my share of childhood fun: PM Modi
Top 15 quotes from PM's Teachers' Day speech
He survived ISIS massacre, faked death for 3 days
Justice Dattu appointed next Chief Justice of India
Army reaches out to Kashmiris facing worst floods in 60 yrs
15 Christians arrested in Pakistan under blasphemy law
Hyderabad cops foil attempts by 4 men to join IS
I am a taskmaster; had my share of childhood fun: PM Modi
Top 15 quotes from PM's Teachers' Day speech
He survived ISIS massacre, faked death for 3 days
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