LIVE
Mon, 21 December 2015
Live! 'Cow' named Yahoo India's 'Personality of the Year'

Timeline  Refresh

image
23:16   Martian gullies likely contain 'no water': study
Months after scientists announced "the strongest evidence yet" of liquid water on Mars, a study today said there was none at least in the valleys carved into numerous Red Planet slopes.

Rather than water flows like those on Earth, these Martian gullies were likely created by dry ice defrosting, a duo of French scientists wrote in the journal Nature Geoscience.

"The role of liquid water in gully formation should... be reconsidered, raising the question of the importance of its occurrence in Mars' recent past," wrote Francois Forget and Cedric Pilorget of the French national research institute CNRS.
image
23:07   Kejriwal writes to Modi, seeks support for 'odd-even' measure
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his cooperation on the 'odd-even' initiative, and said directives or a public appeal by him in this regard would have
a "major impact".
In a letter, Kejriwal apprised the Prime Minister that he, along with his colleagues, would carpool to office during the January 1-15 period when the vehicle rationing scheme will kick in and urged Modi to request Union ministers and secretaries to do the same.

Kejriwal said the AAP government had to resort to the "unexpected and disagreeable decision" in order to mitigate air pollution in Delhi, which has assumed "dreadful proportions".
image
22:59   Modi likely to visit Kabul on Friday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Kabul on December 25 where he will inaugurate the new building of the Afghan Parliament constructed by India at a cost of about USD 90 million.
He is expected to make a stop-over in Kabul on his way back home from Moscow where he is going for a two-day visit from Wednesday to hold annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kabul visit has not been officially announced but informed sources said the Prime Minister will make his first trip to the war-torn country on Friday.
image
21:15   'Cow' named Yahoo India's 'Personality of the Year'
The humble 'Cow' emerged as the 'Personality of the Year' on the back of online buzz around beef ban and associated discussions on intolerance', search engine Yahoo said today.

"In an unexpected twist, the humble 'Cow' emerged as 'Personality of the Year', trumping other high-profile contenders for the top spot. It started with the Maharashtra government announcing a ban on sale of beef in the state '" a move, which led to massive debates online and offline, spiraling into the 'beef controversy'," Yahoo said in a statement.

It further said: "Fuelled further by the mob lynching at Dadri, the 'cow' became the icon of discussions on 'intolerance', sparking the 'award wapsi' campaign, and even stalling the Parliament proceedings at one point".

The trend is a part of Yahoo's 2015 Year in Review for India. It is a look at the year's top trends, happenings and events.
image
21:03   19 students barred from boarding US-bound Air India flight
Air India barred 19 students from boarding its flight to the USA on the grounds that the two universities in which they had secured admission are under "scrutiny" of American authorities.

The national carrier asked its staff to not allow the 19 students to board its flight to San Francisco at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here last night.

The students have taken admission at two San Francisco- based varsities that are currently under US government scanner, an Air India official said. 

"In the past, we have witnessed that students who secured admission in those institutions have been deported to India as soon as they land there. To avoid embarrassment to them and save their money, we prevented them from boarding the flight," the official said today.
image
20:57   'Bajirao Mastani' earns Rs 91 cr worldwide in first three days
Movie production and distribution firm Eros International today said the recently released Bollywood film "Bajirao Mastani" has mopped up Rs 90.80 crore in three days.

" 'Bajirao Mastani' ended the opening weekend on a big high collecting Rs 90.80 crore worldwide -- Rs 60.80 crore gross (Rs 46.77 crore net box office collection) in India and Rs 30 crore ($4.5 million) overseas," Eros International said in a statement.

The film, starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, showed an upward graph through the weekend with collections showing a jump of 21 per cent on Saturday over Friday and 44 per cent on Sunday over Friday in multiplexes across India, it said.
image
20:54   Pak arrests 66 Indian fishermen
Pakistan today said it had arrested 66 Indian fishermen and seized 10 fishing boats for allegedly fishing in the country's territorial waters in the Arabian Sea. The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) handed over the Indian fishermen who were arrested yesterday to the docks police for further prosecution. The fishermen were in Pakistan's territorial waters and despite warnings did not turn back and were arrested and their boats seized, a PMSA spokesman said.

India and Pakistan regularly arrest fishermen who stray in to each other's waters due to a poorly marked sea boundary and according to figures they are around 400 Indian fishermen presently lodged in jails in Karachi.

In the past the two nations have released the fishermen as goodwill gestures and the Pakistan government last August released around 163 Indian fishermen including some minors.
image
20:26   JNU prof sacked for alleged sexual abuse of foreign student
JNU today terminated services of an assistant professor after a varsity inquiry committee found him guilty in a case of alleged sexual harassment filed by a foreign scholar pursuing research under him. The decision was taken today at an emergent meeting of of Jawaharlal Nehru University's Executive Council, the varsity's statutory decision making body.

The complainant, a Bangladesh national, was pursuing research under the professor's supervision in the varsity's Department of Sociology. "A research scholar from Bangladesh working under supervision of the professor, had alleged that she was sexually abused by the professor. Subsequently, an inquiry was instituted by the Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment, the university watchdog for dealing with such issues," official sources said.

"In its enquiry, the GSCASH found him guilty and recommended action against him, following which the EC meet was called to take a call on the issue. The EC decided to terminate his services with immediate effect," they added.
image
19:53   Trump exploiting people's fears: Obama
In his first major comments on Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, US President Barack Obama today said that the real estate tycoon is exploiting people's fear amid a stagnant and rapidly changing economy. 

"I think somebody like Mr Trump is taking advantage of that. That's what he's exploiting during the course of his campaign," Obama told the National Public Radio in an interview.

"When one combines the demographic change with all the economic stresses that people have been going through because of the financial crisis, because of technology, because of globalisation, it means that there is going to be potential anger, frustration and fear," said the president.
image
19:37   PM to personally greet each policeman in country on R-Day
In a unique effort to reach out to all 18 lakh policemen in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to send SMSes to each one of them on the coming Republic Day.

Modi will personally contact each of the policemen, from Director General of Police to constable, of all state police forces through SMSes and wish them on Republic Day. The Prime Minister is said to have expressed his desire during the just concluded three-day DGPs conference held in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, official sources said.

This will be perhaps for the first time a prime minister will directly reach out to all policemen across the country. Modi said it was necessary to have a list of contact details of all policemen and asked the state DGPs to prepare the list before January 26 so that he could send the SMSes on Republic Day. 

Highlighting the positive effects of Yoga on people's body and mind, Modi suggested that every policeman should practice yoga before starting the day and if necessary, police stations should hire yoga teachers for the benefit of the security personnel.
image
19:29   INS Godavari to be decommissioned on December 23
The country's first indigenously designed and built warship Indian Naval Ship (INS) Godavari will be decommissioned on December 23, thirty-two years after it was commissioned into the Indian Navy.

"With her decommissioning INS Godavari will complete its full life cycle, meeting all responsibilities and duties assigned, proving the success of Indian ship design and construction," a defence release stated.

Over the past three decades, Godavari has successfully been deployed in numerous operations including 'Operation Jupiter' - 1988 (Sri Lanka), 'Operation Shield' and 'Operation Bolster' --1994 (de-induction of Indian Army from Somalia) and 'Patrol of Gulf of Aden' (PoG) --2009 and 2011 (anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden), it said.

In 1988, in an operation called 'Operation Cactus', India successfully thwarted a coup d'tat against Maldivian Government, the release added.
image
19:12   Possibly Jaitley was not aware of corruption in DDCA: Kirti Azad
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kriti Azad, who has been going against the party line in highlighting the alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association during Arun Jaitley's tenure as the cricket body's chief, told a TV channel on Monday that possibly the finance minister was not aware of the fraud taking place under him in the DDCA.

Azad, who demanded an SIT probe into the alleged irregularities, said that maybe didn't know about the massive corruption in the DDCA during his 13-year rule.

However, he also said that he is 'feeling sad that defamation case was not filed against him'.
image
18:48   Motorbike bomber kills six foreign soldiers in Afghanistan
Six foreign soldiers killed in suicide attack on patrol near base at Bagram in eastern Afghanistan, Nato says.

The suicide bomber on a motorbike has attacked a joint US-Afghan patrol near Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, killing six soldiers and wounding six, according to local officials. The district governor said the group were attacked at about 1pm local time as they were patrolling on foot through Bajawryan village, and that at least three soldiers and three police were also wounded in the attack.


File pic of a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.
image
18:19  
Shobhaa De @DeShobhaa  Judge the crime. Not the age. And punish accordingly.
image
18:13   BJP MPs want Bhagwad Gita to be declared 'National Book'
BJP members in the Lok Sabha today made a strong plea for declaring Bhagwad Gita as 'National book". The issue was raised during zero hour by Yogi Adityanath (BJP), who said the teachings of the Gita have become all the more relevant at a time when the world is concerned over 'jehadi' terrorism.

Noting that the scripture teaches immortal values and is a guide to humanity, he hailed the Bhagvad Gita Mahotsave held at Kurukhshetra recently.

He also wanted that learning of Bhagvad Gita be made part of school curriculum. His plea was supported by a large number of his party colleagues with thumping of desks.
image
18:10   Defamation case: AAP files caveat in HC
Aam Aadmi Party leader and senior Supreme Court advocate H S Phoolka on Monday filed a caveat in the Delhi high court on behalf of party leaders Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh and Deepak Bajpai following the defamation case filed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley against them in the Patiala House court over the issue of corruption and irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association.

"We have filed a caveat on behalf of Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh and Deepak Bajpai. We have requested the high court that no order should be passed without hearing us," Phoolka said.

"When this matter will come up for hearing, we should oppose this case and should oppose any kind of stay order being granted by the court," he added.

Phoolka asserted that his party would not only prove that the leaders are innocent but also confirm that the allegations leveled against Jaitley are correct.
image
17:44   Death sentence for seven who gang-raped mentally challenged woman
A Rohtak court announces death by hanging for seven accused of raping and murdering a Nepalese girl on February 4, 2015. A juvenile, also accused in the matter, is in the juvenile court.


The eight men were arrested in February in the brutal rape and murder of a mentally challenged Nepalese woman in Rohtak, a crime that caused outrage and revulsion across the country after her body was found with blades and stones shoved inside it. An autopsy had established that her private parts were torn by the ferocity of the assault. The men, all in their twenties, belonged to Gaddi Kheri village, located six kilometers from Rohtak.


The 28-year-old woman, who was living with her sister at Chinyot Colony in Rohtak while undergoing treatment at a hospital, was reported missing on February 1. After her mutilated body was found three days later in a field along the Rohtak-Hisar highway, an autopsy confirmed rape and multiple injuries to the head, chest and thighs. The autopsy report stated that blades and stones had been shoved into the body, said doctors of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak. Dr S K Dhattarwal, who led the team that performed the autopsy, said the woman was attacked so brutally that her intestines were damaged.
image
17:27  
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal writes to PM Modi seeking support, cooperation on odd-even formula for cars.
image
17:26   Nearly 100 missing in China landslide, massive rescue on
Hundreds of rescuers battling rain and low visibility today mounted a massive operation to locate nearly 100 people including 32 women who remained missing a day after a massive landslide struck an industrial estate in China's manufacturing hub of Shenzen.

In what is being termed as one of China's worst urban disasters, a huge man-made mound of earth and construction debris lost stability and collapsed yesterday, burying 33 buildings and triggering an explosion at a gas station in an industrial park in the southern city of Shenzhen.

Rescuers sifted through hundreds of tonnes of mud from a crumbling mountain and debris from the buildings in one of China's most developed cities, bordering Hong Kong.

Authorities mounted a massive rescue operation battling bad weather and low visibility, with 78 excavators and 1,200 rescuers added to the operation searching for the 91 people missing that includes 32 women, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

There are now 2,906 rescuers, including some 8,00 members of the armed forces, digging through silt and rubble at the Hengtaiyu industrial park. The excavators, which arrived at the site this morning, are the first to be involved in the operation, the report said.

It was, however, unlikely that further landslides take place, according to a team of 200 geology and gas experts involved in the rescue.
image
17:11  
@IndiaHistorypic  tweets this: Arun Jaitley during his college days as the president of the student union at Delhi University. Did you spot him?
image
16:21   Jaitley should not try and scare us by filing a case, Kejriwal reacts
Arvind Kejriwal reacts to the criminal defamation case filed by Arun Jaitley.  ‏The Delhi CM tweeted: "Jaitley-ji should not try and scare us by filing a case against us in court. Our fight against corruption will go on. Jaitley-ji should cooperate with the Commission of Enquiry and prove his innocence there."

The Patiala House Court today admitted a criminal defamation suit filed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders for accusing him of corruption in Delhis cricket body, which he headed for 13 years till 2013.

The next hearing has been scheduled for 5 January, 2016 at 2pm. AAP has been given two weeks to prepare its defence.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, who appeared for Jaitley, told the court that the accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have made completely baseless and defamatory allegations against the Finance Minister regarding alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

Jaitley has not drawn a single penny from the DDCA. Completely baseless and defamatory allegations have been levelled against him and his family members, Luthra said.

Jaitley has sought Rs 10 crore as damages from Kejriwal and other AAP leaders -- Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpayee -- for their alleged defamatory remarks.
image
16:03   Maha govt in 'dilemma' over demand for liquor ban on Christmas eve
The Maharashtra government is in a "dilemma" on whether to prohibit liquor sale on Eid-e-Milad, which is falling on Christmas eve, days after a delegation of Muslim MLAs sought a ban on booze citing religious sentiments.

"This is the first time that the government has got a request to ban alcohol on Eid-e-Milad. No legislator or a private citizen has ever made this demand," state Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse told PTI.


"On one hand, we respect the sentiments of Muslims whose religion forbids them from consuming alcoholic beverages, and on the other it is Christmas Day on 25th," he said. "Sentiments of both these religions have left us in a dilemma. Though we have not decided on what has to be done, we will reach a final conclusion in a day or two," he said.


A delegation of Muslim legislators had on Friday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking that December 24, which will be celebrated as Prophet Mohammed's birthday, to be declared a 'dry day' (no liquor sales).


Senior Congress leader and former minister Naseem Khan, who led the delegation, in a statement had said that they urged Fadnavis to consider their demand, like it is done on Mahavir Jayanti and Gandhi Jayanti every year.
image
15:39   SAD's grand old man makes rare appearance in parl to give Jaitley blessings
Finance minister Arun Jaitley was pleasantly surprised to see SAD chief and the chief minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal in his chambers inside Parliament House. Badal (90) had dropped in to give to lend support to Jaitley just as he was about to leave for the Patiala House Court to file the criminal defamation case against the AAP leaders. Jaitley got up from his seat and thanked Badal and asked for his blessings. Many union ministers present in the chambers were moved to witness this scene. Badal's party, Shiromani Akali Dal, is a BJP ally.

Meanwhile, in the Lok Sabha today, Congress president Sonia Gandhi signaled BJP MP Kirti Azad to stand up and speak on the DDCA ''scam'. The entire Lok Sabha including the press gallery watched Sonia tell Azad. BJP MPs also watched the scene.

Going public on Sunday with his allegations of irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), Kirti Azad targeted his own party leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who is already under fire from the AAP government in Delhi and the Congress.

Azad released a video by Wikileaks4India and the Sun Star newspaper which purportedly show that 14 companies paid by DDCA for renovation works at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium do not exist in the addresses mentioned in the bills.

He did not name Jaitley but released a statement in which he posed 52 questions to the minister on not only his role in the DDCA but also his and his familys alleged involvement in Hockey India.


Pic: A file picture of Parkash Singh Badal with Arun Jaitley.
image
15:10   Criminal defamation case: Jaitley meets AAP in court on Jan 5
Update on what happened in court today.


Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today filed a criminal defamation complaint against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other leaders of AAP for allegedly defaming him in the DDCA controversy before a Delhi court which took cognizance on his plea.


"The present complaint has been filed in personal capacity. On perusing the material on record, I take cognizance of the offences. Matter be now put up for complainant evidence on January 5," Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal said.


Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, who appeared for Jaitley, told the court that the accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have made completely baseless and defamatory allegations against the Finance Minister regarding alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).


"Mr. Jaitley has not drawn a single penny from the DDCA. Completely baseless and defamatory allegations have been levelled against him and his family members," Luthra said. During the 35-minute long hearing, Jaitley and various other top leaders of BJP, including Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, J P Nadda, Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were present in the court.
image
14:58   And Amar Singh gets to meet Orlando Bloom. Sigh
British actor Orlando Bloom was on Sunday deported to the UK soon after his arrival in New Delhi as his e-visa had been rejected, following which external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj came to his help to get a visa.


The 38-year-old actor was invited by the Uttar Pradesh government for a state event, the Hindustan Times reported.


Bloom, who arrived in New Delhi from London at 1.30 am on Saturday by a British Airways Flight, was told upon his arrival that his e-visa had been rejected. Subsequently, he was deported by the 4 am British Airways flight, sources said.


Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh spoke to Swaraj seeking her intervention in the matter, they said. The minister asked the foreign secretary to speak to the Indian High Commissioner in London to issue a Tatkal (urgent) visa to the British actor so that he could attend the state function, sources said.


The actor was then granted a visa. Asked about the confusion surrounding his deportation, Bloom brushed it aside as a simple misunderstanding.

The actor, who visited the Taj Mahal with Amar Singh, said he cherished his experience at Taj and that it was amazing
image
14:47   Tit for tat AAP will file criminal case against Jaitley
Delhi Assembly to hold special session tomorrow over the DDCA case. AAP's Sanjay Singh says the party will also file a criminal case against Arun Jaitley.  The Delhi Cabinet today approved the setting up of a one-member commission of inquiry under former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to probe alleged irregularities in capital's cricket body DDCA.


The Cabinet also decided to call a special session of Delhi Assembly tomorrow to discuss alleged irregularities in Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and the last week's CBI raid at the Delhi Secretariat.
image
14:39  
Court takes cognizance on Arun Jaitley's complaint and fixes January 5 for recording complainant's evidence.
image
14:32   Did not take a single penny from DDCA, Jaitley tells court
Without doubt, the BJP is backing it's #2.

Arun Jaitley is at Patiala House Court accompanied by ministers Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani, JP Nadda, Nalin Kohli among others.


In the court, Jaitley's lawyer Siddharth Luthra argues that the AAP leaders' statements intended to damage Jaitley and his relatives' reputation. "AAP leaders' false allegations have caused irreparable damage to his (Jaitley's) reputation," Luthra tells the court.

Jaitley tells the court that he did not take "a single penny" from DDCA and Kejriwal and others made defamatory and baseless allegations.
image
14:15  
Rajya Sabha passes SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Bill
image
14:14  
Jaitley begins arguments in the case.
image
14:14   FIFA bans Blatter, Platini for eight years
Fifa's Sepp Blatter and Uefa's Michel Platini banned from football for eight years. Fifa's ethics judge delivered the verdicts against the pair today.

Fifa's ethics investigators want both president Blatter and his Uefa counterpart Platini to have life bans. But speaking to Swiss newspaper Blick on Sunday, Blatter said the corruption charge against him had been dropped.

A spokesman for Hans Joachim Eckert, Fifa's ethics head, declined to comment. Blatter, however, faces other charges, including mismanagement. Both he and Platini have denied any wrongdoing, and insist they have not breached Fifa's code of ethics. -- BBC.
image
14:11  
Just in: FIFA bans Blatter, Platini for eight years. 
image
14:10   Jaitley arrives at court to file criminal defamation suit against Kejriwal, AAP
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reaches the Patiala House Court to record his statement and file a criminal defamation suit against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders amid a raging row over irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association and allegations of corruption against him by the Delhi government.


Jaitley has filed the defamation suit of Rs 10 crore against the AAP leaders. He has filed a defamation case against AAP's Kejriwal, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Raghav Chadha, Deepak Bajpai.


Jaitley's action comes in the backdrop of attacks on him by Kejriwal and other AAP leaders over alleged irregularities and financial bunglings in Delhi's cricket body, of which he was the president for about 13 years till 2013.


He also rubbished allegations against his family members, saying, "I have no family member who has even one paise interest in any form of business. Why should my family be part of a sports management business? "


The Delhi government had on Sunday decided to constitute a commission of enquiry to probe the alleged corruption in the DDCA.Kejriwal had written a letter to senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam to head the commission.The AAP and the Congress party have demanded Jaitley's resignation from the Union cabinet to enable an independent probe against him.
image
14:01  
The Rajya Sabha is debating the Juvenile Justice Bill.
image
13:58  
No third child after the birth of two daughters and only Re 1 to be taken from the girl's family by the groom were among a host of rulings given out by a Khap Panchayat in Jind, Haryana, to discourage the practices of female feoticide and dowry.


In an announcement which comes as a breath of fresh air as khaps are infamous for issuing orthodox diktats, Bura Khap's head Rajbir Bura said that members in a meeting held here today have decided to felicitate couples who do not have a third child after the birth of two daughters and those who took no or only Re 1 as dowry from the bride's family.


The Khap has also put a limit on the number of members to be part of the bridegroom's wedding procession at 21."The decision was much needed as too many people constituting a 'baraat' puts unnecessary financial burden on the bride's family," the Khap head said. Bura said that a decision to shorten the mourning period after a family member's death from 13 to 7 days was also taken during the meeting.


"It was also decided to end the old practice of not having wheat flour, pulses and ghee (clarified butter) during the mourning period."Felicitating sportsmen, social activists and writers was also proposed during the meeting of the Khap members.
image
13:49   Modi Jacket' becoming popular in the country: BJP minister
'Modi Jacket', a half sleeve coat often worn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has become "very popular" among the people in India as well as in some foreign countries, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra said today.


Mishra, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said in Lok Sabha that there was a time when 'Jawahar Jacket, worn by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was very popular in India.


"Now, the Modi Jacket has become very popular among a cross section of people. Modi Jacket is popular even in foreign countries. Recently, Japanese Prime Minister (Shinzo Abe) had worn a Modi Jacket," he said during Question Hour. Mishra said government has taken a number of steps to promote and popularise Khadi among people.

In reply to a written question, the Minister said the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) was set up in 1956 for the development of Khadi and village industries and for matters connected therewith. KVIC extends financial support for creation of employment opportunities and for marketing of products of khadi and village industries.
image
13:32  
All that you wanted to know about the Juvenile Justice Bill. Read it here
image
13:31   Inquiry commission under Gopal Subramanium to probe DDCA issue
The Delhi Cabinet today approved the setting up of a one-member commission of inquiry under former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to probe alleged irregularities in capital's cricket body DDCA.


The Cabinet also decided to call a special session of Delhi Assembly tomorrow to discuss alleged irregularities in Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and the last week's CBI raid at the Delhi Secretariat.


The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.The decision to form the commission of inquiry came amid AAP's fierce attack on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities in DDCA during his 13-year tenure its chief. Jaitley has strongly rubbished the allegations. "We will present a resolution in the House to approve setting up of the Commission of Inquiry," said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Following a CBI raid in Delhi Secretariat in connection with charges against Kejriwal's Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar, AAP has been claiming that the central agency carried out the searches to target the AAP chief and was looking for a file relating to alleged graft in DDCA. Since then, the party has been demanding resignation of Jaitley from the Union Cabinet.
image
13:18   Parliament to discuss Juvenile Justice Bill tomorrow
A demand for expeditious passage of the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act to allow children between 16-18 years to be tried as adults in heinous crime cases was made in the Rajya Sabha today, soon after the Supreme Court dismissed a plea against the release of the juvenile offender in the December 16 gang-rape case.

As memories of the brutal 2012 Nirbhaya case returned with the release of the juvenile, Derek O'Brien (TMC) said he has given a notice under rule 267 seeking suspension of business and taking up the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2014.

He said the House had only three days to go before end of the Winter Session and government's listed agenda includes commercial courts, arbitration and real estate bill.

The government has not even listed the juvenile bill for discussion and passing today, he said during Zero Hour. "It is incumbent upon the House to listen to what is going on outside," he said, asking the House to rise above politics. "It is not a perfect bill but let us list it and pass the bill," O'Brien said.


Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the bill was listed on December 8, 10 and 11. "We have listed it for tomorrow," he said, adding if all agree the bill can be taken up for discussion today itself.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said O'Brien has raised a relevant point. If the government and opposition agree the bill can be discussed. "But government has to list the bill."

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the bill is not listed today even though the Congress had at all-party meeting last week agreed to its passage. Today, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015 has been listed for passing. "We are committed to passing it today," he said adding the juvenile bill can be taken up tomorrow.
image
13:04   All parties agree to discuss Juvenile Justice Bill, but DDC disrupts House
After the Supreme Court dismissed a plea of DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal against the release of the juvenile offender in the December 16 gang rape case, all political parties agreed to discuss the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015 in the Rajya Sabha.


However, the Upper House of the Parliament once again witnessed massive protest from the Opposition over DDCA scam but all party gave consent to pass the amendments before the Winter Session ends.


"We want government to list Juvenile Justice bill, discuss, move amendments and pass before Wednesday,' said TMC leader Derek O'Brien. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill was passed by Lok Sabha in May 2015 and is pending before the Rajya Sabha.


The proposed Bill allows a magistrate to decide if a minor between ages 16 and 18, accused of heinous crimes like rape and murder, can be tried as an adult in a regular court by measuring his mental maturity.


As per the existing Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, a juvenile (who is below the age of 18 years) in conflict with law, regardless of the type of offence committed, may spend a maximum of three years. The child cannot be given any penalty higher than three years, nor be tried as an adult and be sent to an adult jail.
image
12:47   Beyond the Combined Commanders Conference
The Combined Commanders Conference that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired in recently was different from earlier such conferences. This is the first time that the Combined Commanders Conference has been held on board an aircraft carrier; INS Vikramaditya this time which was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 16 November 2013. The fact that the conference was held at sea signaled that India acknowledges the growing importance of the Indian Ocean that is fast becoming the centre of gravity of . Read
image
12:35   Black day for women of country: Maliwal on SC plea dismissal
DCW chief Swati Maliwal today termed it a "black day" for women after the Supreme Court dismissed her last-minute plea against the release of juvenile convict in December 16 gang-rape case and said the country has been "cheated" as a proposed law which could have allowed stronger punishment to him remains pending in Rajya Sabha.


"It is a black day for women in history of the country. I also believe that the Rajya Sabha has cheated the country by keeping the law pending which could have facilitated stronger punishment for juveniles in heinous crimes," the chief of Delhi Commission for Women told reporters outside the Supreme Court.


She was referring to the bill to amend the Juvenile Justice Act which remains stuck in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed amendment bill seeks stringent punishment for children aged 16-18 years involved in heinous crimes.


"The judges told me that they share our concerns but there is no provision to subvert the existing law. I think the time for candle marches is over and women should pick up mashaals (torches) instead to demand for justice," Maliwal added.


Hours before the juvenile was to be freed from an observation home on completion of his three year term at Majnu Ka Tila, Maliwal had moved the Supreme Court on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday in a last-ditch effort to try and stall the release.


In its post midnight order, the Supreme Court had declined to stop the release of the juvenile offender and posted the matter before a vacation bench to be heard today. Amid continued protest by the victim's parents, the juvenile convict was yesterday released and sent to an NGO at an undisclosed destination with police no longer guarding him.


The Supreme Court today dismissed Maliwal's plea saying "there has to be a clear legislative sanction" in this regard. The vacation bench comprising justices A K Goel and U U Lalit's bench also did not agree with the submission that the juvenile offender can be subjected to the reformation process for a further period of two years under the juvenile law.
image
12:24  
Just In: Bill on bankruptcy introduced in Lok Sabha
image
12:16  
Rajya Sabhja adjourns for third time till 12:30  with the opposition demanding Arun Jaitley's resignation in the DCW issue. 
image
12:06   Ramdev is govt's new medical tourism advisor
The Centre has found a new role for yoga televangelist Baba Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishan: to help frame a policy to attract more foreign patients to India. Ramdev and Balkrishan have been drafted into the fledgling National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board, headed by tourism minister Mahesh Sharma, along with 20 others who include government officials, travel operators and senior doctors from leading hospitals.The board has been tasked to devise strategies to increase the number of foreign medical tourists at the country's hospitals and wellness clinics, and issue guidelines to regulate the services these establishments offer. Read more
image
11:55   Time for women to take up mashaals, not candelight vigils: DCW chief
A vacation bench comprising Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit heard the DCW's plea to extend the custody of the juvenile in the December 16 Delhi gang rape and murder case.

The court observed that everything has happened in accordance with the law. There is no legislative sanction to detain the juvenile in the December16 case. Three years is the maximum period for which the juvenile could be detained.


DCW chief Swati Maliwal told the media outside the court that the time for candle marches was over. It was now time for women to take up mashaals (fire torches). 

In a midnight drama on Saturday, the DCW appealed to the Supreme Court to bar juvenile's release. DCW chief Swati Maliwal reached the apex court at midnight to file a Special Leave Petition but the court had said there was no urgency for a midnight hearing and has listed the hearing for Monday.


Maliwal had said, "We have filed our petition. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear our case on Monday. It has been listed as the third item on the list, the matter is sub-judice. I hope the juvenile will not be released till the hearing."The grounds which has been taken in the appeal against the Delhi High Court order said that no mental assessment of the state of mind of the juvenile offender has been taken into account for his release.
image
11:44   Court summons for Remo on Dec 23
Remo fails to appear at the Agacaim Police Station, and has been issued fresh summons to appear on December 23 at 4pm. Fernandes was issued summons by the Goa Police to appear before it tomorrow for allegedly threatening a minor girl, but the artiste on Sunday said he would not be able to present himself before the cops as he is out of the country for some "urgent work".
image
11:29  
Rajya Sabha adjourns briefly following Congress protests seeking resignation of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over allegations of corruption
image
11:27   No provision for extending detention of juvenile convict: SC
A petition challenging the release of the juvenile guilty of raping and torturing a paramedical student on a moving bus in Delhi in 2012 has been rejected by the Supreme Court, which questioned: "Under what jurisdiction can we extend his detention?" The convict, now 20, was released on Sunday evening from a correctional home to a non-profit organization.

A vacation bench comprising Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit will hear the Delhi Commission for Women's plea this morning.

In a midnight drama on Saturday, the DCW appealed to the Supreme Court to bar juvenile's release. DCW chief Swati Maliwal reached the apex court at midnight to file a Special Leave Petition but the court had said there was no urgency for a midnight hearing and has listed the hearing for Monday.


Maliwal had said, "We have filed our petition. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear our case on Monday. It has been listed as the third item on the list, the matter is sub-judice. I hope the juvenile will not be released till the hearing."The grounds which has been taken in the appeal against the Delhi High Court order said that no mental assessment of the state of mind of the juvenile offender has been taken into account for his release.


Advocate Devdutt Kamath said that there are intelligence reports that even during his stay in the provision home, the convict was not remorseful of his action and he has been further radicalised. So at this stage, it cannot be said that he is not a threat to the society.The SLP has also stated that though the High Court was of the view that there was a need for mental assessment of the convict, there was no direction that before his release the authorities should go for a health and mental assessment of the offender.


Further, it is submitted in the petition that there is also likely to be threat to his own life as reports are appearing that there is anger and tension between two groups in his own village.


Pic: Asha Devi Singh, the victim's mother protesting the release of the juvenile convict on Sunday.
image
11:16   Delhi gang-rape juvenile convict free, says SC dismissing DCW plea
Just in: Supreme Court dismisses DCW chief's plea against release of the  juvenile rapist in December 16 gang rape. This means he is free.
image
11:13   Bus kya!
That's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gift of two electric buses for MPs that will help them play their part in preventing choking of the national capital. The electric buses will be gifted to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today.
image
11:02   Respond, Mr Modi! Cong dares PM on DDCA
Congress leader Digvijay Singh cornered Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday over the alleged corruption in the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for explanation.


"There appears to be a prima facie case of irregularities and corruption in DDCA controlled by Arun Jaitley," he tweeted. "If Arun Jaitley as FM couldn't check corruption and irregularities in DDCA can he be trusted with the Finance Ministry? Respond Mr Modi !" he added.


Jaitley has been accused of corruption by the Delhi Government and former players including Kirti Azad and Bishan Singh Bedi during his tenure as president of DDCA till 2013.


The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress Party has demanded for the resignation of the Finance Minister from the union cabinet to enable an independent probe against him. Kirti Azad had even written letter to the SHO, IP Estate, alleging that rules were flouted during Arun Jaitley's tenure as DDCA president.


Azad had even requested Delhi Police to thoroughly investigate the matter against Jaitley. Taking cognisance of the demand of probe in the DDCA scam, Kejriwal formed a two-member committee to investigate the allegations. The Delhi government was preparing to set up a Commission of Inquiry over it when the CBI raided the Delhi Secretariat.
image
10:58   Pahlaj Nihalani registers title 'Sanskari' for his film
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani (yup, he's still the boss) has registered the title "Sanskari" for a film which he plans to make in the future.

Nihalani is yet to start working on the project which will be produced under his banner Chirag Deep International.

"I have just registered the title. I haven't thought about who will direct it, or when will the film go on floors but when the time comes I will make an announcement and would love to make the film. It will be produced under my banner Chirag Deep International," Nihalani told PTI.

When quizzed about why did he choose the title "Sanskari", Nihalani said it is the need of the hour as off late people were making fun of our traditional values.

"I chose that title because it is our tradition, it is our hero. It is important for our characters (in the film) to be sanskari. Today people are roaming everywhere and have forgotten their values. "Our life, from birth to death, revolves around sanskars (values) and traditions. It is the need of the hour. People have made a joke about our traditions and that is sad."
image
10:40   DDCA row: Jaitley sues Kejriwal, 5 other AAP leaders
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to financial irregularities during his tenure as Delhi and District Cricket Association president, on Monday filed a civil defamation case in the Delhi high court against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Party leaders for false statements against him and his family members. 

He will also be filing a criminal defamation suit against the AAP leaders in the Patiala House court.

Backing Jaitley in the case, the BJP said that AAP merely wants to sensationalise. 

"Arun Jaitley will help them now understand travesty of the law. If AAP carries on with what they are doing, they will have to face charges," BJP leader Nalin Kohli said.
image
10:27   Modi to gift 2 electric buses to MPs in Parliament today
PM Narendra Modi will today flag off two refurbished electric buses, inside Parliament complex at 1 pm.

"Two 15-seater buses electric buses, converted to battery from diesel will be flagged off by Prime Minister Modi in presence of Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on December 21 for MPs," an official source said.

The project, a brain-child of Gadkari, involves about Rs 10 crore expenditure and after the success of the pilot project steps would be taken for conversion of existing diesel buses across the country.

"An imported electric bus costs about Rs 1.75 crore whereas the one converted indigenously will cost about Rs 60 lakh, the price of which is likely to be reduced further on technology advancement," an official source said.

The source said the buses to be gifted to the Lok Sabha for lawmakers are the first proto-type developed by KPIT, Pune with consultations from Central Institute of Road Transport and the technology has been wholly developed in India.

Indian Space Research Organisation, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras are already in the process of developing such lithium-ion batteries. The lithium-ion batteries would be used to transform existing diesel buses into electric, Gadkari had earlier said.
image
10:20   BJP's Kirti Azad: 'Hello dear Arun Jaitley, sue me for defamation too'
BJP lawmaker and former cricket Kirti Azad has openly dared his party senior Arun Jaitley in tweets, a day after he stopped short of naming him while alleging corruption in the Delhi cricket body that the Finance Minister headed for 13 years.

Azad tweeted: "hello dear @arunjaitley ham par defamation file kar rahe ho na? Please karo na Don't take injunction, don't gag freedom of speech. (hello dear @arunjaitley, hope you are filing a defamation case on me as well. Please do so. Don't take injunction, don't gag freedom of speech)

"Mera naam kyon hata diya @arunjaitley #Aap ne toh mere letters dikhae theey, mujhpar karo na case, registered post se maine  bheje theey. . (Why did you remove my name? You saw my letters; file a case against me as well... I had sent the letters via registered post)" he added.
image
10:07   Nirbhaya case: SC to hear DCW chief Maliwal's midnight plea today
All eyes will be on the Supreme Court on Monday as it will take a decision on the midnight appeal filed by Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal challenging the release of the juvenile convict in the Nirbhaya case.

Hours before the juvenile's release from an observation home on completion of his three year term at Majnu Ka Tila, Maliwal moved the Supreme Court at 1.15am on Saturday in a last-ditch effort to try and stall the release.

"The petition has been accepted. The registrar has said the chief justice has assured that it will be heard by a vacation bench of the court. 

A bench of Justice AK Goel will hear the petition on Monday. The case has been listed as item number 3," Maliwal told reporters.

The fact that the high security court complex was opened for Maliwal to file the petition itself was a positive sign that the court is willing to give her a patient hearing. The last time the apex court had opened at midnight was on July 30 to hear Mumbai blast death row convict Yakub Memon's last minute mercy plea.
image
10:05   VHP's first lot of stones for Ram temple arrive in Ayodhya
Almost six months after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad announced its nationwide drive to collect stones for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, two trucks of stones arrived in the temple city on Sunday, even as police said it was monitoring the situation.

"Two trucks of stones have been unloaded at Ram Sewak Puram, a VHP property in Ayodhya, and 'Shila Pujan' (praying of the stones) has been performed by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of Ram Janam Bhumi Nyas, VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said.

Meanwhile, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das told reporters that there was a "signal" from the Modi government that the temple will be build "now". 

"Now, the time has come for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Lot of stones arrived today in Ayodhya. And now the arrival of stones will continue. We have signals from Modi Government that Mandir construction would be done now," he said.
image
09:34   Kohli tweets: Grateful to have Jaitley as DDCA president
Meanwhile support continues to pour in from Indian cricketers for Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to financial irregularities during his tenure as DDCA president by the AAP.

A day after Gambhir, Sehwag and pacer Ishant Sharma came out strongly in support of Jaitley, now Virat Kohli has stepped up and tweeted: "Grateful to have @arunjaitley ji as the president of our association. He has always wanted to improve the game & help cricketers in everyway."

"A lot of good things have happened in DDCA when Mr Jaitley was its president. An international kind of stadium was built, if you see what sort of stadium Kotla was and what it is now, all these things happened only when Jaitley was President," Gambhir told reporters on Sunday.

"All these people who are criticising him now left right and center, they too were part of the cricket improvement committee, they were given top most posts and they were able to do nothing for Delhi.

"Now when he is not there as president, every kind of allegation is levelled against him. They should not have taken such positions in DDCA if that was the case," he added.
image
09:22   Fog hampers train services in north India
Train services in northern India have been hampered due to fog conditions. 

Most parts in north India continue to reel under cold wave conditions coupled with fog, with mercury plunging below the freezing point in Rajasthan's sole hill station Mount Abu.

The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted chilling temperatures over the next week throughout India.

Image: Early morning visual from the New Delhi station
image
09:11   Philippines wins Miss Universe 2015
After a mix-up, Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach was crowned Miss Universe 2015 on Sunday, December 20 (Monday, December 21 in Manila) at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

First runner-up was Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez -- who was first announced as the winner by host Steve Harvey. Second runner-up was Miss USA, Olivia Jordan.

Harvey said the mix-up in the announcement was a "horrible mistake" on his part.

The show was hosted by Emmy Award-winning TV personality and comedian Steve Harvey and actress Roselyn Sanchez.

It was judged by Emmitt Smith, Niecy Nash, Olivia Culpo, and Perez Hilton.

Miss India Urvashi Rautela failed to make it to top 15 semi-finals round.
image
09:04   CST's Victoria missing without a trace
A standing statue of Queen Victoria, for years considered the jewel in the crown of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, appears to have mysteriously vanished years ago, with railway officials clueless on whether it was removed decades ago or if its disappearance was a handiwork of some miscreants.

A record of what happened to the iconic statue of Queen Victoria, from which the station drew its identity and its original name Victoria Terminus, is now nowhere to be found -- neither in the dossiers of the Indian Railways, nor with the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum where it was supposedly kept.

Read more HERE

image
08:52   Jaitley to sue Kejriwal, AAP to fight back with FIR against FM
The ongoing tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is set to enter the legal domain today with both sides announcing that they will file cases against the other.

Jaitley had on Sunday said that he was slapping criminal and civil defamation cases against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders in Delhi courts on Monday for making "false and defamatory" statements against him.

Late Sunday night, AAP leader Sanjay Singh tweeted that the party will file an FIR against Jaitley on Monday. AAP pressed for his immediate removal from the Union Cabinet and said it would not be "bogged down by such intimidatory tactics".

AAP government also announced a Commission of Inquiry to go into alleged irregularities in Delhi and Disrtict Cricket Association.

Jaitley said he had instructed legal team in his personal capacity to institute civil defamation cases in the Delhi High Court and criminal defamation cases in the Patiala House courts against Kejriwal, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai. 

Kejriwal and the five AAP leaders have publicly been making allegations against Jaitley and his family members with regard to the DDCA affairs.

image
08:19   Chennaiyin captain Elano arrested for assaulting Goa co-owner
Goa police arrested Elano Blumer, captain of ISL winning team Chennaiyin FC, for allegedly assaulting co-owner of FC Goa team Dattaraj Salgaoncar during post-match celebrations.

"Salgaoncar has formally lodged a complaint with us and we have placed Elano under arrest," Margao police inspector CL Patil told PTI at midnight. The incident occurred during celebrations on the ground after Chennaiyin defeated FC Goa in the final of the Indian Super League.

Srinivas Dempo, the second co-owner of Goa, who was present during the incident, said Elano came out of the team dugout and started making fun of FC Goa players. When Salgaocar questioned him about this, Elano assaulted him.

"We are inquiring into the incident. The formal complaint is lodged based on which the FIR is filed," Patil said.

The winning captain was booked under section 341 (wrongful restrain), 323 (causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace).
image
08:17   I was expecting to be picked for ODI squad as well: Yuvraj
Yuvraj Singh is known for making comebacks. After surviving a life-threatening cancer in 2011, the World Cup winning champion made a brief comeback in 2012 and was still able to attract big  bids from Indian Premier League franchises. 
 
And now, he  is all set to make yet another comeback as he has found his name in the T20 squad, that will tour Australia in January. India will be playing five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals in Australia from January 12-31. 
 
In an exclusive interview with India Today, the 34-year-old all rounder said he was disappointed when he did not find his name in the ODI squad. "I think I was expecting my name to come in the ODI squad as well. But unfortunately it's not there. I look forward to play in T20s now," Yuvraj said. 

Read more HERE

image
08:13   Govt to introduce bankruptcy bill in Parliament today
The government will today introduce the bankruptcy bill in Parliament, which when enacted will improve ease of doing business in India. 

"Finance Minister will introduce Insolvency and Bankruptcy bill in Parliament," Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das tweeted. 

He said the legislation on Goods and Services Tax will follow the bankruptcy bill.

"Next GST, it's the biggest reform. Next to GST, Bankruptcy legislation will be the biggest reform," Das said. 

With a view to promoting ease of doing business and spurring economic activities, a government-appointed panel had last month suggested a modern bankruptcy law to deal within 180 days the insolvency cases that may arise on account of business failures or economic downturns. 

The draft legislation prepared by the panel also proposes early identification of financial distress so that steps could be taken to revive the ailing company. 
image
08:08   Expect chaos in Parliament today over Jaitley-DDCA issue
Dubbing as "diversionary tactic" Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's threat to slap defamation cases against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, Congress has demanded his resignation and sought a JPC probe into alleged financial irregularities in DDCA under his watch.

The DDCA issue is likely to create ruckus in Parliament today with different political parties will look to target Jaitley as he is "practically the number two in the government".

Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, the party's senior spokesman, said Jaitley's ouster was all the more necessary after BJP MP Kriti Azad's allegations about corruption in the DDCA. He said Azad was not just a BJP leader but also a member of India's 1983 cricket world cup winning squad. Jaitley headed the cricket body for 13 years till 2013.
image
08:04  
Good morning...

TOP STORIES