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Tue, 21 July 2015
GOP to Trump: You crossed the line

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23:43   Rajapaksa denies giving money to LTTE
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today denied allegations that he gave money to the LTTE, saying the ruling coalition leaders have been trying to "mislead voters" ahead of the parliament elections next month.

JVP or People's Liberation Front leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had said at an election rally that President Maithripala Sirisena told him that if a Presidential Commission of Inquiry finds former President Rajapaksa guilty of having given money to the LTTE, he could be deprived of his civic rights.

Dismissing the allegations, the former President's office in a statement said, "JVP speakers have been trying to mislead voters by saying that there was no point in voting for the UPFA because Rajapaksa could lose his civic rights. The public should be vigilant about such falsehoods being propagated by bankrupt politicians."
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23:06   GOP to Trump: You crossed the line
The Republican establishment is making the most of the chance it had long sought to finally say this to Donald Trump: You crossed the line.

Ever since announcing his presidential run last month, the brash, unfiltered billionaire businessman has created headaches for the party. Particularly, his comments equating some Mexican immigrants to rapists and criminals left GOP leaders struggling to appease those Trump had offended without alienating conservative voters attracted to his views on combating illegal immigration.

But on Saturday, Trump seemed to hand party bosses and the pack of 2016 Republican presidential candidates a golden chance to take him down at almost no political cost -- while making themselves look magnanimous. The spark for the latest political firestorm came when the New York real estate billionaire questioned on Saturday whether Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Vietnam War veteran who languished in a prisoner of war camp for more than five years, was a genuine "war hero because he was captured."

"I like people that weren't captured, OK?" Trump said, drawing gasps and "boos" from a conservative crowd in Iowa.

Read more HERE.
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22:46   Sex education helps minor girl realise that she had been raped
A 11-year-old tribal girl from Nallasopara in Thane district of Maharashtra realised that she had been raped by two people on different occasions when her teacher imparted sex education lessons at a school, a police official said here today. 

Police sub-inspector S B Kamble of the Nallasopara police station told PTI that the girl whoe parents deserted her after they separated, had been living with one of her aunts in Nallasopara. 

Two years ago, one of the accused took her to his room and allegedly raped her, according to the complaint. 

However, the girl never realised what had been done to her until she attended a sex education class at school, after which she narrated the incident to her teacher, who filed a police complaint, the police official said. 

The accused, who happen to be her close relatives, have been charged under Section 376 and Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and also Sections 3(A), Section 4, Section 9(A)(I), besides Section 11 of the POCSO Act of 2012, the police official said. 
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22:33   White House launches Twitter account to defend Iran nuke deal
The White House launched a new Twitter account today to defend the Iran nuclear deal, as US lawmakers prepared to debate the long-negotiated agreement.

In its inaugural tweet, @TheIranDeal linked to a resource page about the agreement between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear programme.

"The historic #IranDeal succeeds in verifying that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon," the first tweet said.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Twitter account would be used as an advocacy tool, and also a means to inform the public about the agreement.

"We are rolling out some new online tools that we'll use to advocate for the recently announced agreement to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon," Earnest told reporters.

The account will "distribute facts, engage online audiences and be used as a forum by those involved in negotiating the agreement," he added.

The account features a photo of the deal's leading negotiators, including US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.
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22:25   Chattanooga shooter researched martyrdom on Internet, official says
Chattanooga shooter Mohammad Abdulazeez conducted Internet searches on martyrdom as recently as a day before his shooting rampage took the lives of five service members in Tennessee, according to a person briefed on the investigation.

The FBI is seeking to interview anyone with whom Abdulazeez may have had contact in the 48 to 72 hours before Thursday's shootings, the official said.

As the country mourns the deaths of the service members, investigators in both the United States and Jordan are trying to learn what prompted the attack.

Abdulazeez first shot up a military recruiting center at a Chattanooga strip mall, then drove to a local Navy operations support center and launched another attack, killing four Marines and a sailor. The gunman died in a gunfight with law enforcement.

Abdulazeez told a friend that ISIS was "doing wrong" and "it was a stupid group and it was completely against Islam," the friend told CNN on Monday.

Read more HERE.
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21:42   Ohio Governor John Kasich becomes 16th Republican running for US president
Ohio Governor John Kasich said he will seek the Republican nomination for the 2016 presidential election, making a relatively late entry into the White House race. Kasich, a former US congressman, enters a race which now includes 16 Republicans. 

A fiscal conservative with a record of supporting programs for the poor, Kasich will compete with rivals like former Florida governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey governor Chris Christie to woo establishment Republicans.
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21:25   Chess master Gary Kasparov removed from Russian history book
An entry about chess champion and anti-Putin political activist Garry Kasparov has been removed from a book commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Russian sports club Spartak, of which he was a member. Despite being one of the Soviet Union's most successful and famous chess players, he has become a pariah of Putin's government due to his political activism. He lives in Moscow, but travels constantly across Europe and the USA.
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21:15   When it rained money in Vrindavan's Banke Bihari temple!
The devotees of the famous Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan met with an utmost surprising incident when they saw crisp currency notes falling from the sky as if the rain God was too kind on them that day. 

The incident took place last week when 500 rupee notes started raining from the top of the temple which continued for quite some time. People in the temple were awe-struck and started gathering the notes in frenzy. Everyone thought it was a miracle.

However, the truth was far from it. A monkey had snatched a woman's bag containing Rs 1.5 lakh and started to throw down the notes from a nearby tree. 
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21:00   Hardline separatist Geelani issued short-duration validity passport
Hardline separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been issued a short validity passport, one-and-a-half month after he completed formalities for its issuance. "The passport having short validity was dispatched to Geelani on Tuesday," said a source from the passport office.

Geelani, who earlier had a passport in 2007, 2008 and 2011, had applied for the same in May this year. The issue of granting Geelani passport had sparked a political debate with ruling BJP opposing it saying that he should declare his nationality as Indian and apologise for his "anti-national" activities. However, its ally PDP had said it will ask the Centre to issue passport to Geelani on humanitarian grounds to meet his ailing daughter in Saudi Arabia. 

Last month, Geelani had appeared at the regional passport office to give his biometrics, necessary for the issuance of passport.
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20:46   Security arrangements for Modi's Bihar rally reviewed
Security arrangements for the proposed July 25 rally in Muzaffarpur by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose visit to Bihar in October 2013 was marred by a terror attack that claimed eight lives, were reviewed by top state government officials. "There will be foolproof security arrangements in place at the venue of the PM's rally on July 25 next," an official said, adding, that he was satisfied with the security measures being taken by the local administration.
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20:30   Greece seeks bailout deal by Aug 20, sends bill to parliament
The Greek government said that it wants to see a final deal on its international bailout hammered out by August 20, as it presented parliament with more draft legislation on the cash-for-reforms agreement. Lawmakers are due to vote on a second batch of reforms tomorrow in a fresh test of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' authority, after he suffered a major rebellion in his radical-left party Syriza during a vote on a first tranche of bailout measures last week.
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20:13   Yakub Memon files mercy plea to Maharashtra governor
Just in: 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon today filed a mercy petition to Maharashtra Governor.

Memon, the lone death row convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts that left 257 dead and over 700 injured, will hang with the Supreme Court dismissing his curative petition, the last legal remedy available to avoid execution of death sentence. Earlier, his mercy plea was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee.
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19:59   Curfew imposed in Kashmir's Rajouri after VHP burns IS flag
Curfew was clamped in Rajouri town of Jammu and Kashmir today and the army was called in to defuse tension over burning of terror outfit Islamic States's flag by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which minority groups claimed bore religious scripture.

Clashes were reported in parts of the old city area as Muslim youths, while defying curfew, pelted stones at policemen. About 15 people, who were defying the curfew, have been arrested, District Magistrate of Rajouri, Deepti Uppal, said, adding that the situation was being brought under control.

The army was also called and it carried out flag march late this afternoon. "Restrictions under Section 144 of CrPc was imposed in the town for banning of assembly of four or over four persons, but still people are trying to violate the restrictions and it has become necessary to impose curfew restrictions in the town," the DM said.

The situation is tense but under control after reports of burning of IS flag by some VHP activists some days ago, police officials said. Muslims in Rajouri have threatened to hold protests and 'bandh' if the police do not arrest the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists for burning the flag bearing Quranic verses.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has appealed for calm from both the communities. "There should be no communal tension. We appeal to both the communities to observe calm," he told reporters. But Singh ruled out arrest of VHP activists. "As far as the setting afire the IS flags is concerned, it is a terrorist outfit symbol," he added. "Is it possible? Burning of the symbol of terrorists and anti-national elements is the work of nationalism."
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19:43   Good governance isn't about selfies, tweets Neha Dhupia; trends on Twitter
As heavy rains brought life in Mumbai to a standstill yet again, actor Neha Dhupia tweeted to slam the government that has failed to tackle the issue repeatedly.

One rain n the city comes to a standstill. Good governance is not about selfies n makin us do yoga,its making sure ur citizens r safe, she tweeted.

With this Twitter post, which has been retweeted over 900 times, Dhupia was among the top trends in the country.
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19:33   Shiv Sena demands bigger office space in Parliament
Demand for bigger office space in Parliament has intensified with the Shiv Sena, the second biggest party in the NDA, demanding bigger room in Parliament House on a day when the Trinamool Congress moved to a new and bigger office space.

A delegation of Shiv Sena comprising Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai, Lok Sabha MPs Anand Adsul, Bhavana Gawli, Rajan Vichare, Arvind Sawant and Gajanan Kiritkar met Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and raised the issue with her today.

With their MPs strength increasing to 21, the Shiv Sena said it was of "great inconvenience" to carry out their work smoothly in the existing premises. "Shiv Sena's strength has now increased to 21. We have 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 3 in the Rajya Sabha. We cannot conduct any meeting as the existing space is too less for carrying out any business," said Anil Desai.

"We, therefore, met the Lok Sabha speaker and demanded a bigger space for us. Also, as per the rules, the party which has more members should get a bigger office room. The Speaker has assured us that we will be soon allot a bigger room," he added.

The Shiv Sena has its office on the third floor of the Parliament. After its highest ever tally in the Lok Sabha poll, the existing room is too short to accommodate the increased MPs. Parties have office space allocated to them as per their strength.
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19:03   MHA starts collecting data on attacks on scribes, RTI activists, whistleblowers
The Union Home Ministry has started collecting data related to attacks on mediapersons, RTI activists and whistleblowers in the background of a series of assaults on them in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh recently.


The collection of data is being done by National Crime Records Bureau based here which has introduced three new  categories -- attack on mediapersons, attack on whistleblowers and attack on RTI activists -- in its form circulated to police stations across the country this year.


There was no centralised data on attacks of RTI activists, whistleblowers and journalists as investigation of cases were handled by state police and there was also no clarity on definition of these three categories. NCRB will be collecting the data under the heading of grievous hurt of varying degrees which are being registered under relevant sections of IPC.
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19:02  
Other talking heads...


JDU chief Sharad Yadav and BJP senior leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi were seen discussing the Bihar elections in the Central Hall of Parliament. Other MPs gave them a clear berth.


NCP chief Sharad Pawar was talking to media persons about the way ahead in the Rajya Sabha. Will all 18 days be a washout or will sense prevail and work get done, asked reporters. Pawar replied saying it was a wait-and-watch situation.
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18:50   Lok Sabha Speaker asks MPs to chant mantra after obit reference
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan introduced a new element in Parliament today. After an obituary reference, the Speaker asked members to chant 'Om Shanti Shanti' after a minute's silence was observed as she read condolence messages. Few Congress MPs and MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi remained silent as they took their seats after paying their respects. No Speaker before Sumitra Mahajan has ever asked MPs to chant.


Dileep Singh Bhuria (71), a sitting BJP member from Ratlam, passed away on June 24. A veteran politician, he was a member of five Lok Sabhas earlier as well as a member of the Madhya Pradesh assembly. The Lok Sabha also paid tributes to former members Ismail Hussain, Denzil B Atkinson, Sheshrao Deshmukh, Rana Vir Singh, Manoranjan Bhakta, Sheila Kaul, Shashi Prakash, Chand Ram, Rajshekhar Singh, Pratapsinh Shankar Rao Mohite, S M Bhattam, Moreshwar Save and Namdeo Harbaji Diwathe.
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18:42   Advani makes it point to greet Shanta Kumar, other BJP MPs shun him
With the numerous adjournments in Parliament today, there was obviously enough time for MPs to catch up on news.


Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar was the conversation piece.Young BJP MPs -- first timers ignored Shanta Kumar. Few party leaders greeted him perfunctorily, but a majority ignored him and turned away as they saw him approach.

Not that it mattered to Shanta Kumar, for party mentor LK Advani made it a point to greet him. BJP seniors who watched the exchange remembered the 2013 Goa conference where Advani refused to support Narendra Modi's candidature as PM candidate. Shanta Kumar was one of the few BJP leaders with Advani at the time.


To bring you up to speed, Shanta Kumar wrote to BJP president Amit Shah today demanding a 'Lokpal' in the party to tackle the cases of corruption like Vyapam which he said "made all of us bow our heads in shame".


Reacting to the letter, senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "Shanta Kumar ji is a mature leader but it seems he was influenced by Congress's misinformation campaign,we reject this."
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18:10   Pin-drop silence when PM enters Lok Sabha
Both houses of Parliament were adjourned today on the first day of the monsoon session.

That's known. What isn't, is the gossip. Read on...


Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked in to the Lok Sabha at 10:57 am today, precisely three minutes before the Lok Sabha session was to begin.


On seeing the PM, there was pin-drop silence in the House. Narendra Modi walked up to SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Deputy Speaker Thambidurai and spoke briefly to them.


Many MPs watching the interact with the opposition leaders wondered at the power Modi wields that he can bring a House to complete silence since MPs from across parties were exchanging pleasantries just before he walked in.

Usually the Parliamentary Affairs Minister (in this case Venkaiah Naidu) walks in with the Leader of the House (the Prime Minister), but Modi does not like anyone accompanying him. He walked alone.
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17:55   Now, KFC meals on long-distance trains!
People travelling in trains can now enjoy KFC's meals on board as the fast food chain has tied up with IRCTC to start a delivery system for passengers.


Now a person travelling on train can order KFC meal, while booking ticket through IRCTC from July 20 onwards, under e-catering service initiatives, KFC said in a statement.


Presently, this facility is available only on 12 trains passing through New Delhi railway station.


However, it will be expanded to Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad (Kacheguda) and Bangalore (Yeshwantpur) stations over the next 10 days, the statement added.


"Consumers will have to visit the IRCTC website or call on 18001034139 (Toll Free) to place their order. A password will then be sent by KFC to the consumer's mobile phone which will have to be mentioned at the time of delivery," it said.


The service will initially be limited to trains which do not have pantry cars and subsequently would be expanded to trains like Rajdhani and Duronto. E-catering service is a joint effort from KFC and IRCTC to provide fresh food to the passengers on trains.
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17:50  
A day after the Centre accorded 'Z-plus' VIP security cover to Jitan Ram Manjhi, the BJP today defended the measure saying the former Bihar chief minister faced threat to his life from various quarters.
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17:35   Show NO mercy to Rajiv killers, Modi govt tells SC
The Narendra Modi government has asked the Supreme Court to "show no mercy to Rajiv Gandhi's killers".


The Supreme Court said today that the Centre has a parental duty to voice the grief of families who lost loved ones in the 1991 assassination of former Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur and challenged the Tamil Nadu governments decision to "tinker" and order the release of convicts whose death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment in the case.

The five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India HL Dattu said this while dismissing Tamil Nadu's preliminary challenge to how the Centre can file a public interest litigation in Supreme Court questioning the States' decision to use their power of remission and order release of life convicts, including in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.


In February 2014, the Tamil Nadu Government decided to release all the seven members, who are convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
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17:25   Sena welcomes decision on Yakub Memon, SP wary
The Shiv Sena in Maharashtra today welcomed the Supreme Court's rejection of the curative petition of Yakub Memon, the lone death row convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case.


"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a message that those who indulge in terror acts against India will be hanged .I welcome this message and I thank the Prime Minister," senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam told reporters.


Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi welcomed the apex court ruling with mixed feelings about the course of the case. "I welcome the Court decision with bowed head," Azmi said. The SP MLA, who was running a travel agency at the time of the blasts, recalled that he had spent over a year in jail in the blasts case before being discharged by the Supreme Court.


"I can say that the agencies can go to any extent to frame anyone," he said. "Someone had come to surrender. A noted counsel had said that the prosecution obtained a treasure trove of information (from him)," Azmi said, recalling that Yakub had returned of his own volition to surrender before the Indian authorities.


"The information he provided played an important role in the trial of the 1993 blasts case accused but instead of being treated as an approver of sorts, he became a fall guy," he said.
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17:16   Court summons SpiceJet, Kalanithi Maran as accused in IT cases
Budget carrier SpiceJet Ltd, its Chairman Kalanithi Maran and another top company official have been summoned as accused by a Delhi court in two tax evasion cases for their alleged failure to deposit over Rs 147 crore TDS with the Income Tax (IT) Department.


Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pritam Singh issued summons to Maran, the company and its Managing Director S Natrajhen after taking cognizance on two complaints filed against them by the IT Department. The court directed them to appear before it August 21.

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17:10  
One instance where the BJP and Congress see eye-to-eye: Former law minister in the UPA government Ashwini Kumar on Yakub Memon's curative petition being dismissed: If there was one case where hanging was justified it was this case.
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16:56   Left should wear lipstick and sit quiet, says Mamata at mammoth rally
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee during her annual 21st July rally lashed out against the ruling BJP in the centre and the main opposition party CPI(M) in the state.  "I am not scared of your agency. I will not bow down before BJP. BJP is corrupted, full of scam," she said.


She rejected any notion of any tacit alliance with BJP saying TMC will not cooperate with any communal force. She also gave a stern message to her party cadres saying that indiscipline will not be tolerated. She urged the party cadres to work hard towards ensuring victory for the party. 


Mamata said that all the opposition parties are busy in name calling and are devoid of any ideology.


The West Bengal chief minister launched her 2016 state assembly poll campaign throwing a challenge to the CPM, BJP and the Congress to come and test the ground of Maa Mati Manush in the state.


The communists have been taken care of in Bengal. It is time for them to wear lipstics and sit quiet. Our target is Delhi now. Tinamool Congress will take the fight to Delhi against the Central government, said Banerjee while addressing the martyrs day rally in Kolkata.


They have enjoyed all the rosogollas for 35 years and had left only the gollas (zeros) for the people. People in Bengal will never pardon them, she said.


The picture was tweeted by TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien.

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16:36   Nationalisation of banks a historical economic blunder: Subramanian
Nationalisation of banks in the late 1960's was one of the biggest economic blunders made in independent India, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian said on Monday. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Subramanian used the word "historical mistake" to describe the actions taken by the Indira Gandhi government to bring India's banks under central government control. Read more
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16:34   After PM's snub, FTII students ask Rahul to intervene
Students of FTII demanding removal of small screen actor Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the institute have approached Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, seeking his intervention to check the "assault on institutions of higher learning". Sources in Congress said that the students have invited Gandhi to come to Pune and support their cause.


At least 250 FTII students are on strike against Chouhan's appointment and are demanding the formation a committee which will make the rules for the FTII society.


A number of filmmakers have also resigned as members of the Film and Television Institute of India Society expressing their solidarity with the students. Students have continued their strike for almost 40 days, boycotting academic work after failure of their talks with I and B minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on July 3 and after asking PM Modi to intervene.


In a letter to Gandhi, the President of FTII Students Association Harishankar Nachimuthu said the appointment of Chouhan has raised question over the process of appointments in the institute and sought his intervention to resolve the "crisis" in the FTII, the sources said. FTII students' association (FSA) has declared that the strike will continue till their main demand for removal of Chauhan--who they allege lacks vision and stature to head FTII--and reconstitution of the FTII Society is accepted.
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16:04   Yakub was 100% sure plea against death sentence would be allowed: Lawyer
Shubail Farook (pictured), Yakub Memon's lawyer, reacts to the confirmation of the death sentence. "In the morning, Yakub told us that he is 100 per cent sure that this curative petition would be allowed. In fact, we had discussions about legal remedies in jail."


1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon will be hanged on July 30 at 7 am. The Supreme Court heard his curative petition seeking commutation of his death sentence today and dismissed the plea. The plea was the last legal option available to Memon.


Memon, 53, was found guilty of conspiracy in 2007 for the serial blasts that killed 257 people. He is currently in the Nagpur Central jail, which has facilities for hanging. The anti-terror TADA court in Mumbai has issued a warrant for his execution. It will be the first execution related to the 1993 blasts.


Maharashtra home minister says Memon's family was informed on July 14 and the government will go ahead with the preparations for the hanging.
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15:48   New Parliament house soon?
Is the Parliament building safe from earthquakes, terrorist attacks or for that matter any natural calamity? Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan has called for a meeting of the Estimates Committee of the Lok Sabha today and with her at the meeting to guide her, will be Congress MP Professor  KV Thomas.


Earlier today, Secretary General Anup Mishra walked around the Parliament building probably absorbing the mammoth task at hand.


Mahajan's meeting comes in the wake of alarming report by IIT Roorke about whether the Parliament is structurally safe. The report said that it cannot withstand an earthquake of a greater magnitude than 6.5 on the Richter scale.


Former speaker Meira Kumar had directed the then secretary general T K Viswanathan to commission the study by IIT. The Estimate Committee of Lok Sabha will now take stock of the reports.


The question doing the rounds is whether the Modi government will convert the existing Parliament building as a monument and build a  new Parliament with modern facilities in say 10 years? Watch this space.


We understand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has plans to convene an meeting of 50 countries which use solar energy to discuss and resolve solar strategy. The External Affairs Ministry is gearing up for the meeting, but the Union Cabinet is likely to take a final call in the first week of August.
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15:24  
Read:Why it's wrong to hang Yakub Memon
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15:22  
The date and time of execution had already been approved by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. His family members have also been informed, which is the procedure. 
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15:20   Yakub Memon to be executed on July 30 at 7 am in Nagpur jail
If you've just joined us:


1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon will be hanged on July 30 at 7 am. The Supreme Court heard his curative petition seeking commutation of his death sentence today and dismissed the plea. The plea was the last legal option available to Memon.


Memon, 53, was found guilty of conspiracy in 2007 for the serial blasts that killed 257 people. He is currently in the Nagpur Central jail, which has facilities for hanging. The anti-terror TADA court in Mumbai has issued a warrant for his execution. It will be the first execution related to the 1993 blasts.


Retd Justice PD Kode, the man who presided over the 1993 blasts trial, reacts: "This is a victory for the common man who keeps faith in the law. I think there must be no substance found in the point kept forward by the accused." Judge Kode presided over a special TADA court which heard the 13-year- long Mumbai blast case of 1993 and held Sanjay Dutt guilty of possessing arms illegally. He retired in February this year.
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15:14   Yakub Memon will hang on July 30 at 7 am
Yakub Memon to be hanged on 30th July 2015 at 7 am in Nagpur Jail. The TADA court had already issued the death warrant.
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15:12   Judge Kode who sentenced Yakub Memon to death says, 'It's a victory for common man'
Justice PD Kode, the man who presided over the 1993 blasts trial, now a retired judge, reacts: "This is a victory for the common man who keeps faith in the law. I think there must be no substance found in the point kept forward by the accused."

It was Justice Kode gave the death penalty to Yakub Memon.

Judge Kode presided over a special TADA court which heard the 13-year- long Mumbai blast case of 1993 and held Sanjay Dutt guilty of possessing arms illegally, has retired as additional judge of the Bombay High Court.
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15:02   Will Memon be hanged on July 30 or later?
The hanging date for Yakub Memon is likely to be July 30. He becomes the first 1993 blasts convict to be given the death sentence.


In the 22 years since the serial blasts, 129 people were accused and a 100 were convicted for the attack. Yakub Memon, a chartered accountant and the younger brother of Tiger Memon, is likely to be hanged on July 30 at the Nagpur jail where he is currently incarcerated.


Other members of the Memon family, including Yakub's brothers, Yusuf and Essa, and sister-in-law Rubina, were also arrested and are serving their sentences. Tiger Memon and Dawood Ibrahim are in Pakistan.  
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14:56   1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon to hang, SC dismisses plea
1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon is likely to be hanged.

The Supreme Court heard his curative petition seeking commutation of his death sentence today and dismissed the plea. The plea was the last legal option available to Memon who is likely to be hanged on July 30.

Memon, 53, was found guilty of conspiracy in 2007 for the serial blasts that killed over 250 people. He is currently in the Nagpur Central jail, which has facilities for hanging. Sources say an anti-terror court in Mumbai has issued a warrant for his execution. It will be the first execution related to the 1993 blasts.

Memon's cousin, Usman Memon, accompanied by a local lawyer, Anil Gedam, met Memon on the jail premises on Monday, a day ahead of his last legal attempt to escape the gallows, which will come up in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Usman and Gedam spoke to the Mumbai blast accused for around 40 minutes. The BJP-led government had cleared the file to execute him for his role in the Mumbai blasts.

Yakub's family, particularly his wife, Raheen and young daughter, are expected to arrive either on Tuesday or Wednesday for a visit, probably their last one, before his hanging.

Tight security has already been clamped on the jail premises following the development.

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14:25  
Fourth adjournment of the day. Rajya Sabha adjourned till 3 pm.
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14:20   Modi's Mulayam whisper
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent around five minutes in close conversation with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav inside the Lok Sabha today, on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. We understand that Modi (quite audibly) asked if Mulayam's sore throat was better and wished him a speedy recovery. After the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, Modi again spent a few minutes with Mulayam, but this time, EAM Sushma Swaraj and Parliamentary Affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu joined them. 
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14:14   'Ironman' Milind makes India proud
Model and eye-candy Milind Soman is a Twitter trend and here's why. The 50-year-old hottie has successfully completing the Ironman Triathlon held in Zurich, Switzerland on 19 July. The Times of India reported that the triathlon is considered one of the world's toughest races and had 2,000 participants which included seven Indians. Soman completed the triathlon in 15 hours and 19 minutes.
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14:08   Sushma tweets: I am ready for a debate today itself
Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia to move adjournment motion in the Parliament tomorrow over the Lalit Modi issue.


Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj tweets: I am ready for a debate today itself. I asked Shri Arun Jaitley to convey this to Rajya Sabha. Arun Jaitley has conveyed this to the House. We are looking forward to the Opposition's response.
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14:04   Akbar takes oath in RS
BJP's national spokesman M J Akbar, who won the Rajya Sabha bypolls from Jharkhand earlier this month, took oath as a Rajya Sabha Member today. The bypoll was necessitated following the resignation of K D Singh after he left Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and joined Trinamool Congress. Akbar, whose term will expire next year, had defeated Haji Hussain Ansari of the JMM by 19 votes. A former journalist and editor, Akbar has been associated with various publications including India Today, the Asian Age and the Sunday Guardian, and has authored several books. He joined BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
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13:57  
Hearing on Yakub Memon's curative plea being heard in the Supreme Court. Order expected shortly.
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13:52   Sink city
Harried Mumbaikar KA Viswanathan sends us this picture of flooded King's Circle at Matunga, which is low-lying and flood-prone. Light to heavy rains after nearly a month-long dry spell brought relief from the sultry weather conditions but suburban train services and roads remained water-logged in some parts of the city.
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13:43   Tharoor takes on Jaitley
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's tart response to Arun Jaitley's blame game on disruptions in the Rajya Sabha. Jaitley said, "We get a distinct and clear impression that opposition wants disturbance and not discussion."


Tharoor responds: "He would know: it must all seem familiar to @arunjaitley. He orchestrated & justified disruption of RS for 10 years!"
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13:31   'Damaad' Vadra's FB post: Regret to see India led by such so-called leaders!
Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a jibe at him with his political damaad remark, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's  son-in-law Robert Vadra on Tuesday hit back, accusing  the BJP government of indulging in petty politics to divert attention from core issues.


Hitting out at the BJP, Vadra posted on his Facebook account: "Parliament begins and so do their petty diversion political tactics... People of India are not fooled. Regret to see India led by such so called leaders!!"


Vadra's remarks came days after the Prime Minister took an apparent swipe at the culture of dynastic politics by mocking Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law while addressing a gathering on the 100th birth anniversary of late Congress leader Girdhari Lal Dogra in Jammu and Kashmir.


Modi praised Dogra for having a keen eye to judge the character of people and cited his selection of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as his son-in-law as an example of this.


He also took the opportunity to take a dig at Vadra by saying that Dogra did not give undue advantage to his son-in-law unlike "some others these days".


"Both Dograji and Jaitleyji have stayed away from each other in political life. Both the leaders have held a different political approach. Son-in-laws should not be known by their father-in-law's name and vice versa. Dograji did not give an undue advantage to his family but today, we know what things are heard because of son-in-laws," unlike other political families," he said.
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13:12   Sushma Swaraj willing to discuss Lalit Modi, but opposition did not allow it: FM
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks to reporters on the Lalit Modi controversy as both houses of Parliament are adjourned. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm.

Jaitley says the government is ready for discussions in any format, at any time. "We proposed that the external affairs minister (Sushma Swaraj) will join the discussion and make her stand, but it is clear the opposition doesn't want a discussion. All that the opposition wants is to not let the session run. We offered that we can adjourn till 2 pm, they only want disturbance, not discussion. Discussion can be held, Sushma-ji can begin the discussion or give explanations at the end. Even that is not acceptable to the opposition. The government is publicly declaring that we are ready for discussion at any time."
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12:55   Rajya Sabha scores a hat-trick
And the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm minutes after the session reopened at 12:35 pm. That's the third adjournment this morning, following Opposition uproar over the Lalit Modi issue. 
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12:54   The other side of Hollande
Franois Hollande is best known for his escapade on the back seat of a motorcycle from one amante to another in January 2014. Romance is in the French blood. More accurately, it is a part of French amour propre; they would rather be seen loving than making small talk with great Indians.


Some years ago, our President invited Nicolas Sarkozy, then President of France, to be his guest on Republic Day. At the party the President threw in his honour that evening, Sarkozy had no time for the guests; all the time, he talked on the phone - presumably to Carla Bruni, his next-wife-to-be.  Read more
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12:41   No arrests for now; Teesta, husband get interim bail till July 24
Just in: Interim bail for Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand to continue.


A special CBI court in Mumbai has adjourned the verdict on the bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand till July 24. A case has been filed against their firm for allegedly receiving around $2.9 lakh in foreign donations in violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.


The couple had on Monday appeared before the central probe agency on three consecutive days since Saturday pursuant to Friday's directive of CBI special judge Anis Khan, who had reserved his order on their anticipatory bail applications till today while granting them interim protection from arrest.


The CBI, which registered a case on July 8 against Sabrang Communication and Publishing Pvt Limited, has alleged that SCPPL was not registered under FCRA for collecting money from abroad and the amount of nearly Rs 1.8 crore was, therefore, received in violation of the Act as the organisation needed to seek prior approval of the Union home ministry.

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12:35   Congress to move adjournment motions in both houses tomorrow
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12.30 pm, set to resume any time now. A total of 11 bills are expected to be introduced in the Parliament for discussion during the Monsoon Session. The controversial land bill that has faced fierce opposition from members of the House is likely to be among them. If the government failed to introduce the land bill in this session, they are likely to take the ordinance route once again.

The Congress has decided to disrupt the house from tomorrow. For today, it's protests and sloganeering at the Gandhi statue outside Parliament. Congress MPs and party workers wearing black arm bands are at the Gandhi statue. The Congress has said it will move adjournment motions in both houses tomorrow. 
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12:25   Mumbai suburban train services resume after hour-long delays
Light to heavy rains after nearly a month-long dry spell brought relief from the sultry weather conditions but as expected suburban train services on western and central lines were hit due to water-logging in some parts following incessant showers.


Some express trains of Western Railway were cancelled due to water-logging while local train services of Central Railway were suspended for a short while between Kurla and CST after tracks got submerged between Sion and Kurla.


In the Palghar district adjoining neighbouring Thane, schools were shut today due to heavy rains since last evening, officials said. During the last 24 hours, Colaba in south Mumbai received 15.8 mm rainfall while Santacruz weather station recorded 61 mm downpour.


"We are having good to very good clouding at the offshores and expect good rainfall in next 48 hours," IMD Mumbai centre's director V K Rajiv said.


The heavy rains affected the suburban train operations since morning. Due to heavy rains and breaches between Palghar and Boisar, five express trains of Western Railway scheduled to leave Mumbai this morning were cancelled.


A 'point failure' reported at Bandra station resulted in cancellation of some local train services on the Western line and halting of services on two tracks. The trains were running late 15 to 20 minutes on the western line.


"Efforts are on to restore the services," senior PRO Western Railway Gajanan Mahatpurkar said. The cancelled trains are Ahmedabad Express, Bandra-Surat Inter-city Express, Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express, Mumbai Central-Porbundar Express and Bandra Terminus-Vapi passenger train.


Meanwhile, suburban trains services were suspended for over 35 minutes between Vikhroli and Ghatkopar stations after tracks submerged between Kurla and Matunga, according to a statement by the Central Railway. The CR's suburban services were also hit due to the heavy rains and running 45 minutes late.


Central Railway PRO A K Singh said, "There have been reports of water-logging on tracks near Kurla, Sion, Thane that have slowed down the speed of suburban trains," another official said.


According to BMC's disaster management control room, there was traffic jam on Western Express Highway and few BEST buses were diverted on some routes, including at Chembur and Matunga.
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12:15   Lalitgate explodes in Parliament; RS adjourned
Amid loud slogan-shouting from the opposition benches, the Lok Sabha was adjourned after obituary references for the day and the Rajya Sabha for some time, soon after Parliament convened for the 21-day monsoon session on Tuesday.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Congress's Anand Sharma raised the Lalit Modi controversy, but when Leader of the House, Finance Minster Arun Jaitley, attempted to speak, he was shouted down by Opposition members, who outnumber those of the government in the Upper House.

The BSP demanded resignation of BJP ministers. 

"It will be better for Vasundhra Raje and Sushma Swaraj to resign over links with Lalit Modi," BSP supremo Mayawati said..

Jaitley indicated that the government was ready to discuss what is being called Lalitgate. 

"Please start the discussion right now," the minister offered, but the House was adjourned for half an hour amid din. 

More commotion on the issue ensued when the House reassembled, forcing another half-an-hour adjournment.
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12:02   SC to hear Yakub Memon's last mercy plea today
The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear 1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon's curative petition seeking commutation of his death sentence.

The plea is the last legal option available to Memon who is likely to be hanged on July 30 if the top court rejects his petition for mercy.

Memon, 53, was found guilty of conspiracy in 2007 for the serial blasts that killed over 250 people. He is currently in the Nagpur Central jail, which has facilities for hanging. Sources say an anti-terror court in Mumbai has issued a warrant for his execution. It will be the first execution related to the 1993 blasts.

Memon's cousin, Usman Memon, accompanied by a local lawyer, Anil Gedam, met Memon on the jail premises on Monday, a day ahead of his last legal attempt to escape the gallows, which will come up in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Usman and Gedam spoke to the Mumbai blast accused for around 40 minutes. The BJP-led government had cleared the file to execute him for his role in the Mumbai blasts.

Yakub's family, particularly his wife, Raheen and young daughter, are expected to arrive either on Tuesday or Wednesday for a visit, probably their last one, before his hanging.

Tight security has already been clamped on the jail premises following the development. Preparations are underway for Yakub's hanging on July 30.

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11:03   PM enters Parliament with hope, Opposition unrelenting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes the monsoon session of Parliament will be fruitful and that all MPs will contribute towards making good decisions. 

I hope that promises made by some political parties during the last session to help good decisions in this session will
be kept: Modi told media persons just before entering Parliament.

The Opposition-led by the Congress is expected to lock horns with the Narendra Modi-led government over the controversies surrounding External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The opposition parties are prepared to launch an attack on the government over issues ranging from the Lalit Modi controversy to the Vyapam scam, with the Congress insisting on the resignation of "scam-tainted" ministers.

PM Narendra Modi on Monday appealed to the political parties for smooth running of the Monsoon Session and expressed willingness to discuss any issue as he said that running Parliament is a "shared responsibility".

While Congress made it clear that it will not allow Parliament to function unless the BJP leaders facing allegations quit, the government asserted that there will be no resignations and that it will not give in to any ultimatum.
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10:43   Mumbai Rains: Western, Central line trains halted
Mumbai Rain: Local train services have been badly hit by the heavy downpour.

The Western Railway has been closed ahead of Andheri due to waterlogging at Bandra.

On the Central line, trains between Thane and Kurla have been stopped due to waterlogging at Sion.

On the Harbour line, trains are still operation, but with major delay.
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10:22   Infosys Q1 net up 4.98 pc at Rs 3,030 cr; shares soar 6 pc
IT major Infosys today reported close to 5 per cent increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 3,030 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2015, compared to that in the same period of previous year. 

The Bengaluru-based firm had reported a net profit of Rs 2,886 crore in the year-ago period, it said in a BSE filing. 

Consolidated revenue for the quarter was up 12.4 per cent to Rs 14,354 crore, from Rs 12,770 crore in April-June, 2014.

For whole 2015-16, the country's second-largest software services firm expects revenue to grow 7.2-9.2 per cent in US Dollar terms, and 11.5-13.5 per cent in rupee terms.

Industry body Nasscom expects the Indian IT-BPM sector to grow 14-16 per cent in dollar terms for the fiscal. 

"Our efforts in redesigning our clients' experience and our widespread adoption of innovation, both in grassroots and breakthroughs, are starting to bear fruit in large deal wins and in the growth of large clients," Infosys CEO and Managing Director Vishal Sikka said.
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10:20   Monsoon 'Muqabla' set to begin in Parliament
With Parliament's Monsoon Session beginning on Tuesday, the stage is set for fiesty contest between the Opposition-led by Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. 

The opposition parties are prepared to launch an attack on the government over issues ranging from the Lalit Modi controversy to the Vyapam scam, with the Congress insisting on the resignation of "scam-tainted" ministers.

The government has, meanwhile, decided not to bow to the opposition demand, and is also prepared to raise the Goa bribery case allegedly involving some Congress leaders and New Jersey-based consultancy firm Louis Berger to secure a contract for a water developmental scheme.

The opposition parties also appear to be in no mood to compromise vis-a-vis the controversial land bill, on which PM Modi on Monday called for national consensus.

In a meeting of National Democratic Alliance leaders on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told allies that the government should not be on the backfoot against the opposition.

He also called on the allies to appear united, and promised to look into the concerns of allies opposing the land acquisition bill.

Reports say that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to make a statement in the Parliament in respect of the allegations against her regarding Lalit Modi's travel documents. 

Sushma Swaraj has admitted that she helped the former IPL chief procure documents to travel to Portugal for the treatment of his cancer-stricken wife on "humanitarian grounds". 
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10:13   Heavy rains slow down Mumbai; Trains delayed, traffic slow
Seems like Monsoon is back with a bang in Mumbai. The metropolis has received heavy rains in the last 24 hours.

Tuesday morning's heavy showers have forced local train services on the Western line to stop while local trains in the central and Hourbour line were reported to be running 30 mins behind schedule. 

Boisar and Palghar stations are reportedly under knee-deep water. 

A holiday has been declared in schools and colleges in Thane (rural) district.

Traffic on the roads has also slowed down considerably. 

Water logging has been reported in low-lying areas -- Vile Parle, Hindmata, King Circle, Wadala, Sion, Matunga, Mahim, Kurla and Dharavi.

The Khar subway is already flooded with knee deep water and traffic has been suspended.
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09:03   Parliament won't work unless Sushma, Raje, Chouhan go: Congress
The Congress has made it clear that Parliament will not function in Monsoon session unless Union Minister Sushma Swaraj and Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan resign or are sacked.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said that unless the government can obtain the resignations of or sack External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan before Parliament starts neither House will function.

Azad said that the decision to disrupt the House would be taken on a day to day basis, but dropped enough hints that the Congress Party would follow the example of the BJP whom he accused of "holding up" the functioning of the House over the
2G issue when UPA was in power. 

"BJP cannot have two yardsticks," he said adding that the "magnitude of Vyapam and Lalitgate is billion fold more". 

Asserting that Congress was ready for a "battle",  Azad called the Vyapam scam,  "the grandmother of all scams" and asked "who is responsible for the 40 plus killings? is it the Pakistan army? Is it the ISI? Or is it the naxals?".
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09:02   FCRA case: Will Teesta and her husband get bail?
A special CBI court in Mumbai will on Tuesday give its verdict on the bail plea of activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand in connection with a case against their firm for allegedly receiving around $2.9 lakh in foreign donations in violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

The couple had on Monday appeared before the central probe agency on three consecutive days since Saturday pursuant to Friday's directive of CBI special judge Anis Khan, who had reserved his order on their anticipatory bail applications till today while granting them interim protection from arrest.

The CBI, which registered a case on July 8 against Sabrang Communication and Publishing Pvt Limited, has alleged that SCPPL was not registered under FCRA for collecting money from abroad and the amount of nearly Rs 1.8 crore was, therefore, received in violation of the Act as the organisation needed to seek prior approval of the Union home ministry.

"We have recorded our statement on three consecutive days as per the directions of the court. Beyond this I can't share anything as per the orders of my lawyers," Setalvad later said.

The CBI sleuths had searched four premises owned by Setalvad, Anand, an associate Gulam Mohammed Peshimam, and the office of SCPPL on July 14. 

The probe agency had opposed the bail plea contending the motive behind the transfer of foreign contribution to SCPPL reflected "interference towards the internal security and activities of India" and also contested Setalvad's claim that
the money received was a fee for consultancy. 
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09:02   TMC to oppose land bill, raise corruption issues in Parliament
The parliamentary party of Trinamool Congress will oppose the land acquisition bill proposed by the BJP and corner the central government over corruption issues in the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning today.

"Our major agenda in this Parliament session is our commitment to fight corruption," Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay told reporters in Kolkata.

Asked if the party would raise the Lalit Modi issue and the Vyapam scandal in Parliament, he said, "We are against all kinds of corruption." 

A meeting of TMC MPs, both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, was convened today by party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat to chalk out a strategy for the Monsoon session of Parliament. 

On whether the party would raise its voice against Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on the floor of the House, he said, "We will decide it on the floor of the House." 

Bandopadhaya also said that the party would oppose the land bill and demand it's scrapping. The party would also convene an all-party meeting on this issue. 

"We are totally against the land acquisition bill. We are the only party in Parliament which had opposed this bill. We are of the opinion that this bill should be withdrawn and an all-party meeting be convened," Bandopadhaya said.
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09:01   Delhi's district court lawyers go on indefinite strike
The advocates of all six district courts in Delhi are on an indefinite strike from today against the delay in passage of an amended Bill in Parliament regarding enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of trial courts.

Advocate R K Wadhwa, Chairman of coordination committee of all district courts bar associations, said that lawyers would abstain from work till the passing of bill in the Parliament.

"There will be a complete strike in all the six district courts from today. We will observe strike till the passage of the bill in Parliament," he said. 

Wadhwa further said the lawyers' body would wait for one week for passage of the bill and thereafter intensify their protest. 

"We will wait for one week and after that we will intensify the strike further. We have sent representations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, the Union Law Minister, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders on this issue," he said.

Advocate Mahesh Sharma, who is President of Shahdara Bar Association, said their demand was legitimate as pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs 20 lakh for trial courts was very low. 
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04:16   Suspected Boko Haram fighters kill 23 in north Cameroon
Suspected Boko Haram militants have killed more than 20 people including multiple children in their latest attack on northern Cameroon, easily overwhelming the few soldiers posted at the targeted village, residents have said. 

More than 80 assailants stormed the village of Kamouna, located near Lake Chad in the northern strip of Cameroon that lies between Nigeria and Chad, on Sunday night, said Pastor Edward Ngosu, a Nigerian missionary who has been based in the village for four years.
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03:00   Prohibitory orders in Jamshedpur after clash over eve-teasing
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were promulgated in Mango police station area of the city late tonight following a clash between the members of two communities over an eve-teasing incident, official sources said. 

Keeping in view of the prevailing situation, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been promulgated to maintain law and order situation, Alok Kumar, Sub-Divisional Officer (Dalbhum), said.
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02:59   Boat with 150-200 migrants located adrift in Mediterranean
Greek authorities say a boat carrying 150 to 200 migrants has been located adrift in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and two merchant ships have reached it to offer help or evacuate the vessel if necessary. 

The Merchant Marine Ministry said late last night that the migrants did not appear to be in immediate danger and weather conditions were good.
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02:59   South Korean intelligence employee commits suicide, leaves note
An employee of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) has been found dead alongside a suicide note apologising for "causing controversy," according to South Korean police.

The body of the unnamed employee, thought to be in his 40s, was found on Saturday in his own car, which was parked on a mountain near Hwasan-ri, near the city of Yongin, south of Seoul.

Preliminary investigations have concluded he died of carbon monoxide poisoning from the burning of charcoal.
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02:58   Suruc massacre: At least 30 killed in Turkey border blast
A bomb attack in the Turkish town of Suruc has killed at least 30 people during a meeting of young activists to discuss the reconstruction of the neighbouring Syrian town of Kobane.

Around 100 others were wounded in the explosion, which may have been caused by a female suicide attacker from the Islamic State group, officials say.
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02:09   Suruc massacre: At least 30 killed in Turkey border blast
A bomb attack in the Turkish town of Suruc has killed at least 30 people during a meeting of young activists to discuss the reconstruction of the neighbouring Syrian town of Kobane.

Around 100 others were wounded in the explosion, which may have been caused by a female suicide attacker from the Islamic State group, officials say.
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01:20   Airstrikes on IS-held town in northern Syria kill 20
More than 20 people have been killed, many of them children, and dozens of others wounded today in airstrikes that targeted a town in northern Syria held by the Islamic State group, activists and the IS group said. 

The airstrikes that targeted the town of Manbej in Aleppo province were most likely carried out by Syrian army warplanes, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It said the death toll was likely to rise because many of the wounded suffered critical injuries.
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00:35   Remains of victims of Nazi experiments found in France
It started with a letter, a brief reference to samples taken from the bodies of Holocaust victims used in Nazi medical research. Decades later, the jars and test tubes found behind a glass cupboard in a locked room testified to history's horror. 

Raphael Toledano, a researcher from Strasbourg who has spent more than a decade delving into the eastern French city's Nazi past, stumbled upon the 1952 letter from Camille Simonin, the director of the forensic science school at the University of Strasbourg, detailing the storage of tissue samples taken from some of the 86 Jews gassed for the experiments of August Hirt, a notorious Nazi anatomy researcher.
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00:08   ISIS steps up use of chemicals on battlefields in Iraq
ISIS recently used devices filled with chemical agents against Kurdish forces and civilians in both Iraq and Syria, a joint investigation by two independent organizations has found.

The findings build on previous reporting that ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) has begun to adapt both suicide bombs and improvised explosive devices to include chlorine and other chemicals and may seek to exploit the use of chemicals as it develops new weapons.

The two UK-based groups -- Conflict Armament Research and Sahan Research -- sent teams to investigate allegations that ISIS used chemical munitions on three occasions last month. 

Two of the incidents occurred in Hasakah province in northern Syria, where ISIS is locked in battle with the Kurdish YPG group. The third involved a 120 mm mortar that landed near Kurdish positions at the Mosul Dam in northern Iraq but failed to explode.

Read more HERE.
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00:07   6,000 people evacuated as rains continue to lash MP
Ten people died as heavy rains continued to lash western part of Madhya Pradesh following which around 6,000 people were evacuated from inundated areas today.

District Additional Superintendent of Police A P Singh said that 12 members of three families living near Kaliya Dev Nullah at village Khandawad, some 140 km from Sehore district headquarters, were swept away by rain water early in the morning.

Bodies of eight people have been fished out while the rest are missing, the police official said.

After receiving the information, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan rushed to Sehore, his home district, and consoled family members of the deceased. He also announced a financial help of Rs 2 lakh each to the family members of the deceased, the police official said.

Picture for representation only.
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00:03   John McCain: Donald Trump owes POW families an apology
In his first response directly addressing Donald Trump's comments on his war record, Sen. John McCain said Monday that the real estate mogul should not apologize to him, but should instead apologize to the veterans captured in war and their families.

When asked Monday if he wanted an apology from Trump, McCain, whose supporters have been blasting Trump all weekend, said he doesn't need one.

"I don't think so, but I think he may owe an apology to the families of those who have sacrificed in conflict and those who have undergone the prison experience in serving our country," McCain told MSNBC's "Morning Joe".

"I'm in the arena, as (Teddy Roosevelt) used to say," McCain said, skipping an opportunity to knock Trump further as his allies and other presidential contenders from Trump's own party have been outspoken in denouncing his remarks.

Read more HERE.

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