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Mon, 09 February 2015
Boko Haram 'kidnap 20' in Cameroon bus hijacking

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23:09   Boko Haram 'kidnap 20' in Cameroon bus hijacking
Suspected militants from Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram have hijacked a bus in northern Cameroon, abducting at least 20 people, residents say.

Militants reportedly seized a bus carrying market-goers and drove it toward the border with Nigeria.Some reports put the total number kidnapped in Cameroon as high as 30.

Boko Haram has escalated its attacks outside Nigeria in recent weeks, targeting neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.
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22:23   Fully confident of getting absolute majority: Kejriwal ahead of counting day
Between meeting party volunteers and clicking pictures with them, an upbeat AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal today said he was confident of his party winning absolute majority in the Delhi assembly elections.

A day before the counting of votes, Kejriwal met a large number of party volunteers and supporters of his New Delhi constituency at the Constitution Club around 6 pm.

"Fully confident of getting absolute majority. The picture will become clear tomorrow," Kejriwal told PTI even as he obliged a group of women who requested for a photo with him. "All credit goes to the people and our work during the 49-day government," he added with a reassuring smile.

If the jubilant mood of the volunteers was anything to go by, AAP looks all but certain to form the next government in Delhi with all exit polls going in favour of the party. Kejriwal also briefly met actor Smita Bansal of Balika Vadhu, who recently joined the party, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, the former secretary of the party's Mumbai unit, Preeti Sharma Menon, and a few others at the adjoining Vithal Bhai Patel house.
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21:42   Nitish takes fight for Bihar to President
Nitish Kumar has sought time to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to parade all 130 MLAs supporting him, says: JD-U General Secretary K C Tyagi.

While Nitish met Bihar governor and staked his claim to form the government while expelled chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi sought a trial of strength by secret vote in the assembly.

Former chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has now been elected leader of the JD-U legislature party, met Governor K N Tripathi and produced before him a list of 130 supporting MLAs in a House, with an effective strength of 233, belonging to JD-U, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Communist Party of India and an independent.


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21:16   I'm confident BJP will form govt : Delhi BJP chief on eve of counting day
With exit polls having projected the BJP defeat in Delhi, party leaders met today to take stock of the situation and motivate the party workers.

Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay said that though he would not like to challenge the exit poll results he is confident that the party will form a government. "I don't want to challenge the exit poll results, they have different terminology, different techniques. Why should I challenge them? But as far as my techniques are concerned, I am confident BJP will form the government," he said. "Maybe the margin will be thin ...earlier we thought 45-50 seats..I am not boasting of that but we are confident," he added.

Upadhyay met BJP leaders R P Singh, Prabhat Jha, Ram Lal and Shazia Ilmi among others in the evening to take a stock of the current situation.
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21:11   Drone 'kills Afghan Islamic State commander'
BBC reports: A drone strike in Afghanistan has killed a militant commander who recently swore allegiance to the Islamic State, officials say.

The police chief of Helmand said that former Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Rauf had died in the Nato strike. It emerged last month that Rauf had sworn allegiance to IS after falling out with the Taliban.
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20:49   None of my family members have Swiss bank account: Rane
Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane today categorically denied that he or any of his family members were having accounts in foreign banks.

A media report today named Rane's wife Neelam Rane and son Nilesh Rane, among others, in what it said was a new list of account holders in HSBC's Swiss banking arm.

"None of my family members have a foreign account," Rane told reporters here.

When asked if the revelation could be damaging for the Congress, state unit president Manikrao Thakre said Rane had already made a statement refuting the report, and "there is nothing for the party to say on it".
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20:47   11 more die of swine flu in Rajasthan, toll climbs to 92
With eleven more persons succumbing to swine flu in parts of Rajasthan in the last 24 hours, the death toll has climbed to 92 in the state this year. Out of the 897 people tested positive for the H1N1 virus, 92 have died in the state from January 1 to February 7, an official of the state medical and health directorate said.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister J P Nadda, who inaugurated the deworming programme, reviewed the swine flu situation in the state. Expressing his satisfaction on the prevention and cure of the deadly disease, Nadda laid emphasis on strengthening the awareness campaign in the state. 
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20:40   9th accused in Rohtak gang-rape and murder case dies
The ninth accused in the Rohtak gang rape and murder case dies in a hospital in Bawana. He committed suicide by consuming poison. 

Eight youths were arrested today in the brutal rape and murder of a mentally-challenged Nepalese woman in Rohtak and a hunt was on to nab one more accused in the case.

The Haryana police, which was under attack over its handling of the incident, while announcing the arrests claimed that the case has been "cracked".
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20:24   Sunanda death: SIT likely to quiz Tharoor again on Wednesday
Days after quizzing Sunanda Pushkar's son Shiv Menon in connection with her mysterious death, Delhi Police's special investigation team is likely to further question former Union minister Shashi Tharoor and his staff.

"As I had told you earlier we had recorded the statement of Shiv Menon. We have got some information from the SIT which was analysing the statement and regarding that we need to question Tharoor and other members (staff, Tharoor's other employees)," Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi told reporters today.

"Very soon, I think by Wednesday the team is likely to question them again," he said. "The DCP (South) has to supervise the (Delhi) poll counting, so if needed, on Wednesday or Thursday they will be questioned further."

Menon was questioned by the SIT on February 5 till late evening that day. Police sources said that Menon was asked how the relationship was between Tharoor and his wife Sunanda.

The police team has questioned at least 15 people in this connection. Tharoor, his staff members and his friends among those questioned.   
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20:12   Lalu dares BJP to 'come clean' on support to Manjhi in Bihar
RJD chief Lalu Prasad today dared the BJP to "come clean" on support to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in the current political imbroglio in the state.   

"I dare the BJP to come clean on its support to Manjhi. It should tell clearly how far it will go with him. Hiding behind the curtain or staying behind the scene is not good," he said.   

"Manjhi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last evening and his tone changed after the meeting. It seems from his statements that the BJP is involved in the political game that is happening," Prasad said.   

The RJD supremo was talking to reporters at his 10 ,Circular Road residence in Patna after meeting Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi. He arrived from New Delhi this afternoon and went to the Raj Bhawan with Nitish Kumar to express his support to the JD-U.   

"We -- RJD and JD-U -- have always supported Dalits and Mahadalits. This is the reason that Kumar chose Manjhi as the chief minister...," he said.
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19:58   Violence flares after Baghdad's decade-old curfew lifted
The historic end of Baghdad's decade-old curfew was marred by more violence a day afterward -- highlighting the security challenges that still plague Iraq.

The curfew, which was in place nightly, was lifted at 12.01 a.m. The move represents the first time the curfew, aimed at stymying violence in Baghdad, has been completely lifted since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Read full story HERE.
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19:28   No law violated or contravened in Afzal Guru hanging: Cong
Congress part spokesperson Ajay Kumar has responded to Shashi Tharoor's tweet on Afzal Guru. In an official statement Kumar said, "Due process of law was followed in the Afzal Guru hanging. The order was executed on basis of Supreme Court's verdict."

"No law was violated or contravened," Kumar added. 

The Congress party's statement comes after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, tweeted, "I think the hanging was both wrong & badly handled. Family should have been warned, given a last meeting & body returned." 

Tharoor's comments come after five Congress MLAs in Jammu & Kashmir admitted in a signed statement that Afzal Guru's hanging was a "mistake."
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19:06   No law violated: Cong on Tharoor's Guru tweet
Ajay Kumar, Cong spokesperson, on Shashi Tharoor's tweet on Afzal Guru: All process of law was followed, order was executed on the basis of SC's verdict. No law was violated or contravened.
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18:52   Protestor demanding return of Afzal Guru's remains killed in police firing
One  civilian has been killed, while another has been injured in Baramullah, J-K. Police fired on protestors demanding that the Parliament attacker Afzal Guru's remains be returned to his family.

Guru, who was handed a death penalty in the 2001 Parliament attack case, was hanged on February 9, 2013.

Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Kerala, tweeted today, "I think the hanging was both wrong & badly handled. Family should have been warned, given a last meeting & body returned."

Tharoor's comments come after five Congress MLAs in Jammu & Kashmir admitted in a signed statement that Afzal Guru's hanging was a "mistake."

"The demand for clemency for Guru was justified and his mortal remains should be returned to his family. The decision to not allow his family members to meet him one last time was also a mistake," the statement read.
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18:39  
Vijay Goel may well have to eat crow if the exit polls are right. Delhi BJP leader, tweets: "BJP is set to form its Government in Delhi tomorrow."
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17:36   Charlie Hebdo cartoon: HC stops govt, police from acting against Urdu editor
In what will come as a huge relief to Shirin Dalvi, the Bombay High Court restrains Maharashtra govt and the police from taking action against Urdu daily editor over Prophet's cartoon.

A Mumbai court last week extended the the bail of the editor of an Urdu daily, at the centre of a controversy over publishing a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad, even as she wrote a blog to admit the "mistake" and seek "forgiveness", while claiming she was being "hounded and harassed".

"The accused, Shirin Dalvi, editor of an Urdu daily Avadhnama, has hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community and granting her anticipatory bail will create law and order problem," the police told the court.

Dalvi was arrested from Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district following a complaint after the cartoon was published on January 17 and released on bail by the concerned court later.

However, another case was registered against her with the N M Joshi Marg police station in Mumbai after which she approached the sessions court here last week to seek anticipatory bail, claiming the article was non-defamatory and did not hurt the religious sentiments of anybody.
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17:27   'We never write with the aim of hurting people'
And this is what AIB had posted after an FIR was filed against them.

Following the raging controversy surrounding AIB Knockout Roast of Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor, comedy collective All India Bakchod finally broke their silence on the issue.

Read
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17:25   AIB's unconditional apology to the Christian community
This is the post on the AIB Facebook page.

"The members of the All India Bakchod Comedy Company met with Bp. Agnelo Gracias, Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay and tendered an unconditional apology.

"Bp. Agnelo Gracias on behalf of the Archdiocese of Bombay accepted the unconditional apology and in the spirit of understanding and reconciliation stated that the Archdiocese accepts the AIB apology and considers this matter closed. The Content of the apology letter is given here below.

To,
Cardinal Oswald Gracias
Archbishop of Bombay

We, Tanmay Bhat, Gursimran Khamba, Ashish Shakya, Rohan Joshi at AIB hereby offer an unconditional apology to the entire Christian community for any offense that may have been caused to its members as a result of the AIB Knockout. While performing our acts, no matter the subject, we never intend to hurt anyone, though we as an unfortunate consequence of the nature of our profession, we sometimes do. We are sorry.

"We would also like to urge that we have the utmost respect for all religions and community and have never been against any community, nor do we bear any ill will of any kind towards any community. We also believe and support with complete certainty the notion that every community has the right to live with dignity, honour, and freedom from any form of persecution. We would also like to reiterate that the jokes at the AIB Knockout were not intended as a form of persecution or malice towards the Christian community or any other community, for that is not who we are, or what we stand for.

"We'd also like to thank the Archdiocese of Mumbai for taking the time out to get its points across to us through patient, reasoned conversations with us about this issue. We are deeply grateful for the sincerity and dignity with which we've been received and hope that more debates and cultural arguments across the spectrum can be made with this same spirit of understanding and civility.

With sincere apologies
AIB.
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16:50   Hooded gunmen fire on police in Marseille, France
Hooded gunmen have fired on police in the French city of Marseille where the Prime Minister Manuel Valls had been due to visit. Gunfire was heard in the Castellane area of the city on Monday morning.

Witnesses said the armed men fired Kalashnikovs into the air. Around 40 police officers are reported to positioned on a roundabout.

Elite security forces have been sent to the scene, according to a police source.

France has been on high alert in the wake of recent terror attacks.

French journalist Stefan De Vries told Sky News: "The area is sealed now and heavily armed squad teams are in the area. "There is a very high murder rate but almost all the murders are gang-related. Very few victims are civilians." -- Sky News.
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16:35   Hooded gunmen fire on police in France
Hooded gunmen armed with Kalashnikov rifles fire on police in Marseille, France.
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16:08   BJP govt likely to reject 14th Finance Commission report
The BJP government is likely to reject the 14th Finance Commission report. The report was not tabled in Parliament during the winter session and with the constitution of the Niti Aayog and a conflict of views emerging about central sponsored schemes not being handled by the Aayog.

Given this backdrop, official circles in North Block, the Union Cabinet in will find go-between and reject the report of YV Reddy.

Reddy who? The recommendations of the commission have been put together by former RBI governor Y V Reddy.
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15:30   Tharoor tweets: Afzal Guru hanging wrong, badly handled
In what is likely to invite a rap on the knuckles for Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the Thiruvananthapuram MP has now tweeted that the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru two years ago was "wrong and badly handled."  Guru was hanged two years ago, today.

His tweet has the potent of embarrassing the Congress since it was in power at the time.

"I think the hanging was both wrong &badly handled. Family should have been warned, given a last meeting & body returned," Tharoor, tweeted today. 
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15:22   Rohtak: Seven arrested for alleged gang-rape, murder
Seven people have been arrested for the alleged gang-rape and murder of a mentally challenged woman in Rohtak, say police.

The 28-year-old woman's naked body was found in a field near the highway in Haryana's Rohtak, half eaten by animals and with key organs missing. The police said objects had been inserted into her; sticks, stones and condoms were stuffed into her private parts.

The mutilated body was found three days after the woman was reported missing by her sister.
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15:07   Without wasting time, Nitish Kumar should be made CM: Lalu
Would you have thought this possible a year ago? RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav says, "Without wasting time, Nitish Kumar should be made the CM."
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15:01  
Of the 628 Indians appearing in the first HSBC Swiss bankaccount list, 200 are either non-residents or non-traceable: Govt statement.
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14:58   Nitish stakes claim to form govt, parades 130 MLAs
Legislature Party leader Nitish Kumar today staked claim to form government before Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi, parading 130 MLAs in his support. Kumar, RJD President Lalu Prasad and his JD(U) counterpart Sharad Yadav travelled in the same car to the Raj Bhawan.

"We have told the Governor that all the MLAs are present here with their identity cards.... We are ready to prove our majority within the deadline the Governor decides," Kumar said.

Altogether 130 MLAs including from JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI legislators and an Independent MLA, marched behind the three leaders and waited outside the Raj Bhawan shouting slogans in favour of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad.

The leaders arrived at Raj Bhawan 15 minutes after Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi left the Governor's House after attending the swearing-in of Chief Information Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sinha. Manjhi parried questions of mediapersons and left for his residence.
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14:34   In a first, ALL babus kept out of Niti Aayog meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged chief ministers at the Niti Aayog meeting on Sunday, to forge a model of cooperative federalism where the Centre and states come together to chart a common course to progress and prosperity with a focus on growth, investment and job creation.

That's what you have read about. What you haven't read about, is what happened inside the meeting.

Not a single chief secretary was allowed inside the meeting to assist their chief ministers.

Quite naturally, the CMs who attended the meeting were upset with the PMO.

So, when the finance commission was being discussed at the meeting, the strict instructions from the PMO not to allow an aide in the conference, created confusion.

Few CMs who were not that familiar with the state presentation of policy to the Finance Commission left the meeting and walked up to the reception at the Prime Minister's House to meet his Chief Secretary to get answers.

The babus who had been stopped outside the the meeting venue were upset. They fumed and demanded to know why senior officials who had at least 30 years of experience were told to sit at the reception like doormats. SPG officials kept mum, since they really couldn't be seen as commiserating with the chief secretaries. A chief secretary was heard commenting that the PMO has not even bothered to be courteous to inform them earlier.
 
So, what happened was this: For three hours on Sunday, these chief secretaries waited at the main reception at the 7 RCR reading newspapers kept in the rooms. (We know what they read -- the Delhi exit polls, of course)

PMO officials should step back and bring about a mid-course correction, it has been observed. They should brief PM Narendra Modi or from the next meeting these officials will not be allowed to accompany the CMs even to 7RCR.

This is not the first occasion that this behaviour of the PMO has been observed.

A chief minister who is not familiar with Hindi even thought of walking out of the meeting. But his political direction from the party was to remain calm.
 
An official letter from the Chief Minister to the PM is likely to be despatched to express their protest.

Tamil Nadu CM O Pannerselvam, Odisha CM Navin Patnaik, Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandraababu Naidu -- in fact almost every CM at the meet -- were upset that their aides were not present.

It is these aides who have the facts and figures with them, so when the turn of a particular Congress Chief Minister came to answer a question posed to him, the response generally was, 'Let me ask my Chief Secretary. I do not have a proper agenda paper before me.'

Watch this space.
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14:07   Why PMO has the best PR cell
At the Niti Aayog meeting on Sunday, chief ministers in attendance were talking about a photograph with the PM that had been taken at an earlier meeting with CMs.

The PMO had handed over the pictures to the CMs. Odisha CM Navin Patnaik is believed to have told Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia that she looked bright in the photograph.

Scindia, refused to take credit for her looks and said it was the winter sun that should get the credit because that's when people look their best.

Incidentally, only the PMO's official  photographer is allowed inside 7 Race Course Road.

The Modi style is clear - even during his CM days in Gandhinagar, Gujarat -- a CD was given to the VVIPs who met Modi - within few minutes of their meeting. That's how well-oiled Modi's PR machine is.
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13:45   Japanese woman raped by tour guide in Jaipur
A 20-year-old Japanese tourist was raped by a youth on the roadside during late Sunday evening in pretext of taking her to the sight seeing in the pink city.

She was taken on a motorbike by the youth on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway and near Mojamabad village closer to Dudu the woman was raped.

 Police have registered a case of rape and have initiated investigations into the matter.  Read more
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13:16   Japanese tourist raped by tour guide
Just in: A 20-year-old Japanese student has been allegedly raped near Jaipur by a tour guide. 
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13:03  
A day ahead of the Delhi poll results, BJP's CM candidate, Kiran Bedi is holding a 'Aabhar Sabha' at Cordial banquet hall, near Karkardooma Court. If you want to hear her, join in. 
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12:55   Australian PM Abbott survives leadership challenge
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged an end to disunity after surviving a party confidence vote on his leadership.Liberal Party MPs voted by 61 to 39 not to open up his position to challengers.The leadership test, initiated by a backbencher on Friday, came after a series of policy mis-steps by Mr Abbott that saw his popularity tumble.But the prime minister said the issue had now been settled, stating "this matter is behind us". Read more
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12:52   Desperately seeking victory in Delhi
The Modi-Shah duo's style of completely centralised decision-making is being put to the test in the Delhi Assembly election. Read more
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12:45   Modi, BJP hand-in-glove with Manjhi: Cong
With the political crisis in Bihar deepening, JD(U)'s ally Congress today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP, alleging that they were "hand in glove" with Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

"What happened there is an internal problem (of JD-U). We do not know what is going to be the fall out of all this. But we see a BJP gameplan behind all this. He is a JD(U) Chief Minister. He came to Delhi, waited for a day and met the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister himself is a conspirator.

"There is no business for him (Manjhi) to come and meet the Prime Minister... His coming, canvassing, meeting the Prime Minister shows that BJP is hand in glove with the defector of the JD(U) and they are trying to prop him up against JD(U)," Congress spokesperson P C Chacko said.
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12:34   Falciani -- the man who started it all
They almost had him.

On December 22nd, 2008, Swiss federal police handcuffed 36-year-old Herv Falciani, a systems specialist they suspected of stealing data from HSBC Private Bank Geneva, his employer, and trying to sell it to banks in Lebanon. They seized his computer, searched his Geneva home and interrogated him for hours.

Then -- on the condition that he return the next day for more questioning '" they let him go.

And go he did. Renting a car, Falciani picked up his wife and daughter and drove straight to France. Read more
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12:16   JD-U expels Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi
Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has been expelled from the Janata Dal-United.

Senior Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar will parade MLAs from his party and allies RJD and Congress before governor Keshri Nath Tripathi on Monday to stake claim to form a new government in Bihar. He has also been removed as leader of the legislature party.

A delegation of leaders from the JD-U and its allies on Sunday submitted letters of support to the governor's office which said 130 MLAs were backing Kumar, who was elected the new leader of the legislature party on Saturday.

A JD-U delegation led by state party president Bashishtha Narayan Singh claimed the support of 24 RJD MLAs, five from the Congress, one of CPI and one independent.

But a defiant Manjhi ruled out the possibility of resigning after a meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

He challenged his rivals in the JD-U to defeat him in a trial of strength in the assembly on February 20. "I will prove majority in the assembly or step down if I cannot,' he told reporters.
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12:10  
Yogendra Yadav, AAP on the Swiss leaks report: We demand that the govt bring out all the info that it has in front of the public on the table of the Parliament. The govt must state what action it will take and also mention the time frame.
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11:54   HSBC accounts and the 'Golden Chain' of Osama Bin Laden
As part of an effort by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, newspapers around the world have released names of people hiding stolen cash in foreign banks. The Indian Express has produced over a 100 names of such people in what is being billed as a massive exposure of HSBC, one of the world's largest banks in Switzerland. Read
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11:46   Kejriwal's Willingness to Say 'Sorry' Has Paid Off
Before Arvind Kejriwal breaks out the aam aadmi's equivalent of champagne, he would do well to remember how the exit polls of December 2013 got the Delhi result horribly wrong the last time the city voted for its Assembly. Read more
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11:39   LIVE! Jaitley: Most names in Swiss leaks list known to govt
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said the Centre has put in vigorous efforts towards digging black money during the last six to seven months.

Addressing the media in New Delhi, after an English newspaper listed out the name of 100 Indians who had Swiss bank accounts, Jaitley said "Most of the names revealed in the list today are known to the government."

"Some new names have been revealed, whose veracity would be checked by authorities," he added. He said assessment of 350 account holders have been done and the rest will be completed by March 31.

Sixty prosecutions have been launched on those who have stashed money in foreign banks, he said. The Finance Minister also said he had met top Swiss authorities in Davos, and agreed with them that admission by assessees would be considered additional evidence.
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11:26  
Arun Jaitley: Govt has put in vigorous efforts towards digging black money during the last six to seven months: Most of the names revealed in the list today are known to the government. 
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11:12   Jaitley on Swiss leaks: Just names not enough, evidence needed
Finance minister Arun Jaitley on the black money case: Assessment of 350 account holders is done, the rest will be completed by March 31. We sent a delegation to talk to Swiss authorities in October, they had a joint agreement that even if they don't cooperate on the basis of stolen data, if we provide evidence in addition to it, then they will confirm or deny correctness of evidence.

"The details that have come out  today are ones we already have, question is not about names but evidences that we need."
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10:56  
Read: Here's what Modi promised India on black money
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10:54   SIT calls for emergency meet after Express report
The SIT on black money has called for an emergency meet today in the wake of the Indian Express report on the list of Indians holding Swiss Bank accounts. SIT says the Swiss leaks report mentions only part of the "loot".

Sources said the complaints, under I-T laws, have been filed in various courts of the country and investigations in these cases have been completed by the taxman as these cases will get "time barred" by March 31 after which any legal action against them could not be carried out as the cases pertain to the period of 2008-2009.

"The disclosures of these names is part of the government's commitment to curb cases of black money and of illegal funds stashed abroad by Indians. The I-T department aims to get conviction in these cases very fast," they said.

The SIT, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice M B Shah, had said in its last report to the government and the Supreme Court in December 2014 that the black money holders names in HSBC Geneva list will be taken to their logical conclusion soon.


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10:46   Exclusive! 'India must be on guard against Tamil separatists'
India's friendship and support is very important to Sri Lanka. It is a matter of regret that India appears to have thought otherwise. Sri Lanka's relationship with China has always been of an economic nature. The docking of Chinese submarines in the Colombo harbour was only for re-supplying and not for any military purpose. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who led the fight against the LTTE, speaks to long-time Rediff.com columnist  Nitin A Gokhale in an exclusive interview. Read
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10:33   Bengaluru-based Ricky Kej wins Grammy
Bengaluru-based musician Ricky Kej's collaborative album 'Winds of Samsara' with African flautist Wouter Kellerman has won the best new age album award at the 57th Grammy Awards.

A self-taught musician Kej, 33, has previously composed soundtracks for Kannada films. 

'Winds of Samsara', with multiple collaborations, is his 14th studio album and refers to the cycle of life. 

It had made a debut at number on on the US Billboard New Age Albums last year. 
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10:30   Early trade: Sensex slumps on Delhi exit poll forecast
The benchmark BSE Sensex extended losses for the seventh straight day by plummeting 348 points in early trade today on sustained selling by funds and retail investors amid exit polls showing that the BJP may not be able to form government in Delhi.

Besides, discouraging third quarter earnings by some bluechip companies and weakness in the rupee, dampened trading sentiments. 

The 30-share index tumbled by 286.49 points, or 0.99 per cent, to 28,431.42. The gauge had lost 963.86 points in the previous six sessions. 

In a similar fashion, the National Stock Exchange Nifty dipped below the 8,600-mark by falling 77.85 points, or 0.90 per cent, to 8,583.20. 

Brokers said sentiments dampened following exit polls showing that the BJP may not be able to form government in Delhi, accelerating selling pressure. 

Besides, the depreciating rupee which slipped below the 62-mark against the dollar to trade at 62.05 and a mixed trend at other Asian markets on poor Chinese data, weighed on sentiments, they said.
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10:30   Repolling begins in two booths at Rohtas Nagar, Delhi Cantonment
Following the orders of Election Commission, re-polling in polling station number 31 in Delhi Cantonment and polling station number 132 in Rohtas Nagar assembly constituency started on Monday morning.

As per reports, the decision was taken after election observers found problems in the Electronic Voting Machines at the two booths on polling day after which it was decided to conduct re-polling.
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10:24   HSBC account list: We stand vindicated, says Kejriwal
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that the party stood vindicated as the names it had revealed in connection with black money earlier is present in the HSBC bank's Geneva branch list naming 60 Indians and entities involved.

"The names I revealed in a PC on 9 Nov 2012 are there in IE list today. We stand vindicated. But bigger Q is - what did 1st Cong and nw BJP do? Nothing? Why? Some of ths ppl claim to hv both BJP n Cong in thr pocket. Why doesn't BJP govt act against HSBC officials? They will spill beans. US did precisely that," the AAP leader tweeted.

According to reports, the government is expected to disclose the names of over 60 Indians and entities as part of its crackdown on black money accounts as reported in the HSBC bank's Geneva branch list.
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10:07   The Lunchbox misses out on BAFTA trophy
Irrfan Khan-starrer The Lunchbox missed the trophy for the Film Not in the English Language category of the BAFTA Awards 2015 to Polish-Danish drama movie Ida, which was named the winner at the ceremony in London.

The list of winners for the 68th edition of the annual gala was announced on the official website of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.

Indian actress Nimrat Kaur, the leading lady of The Lunchbox -- a unique love story of a lovelorn wife and a lonely man -- was seen on the red carpet in a pink gown.

In the foreign film category of the BAFTA Awards, it was also competing with Russian drama Leviathan, Brazilian-British adventure drama thriller film Trash and Belgian drama Two Days, One Night.
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09:55   Bihar crisis: Manjhi puts condition before Nitish, seeks Dy CM post
Amid deepening political crisis in Bihar, Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar will on Monday stake his claim to the chief minister's post and parade the MLAs in his support before the state's Governor this afternoon.

The crisis in Bihar's ruling JD-U deepened further on Sunday, as a defiant Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi asserted that he will not resign, while the rival camp led by Nitish Kumar decided to parade legislators at Raj Bhavan on Monday and stake claim to power.

By Monday morning, reports emerged that Manjhi could support Nitish Kumar if he was given Deputy CM's post.
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09:55   The Grand Budapest Hotel, Boyhood big winners at BAFTA 2015
Coming-of-age drama Boyhood won three of the biggest awards at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards 2015 but it was Wes Anderson's whimsical drama The Grand Budapest Hotel that dominated the ceremony by taking home five trophies. 

Boyhood, a moving, groundbreaking film about growing up, was shot with the same actors for over 12 years, bagged the best film, best director for Richard Linklater while Patricia Arquette, 46, won the best supporting actress for the portrayal of a doting divorced mother of two kids.

The award for leading actress went to Julianne Moore for her unbearably moving role of a woman succumbing to Alzheimer's in Still Alice.

Eddie Redmayne triumphed in the best actor category for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything after beating Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Ralph Fiennes (Budapest), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler), Michael Keaton (Birdman). 

The biopic also won best adapted screenplay and outstanding British film.

The Grand Budapest Hotel, which dominated the craft categories, won best original music, makeup and hair, costume design, production design, as well as best original screenplay for its absent director Anderson. 

Whiplash, a film written and directed by Damien Chazelle based on his experiences in the Princeton High School Studio Band, came away with three awards including best editing, best sound and best supporting actor award for JK Simmons as the tyrannical and ruthless music teacher Terence Fletcher.
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08:51   Bihar CM Manjhi refuses to step down, Nitish to stake claim today
The struggle for one-upmanship in Bihar has widened, as a defiant Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi affirmed that he would not resign, while the rival camp led by Nitish Kumar announced he would stake claim to power on Monday and parade legislators at Raj Bhavan.

Manjhi, a 'mahadalit' leader was hand-picked by the then chief minister Nitish Kumar as his replacement last year after the rout of Janata Dal (United) in the Lok Sabha polls, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and at a press conference afterwards said he had no plans of quitting.

He said he would prove his majority in the assembly on February 20 and step down only if he fails.

"Assembly is the place to prove majority. I have already written to the Governor for convening Budget Session of the Assembly. I will prove my majority on February 19 or 20. If Nitish Kumar has numbers, why is he unduly worried. If they prove I do not have numbers, I will step down," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar's camp announced he will meet Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi at 1.30pm after JD(U) submitted letters of support of the RJD, Congress, CPI and an independent MLA claiming that Nitish had the backing of 130 MLAs in a 243-member House.

Bihar Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary too recognised Nitish Kumar as the new leader JD(U)LP leader and the party said it had replaced Manjhi after he refused to step down.

The Governor on Sunday accepted resignation of 20 cabinet Ministers loyal to Nitish, who put in their papers on Saturday.
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08:44   Black money trail: Govt may name 60 Swiss-account holders
On Sunday, it was reported that the government is set to disclose the names of close to 60 Indians and entities as it has recently initiated tax evasion prosecution proceedings against them as part of its crackdown on black money accounts as reported in the HSBC bank's Geneva branch list.

Sources said that those against whom legal action has been initiated include some corporates, business houses and other individuals as the Income Tax department has completed its probe and filed prosecution complaints against these entities, on the directions of the Special Investigation Team constituted to tackle black money and illegal assets held by Indians abroad.

They said the total amount in these accounts is estimated to be to the tune of Rs 1,500-1,600 crore.

Sources said the complaints, under I-T laws, have been filed in various courts of the country and investigations in these cases have been completed by the taxman as these cases will get "time barred" by March 31 after which any legal action against them could not be carried out as the cases pertain to the period of 2008-2009.
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08:32   Among HSBC account holders: Ambanis, Smita Thackeray, Congress leaders
Top Indian businessmen among HSBC account-holders are: Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Anand Chand Burman, Rajan Nanda, Yashovardhan Birla, Chandru Lachhmandas Raheja, Dattaraj Salgaocar, Bhadrashyam Kothari and Shravan Gupta.

Top Indian politicians among HSBC account-holders are: Former UPA minister Preneet Kaur, former Congress MP Annu Tandon and family members of former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane -- his wife Neelam Narayan Rane and son Nilesh Rane -- as well as family members of the late Congress minister Vasant Sathe. Bal Thackerays daughter-in-law Smita Thackeray is also listed as an account holder.
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08:29   HSBC Indian list just doubled to 1195 names
It is called Swiss Leaks -- a trove of secret documents from HSBC's Swiss private banking arm that reveals names of account holders and their balances for the year 2006-07. They come from over 200 countries, the total balance over $100 billion. 

But nowhere has the HSBC Swiss list touched off a more raging political debate than in India.

To obtain and investigate the Indian names, The Indian Express partnered in a three-month-long global project with the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Paris-based Le Monde newspaper.

The investigation revealed 1,195 Indian HSBC clients, roughly double the 628 names that French authorities gave to the Government in 2011. 

A scrutiny shows there are 276 account holders with at least $1 million in their balance of whom 85 are residing in the country.

Read the report HERE
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08:26  
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