LIVE
Tue, 16 September 2014
Modi govt's honeymoon period is over: Congress

Timeline  Refresh

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23:44   NASA to make announcement on US human spaceflights
US space agency NASA has said that a "major announcement" is coming later today regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States. 

NASA, which has been unable to send people to space since the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011, said the announcement would be made at a news conference from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and would be broadcast live on NASA's television station and website. 

"We're returning human spaceflight launches to America. Learn who will take crews to the ISS (International Space Station)," NASA said on Twitter. 

A NASA spokesman declined to give further details until the announcement, which is timed to coincide with the closing of the US markets. 

The agency has spent hundreds of millions to help private companies like SpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada develop their own crew transport vehicles so that Americans could launch flights to the ISS by 2017.
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22:24   If ISIS is allowed to continue, it will be a threat to 'our homeland': Hagel
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned the Congress about the looming threat that ISIS poses.

The Islamic State has been brutalising people in that region. It has murdered on video two American journalists and a British aid worker. Hagel said that if the IS is allowed to fester, it will threaten "our homeland", CNN reports. 
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21:25   Le Yucheng is China's new ambassador to India
China today appointed Le Yucheng as its ambassador to India, a day ahead of President Xi Jinping's maiden visit to the country.

The President appointed Le as the country's envoy, replacing Wei Wei, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a statement from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body.

Le was earlier China's assistant minister of the foreign affairs. Prior to his arrival in New Delhi, he served as the China's ambassador to Kazakhstan. Xi is scheduled to arrive in India tomorrow on a three-day visit as part of his four-country Asia trip.
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20:55   London to host its first ever regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas next month
London will host its first-ever Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas next month for over three days between October 16 and 18. This smaller-scale version of the mega PBD held every January in India, is expected to be inaugurated by External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on October 17 at Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster, the political hub of the city.

The convention aims to reach out to members of the community unable to participate in the annual RPBD in India. "The objective is to reach out to those members of the community who have been unable to participate in the annual RPBD in India and to provide a platform for the Indian community in the UK and Europe to contribute to the relationship between countries of the region and India."

"Participation in the event is expected from all regions of the UK and other countries of Europe," said a statement by the Indian High Commission in London today. "This convention is not only for the Indian community, but for all persons who are interested in plugging into India's growing relationship with the UK and Europe."

Over 1,000 delegates are expected to attend.
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20:46   'People have rejected the politics of polarisation'
The Congress today termed the results of the assembly by-polls, in which the BJP suffered major reverses, as "good omen" for the secular forces and said it should ring alarm bells in the saffron party as people have rejected the "politics of polarisation".

Saying that "Modi (government's) honeymoon period with the people was over", party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed sought to portray the verdict in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP could win only three of 11 assembly seats while rest going to the Samajwadi Party, as "the vote against the BJP more than in favour of any party".

He, at the same time, acknowledged that the Congress could not perform as per its expectations in the Hindi state by not winning a single seat, but reminded that in the Lok Sabha elections too, it had won only in two of the 80 parliamentary constituencies.
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20:43   BJP-Sena seat-sharing talks outcome likely soon: Rudy
Amid the stalemate between BJP and Shiv Sena over seat-sharing for Maharashtra assembly poll, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy today said the negotiations were on between the two parties and an outcome is expected very soon.

He said the party would "move ahead" with the "old ally" Shiv Sena in the assembly polls.

"Negotiations are on and very soon an outcome is expected," said Rudy who is party's general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra affairs. The two parties have been engaged in hard bargaining on seat-sharing with each maintaining its tough posture on the issue. Shiv Sena has refused to give 135 seats that the BJP is asking for under the proposed seat-sharing agreement.
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20:25  
Narendra Modi made his first visit to Gujarat today after he took over as prime minister in May. But his party's losses in by-elections today took some sheen off his homecoming, reports NDTV.

He was last in Ahmedabad to thank the people of his state for the spectacular victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

At a function today in Ahmedabad, Modi thanked the people of the state for their warm welcome.

Read the full report here
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20:18   Would Scotland be richer outside UK?
Scotland may be richer per capita than the rest of the UK, but what will happen to business (not to mention its currency) if they vote to leave?

Read the full report here
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18:59   IS jihadists down Syria warplane
Jihadists shot down a Syrian warplane conducting strikes on the Islamic State group stronghold of Raqa today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. "IS fighters fired on a military aircraft which crashed," the Britain-based group said.
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18:51   Isil want to assassinate the Pope, says Iraq's ambassador to Vatican
Habeeb Al Sadr warns that Isil's "band of criminals" could have Pope Francis in its sights, ahead of the pontiff's visits to Albania and Turkey. Read
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18:27   Cats 'are stressed because we treat them like dogs'
Cats 'do not enjoy 21st century living' and are stressed out by owners who expect them to behave like 'a less demanding dog'. Read
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18:27   Cats 'are stressed because we treat them like dogs'
Cats 'do not enjoy 21st century living' and are stressed out by owners who expect them to behave like 'a less demanding dog'. Read
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17:58   Kashmir floods: The army gains where media fails
The stage on which the Jammu and Kashmir flood disaster played out is littered with protagonists, most of whom did not receive the attention they deserve, says Ajai Shukla. Read
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17:46  
Must read: For James Foley's family, US policy offered no hope. Read
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17:45   Mulayam's family continues hold on Mainpuri seat
Samajwadi Party candidate Tej Pratap Singh today won the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll by a margin of more than 3.21 lakh votes, continuing the party's two-decade-long dominance on the traditional turf of party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Tej Pratap, grand nephew of the SP supremo, defeated his nearest rival Prem Singh Shakya of BJP in the bypoll, which was necessitated after the resignation of Mulayam who also won from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat.

An MBA, Tej Pratap became the third generation of the Yadav clan to reach the Lok Sabha.

Mulayam and his daughter-in-law and two nephews at present represent different constituencies of Uttar Pradesh in Lok Sabha. In the last polls, Mulayam won the seat by a margin of more than than 3.64 lakh votes
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17:38   Can Modi change India's foreign policy beyond recognition?
"What gives hope is that Modi's own leadership is vitally linked to his capacity to deliver on the economic front. Indeed, if he succeeds, India's foreign policies will have changed beyond recognition," says former Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar. Read
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17:31   UP star campaigner Adityanath on BJP rout: Wasn't allowed to campaign in all seats
First reactions from Yogi Adityanath, the man in-charge of the BJP's bypoll campaign in UP. He says: "I haven't seen the results, but results are dependent on a lot of factors, I wasn't allowed to campaign on all seats."

The contest in UP was directly between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP, with the BSP not contesting. Though the outcome does not alter the superstructure of the the state assembly it is an indicator that there were few takers for Adityanath's divisive politics.

On September 9, the EC had issued a showcause notice to Adityanath following a report wherein the BJP MP was accused of delivering an inflammatory speech and invoking religion in a bid to seek votes in Noida on September 7, in the run-up to the September 13 bypolls.

"Ram Bharat ki astha hai Bharatiya rashtriyata ka prateek hain Aap sabse kehna chahoonga ki Ram ki parampara mein jo log vishwas karte hain, Ram Rajya ki sthapana chahte hain UP mein bhi Aap se anurodh hai ki 13 tareekh ko padne wala ek-ek vote Bhajapa ke paksh mein jaana chahiye (Ram is a symbol of Indian nationality Those who believe in Ram, want Ram Rajya, I urge them to vote for the BJP)," Adityanath was reported to have said.
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16:44  
Meanwhile, a court in Lahore has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Hamid Mir for his this June 2, 2014, Jang Column.
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16:36   Cong on BJP bypoll rout: Anti-incumbency began within 100 days
Congress has its first moment in the sun after the Lok Sabha decimation. Senior leader Shakeel Ahmad on the bypolls, "Probably this is the first govt whose anti-incumbency began within 100 days of it coming to power."
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16:20   Results should serve as an 'eye opener' for BJP, says Vaghela
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela welcomed the bypoll result from Gujarat today and termed it as an "eye-opener" for the BJP.

"The bypoll results reflect the mood of voters, who were once misled by BJP's false propaganda. Through this election, voters have given a clear anti-BJP mandate. The results are an eye opener for the BJP. It has also strengthened our party," Vaghela said this afternoon.
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16:16  
PM Narendra Modi addresses BJP workers in Ahmedabad for the 1st time after taking oath as the Prime Minister.
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15:59   Modi arrives in Ahmedabad a day before Chinese PM's visit to city
PM Narendra Modi arrives in Ahmedabad. Modi was felicitated by Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel after he reached the city. This comes a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in the state. The Gujarat government as well as BJP state unit are leaving no stone unturned to make this a grand occasion.

Jinping and his delegation including ministers and officers will land in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. His arrival in Ahmedabad is a departure from protocol as most foreign dignitaries begin their visit from Delhi.

Modi has personally supervised the staying and other arrangements for Jinping.
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15:53  
Sensex drops about 324 pts to end at 26,492.51; Nifty slips 109 pts to end below 8,000 mark.
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15:36   'There is a lot of bitterness in the Sangh Parivar'
Congress leader Sachin Pilot is trying to revive a party that was decimated in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Rajasthan. In an interview, Pilot, who was recently appointed the Pradesh Congress Committee chief, says people are disenchanted with the Vasundhara Raje government.

This interview was done before the bypoll results today. Read
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15:25   Sachin Pilot shares credit for Rajasthan win with 'leadership of Gandhis'
The Congress was in a celebration mode in Rajasthan as the party won three out of four seats in the state in the recently held bypolls.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot thanked people and said that it was the result of the party's hard work in the past few months. "It took a lot of hard work in the past 3 to 4 months. Team work paid off," Pilot said.

But he did not make the cardinal mistake of hogging all the credit and immediately qualified the win saying the Congress win was under the leadership of the Gandhis. (Note the plural).

Asked about the factors that may have led to the Bharatiya Janata Party's defeat in the bypolls, Pilot said, "India has moved beyond love-jihad and Hindu-Muslim issues." At the same time he added, "The big picture is not who said what but the improvement in Congress's performance. What matters is the hard work and the verdict."
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15:14   What Scotland can learn from Indian independence
"The world is watching Scotland like it's never watched Scotland before. There will be a certain set of expectations upon an independent Scotland as there will be upon a Scotland that decides to remain in a union."

Read Gopalkrishna Gandhi's interview on the Scottish referendum.


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14:53   Auschwitz guard charged with being accessory to 300,000 murders
Prosecutors in Germany have charged a 93-year-old man with 300,000 counts of accessory to murder for serving as an SS guard at the Nazis' Auschwitz death camp. Read
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14:49   The black Victorians: astonishing portraits unseen for 120 years
From the African Choir posing like Vogue models to an Abyssinian prince adopted by an explorer, a new exhibition spotlights the first black people ever photographed in Britain. Read
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14:42   Why NYT editors have started calling Islamic State instead of ISIS or ISIL
Times editors have decided to adjust how we refer to the Islamic extremist group that controls territory in Syria and Iraq and has recently killed several hostages. Readers have encountered a confusing array of terms from journalists and public officials. Read
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14:40  
Milind Deora gives Sachin Pilot his due: "Big shout-out to my friend Sachin Pilot who deserves much of the credit for @INCIndia's remarkable performance in Rajasthan."
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14:06  
And that's President Pranab Mukherjee planting the Mahabodhi sapling in Vietnam, a gift from India. 
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14:05   Raj bypoll results: BJP says it will review its performance
With the BJP suffering reverses in Rajasthan, the party today said it will review its performance and fix responsibility. Rajasthan BJP President Ashok Parnami said the party accepts the public mandate.

"We welcome public mandate and accept our defeat on three seats of Weir, Surajgarh, and Nasirabad with great humility", Parnami said. "Hum poora vishleshan karenge natizon ka...kya kamiyan rahin dekhenge, tab jimmedari fix kareinge (We will do complete review and introspect results...what were the weaknesses and faults, we will look into it...also fix responsibility on those engaged in electioneering", he said.

Immediately after the results were announced, Parnami called on Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and discussed the outcome of the results. BJP could retain only one out of the four seats. Weir, Nasirabad and Surajgarh were wrested by Congress candidates.
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14:01  
What gets former Congress MP Milind Deora's goat: "Oft overheard (ignorant & deluded) cocktail party jabber: "Boss, BJP is invincible until 2024". Yeah, yeah, yeah :-)"
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13:58   Modi to Chinese journos: When India, China gain, the world gains
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a conversation today with Chinese journalists based in New Delhi said, "India and China are bound by history, connected by culture, and inspired by rich traditions. Together they can create a bright future for the entire mankind."

Modi summarized the possibilities of bilateral ties moving ahead as "Inch (India and China) towards Miles (Millennium of Exceptional Synergy).'

He said that every inch we cover can rewrite history of humanity and every mile we cross will go a long way in making this planet a better place. He hoped that together India and China cover several miles.

Referring to the large population base of India and China, Prime Minister said that when India and China gain, almost 35% of the world's population benefits; when India and China strengthen relations, almost 35% of the world's people come closer, so on and so forth.

In response to a question on how he foresees India and China relations developing, Prime Minister explained that relations go beyond plain arithmetic.

Elaborating on the nature of the relationship he said, "the arithmetic and chemistry of our relations convince me that together we can script history and create a better tomorrow for all of mankind."
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13:54   Love-jihad Adityanath gets a promotion
If you're wondering at the fortunes of Adityanath, the man who scripted love-jihad, here's what happened on Sunday.

BJP MP Yogi Adityanath was anointed the Peethadheeshwar (head seer) of Gorakshnath Peeth in Gorakhpur as sants from different parts of the country, including Haryana and Rajasthan, performed rituals.

As per the tradition, the anointment took place just before the body of Mahant Avaidyanath, the former Peethadheeshwar and chief priest of the Gorakshnath temple, was buried.  Read more
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13:49   Down boys!
To jolt you out of your post-lunch lethargy... read/see this.

If one goal of the uniforms for a women's cycling team from Colombia is to attract attention, they're a smashing success.

Some observers are calling the outfits -- which in photos seem to feature a swatch of flesh-tone-colored fabric in their lower region -- "rude," "wrong" and a "disaster."

But others are defending the uniform and the cyclists who wear it, saying the criticism is entirely sensationalized. Take a look.
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13:34  
"Modi wave is over, inflation and corruption has not finished," declares Arvind Kejriwal.
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13:30   BJP gets a jolt in Raj, losing ground in UP
BJP suffered a jolt in Rajasthan winning just one of the four seats and was losing ground in Uttar Pradesh where Samajwadi Party was ahead during counting of votes in the bypolls today exactly four months after it swept the two states in Lok Sabha elections.

In Gujarat, ruling BJP could retain only six of the nine seats while Congress bagged two and was ahead in one.

All the nine seats were earlier held by BJP and were vacated after their sitting MLAs were elected as MPs.

The BJP, however, had a reason to smile in West Bengal where it made its debut in the state assembly on its own by winning the Basirhat Dakshin seat. The bypolls for 33 seats spread over 10 states were held on September 13.

The outcome of the bypolls are seen as yet another test of Narendra Modi government's popularity since it assumed power in May.

It is also important as BJP prepares for polls in Haryana and Maharashtra next month where it hopes to oust the Congress in the two states.

In a jolt to the Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan, opposition Congress wrested three Assembly seats of Weir, Nasirabad and Surajgarh from the ruling BJP which could retain only the Kota seat. BJP had won all the 25 seats at stake in the Lok Sabha polls.

"It is a huge effort by the Congress party workers and I must give credit to each and everyone especially young people," said Congress leader and former Union Minister Sachin Pilot, who is trying to revive the party in Rajasthan.

In Uttar Pradesh, where 11 seats were at stake, ruling SP bagged the first seat winning Thakurdwara in Moradabad district where its candidate Nawabjaan defeated his nearest rival Rajpal Singh of BJP by a margin of 27,023 votes. It was ahead in eight while BJP was leading in two.

While BSP did not contest the bypoll, Congress and SP fielded candidates on all the 11 Assembly seats, whereas BJP contested on 10 and its ally Apna Dal on one.

The current BJP President Amit Shah had scripted the sweep in UP helping the saffron party bag 71 seats while its ally Apna Dal got two out of the 80 seats in the politically crucial state.
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13:27   Decision to use Yogi Adityanath as star campaigner backfires in UP?
Probable lesson to be learnt by the BJP is that it cannot take the Indian voter for granted and that divisive forces do not work. Its decision to have Yogi Adityanath as the party's star campaigner in UP may have been a mistake.

On September 9, the EC issued a showcause notice to Adityanath following a report wherein the BJP MP was accused of delivering an inflammatory speech and invoking religion in a bid to seek votes in Noida on September 7, in the run-up to the September 13 bypolls.

"Ram Bharat ki astha hai Bharatiya rashtriyata ka prateek hain Aap sabse kehna chahoonga ki Ram ki parampara mein jo log vishwas karte hain, Ram Rajya ki sthapana chahte hain UP mein bhi Aap se anurodh hai ki 13 tareekh ko padne wala ek-ek vote Bhajapa ke paksh mein jaana chahiye (Ram is a symbol of Indian nationality Those who believe in Ram, want Ram Rajya, I urge them to vote for the BJP)," Adityanath was reported to have said.
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13:25   Cong: BJP govt has failed to live up to peope's expectations
Congress spokes making an appearance after the bypoll surprise results.
Ajay Maken tweets: Bypoll results only proves that the BJP government has failed to live up to the expectations/dreams created before the elections.
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13:21  
Digvijaya Singh tweets: Achhe Din for BJP over? Losing sitting seats for BJP should be a matter of concern. Congrats for all the Congress Winners. Keep it up.
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13:19   Congress wins Lakhipur in Assam
Ruling Congress retained Lakhipur Assembly constituency of Assam as its candidate Rajdeep Goala defeated his nearest BJP rival Sanjay Thakur by 9172 votes. Rajdeep garnered 40,090 votes, while Thakur got 30918 votes, election office said. The seat was held by Rajdeep Goala's father Dinesh Prasad Goala whose death necessitated the by-poll.
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13:17   Relief distribution in flood-affected areas hit by chaos
Update on the Kashmir floods: 'Might is right' seems to be the rule of the game as relief distribution in flood-affected areas of Kashmir has been hit by chaos due to lack of civil administration on ground.

Scuffles between various groups of flood victims have been witnessed in Mehjoor Nagar, Rambagh, Jawahar Nagar and some other areas of the city over rice bags and other material being brought by relief trucks.
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13:08   Cong:BJP neck-and-neck in Gujarat
BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain attempts to contextualise the bypoll losses in UP, Rajasthan and yes, even, Gujarat. "These polls were contested on local issues, shouldn't be seen in the national context," says the BJP spokesperson.

BJP wins third assembly seat Khambhalia in Gujarat. A massive setback for CM Anadiben Patel. Final tally: BJP 6, Cong 3. 


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12:54   No tickets for PM's Madison Square Garden tryst
This is the response to the PM's visit to New York... The website PMVisit.org says...

"Thank you for your interest in being part of the Community Reception for the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on September 28th.

We had an overwhelming response for this historic event. Unfortunately, the venue size does not match the tremendous interest from the Indian American community. We apologize for not being able to give you a general admission ticket. "

For those who have been allotted a ticket, but want to cancel, this is what you do. Take a look.
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12:38   Madison Square Garden awaits Modi on Sept 28
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to nearly 20,000 Indian-Americans in New York during his US visit will be beamed live on the giant screens of the iconic Times Square.

His speech at the Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan, New York, on September 28 will be shown at Times Square with Indian American Community Foundation (IACF), organisers of the mega event, signing a memorandum of understanding in this regard with Times Square Alliance.

The speech, shown live on the giant screens of the Times Square -- considered to be the hub of the New York City '"- would carry English subtitles.

For the audio, people can either dial a toll free number to listen the speech live or download an app on their smart phone.

Modi is scheduled to address a 20,000 packed crowd inside the Madison Square Garden for which nearly 40,000 people had applied from across the nation.
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12:20   Narendra Modi website turns red on the eve of Chinese prez visit
On the eve of Chinese president Xi Jinping's visit to Gujarat, a significant feature in a bright red backdrop -- the signature colour of communist China - has been posted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi website in English and Mandarin, on Monday,  talking at length about the "Buddhist Heritage in Gujarat".  Take a look
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12:16  
Pritish Nandy makes a point: "So, hopefully, this will be the end of the #lovejihad campaign in UP. And we will hear less of the communal pitch in the coming elections."
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12:13   Grateful to people: Akhilesh
UP CM, Akhilesh Yadav, on the UP bypolls: Communal elements have been rejected. We are grateful to the people and the SP will work towards development.
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12:02   Anandiben passes litmus test in Gujarat
The Gujarat bypolls are considered to be the litmus test of the new Chief Minister Anandiben Patel's leadership. The BJP had sought votes in the name of Modi and Patel has asked voters to gift 10 seats to him ahead of his 64th birthday. Modi will reach Ahmedabad this evening and will be present in the city on his birthday tomorrow.

Also read: Don't celebrate my birthday, says PM
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11:58   BJP wins one seat in Bengal
BJP scrapes through with 1200 votes in Basirhat in West Bengal. It's first win in the state.

In UP, the Samajwadi party is so far leading in nine of 11 assembly seats vacated by the BJP.

Cause for worry for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a state where the party scripted its biggest success story ever, during the Lok Sabha polls in May. 
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11:53  
Cong on poll trend: Phenomenal success of Cong, salute Rajasthan voters, result of hard work of party workers, says Sachin Pilot.
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11:45  
SP on UP poll trends: "Shows policies of SP have been well accepted by people, it's a victory of ideology of secularism."
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11:43   BJP wins in Gujarat
As expected, BJP wins eight out of nine seats in Gujarat.
But a huge setback for BJP in UP and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, ruling BJP has won just one seat, while in UP SP leads in nine seats and BJP holds on to just two seats. Earlier BJP had held all nine seats.

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11:28   Bypoll results...
Bypoll updates...

BJP wins Anand and Limkheda.
Rajasthan's Nasirabad seat won by Congress.
Congress bags Weir seat of Bharatpur in Rajasthan.
BJP wins Kota South seat in Rajasthan.
TDP candidate T Sowmya wins Nandigama seat in Andhra Pradesh. Congress leading in three seats and BJP in one in Rajasthan.
Samajwadi Party is leading in 9 seats and BJP in 2 in Uttar Pradesh. Trinamool Congress and Congress are leading in Basirhat Dakhin and Chowringhee Assembly constituencies in West Bengal respectively.
Congress wins Mangrol Assembly seat in Gujarat.
CPM candidate Prabhat Chowdhury wins Manu seat in Tripura.
TDP leading in one Seemandhra Assembly seat.
The BJP has won the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat.
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11:17   Modi wave wanes in UP, Rajasthan, NO dent in Bengal
Bypoll results coming in slowly...

BJP's Ranjanaben Bhatt wins the Vadodara seat. SP leads in nine seats in UP and BJP in two seats. Advantage TMC in West Bengal, BJP fails to make a dent. TMC leads in the Chowringhee Assembly seat. Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS leads in the Medak in Telangana. Congress wins Deesa and Magrol seats in Gujarat. Cong also leads in three out of the four assembly seats in Rajasthan.

Counting of votes is under way in three Lok Sabha and 33 assembly constituencies spread across 10 states for bypolls, which were held on September 13. The three Lok Sabha seats are in Vadodara ( Gujarat), vacated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh) and Medak (Telangana) while 11 assembly constituencies are in UP, nine in Gujarat, four in Rajasthan, two in West Bengal, five in Northeastern states and one each in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
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10:57   Vadra breathes easy, HC dismisses PIL seeking CBI probe
The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a probe into Robert Vadra's land deals. The PIL sought a court-monitored CBI probe into various land deals allegedly entered into by firms owned by Vadra, who is the son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
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10:05   Strong quake hits Japan
Buildings in Tokyo shook today as a strong quake hit Japan, reports said, but there was no immediate risk of a tsunami and no damage was reported. Seismologists said the epicentre was around 44 kilometres north-northeast of the Japanese capital and was located around 50 kilometres below the surface. 

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 5.6. Their Japanese counterparts said there was no danger of a tsunami from the tremor, the effects of which could be felt in buildings for more than a minute after the initial shaking began.
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10:04   Kerry: US open to talks with Iran on Islamic State
As more than two dozen nations pledged to help Iraq fight the Islamic State militants, the United States said it was open to talking to Iran about a role in resolving the crisis, despite Washington's earlier opposition to Tehran even attending the conference. 

US Secretary of State John Kerry ruled out any military coordination with Iran, which in the end was not invited to Paris.
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10:03   What the Union Ministry of Surface Transport has been up to
What is keeping Vijay Chhibber Secretary, Union Ministry of Surface Transport, so busy these days? It certainly is not the state of the country's highways.     

Instead, Chhibber is busy hosting lavish dinners in a bid to retain his seat as the President of the Delhi Gymkhana Club. Normally a two-year term, Chhibber is facing a challenge to stay on after his first year due to his inefficient and controversial tenure.   

Desperate to retain his presidency Chhibber is pulling all stops, using his bureaucratic and other networks to woo the club voters.   

All this is very well for Chhibber but what about the prime minister's diktat on being low profile and staying away from the city's watering holes. And finally, what about the state of our roads which should be Chhibber's priority in the first place? 
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09:38   US bombs IS near Baghdad for first time
US warplanes carried out their first air strike on the Islamic State near Baghdad, as world diplomats pledged to support Iraq in its fight against the militants. 

The United States early last month began air strikes against IS positions in northern Iraq, but yesterday's announcement that the campaign had targeted the jihadists near the Iraqi capital marks an escalation in the scope of the mission.
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09:38   Obama identifies 22 drug-producing or transit countries
US President Barack Obama has identified 22 countries, including India and Pakistan, as major illicit drug-producing or drug-transit countries. While identifying the 22 countries, Obama also determined that three of them -- Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela -- as nations which have "failed demonstrably" during the last twelve months to make sufficient or meaningful efforts to adhere to their international obligations in this regard.
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08:46   Typhoon shuts down Hong Kong with strong winds, rain
Hong Kong was shuttered today as a powerful typhoon swept past the city, bringing strong winds and rain that caused flight disruptions and forced the closure of the stock market and container ports. 

Typhoon Kalmaegi, packing gusts of 125 kilometres (77 miles) per hour, was centred 400 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong as it barrelled towards the northern tip of China's Hainan island.
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08:21   Microsoft to hold Windows 9 event in San Francisco
Software giant Microsoft is expected to provide a technical preview of its new Windows 9 operating system at an event in San Francisco later this month.  

The event, billed as a chance to "hear about what's next for Windows and the enterprise", will be held on September 30.
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08:13   Counting begins for bypolls in 3 Lok Sabha, 33 assembly seats
Counting of votes will be held on Tuesday in three Lok Sabha and 33 assembly constituencies spread across 10 states where bypolls were held on September 13, with stakes high for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The three Lok Sabha seats are in Vadodara (Gujarat), vacated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh) and Medak (Telangana) while 11 assembly constituencies are in UP, nine in Gujarat, four in Rajasthan, two in West Bengal, five in Northeastern states and one each in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. 

24 of these assembly seats were held by BJP and one each by its allies Apna Dal and TDP.
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03:04   Apple sells 4 million iPhones in 24 hours
Apple had more than 4 million advance orders of its new iPhones in the first 24 hours, exceeding its initial supply, the company said today.

The company said the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be delivered to customers starting Friday and throughout September, but many won't be delivered until October. 

Phones will still be available Friday on a walk-in basis at Apple retail stores and from various wireless carriers and authorised Apple resellers. 

Apple's website had intermittent outages last Friday because of heavy traffic as orders began online. The company said the 4 million orders set a new 24-hour record. 

It did not immediately say what the old record was. Last year, Apple sold 9 million phones in the first three days they were on sale. 

The new phones were announced last week and have larger screens, faster performance and a wireless chip for making credit card payments at retail stores by holding the phone near the payment terminal. The phones start at USD199 with a two-year service contact. 

The phones will initially be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK Availability will expand to more than 20 additional countries a week later.
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03:02   The mystery of the White House coffee
A recipe for beer brewed by the White House? The Obama administration happily shares it. A list of wines served at state dinners? No problem. But what about the First Familys coffee habits?

Security concerns are initially cited. Then e-mails go unreturned. Caffeine consumption in the West Wing has, apparently, become a state secret.

For an administration that loves to talk about the importance of local food, especially when it comes from the celebrated White House vegetable garden, it turns out that the Obama White House makes it nearly impossible to find the source of its coffee and how it is prepared

Read more HERE
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02:58   Gujarati thali for Xi
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his delegates will be spoilt for choice at the dinner Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting for them at the Sabarmati riverfront on Wednesday. 

Modi's guests on his birthday will have 50 'suddh sattvik' ethnic items, all prepared by a chef from top hotel chain, to choose from. They will also have exotic butter milk to wash them down. 

The visitors will have lunch at the Grand Hyatt in Vastrapur, which will consist of Chinese, including non-vegetarian cuisines. However, the gala dinner at the Sabarmati riverfront will be completely vegetarian spread prepared by the Taj chef and his team.

According to sources, authentic Guajarati food items have been included in the menu to make the Chinese president Xi and delegates aware of the richness of the local cuisine. 

There will be about 200 guests, including the Xi and Modi, who will partake of the lavish spread. The Gateway Hotels and Resorts has been assigned the responsibility of the gala dinner. 

According to sources, the central government confirmed with the Taj group to take the responsibility of the dinner and serve exotic Gujarati food to win the hearts of the Chinese delegation. The group will have 100 of its best people to take care of the guests at the venue. For this it has called its staff members from across the country to offer the best hospitality to the guests.

However, the chief of the chefs' team is from the Ahmedabad ring of its chain. All Gujarati food items will be prepared under his supervision.

Read more HERE
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02:57   Islamic State issues new curriculum in Iraq
The extremist-held Iraqi city of Mosul is set to usher in a new school year. But unlike years past, there will be no art or music. 

Classes about history, literature and Christianity have been "permanently annulled." 

The Islamic State group has declared patriotic songs blasphemous and ordered that certain pictures be torn out of textbooks.

But instead of compliance, Iraq's second largest city has at least so far responded to the Sunni militants' demands with silence. Although the extremists stipulated that the school year would begin September 9, pupils have uniformly not shown up for class, according to residents who spoke anonymously because of safety concerns.

They said families were keeping their children home out of mixed feelings of fear, resistance and uncertainty. 

"What's important to us now is that the children continue receiving knowledge correctly, even if they lose a whole academic year and an official certification," a Mosul resident who identified himself as Abu Hassan told The Associated Press, giving only his nickname for fear of reprisals. 

He and his wife have opted for home schooling, picking up the required readings at the local market.
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02:56   'We love you, don't go', London rally tells Scotland
Thousands today gathered in London to urge Scottish voters to reject independence and stay in the United Kingdom in a landmark referendum in three days' time. 

Demonstrators in the rally in central Trafalgar Square waved Union Jack flags and held up signs reading "Let's stay together" and "Scotland we love you, don't go." 

"I am beside myself with worry that Scotland might be separate from the rest of the UK. It will be an absolute travesty and terrible," said Shona Milne, 56, a longtime resident of England from Glasgow. 

"I am distraught and I know millions of Scots are feeling the same," added Milne, who was wearing a "Proud to be Scottish and British" t-shirt. The mood was nervous but determined as pop songs such as "We are Family" and "Let's Stay Together" played over loudspeakers to the crowd of over 2,000. 

Polls have shown the result could go either way when Scots cast their votes on Thursday in the historic referendum on the 307-year-old union.

Organiser Dan Snow, a broadcaster and historian, told the crowd: "We think that unity is better than division, and cooperation is better than competition." 

Irish rock musician Bob Geldof, a long-time resident of England, said the United Kingdom was "one of the greatest ideas ever invented for the modern age".

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