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Wed, 03 June 2015
Top athletics coach Alberto Salazar faces doping claims

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23:00   Top athletics coach Alberto Salazar faces doping claims
One of the world's best known athletics coaches is at the centre of doping allegations, according to a BBC investigation.

Alberto Salazar has been accused of violating anti-doping rules, including claims he was involved in doping US record holder Galen Rupp, in 2002.

Rupp and GB Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah are part of Salazar's US stable, the Nike Oregon Project. There is no suggestion Farah has broken any rules.

Salazar and Rupp deny any wrongdoing.
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21:56   US Congressman rakes up violence against minorities in India

An American lawmaker and a panel of four experts today decried alleged "violence" against religious minorities in India and appealed to the US administration to include human rights violations as an issue for discussion in its talks with the new Indian government.

At a Congressional hearing organised jointly by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and American Sikh Congressional Caucus, literature containing testimonies of experts and details of speeches distributed to members spoke of violence against religious minorities, with a map of India which showed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of Pakistan.

Opening the hearing, Congressman Patrick Meehan, Co-Chair of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, alleged that "violence" against religious minorities has increased in India in recent months, calling it an issue of serious concern.

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21:50   Djokovic ends Nadal's run at French Open
Novak Djokovic beat defending champion Rafael Nadal 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.

It took the top-seeded Djokovic seven attempts to topple Nadal, seeded sixth this year, at Roland Garros.

The win helped the Serb improve his overall record against the Spaniard, a winner in the French capital in each of the last four years, to 21-23. 
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21:44   Merkel tells Egypt's Sisi: Death penalty is wrong but let's trade
Germany opposes Egypt's use of the death penalty, recently imposed on Islamist leaders including former President Mohamed Mursi, but is ready to do business with Cairo, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.

She was speaking at a joint news conference with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi which ended with a protester shouting out "he is a murderer!".

Sisi's first official visit to Germany has proved controversial, with Bundestag President Norbert Lammert announcing last month that he would not meet the former army chief, citing "an unbelievable number of death sentences".

Read full story HERE.
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20:54   India, US ink new defence framework accord
India and US tonight signed a new strategically important 10-year defence framework agreement setting the stage for co-development and manufacture of defence equipment and technology besides holding joint exercises and greater intelligence sharing.

The agreement, which was decided during the visit of US President Barack Obama to India in January and focuses on issues ranging from maritime security, aircraft carrier to jet engine technology cooperation, was inked by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and visiting US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter.

The signing of the agreement comes as the two countries moved ahead on two of the four "pathfinder projects" identified under the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative during Obama's visit.

Carter is reported to have told journalists travelling with him that one of the projects is the development of a high-tech mobile power source for the Marine Corps that would work on solar energy, be smaller, more portable and efficient, and which could be used in remote outposts.

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20:27   US official: 10,000-plus ISIS fighters killed in 9-month campaign
The US-led coalition against ISIS has recorded more than 10,000 ISIS deaths since the campaign against the extremist group began nine months ago, US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken told France Inter radio.

Blinken's remarks came in an interview given Tuesday after coalition members joined Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi for a conference in Paris that assessed progress in the campaign.

Asked whether Iraqi forces backed by the coalition were capable of standing up to ISIS, Blinken said they could.

Read more HERE.
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20:21   UN condemns Myanmar's jailing of writer for urging religious tolerance
The United Nations on Wednesday condemned Myanmar's jailing of a writer for urging religious tolerance, calling on authorities to release him and instead prosecute extremists inciting violence against minorities.

Htin Lin Oo, a columnist and former information officer for the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, was arrested in December over a speech in which he urged Myanmar's hardline Buddhists to show tolerance to minorities in the country.

On Tuesday, he was jailed for two years with hard labour for "insulting religion", and the UN rights office said it was "appalled" at the verdict.

Read full story HERE.
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19:54   Sharif for good ties with India amid war of words
Amidst exchange of barbs, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today struck a conciliatory note saying he wants to establish good relations with India. 

Sharif was talking to Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit, who met him in Islamabad and briefed him over the relations with India.

Radio Pakistan reported that the High Commissioner apprised the Prime Minister on the state of Pakistan-India relations with particular reference to the "latest developments".

"Pakistan wants to establish good relations with India on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect," Sharif was quoted as saying.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and ex-ambassador Tariq Fatemi was also present during the meeting.

Basit arrived from New Delhi early this morning and briefed officials at the Foreign Ministry about recent statements by Indian leaders.
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19:36   George W. Bush more popular than Obama: Poll
Former US President George W. Bush is now more popular than his successor Barack Obama, according to a CNN/ORC poll released on Wednesday.

The survey said 52 per cent of Americans polled have a favorable opinion of the former Republican president who was in office between 2001 and 2009, while 49 per cent share a similar feeling about the man currently in the White House.

It took nearly a decade for Americans polled to warm towards Bush, who led the United States during the September 11, 2001 attacks and launched two wars in its aftermath.

Among former presidents, George H W Bush and Bill Clinton have highly favorable ratings of 64 per cent.

Read more HERE.
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19:15   Bangladesh Hindu outfit asks PM Modi to drop Mamata from his entourage
A Hindu outfit in Bangladesh on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to include West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in his entourage during his two-day visit to the country this week, accusing her of "indulgence" towards Islamist militants.

The outfit, Vedanta Shanskriti Moncho, also asked all pro-liberation forces to show black flag to Banerjee if she visits the country.

Read full story HERE.
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18:51   Prez appreciates Belarus support to India's UNSC bid, Yoga Day
President Pranab Mukherjee today thanked Belarus for its "unequivocal endorsement" of India's "rightful" claim to a permanent UNSC seat and for supporting the Indian proposal to declare June 21 as International Day of Yoga.

Speaking at the luncheon hosted by President Alexander V Lukashenko, Mukherjee said co-operation between the two countries in the UN and other multilateral fora, including the Non-Aligned Movement, has been close and fruitful.

"This should continue. India deeply appreciates Belarus' unequivocal endorsement of India's rightful claim to permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council," he said.

Mukherjee, who arrived here last night on a two-day visit, said India has and always will appreciate Belarus' approach on issues of concern to it within the framework of international organisations.
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18:49   Earthquake of magnitude 4 on richter scale hit Uttarakhand
An earthquake scaling 4 on the Richter scale hit Uttarakhand at 4.58 pm today. The quake's epicentre was Chamoli district. 

"No info of damage to property or loss of life," said Piyush Rautela, Chief, Disaster Management Centre.

Picture for representation only.
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18:42   US over-reacted to 9/11 attacks, says new Oxford Univ chief
The US over-reacted to the September 11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 as the country lacked exposure to violent extremism, a leading UK academic has said.

The newly appointed first female vice-chancellor of Oxford University Louise Richardson who is also an expert on terrorism also said the British population was far more resilient than the Americans.

"Central to any terrorism campaign should be a resilient population and, I have to say, the British population in the course of the Troubles and violence in Northern Ireland proved really quite resilient. Far more so than the United States," Louise, 56, said during a panel discussion on universities and extremism hosted by the British Council.

"And the scale of the reaction - I would say over-reaction - in the United States to the 9/11 atrocity was reflective of the fact that it was such a new experience for the US," she said.
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18:19   PM's visit to Israel worrisome: Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Israel is "worrisome" as it undermines India's position on Palestine and also "destroys balance" in foreign policy, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said today.


The Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha said India has had a consistent and firm position on the rights of Palestinians for a state of their own since the days of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.


"So, there has to be balance. This Prime Minister has actually undermined that balance in India's foreign policy because he has not engaged with the countries of the Middle East, countries of the Gulf. He has diluted India's firm, consistent position on Palestine," he said.


The former Union minister said the PM has also not engaged with Africa and Latin America.
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18:10   Army asks soldiers to avoid Maggi noodles
Just in: The Army has sent out an advisory telling soldiers to avoid Maggi noodles. It has also directed its canteens not to sell till further order.


Earlier in the day, the Delhi government banned sales of Maggi noodles for 15 days, the brand from Swiss foods major Nestle, from its stores after it found lead and monosodium glutamate in the eatable beyond permissible limit.


Ten out of 13 samples tested for lead content in the popular food item were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits.


However, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday said there have been no negative reports about the samples tested so far.
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18:04   Army asks soldiers to avoid Maggi noodles
Just in: The Army has sent out an advisory telling soldiers to avoid Maggi noodles.


The Delhi government on Wednesday banned sales of Maggi noodles for 15 days, the brand from Swiss foods major Nestle, from its stores after it found lead and monosodium glutamate in the eatable beyond permissible limit.


Ten out of 13 samples tested for lead content in the popular food item were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits.


However, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday said there have been no negative reports about the samples tested so far.
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17:44   Now, non-Hindus can't enter Somnath temple sans permit
The famous pilgrim place of Lord Shiva, the Somnath temple in Gujarat will now be off-limits for non-Hindus as authorities have decided against entry to people following other faiths without prior permission.


Authorities cited security concerns and protection of 'sanctity' of a religious place for the restriction, saying other religions do not allow non-followers to enter their sacred places.


"Shree Somnath Jyotirling is a pilgrimage for Hindus. Non-Hindus will have to obtain permission from General Manager's Office (of the temple) to enter the sacred pilgrim-place," said a notice put up by temple authorities at the main entrance gate.


Daily thousands of devotees from across the country visit the temple, which is very heavily protected by police.


The famous Shiva temple, located near Veraval town of Gir-Somnath district, is governed by a trustee board headed by former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader L K Advani are other trustees.
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17:33   Centre refers Maggi mess to National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
Centre steps into Maggi mess. Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan speaks on the Maggi noodles issue. Paswan says that the government has referred the Maggi issue to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to take appropriate action. 

Misleading ads will incur penalty under the unfair trade practices act, says Paswan. Fast food culture is very prevalent and the Maggi mess is a serious issue, he said.  Paswan also assured that the contents in Maggi will be carefully tested. "If excessive amount of lead is found in Maggi, then action will be taken against the company," he said. 
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17:17  
Sachin Tendulkar tweets this picture with cricketing great Shane Warne: Looking forward to the challenge @ShaneWarne. GAME ON!! It is #SachinversusWarne!!!


Rumor has it that cricket greats Warne and Tendulkar are planning to start a new Twenty20 competition for former international players. They were in Dubai for an ICC meet.
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17:05   Rogue BBC tweet sparks global news alert about Queen's health
A rogue tweet by a BBC reporter after an obituary rehearsal led several major international news organisations to wrongly report that Queen Elizabeth had been admitted to hospital. Read
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17:04   No MSG, lead found in Maggi samples in Goa: FDA
Maggi noodles samples of the fast food in Goa have not shown any traces of the flavour enhancer MSG and lead, a senior official


"The samples (of Maggi) which were drawn from state's markets did not have any ingredient which is harmful," said Goa Food and Drug Administration's Deputy Director, Jyoti Sardesai.


She said the samples were taken from the market and also from the North Goa-based Nestle factory. "The (results of) tests for monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead (have) come negative. The samples were produced (for testing) in Goa and in Punjab facility," Sardesai said.


The samples of Maggi noodles are being subjected to laboratory examination across the country following detection of monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles.


Nestle India had already claimed it has got samples tested in an external laboratory as well as in-house and that the product was found "safe to eat".
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16:38   Delhi bans Maggi noodles for 15 days
The Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government has banned Maggi noodles for 15 days after 80 per cent of samples were found to be unsafe. Ten out of 13 samples tested for lead content in Maggi noodles were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits.


Announcing the ban, health minister Satyendra Jain said the Delhi government would revise the adulteration act and has asked Nestle India to lift all existing stocks of Maggi from the market immediately since 80% of samples tested were found to be unfit for human consumption. Jain also said that noodles of other brands will also be tested. A fresh decision will be taken after 15 days after rechecking the new Maggi stocks in government labs, Jain announced.


Several other states were also testing the product, even as Kerala banned the sale of Maggi yesterday.

Nestle reportedly told the Delhi government not to go by media reports. Its officials said the media is misleading and health and safety were a priority.


The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, has asked all state governments to get Maggi samples tested.  

State governments from Delhi to Kerala, and from Tamil Nadu to Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab and West Bengal, have randomly collected Maggi samples of different batches and dates for testing the safety of its content.


Last week, a case had been lodged against Nestle India by state food regulator FSDA in a local court at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh over safety standards of its Maggi, while actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been dragged into it for promoting the 'two-minute' noodles brand. 
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16:35  
Missionary vandalized in Madhyamgram area of North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal; an FIR has been registered, police investigation underway.
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16:30   India's supermarket chain stops stocking Maggi noodles
After Delhi and Kerala ban the sale of Maggi noodles, in another major setback for Nestle, the country's largest supermarket chain operator Future Group today stopped sale of the noodles at all its stores across the country.


The move -- the first by a retailer in the country -- follows country-wide probe against the 'two-minute' instant food brand for alleged presence of lead and taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) beyond permissible limits.


"In the interest of consumer sentiment and concerns, we have taken Maggi noodles off the shelves from all our stores for the time being. We will wait for more clarity from authorities to take any further course of action," a Future Group spokesperson said.


Modern retail outlets like Big Bazaar run by the Future Group contribute a large chunk of sales for FMCG firms, including Nestle. The Future Group operates retail formats under brands such as Big Bazaar, Easy day, KB's and Nilgiris, with 570 stores across 243 cities.
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16:13   Moga molestation case: 5 bus passengers traced
Police today claimed to have traced five passengers who were in the same bus in which a teenage girl was thrown off after being molested leading to her death, and recorded their statements.


In their statements, they said that they have not seen or heard anything regarding the molestation and also pleaded with the police not to involve them in the case, police said.


The five passengers were traced on the basis of their cell phone tower locations, they said. They have been identified as Tarsem, a horticulture officer, Vijay Kumar, resident of Bathinda, Gagandeep Singh, resident of Jalalabad, Paramjit Singh and his wife Amarjit Kaur, residents of Bathinda, police said.


Some of these passengers had even said they were sleeping in the bus at the time of incident, they said. Moga police had, earlier, appealed to passengers to come forward and help them in the investigation.
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16:09   Nepal's UNESCO heritage sites to reopen to tourists in August
Nepal is planning to re-open the historical structures and monuments enlisted by the UNESCO as World Heritage sites to the tourists as well as the general public from August 17 as only 15 per cent of the sites have been damaged in the recent devastating earthquakes.


The Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Bouddhanath, Pashupatinath, and Changunarayan area are the major sites visited by the tourists.


The number of tourists arriving in the country has suddenly decreased in the aftermath of the earthquakes that claimed over 9,000 lives on April 24.
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16:04   Chinese Ganesha's eyes narrower, says Parrikar, pitches for 'Make in India'
With even Indian Gods being imported from China, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today narrated how idols of Lord Ganesha were coming into India from that country with eyes becoming narrower and narrower.


Parrikar, who was addressing a seminar on 'Design and Make In India-Electronics,' was talking about the importance of government's flagship initiative.


The Minister said he often gets statues of Gods, especially Ganesha, as gifts when he attends programmes. "I found that nowadays the eyes are becoming smaller and smaller. One day I turned it back and found Made in China," he said leaving the audience at Vivekananda International Foundation in splits.


He said Indians have imagined the facial features of Goddess Saraswati and Ganesha among others based on the paintings of Raja Ravi Verma. "Don't be surprised if it slowly changes. So we have to start 'Make in India' right from Diwali gifts to our own Gods. I think it is quite serious," he said, talking about the Chinese edge over India in manufacturing.
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15:37   Have not received notice about endorsing Maggi: Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan says he has not received any notice from the government over endorsing Maggi noodles. "Will fully cooperate with the law but I stopped endorsing Maggi two years ago," he said.

Last week, a case had been lodged against Nestle India by state food regulator FSDA in a local court at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh over safety standards of its Maggi, while actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been dragged into it for promoting the 'two-minute' noodles brand.
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15:18   2-minute respite for Nestle: No excess lead in Maggi noodles in Kerala tests
Finally, good news for Nestle. Test results from Kerala are in and the lead content is within permissible limits.


The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government may likely ban Maggi noodles after 80 per cent of samples were found to be unsafe. Ten out of 13 samples tested for lead content in Maggi noodles were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits. Several other states were also testing the product, even as Kerala banned the sale of Maggi yesterday.

Nestle reportedly told the Delhi government not to go by media reports. Its officials said the media is misleading and health and safety were a priority.


The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, has asked all state governments to get Maggi samples tested. 

State governments from Delhi to Kerala, and from Tamil Nadu to Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab and West Bengal, have randomly collected Maggi samples of different batches and dates for testing the safety of its content.


Last week, a case had been lodged against Nestle India by state food regulator FSDA in a local court at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh over safety standards of its Maggi, while actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta have also been dragged into it for promoting the 'two-minute' noodles brand.
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15:09  
The Delhi government will take a decision whether it should ban Maggi, by 4 pm today.
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15:08   Rocks hurled at Sydney siege cafe
A former professional basketball player was today charged with malicious damage after rocks were thrown through five windows of the Sydney cafe at the centre of a deadly siege.


Witnesses alerted police when they saw a man loitering near the upmarket Lindt cafe in the city's financial heart at the time of the alleged attack in the early hours.


Luke Martin, widely reported to be a former National Basketball League player with the Sydney Kings, was subsequently arrested and denied bail after appearing in court on multiple charges.


Police allege that Martin threw rocks at the cafe, was involved in a police pursuit and broke the jaw of an officer trying to arrest him.


His car was stopped in the area after it was spotted being driven on the wrong side of the road. He allegedly resisted arrest and assaulted the officer. The incident coincided with an inquest into the siege underway nearby.


Iranian-born Man Haron Monis, a self-styled cleric, took more than a dozen customers and staff hostage at the cafe on December 15.
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15:02   Parrikar voices concern over arms sale to Pak
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today expressed concern over arms sale to Pakistan, ahead of his meeting with visiting US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter.


"I will not comment on specifics but any arms sale to Pakistan is a concern to India," he said.


He was replying to a question about continued American sale of arms to Pakistan. He was also asked if this issue would be raised during his meeting with Carter later in the evening.


The US has given military hardware, including F-16 fighter planes, to Pakistan amounting to a whopping USD 5.4 billion since the 9/11 terror attacks, according to a latest Congressional report. Sale of F-16 combat aircraft and related equipment account for nearly half of this.


The military hardware given to Pakistan in the 10-year framework has been argued as supplies needed by Islamabad for capacity building to fight terrorists in its border areas. But most of the arms and equipment supplied to Pakistan have been those which could be used for conventional war with India.
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14:47  
IAF advanced jet trainer hawk crashes near Baharagora in Jharkhand, 50 km away from Kalaikunda air base; both pilots ejected safely.
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14:34   Twitter outrage after Modi features in Google's Top 10 Criminals
Google faced the wrath of tens of thousands of Modi fans on Wednesday on Twitter for its search results on 'Top 10 criminals'. #Top10Criminals was trending on Twitter because a search result on Google threw up pictures of several Indians.


And one of them is none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His picture appears, not once, but thrice in the first 12 images!


Other names in the results are Al Capone, Osama Bin Laden, Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed, drug baron Joaquin Guzman, George Bush, OJ Simpson.


Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha @JhaSanjay tweeted with a saradonic,
"I agree with you. If I was Mr Modi, I would stop tweeting for a few days in protest. #Top10Criminals."


Click on the picture for a larger image.
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14:17   Muslim groups in Mumbai slam compulsory yoga day order in schools
A day after Maharashtra government passed a diktat for schools to remain open on Sunday, June 21, to mark International Yoga Day, several Muslim outfits in Mumbai slammed the order saying that yoga, including Surya Namaskar, requires a person to bow (to Sun God), and bowing was a practice reserved for Namaz.  Read more
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13:52   Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of Partition: Pak army chief
Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday described Kashmir as  an "unfinished agenda of partition."


"Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of partition. Kashmir and Pakistan are unseparable," General Sharif said and added that the Pakistan army was capable enough to defeat the nefarious designs of the enemy.


"Contours of future wars are fast changing. Our enemies are supporting terrorism to stoke sub-conventional conflicts and destabilise our country," he said, while speaking at National Defence University in Islamabad.


The statement from the Pakistan Army chief comes just hours after New Delhi raised strong objections to Islamabad's plan to hold election in the Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).


The election, which is scheduled to be held on June 8, is as an attempt by Islamabad "to camouflage its forcible and illegal occupation of the regions" and to deny its people their political rights, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said.


"India's position is well known. The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes the regions of Gilgit and Baltistan, is an integral part of India," Swarup added. -- India Today
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13:23   TN to test Maggi to determine MSG, lead levels
Tamil Nadu government has decided to send Nestle's noodle brand Maggi to the labs to check for levels of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead. This follows reports of these contents exceeding their prescribed levels in tests conducted in Uttar Pradesh and some other parts of the country. Uttar Pradesh and Kerala have already ordered the retailers in their states to take the product off their shelves.
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13:20   Punjab too orders testing of Maggi noodles samples
Punjab today joined the states which have ordered laboratory testing of Maggi noodles samples following allegations of lapses in food safety standards.


"We have taken almost 60 samples of Maggi noodles collected from various parts of the state for laboratory testing," Punjab Heath and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani said.


He said that the samples have been sent for testing in a government laboratory in Amritsar.


"We will soon receive the report of the samples," the minister said. "If any lapse is found as per food safety standards, then appropriate action will be taken in this regard," said Jayani, who is a BJP MLA.


The minister said a probe is being conducted by various states into the alleged lapses in food safety standards in popular instant food.


Yesterday, Haryana government had ordered random collection of Maggi noodles samples from across the state. The probe been expanded across the country following detection of monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles.
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13:11  
Our sources tell us that ICC President N Srinivasan had a series of meetings with both union ministers and BJP chief Amit Shah in New Delhi over the last couple of days. Srinivasan is believed to have met Arun Jaitley and with the backdrop of the BCCI's recent internal politics Srinivasan is considering migrating towards the Sharad Pawar camp. 
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13:04   Hawking would consider assisted suicide if he was a burden
Famed physicist Stephen Hawking has said that he would consider assisted suicide -- but only if he were in great pain, felt like a burden to loved ones or had nothing left to contribute to the world.


Hawking, 73, suffers from motor neurone disease, and has argued that keeping someone alive against their own wishes is the "ultimate indignity".


In 2013, Hawking had said that terminally ill patients should have access to assisted suicide, as long as there are checks to prevent abuse.


In an interview for a new BBC programme, the scientist disclosed he suffered bouts of loneliness, because people can be afraid to talk to him or let him answer.


When asked about his support for assisted dying, and what condition he would have to be in to consider it for himself, the physicist said: "To keep someone alive against their wishes is the ultimate indignity.


"I would consider assisted suicide only if I were in great pain or felt I had nothing more to contribute but was just a burden to those around me," he said.


But, Hawking added: "I am damned if I'm going to die before I have unravelled more of the universe." 
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12:44   Goodbye, Sweden
Sweden's crown princess Victoria and prince Daniel bid farewell to President Pranab Mukherjee at the airport in Stockholm. The president was on a five-day state visit to Sweden and Belarus, the first ever by any Indian head of State, during which a number of key agreements on sustainable development, scientific research were signed.
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12:41  
Meeting between Nestle officials and Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain begins in Secretariat.
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12:39   India govt gets a little too upset if Pak flags are waved: NC
National Conference leader Mustafa Kamal on Pakistan flags being waved in Srinagar: "Pak flag chadhaane se kya fark padega? Ab Hindustan ki sarkar zyaada hi tilmila jaati hai, zyaada hi pareshaan ho jaati hai. Jhande kisne lagaye, yeh kehna kafi nahi. Agency barabar militancy ke agaaz se kaam kar rahi hai taaki yahan rehnewale badnaam ho.What difference does it make if Pakistan flags are unfurled? The Indian government gets a bit too upset. It's not enough to say who unfurled the flags. The militancy has been prompting agencies so that Kashmiris are maligned."


Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani Sunday said Pakistan flags "would continue to be hoisted' in the Kashmir Valley, days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh warned of strict action against those indulging in such acts. "Pakistan is our benefactor. It is supporting the right of self determination to Kashmir. People here love Pakistan," Geelani said addressing a seminar at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar.


"The Pakistan flag is being hoisted in Kashmir since 1947. And it (Pakistan flag) would continue to be hoisted in future as well."
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12:30   Don't expect any more rate cuts in 2015
After cutting the policy rate by 75 basis points in less than five months, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is headed for a prolonged pause. Read more
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12:08   Amitabh shares old pic with Jaya on 42nd wedding anniversary
Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya were married this day, 42 years ago. Bachchan took to Twitter to thank his fans for the wishes and shared a lovely black and white picture with Jaya, tweeting, "To them that give me their wishes for the Anniversary, my sincere gratitude and love .. 42 years of marriage."


With 15 million followers, #HappyAnniversaryABJB began trending on Twitter. The actor will however not be able to spend the day with his wife as Jaya Bachchan is not in the country at the moment.


He blogged, "Self wishes are the order of the day .. they serve both ways. They convey to you the Ef, of my marriage anniversary and they inform the wife that she has not been forgotten even though she is not in the country at this moment ."
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11:57   Sensex extends losses, falls below 27,000-level
Witnessing heavy selling pressure in almost all the sectors, the benchmark BSE Sensex dipped below 27,000-mark to hit its lowest levels in almost 2-1/2 weeks, on fears of a drought in the country this year.
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11:54  
@SriLankaTweet posts this picture of Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena shopping for shoes. 
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11:47   3 pedestrians killed as a motorcycle runs over them
Three persons, including two elderly women, who were asleep on a pavement behind a bus terminus in Chennai were killed on the spot after a speeding motorcycle with three teens ran them over in the early hours of Wednesday, reports the Hindu.


Four others sleeping at the same spot escaped with injuries. The teenagers who rode the bike were arrested by police from a hospital nearby.
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11:37   Make in India lion logo not inspired by Swiss bank ad, says govt
The government has sought to dismiss reports that the 'Make in India' logo was inspired by a Swiss bank advertisement, saying the symbol has a "vibrant and dynamic" lion as against a "dull and boring" picture in Switzerland's advertisement campaign.


One of the most famous 'Make in India' logos comprises a lion with industrial wheels, while a similar picture has been noticed in the advertisement campaign of Cantonal Bank of Zurich.


Soon after a news website reported about this resemblance, after spotting the Swiss bank's ad campaign on the outer body of a train in Zurich, social media went abuzz with comments that the 'Make in India' logo was copied from Switzerland.


Seeking to dispel such suggestions, Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Amitabh Kant posted pictures of all 30 Make in India logos on Twitter and said all of these had "vibrant and dynamic" lions and none of them resembled the "dull, boring and monotonous Swiss or Cuban Lions".

He further tweeted that "wheel in Ashoka Chakra forms the centerpiece of India's national flag. "Wheel denotes peaceful progress and dynamism."

He also said that "since time immemorial, lion has been the official emblem of India" and it stands for "courage, tenacity and wisdom -- all Indian values".
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11:33  
Maggi row: It all started 15 months ago with an officer in Barabanki. Read
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11:20   Delhi govt summons Maggi officials at 12:30 pm
The Delhi government has summoned Nestle India officials for an explanation on the samples that failed MSG and lead level tests. Eighty per cent of the samples were found to be unsafe. The meeting with the officials is at 12:30 pm today.


Delhi government may also follow Kerala in banning Maggi after 10 out of 13 samples tested for lead content were found to have amounts higher than permissible limits.

State governments from Delhi to Kerala, and from Tamil Nadu to Haryana, Maharashtra and West Bengal, have deployed officials to randomly collect Maggi samples of different batches and dates for testing the safety of its content


Several other states were also testing the product, if Maggi fails these tests, the product could face a ban across India.


Shares in Nestle, the company that makes Maggi noodles, dropped nearly 10 per cent in morning trade on Wednesday.  
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11:07  
Taslima Nasreen @taslimanasreen scuttles reports that she had moved to the US after Islamist death threats:  "I often go to USA. To give lectures & to see my family. I havn't left India permanently. Indian govt always provides security. Pet cat is waiting."
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11:01   Why PM's Bangladesh visit couldn't be better-timed
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has positioned himself as a credible partner for Bangladesh. He has scored by getting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to travel with him to Dhaka, says Srinath Raghavan. Read
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11:00   Retirement means death for army dogs
What happens to Indian Army dogs -- including the decorated ones -- once they are not fit to carry out their rigorous duty? They are euthanised, says an RTI reply. The RTI sought details about the method of disposal of animals, including dogs, in the Army.


The reply: "Army horses and dogs are evaluated for their fitness with respect to the performance of duties. The animals which are considered unfit for one month active service are disposed of by humane euthanasia."


Read more
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10:53  
Just in: Three pavement dwellers killed in Chennai after being run over by motorbike; one arrested
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10:18   Ram Temple: If ignored, Ram bhakts might erupt as volcano, says BJP leader
Vinay Katiyar, Rajya Sabha MP from BJP, said on Tuesday that the Ram Temple issue is as important as the country's economic development. Stating that the government should bring a legislation to resolve the issue forever, he cautioned that if the issue is ignored, 'the anger of Ram bhakts might erupt as a volcano'.

Read his full interview HERE
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09:57   Rs 47 paid as compensation to Jammu farmers for crop damage
The grief-stricken farmers who lost nearly everything in the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 are facing yet another disappointment. 

In what could be seen as rubbing salt on their wounds, the farmers in Jammu's Sarora village have received compensation cheques of merely Rs 47 to a maximum Rs 378.The agriculture inspector in the area handed out 25 cheques to farmers ranging from a minimum of Rs 47 to a maximum of Rs 378.

Read more HERE
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09:49   For International Yoga Day, 45,000 people to perform 15 asanas
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead school children, government officials, diplomats, army personnel and NCC cadets for a 35-minute demonstration of 15 yoga asanas at Raj Ghat on June 21, the day designated as International Yoga Day by the UN. The event has been registered as an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records, under "largest yoga demonstration/class (45,000) at a single venue' and if sources are to be believed, every inch of preparation has been directed to make the event a grand spectacle.  
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09:21   Maggi in a soup: AP & Telangana governments order tests on Maggi
After samples in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh were found to be unsafe, the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments have also ordered tests. 
Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi had announced that it would consider taking action against Nestle and the state of Kerala has already banned the 2-minute noodles. 
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09:19   Sydney siege cafe vandalised a month after it reopens
A man has been arrested over vandalism at the Lindt Cafe in Sydney where a deadly siege took place.Windows were left smashed after large rocks were thrown at the chocolate shop at Martin Place around midnight Tuesday.Police arrested a 34-year-old man in Kings Cross after he allegedly assaulted officers who chased him through the city. The cafe reopened on March 20 this year, three months after gunman Man Haron Monis took 17 people hostage, sparking a 16-hour stand-off with police.
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08:41   Delhi government to act against Nestle over Maggi
After samples of Maggi noodles in New Delhi were tested positive for containing lead beyond permissible limits, the Kejriwal government has said it would initiate a case against Nestle. "Last week, a total of 13 samples of Maggi noodles were lifted and on test/analysis of the same it was found that in case of masala (tastemaker) part of the Maggi noodles, 10 masala samples were found unsafe having lead exceeding the prescribed limits. The prescribed maximum limit of lead is 2.5 ppm,' the government said in a statement.

Stating that "five samples of masala were also having monosodium glutamate without proper label declaration", the government said, "This falls under the category of misbranding."
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08:20   Bill to limit domestic spy programs passes US Congress
US Congress rejected some of the sweeping intelligence-gathering powers it granted national security officials after the 9/11 terror attacks, with the Senate voting to end the government's bulk collection of private telephone records and reform other surveillance policies.The bill, known as the USA Freedom Act, passed on a 67-to-32 vote, against the will of Senate Republican leaders who wished to preserve existing spy programs. 

US President Obama, who signed the USA Freedom Act into law, said in a statement earlier that he was "gratified that Congress has finally moved forward with this sensible reform legislation". 
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07:57   I respect women a lot, unlike that driver who raped: Uber cabbie
"I respect women a lot, unlike the driver who was jailed for raping a woman in his cab around six months ago. He did a detestable thing and he was an obnoxious man," Uber cabbie Vinod allegedly told his 21-year-old passenger while driving her to Gurgaon from Subhash Nagar on Saturday night. Vinod then allegedly kissed his passenger's hand and tried to kiss her against her wishes a little while later. 

Vinod, who has been booked under Section 354 A (molestation) of the IPC, was granted bail on Tuesday. The accused in a brief statement to the media claimed he was being framed since the victim had misunderstood his "modern" see-off and raised a hue and cry.
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04:05   NASA to test supersonic parachutes in flying saucer launch
The US space agency plans to try out the largest parachute ever deployed today during a flying saucer launch that will test new technologies for landing on Mars. 

The test flight of the flying saucer, known as the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator, will be broadcast live on NASA's website beginning at 1:30 pm (2300 IST). 

Since the atmosphere on Mars is so thin, any parachute that helps a heavy, fast-moving spacecraft touch down needs to be extra strong.
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03:01   Boko Haram assault kills dozens in northeastern Nigeria
Boko Haram have attacked the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri once again, waking residents with deafening explosions in the early hours of the morning and then a suicide bombing that witnesses said killed as many as 20 people.

The extremist group which seeks to impose Islamic law across northern Nigeria has repeatedly attacked Maiduguri, the largest city in the northeast, since the newly elected president has designated it as the new headquarters in the war to curb the Islamic uprising.
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02:48   Survivor recounts harrowing ordeal aboard sinking Chinese cruise ship
As wind and rain lashed the Eastern Star cruise ship on Monday night, and lightning illuminated the sky, 43-year-old tour guide Zhang Hui was making his way back to his cabin.

It was just before 9:30 p.m., and many of the elderly members of his tour group had gone to bed. Suddenly, the storm on the Yangtze River transformed into a freak tornado. Water started seeping into rooms, even through closed windows, Zhang recalled. Then, the boat listed 45 degrees, sending bottles skidding off tables and onto the floor.

Read more here
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01:47   Allies back Iraq plan against ISIS, Baghdad seeks more help
Western and Arab states carrying out air strikes on Islamic State fighters backed on Tuesday Iraq's plan to retake territory from the jihadist movement after being accused by the Iraqi premier of not doing enough to help Baghdad push back the insurgents.

Around 20 coalition ministers met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Paris, in part to persuade his Shi'ite Muslim-led government to repair relations with Iraq's Sunni minority to strengthen its campaign against the Sunni Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
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01:44   US envoy in talks with Yemen rebels on peace conference
The United States confirmed today that an American envoy has held talks in Oman with Iran-backed Yemeni rebels to convince them to attend a Geneva peace conference in mid-June. 

Washington's top diplomat for the Near East, Anne Patterson, had a number of meetings in Oman with parties involved in the Yemen conflict, "including with representatives of the Huthi," said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.
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01:03   Wars in Pakistan and Afghanistan leave 150,000 dead: study
The wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan have left nearly 150,000 soldiers and civilians dead since 2001, a new US study estimates. 

 Another 162,000 have been wounded since the US-led offensive that toppled the Taliban government in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, says the study by the Costs of War Project, based at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University.
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00:33   Divers seek survivors trapped inside capsized China ship
Divers and other rescue workers battled into the night Tuesday to reach survivors from a tourist-filled cruise ship that capsized with 456 people on board during a freak tornado on China's Yangtze River.

After what could become the worst ferry disaster in China in nearly 70 years, more than 110 rescue boats and six helicopters battled wind, rain and darkness as they scoured the river for survivors. They were joined by more than 180 navy divers, who rushed to the scene in central Hubei province.
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00:32   'Madras Cafe' actress Leena Paul held in fraud case
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested 'Madras Cafe' actress Leena Maria Paul along with five others in connection with a fraud case for allegedly duping investors, police said today. 

According to police, Paul's partner Sekar Chandrashekhar (25) had created a "web of schemes" by promising hefty returns to investors and used to operate through his office in suburban Goregaon in Mumbai.
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00:29   Vehicles in Prez Mukherjee's convoy collide, 1 injured
Vehicles in Prez Mukherjee's convoy collide, 1 injuredFour vehicles in President Pranab Mukherjee's convoy collided while moving from Stockholm to Uppsala University today, leaving one protocol officer with minor injuries. 

The last four cars in the cavalcade ferrying security, protocol and a cameraman collided when the one moving in the front suddenly developed some problem, an official said.
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00:26   Paris says 110 jihadists from France killed in Iraq and Syria
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said today that 110 jihadists who left French territory to fight with the Islamic State group had died in Iraq and Syria. 

"More than 860 individuals have spent time in these countries, 471 of which are still there and 110 of which are dead," Valls told the Senate as it studies an intelligence bill approved by lawmakers in May.
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00:26   24 Iraqi tourists killed when bus plunges off Iran mountain
A bus carrying Iraqi tourists plunged off a mountain road into a valley in northern Iran today, killing 24 holidaymakers and injuring 16 others, Iranian state television said. 

The accident occurred between Tehran and the Caspian Sea in the Alborz mountains.

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