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Mon, 15 June 2015

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23:59 PIL filed against circular for poojas to invoke rain God

A PIL has been filed in the Madras High Court bench here seeking punitive action against a Tamil Nadu government irrigation official for allegedly ordering special poojas to propitiate rain God for copious inflows into Mettur Dam, the lifeline of Cauvery delta farmers.

Petitioner N Ilango, an advocate, submitted before a bench comprising Justices S.Manikumar and G.Chockalingam that Chief Engineer (Irrigation) S.Asokan had issued a circular directing the Water Resource Organisation Executive Engineers to perform Special poojas on June 1 to invoke the rain God.

The official not only issued the circular to perform special poojas but asked the officials to send a report about the performance of pooja by e-mail the next day.

The petitioner claimed that as per a 'confidential' circular issued by former Chief Secretary N Haribaskar (1994-96), all sorts of religious activities are restrained within the premises of government offices.

At this, the bench asked how he got the copy of the circular which was supposed to be strictly confidential.

When the petitioner said he read about the circular in the 'Rationalism Diary', the Judges asked him to file a report and posted the matter to June 30.

India will organise a special event here to mark the International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21, with a number of Egyptian schools and institutions joining in to celebrate the ancient Indian spiritual art form.

The Indian Embassy in Cairo will host the event to be held at the India House in Zamalek.

A large number of people, including Egyptian celebrities and officials, are expected to join the celebrations.

"The practice of yoga brings peace of mind, reduces stress, improves health and brings people together in celebration," said India's Ambassador to Cairo Sanjay Bhattacharyya.

A number of yoga schools and institutions in Egypt are also joining the Indian Embassy in the celebrations.

As the IDY falls during the holy month of Ramadan, the celebrations have been slated to take place in the evening after Iftar, according to Rakesh Kawra, director of Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC).

Kawra said that yoga, an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition, is widely practiced in Egypt. In addition to the MACIC, there are a number of schools and centrers that offer yoga classes.

23:42 Black leader alleged to be white resigns

The president of the NAACP Spokane, Washington, chapter Rachel Dolezal has resigned, according to a letter from her which was posted Monday on the NAACP Spokane Facebook page.

Dolezal did not address allegations that have landed her and her family in the national spotlight over the past several days. Her parents, who are white, allege that she has been lying and presenting herself as black when she is not.

The story ignited debate over race and identity and blew up social media.

In her letter to the NAACP's executive committee and its member, she wrote, "I have waited in deference while others expressed their feelings, beliefs, confusions and even conclusions -- absent the full story. I am consistently committed to empowering marginalized voices and believe that many individuals have been heard in the last hours and days that would not otherwise have had a platform to weigh in on this important discussion.

"Additionally, I have always deferred to the state and national NAACP leadership and offer my sincere gratitude for their unwavering support of my leadership through this unexpected firestorm."

Read full story HERE.

The Pentagon's top arms provider and firms partly funded by Silicon Valley billionaires Bill Gates and Paul Allen are among dozens of companies collectively betting more than US$1.3 billion (S$1.75 billion) that a new wave of nuclear power can be a force to fight climate change.

Advanced nuclear power plants, which will employ techniques such as using fuels other than uranium and coolants other than water, have attracted private investments from more than 40 companies from Florida to Washington state, the Third Way think tank says in the first report specifying the number of firms and total money invested in the technologies.

The reactors, which could come into development in 10 to 15 years, can help curb US carbon emissions and make investments in electricity generation less costly, researchers at Washington, DC-based Third Way said in a report and to be released as soon as Monday.

Companies expressing faith in advanced nuclear power range from Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon's largest supplier, to Holtec International, which is building a US$260 million technology campus in economically depressed Camden, New Jersey.

Read full story HERE.

23:17 Jeb Bush poised to launch 2016 bid

Jeb Bush, a scion of the most recognizable family in Republican politics who fashioned an image as a sober-minded conservative truth-teller while governor of Florida, is poised to run for president.

Bush will make his formal announcement Monday afternoon here in his adopted hometown during an appearance at Miami Dade College. His candidacy comes after a week-long European tour and months of intensive behind-the-scenes political maneuvering that erased long-standing doubts about his White House ambitions.

The launch will set John Ellis Bush, 62, the second son of former President George H.W. Bush and younger brother of former President George W. Bush, on a potentially historic course that would confirm his family's standing as America's pre-eminent political dynasty, rivaled only by the Kennedys in their fame and cross-generational power.

Read full story HERE.

A US woman who filed suit after her Afghan husband was denied a US entry visa because of terror suspicions lost an appeal Monday before the Supreme Court.

The Afghan-born woman had argued that her constitutional rights were being violated because she was being prevented from living in the United States with her spouse.

But the court disagreed, by a vote of 5-4 that reflected its division between conservatives and liberals.

It agreed with the administration, which bars appeals against visa denials made on grounds of "terrorist activities". The court heard arguments in this case on February 23.

Officials from the Enforcement Directorate issued a statement saying that in fact in 2012, a blue corner notice was sent to all airports against Lalit Modi. The statement read, "Blue corner notice was sent to all airports in 2012 and not to Lalit Modi. Such notices are never sent to individuals or allegedly accused persons, airports were instructed to catch Lalit Modi.' The statement directly contradicts Lalit Modi's lawyer who at a press conference held in Mumbai said that there was no blue-corner notice against his client, the former IPL chairman and that he was not a fugitive of the law.

The Enforcement Directorate is in the process of serving final penalty notices in 16 alleged forex violation cases amounting to an estimated Rs 1,700 crore against former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and others as part of its wide-ranging probe in the alleged financial irregularities in various editions of the T-20 cricket extravaganza.

High-level ED sources said apart from these cases, two other instances of suspected contravention of foreign exchange laws and hawala transactions are also being investigated by the central probe agency and these include investigations on the role of Modi.

Murmurs within the Bharatiya Janata Party over the row involving Sushma Swaraj came into the open with a party MP from Bihar asking Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his opinion on what he thought of probing those who had approved the holding of IPL tournament in South Africa in 2009.

"@LalitKModi being probed by #ED. Who were the members of #BCCI #EC who approved #IPL in #SA, Should they not be probed? What say @arunjaitley," said Kirti Azad in a tweet as the controversy raged over External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj helping Lalit Modi, former IPL Commissioner, in getting him travel documents.

Even as the top party leadership and Government stood strongly behind Swaraj in the controversy, a tweet by the former cricketer-turned MP about the 'snake in the grass' created flutters.

Thousands of people living close to a volcano in Indonesia have been forced to flee their homes after it began erupting violently. Mount Sinabung, on the island of Sumatra, became active again in 2010 but there has been more activity since 2 June. Before 2010, the volcano had been dormant for more than 400 years. At least 3,000 people living near its slopes have had to leave, including 1,200 on Monday alone.

21:04

Defending Sushma Swaraj, Abdi said, "The foreign minister didn't intervene on behalf of Lalit Modi. She did her duty. There is nothing wrong."

20:52 'Entire UPA government was after Lalit Modi'

Abdi, Lalit Modi's lawyer criticises the UPA government saying that the entire UPA government was hounding the former IPL chairman and tried to scuttle his efforts to travel. Furthermore, he said,"The people who are talking of propriety and non- propriety should introspect."

20:46 'Blue corner notice is a fabricated document'

Abdi at the presser took the opportunity to slam TV channels who had questioned if Lalit Modi's wife Minal was actually suffering from any illness.

He then went on to address the issue of the blue corner notice. Abdi said, "Blue corner notice is a fabricated document; from the day he went to England, Lalit Modi has been communicating with the Enforcement Directorate and police, so where is the need to issue a blue corner notice."

20:42

Meanwhile, Lalit Modi tweets, "In war there are no winners I know. But I can assure you I will still be standing. The games have just begun. Switch on TV."

20:41 Lalit Modi is not a fugitive, says lawyer at presser

For the first time since the controversy emerged of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj helping Lalit Modi to procure travel documents from the United Kingdom, the former IPL chief's lawyer Mehmood Abdi at a presser in Mumbai said, "Which court has declared Lalit Modi as an offender? Lalit Modi is not an offender."

Determined to mount further pressure on the Modi government, ex-servicemen have decided to hold a huge rally in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections to demand the "promised due' of 'One Rank One Pension'.

The decision came even as groups of ex-servicemen went on a relay hunger strike in about 20 cities across the country. "We will hold our next maha sangram rally in Bihar. We will continue our protest till our legitimate and promised due of OROP is met," Col Anil Kaul (retd), media advisor to Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement said.

Assembly polls in Bihar are likely in September/October this year. Bharatiya Janata Party has a tough fight on hand against the Janata Dal-United- Rashtriya Janata Dalcombine, which is likely to have a poll pact with Congress in the state.

Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi's lawyer will address a press conference on the visa row shortly.

Ahead of the presser Lalit Modi, tweets, 'The only thing I want to point out that mr chidambaram, shashi tharoor, Salman Khursheed and erstwhile PMO should watch this press briefing."

"This is the kind of press conference media will love. As it will be hard data. Secret emails between govts exchanged. Lying to courts. Further the past UK government should also watch this press briefing. As there is lots of Q u will have to answer to media I can assure u."

"My guess is the wrong people resignations are being asked. I can assure u now the storm is about to hit. Lots more resignations will be," he added.

A Delhi court today extended by four more days the police custody of ex-Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar after investigators said he needs to betaken to Bundelkhand University to ascertain facts about his allegedly "fabricated" migration certificate.

Forty-nine-year-old Tomar, arrested in a fake degree case on June9, was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Preeti Parewa after the expiry of his two-day police remand and the policesought extension of his remand by eight more days saying hewas also needed to be taken to Munger, Bihar, to verify hisaddress mentioned in the migration certificate of Bundelkhand University.

The police claimed that every time they visit a new place,"new documents" surface so they need to tally specimen as wellas admitted signatures of Tomar and the university officialson the educational certificates.

Just in: Petrol price has been hiked by 64 paise a litre, while the diesel price has been cut by Rs 1.35 per litre.

19:41 PM should sack Sushma Swaraj, says Rahul

Now, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has joined the demand for removal of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the controversy over the Lalit Modi visa.

"There is only one man running this country and the government, that is Narendra Modi. He should stop protecting Lalit Modi," said Rahul.

A presser on behalf of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi will be held today by his lawyer Mehmood Abdi at 8 pm this evening at Mumbai's Four Seasons Hotel.

"Be ready to absorb exactly what has transpired from March 5 2010 to date. There will be timelines shared. Who did what. When. Why," he tweeted.

"The media globally will not want to miss this press conference. It will be full expose with facts, documentation and hard data. No hearsay. The Congress party should be watching this press conference," he warned in the tweet.

I mentioned yesterday I am waiting and watching. After the hearsay, conspiracy theories, muck being thrown by media -- u got it out. Now finally it's my turn to get EVERYTHING OUT. THERE ARE MANY BOMBSHELLS," he added.

The Magna Carta, hailed as the cornerstone of parliamentary democracy, inspired legends like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela for liberty to their lands and people, Prime Minister David Cameron said today as Britain marked the historic charter's 800th anniversary.

UK's royalty converged at the famous meadow Runnymede, where King John had met disgruntled barons and agreed to a list of basic rights on June 15, 1215 under which the foundations of parliamentary democracy, human rights and the supremacy of the law over the crown were first enshrined.

However, the human rights the historic charter helped shape are at the centre of a modern political feud in the UK, with Cameron seeking to overhaul the rights laws and reduce the influence of Europe using the document's reference.

Queen Elizabeth II joined the British premier to commemorate the sealing of Magna Carta, the Latin for 'Great Charter' that was also an inspiration for the US Constitution. Thousands had gathered at the riverside meadow, near Windson, Berkshire, for the commemoration.

In wake of the growing controversy over former IPL chairman Lalit Modi's visa, a statement by his wife in a UK tribunal made last year was released today. Below are excerpts from the affidavit in which Minal Modi requested for travel documents for her husband to accompany her to Portugal for her cancer treatment.

"For the last 17 years I have been treated for metastatic cancer. For the most part, I have been under the care of a Professor Slamon at UCLA, in the US. I was under his care from 1997. My condition has required constant attention. I have been in remission for much of the time, but currently my cancer is again active.

After being under Professor Slamon for 15 years without defeating the cancer, I decided to turn to an alternative approach offered by Professor Carlo Greco at the Champalimaud Centre in Lisbon. This was in 2012.

Professor Carlo Greco is a Professor of Radiation Oncology and the Director of Clinical Research at the Centre. The Centre is a translational medical research facility.During the time that my husband's application for a Certificate of Travel has been under consideration, I have attended the Centre in Lisbon for tests and checks.

There were indications that the cancer was becoming active again.Of necessity, I had to attend without Lalit, though I would dearly have wanted him to be there with me. Most recently, I was there on 14 July, without him, when I was told that the cancer is back and is life-threatening. The only really viable option is surgery of one kind or another. An operation at the Centre, using the Centre's techniques, has been fixed for 4 August.Professor Carlo Greco in letter (dated 14 July) said that before the operation he needs to "thoroughly assess the risk/benefit ratio of the treatment options with the patient and her next of kin before a final decision is made'.

As I have said, though, the only viable option is the surgery that has been scheduled for 4 August. The discussion ahead of that will focus on the risks and the corresponding decisions that may need to be made during the surgery.

The surgery was delayed until August 4 because we wanted to give as much time as possible for Lalit's travel issues to be resolved, because of the importance of his attendance. The surgery cannot take place any later than 4 August because Professor Greco is on holiday from 5 August and to delay until he returns would be an unacceptable risk to my health.It is my very deeply felt wish for my husband to be with me when I return to Portugal for the pre-surgery consultation and the surgery itself. I am aware that there are major hurdles to overcome: getting a travel document from the Home Office and getting permission from the Portuguese authorities to admit Lalit on that document.I know that Lalit is doing everything he possibly can to resolve these problems and I am grateful to him for that. I am making this witness statement to support his efforts regarding a Home Office Certificate of Travel. I implore the Secretary of State: please issue Lalit with a travel document.

I am told it is not in dispute that you have the discretion to do so. I will need the comfort of my husband, and I will also need him to make decisions on my behalf during the surgery (and maybe at other times, if I feel incapable of doing so myself).It is hard to describe the comfort I would derive from having Lalit with me.

Due to my medical condition I value my family life more than ever and I spend every spare minute I have with my family members. Family life is not just to be enjoyed, but cherished, and I cherish every moment.

My medical condition has affected my family heavily and we need to support each other. In particular, I need their support -- and Lalit's support most of all. Lalit and I have been married for well over 20 years and have stood by each other through thick and thin. I need him now, more than ever."

Good rainfall has so far been recorded over southern peninsula, central India and east and northeast India this summer with over 13 per cent above the normal limit, the meterological department today said.

The country as a whole has received 69.6 mm of rainfall overall as compared to normal limit of 61.4 mm from June 1 till date. Until yesterday, the country had received 5 per cent of excess rainfall but the figure rose by 8 per cent today.

After a good spell of rain across the country, the deficit decreased to minus 1 per cent in northwest India while the southern peninsula recorded normal rainfall and central India registered an 18 per cent of excess precipitation than its normal limit.

The east and the northeast India continued to get excess rainfall of 22 per cent. According to Skymet, a private forecasting agency, over the week, the southwest monsoon is likely to advance over some more parts of Gujarat, entire Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, parts of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh this week.

Attacking the government over the Lalit Modi row, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "It is clear that the BJP was aiding a fugitive of law."

"Lalit Modi who's accused of betting, black money laundering was aided by External Affairs Minister (Sushma Swaraj). The minister has herself acknowledged her association with the tainted Lalit Modi. The entire BJP government is aiding and abetting a fugitive of law, perhaps with tacit approval of the PM," he said at a presser this evening.

"It is hard for a person with a reasonable conscience to believe that the honorable PM did not know of the active help being extended to Lalit Modi," he added.

The family of a British boy said they were "devastated and heartbroken" after ISIS apparently released a photo showing their 17-year-old relative smiling in front of an ISIS flag.

ISIS media posted images of a boy the group called Abu Yousef al Britani. In one picture, the teen known as Talha Asmal back in England raises his index finger.

The family's heartache played out this weekend against the backdrop of two waves of car bombings in Iraq, notable for the role foreigners were said to have had in them.

17:45 Nestle to destroy Maggi worth Rs 320 cr

Nestle India is in the process of destroying Maggi instant noodles worth Rs 320 crore after it was banned by central food safety regulator FSSAI due to presence of lead and taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) beyond permissible limits.

The company said it is in the process of withdrawing the stock of Maggi Noodles from markets, factories and distribution and destroying it.

The police are seeking 8-day custodial interrogation of ex-Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar in the alleged fake degree case.

On Sunday, Delhi Police said that Tomar was "not cooperating' in the investigation in the fake degree case, saying he was "reluctant' to answer questions during interrogation.

Granted two-day extended police custody of Tomar by a court on Saturday, the cops were unable to utilise the first day as educational institutes and government offices where they intended to take him were closed being a Sunday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for an immediate humanitarian pause in Yemen for at least two weeks during Ramadan and appealed to warring factions to reach an agreement towards a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, as the world body began peace talks here to resolve the deadly conflict.

Congress leader Ajit Jogi had a narrow escape after his car skidded off the road and turned turtle en route to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's rally in Chhattisgarh's Korba district on Monday.

Jogi said that the incident took place when his driver avoided a collision with a drunk cyclist on the road.

A British company has launched an emoji alternative to the traditional four-digit Pin code commonly used for accessing online banking.

Intelligent Environments says its Emoji Passcode service is more secure because there are more potential combinations of the 44 emojis than there are of the numbers 0-9.

It claims some digital banks have already expressed interest in the idea.

In an unusual move, a Malaysian state has offered to help pay for the maids of young parents so as to encourage them to have more babies. Malaysia's northeastern Terengganu state said it will reduce kindergarten fees and couples could also avail of loans to start a business if their earnings were below a certain amount.

The monthly fee at a state-run kindergarten is about Ringitt 250 (Rs 4200) but parents paid only Ringitt 180 (Rs 3000) after discount.

Russia's top oil producer Rosneft is in talks to buy about 50 per cent stake in Essar Oil Ltd for an undisclosed amount. "There are discussions going on. I cannot comment anything further," said a source close to the Russian giant.

Last year, Rosneft had signed an initial deal to supply 10 million tonnes a year or 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil to Essar Group over 10-years.

Over 170 people had a narrow escape when a tyre of an Air India flight burst during landing at the Srinagar International Airport.

The tyre of the flight AI-821, from Jammu, burst when the plane made a landing at Srinagar International Airport, officials said.

They said the plane was carrying 167 passengers and crew and all of them were safe.

The runway suffered some damage and the plane has been stuck in the middle resulting in the temporary halting of the flight operations at the airport, the officials said.

The flights to and fro Srinagar would resume after the runway is cleared, they said.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sakshi Maharaj sparked a fresh controversy by claiming that he is a true Muslim and Prophet Mohammed is the biggest practitioner of yoga.

The remarks came just days before the International Yoga Day will be celebrated across the world on June 21 and the party is all out to make it a success.

Maharaj said, "In Islam, the biggest name is that of Mohammed and I think Mohammed saab is a great yogi. I think that a Muslim is one with 'iman', thus a Mussalman. I am a true Muslim."

Read more HERE

India today signed a major motor vehicles pact with three SAARC nations -- Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal -- that will enable seamless transit of passenger and cargo vehicles among them.

A similar pact is on the anvil among India, Myanmar and Thailand that will pave the way for greater economic cooperation in the Asian region.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari today signed the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) for Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic along with transport ministers of the other three nations at Bhutan's capital Thimpu.

Besides, in a major breakthrough, India, Myanmar and Thailand have agreed to develop a similar motor vehicle pact on the lines of the draft SAARC Motor vehicle agreement.

The BBIN MVA will not only reduce transport costs, but also foster development of multi-modal transport and transit facilities, enabling increased connectivity and promotion of greater trade between the four countries.

Film and Television Institute of India students' protest against the appointment of television actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of its governing council entered the fourth day on Monday.

The FTII students' association has alleged that the newly-appointed Chauhan -- a TV actor who played 'Yudhishthir' in popular serial "Mahabharat" -- does not have "vision and stature" of his eminent predecessors to merit his posting by the government.

Here's an open letter to Chauhan by an FTII student, which lists the reasons why he is considered unfit for the job.

Read the letter HERE

Indian Express reports: Sushma Swaraj has been asserting that she had done no wrong in facilitating Lalit Modi's travel documents from the UK and only acted on "humanitarian" grounds.

While a legal row over Modi's travel documents was raging in India, Sushma's daughter Bansuri was consistently appearing on Modi's behalf in Delhi high court.

Bansuri, a law graduate from Oxford University and a Barrister at Law from Inner Temple in UK, had appeared between April 2012 and August 2014 among the battery of lawyers representing Modi.

The roots of the legal battle lay in the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Modi in 2010 for an inquiry under FEMA. Modi failed to respond, the ED initiated proceedings and, in March 2011, the Regional Passport Office, Mumbai, revoked his passport (No. Z-1784222) "in the interest of the general public".

Read more HERE

Under attack for helping fugitive former IPL boss Lalit Modi obtain travel documents in UK, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today hit back at a television journalist who had raked up the issue of propriety in the matter.

"Look who is preaching propriety -- of all the persons Navika Kumar!," Swaraj tweeted.

Swaraj has been under attack by political parties and others for helping scam-tainted Modi to obtain British travel documents after the disclosure of emails showing that she had spoken to Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz and its High Commissioner here James Bevan seeking favours for the former cricket administrator, who had to go to Portugal, purportedly for his wife's cancer treatment in June last year.

After the reports surfaced, 63-year-old Swaraj said in a series of tweets that she had taken a "humanitarian view" and conveyed to the British High Commissioner that they should examine Modi's request as per their rules and "if the British government chooses to give travel documents to Lalit Modi -- that will not spoil our bilateral relations".

The Information and Broadcasting ministry has not yet responded on the demand of the Film and Television Institute of India students to remove television actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member Gajendra Chauhan from the post of chairman of its governing council even as their strike entered the fourth day on Monday.

"We have written to the I&B Ministry about our demands. There is no response as yet," FTII students' association president Harishankar Nachimuthu said.

Asked about the content of the letter sent to the ministry, he said, "We will wait till a reply is received" but asserted the strike will continue till the demand is met.

Meanwhile, 'Swaraj Abhiyan' leader Yogendra Yadav, who was in Pune to address a farmers' meeting against the land bill, also visited the institute to support the students "just demands".

Yadav alleged that Modi government does not understand the word 'autonomy' and this is not the first institution where "autonomy is being eroded" by it.

"It is not mere a question of saffronisation, the real question is of degradation of all institutions where people without necessary qualification are being appointed," the former AAP leader said.

This is an assault on the finest institution of the country which is not in the interest of the nation, he said.

13:48 So what will Congress do now?

Members of Parliament representing the Communists, Janata Dal-United, and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, who are in New Delhi for parliamentary committee meetings, have planned to take the issue of Sushma Swaraj's impropriety forward.

But the question is, what will the Congress do, join this bandwagon of disgruntled political parties or will it keep away for fear that former IPL chief Lalit Modi will, in that case, leak stories against its senior Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister?

Wait till Wednesday to find out.

Ordering expeditious completion of case papers, the Bombay high court today adjourned till July 1 a criminal appeal filed by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan against his conviction in the hit-and-run case in which he has been awarded a five-year jail sentence.

When the case came up for hearing, Justice A R Joshi was informed by Salman's lawyer Amit Desai that the 'paper book' (compilation of evidence and documents which is served to both the sides by the court) was not complete.

The judge then ordered that this task should be expeditiously completed and deferred the matter till July 1.

On behalf of the Maharashtra government, Chief Public Prosecutor S S Shinde appeared and consented to the date fixed for the next hearing.

Salman did not come to the court. His sister Alvira was, however, present.

The HC had on May 8 stayed the execution of the 5-year sentence awarded to 49-year-old Salman in the 13-year-old case and granted him bail while admitting his appeal.

Salman was convicted by a sessions court on May 6 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment on various counts, including 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder'.

A man was killed and four others were wounded when the actor's Toyota Land Cruiser ran over them while they were asleep on a pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.

13:44 Buzz inside BJP hq over PMO's silence

L'affaire Sushma Swaraj has led to a bunch of unanswered questions in the BJP head office.

For one, with Amit Shah's son contesting the Gujarat cricket board elections, could the BJP president's expression of support to Sushma mean that Amit Shah is now close to the 'chhota' Modi?

And, why has the Prime Minister's Office kept quiet over the incident so far? This is particularly puzzling, say insiders, since the PMO had reacted strongly to an Economic Times report about Home Minister Rajnath Singh's son and Modi had even pulled up those thought to have leaked the story. Why has the PMO not similarly pulled up those who leaked the Sushma story to TV, they want to know.

Monday brings a fresh week of developments in the capital's corridors of power but predictably, the buzz today was all about Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj lending a helping hand for Lalit Modi's travel plans.

It was the talk of conversation both in South Block, which houses the ministry of external affairs, as well as the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

Diplomats were agog over the developments in the Lalit Modi case, while senior joint secretaries could be seen quietly discussing with their fellow officials if the information was leaked by insiders or if it came from London.

For Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, in the eye of the storm as it were, it was an abnormal Monday which wa capped by her angry tweet about a senior television journalist.

Sushma believes the leak was the dirty work of an insider, and spits venom at one particular TV news channel (no prizes for guessing which).

She is also learnt to have decided to avoid the media in future at all costs.

Angry over the delay in implementation of 'One Rank One Pension', hundreds of ex-servicemen began their relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday.

Hundreds of ex-servicemen on Sunday protested in the national capital against the delay in implementation of the OROP policy.

The protest was organised by Indian ex-servicemen Movement. The IESM had warned last week that if their demands were not met, they would agitate and go on a hunger strike.

In an extreme step taken to ratchet up the pressure on the government, the ex-servicemen were said to have signed a 'petition in blood' and will hand it over to the President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The protests comes after talks -- both formal and back-channel -- with the government failed as the ex-servicemen were not given a specific timeline for the implementation of the long-pending OROP.

Wondering what one rank one pension means? READ THIS FAQ

Zee News reports: Gujarat Governor OP Kohli has reportedly given green signal to the compulsory voting bill, which makes it mandatory for the citizens to vote in the civic polls.

According to news channels, the voters will be penalised if they fail to cast their votes in the forthcoming polls.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from the state's main opposition party, Congress, while the ruling BJP has hailed the decision.

Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel last week announced that the government plans to implement compulsory voting during the forthcoming local body polls.

Patel made this announcement after a meeting with officials of the Gujarat Election Commission.

Read more HERE

The Congress party on Monday continued to agitate for External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's resignation in light of the Lalit Modi controversy, claiming that the 'excuse' given by the BJP for her actions is invalid.

"The External Affairs Ministry is a sensitive division and to work with such a lack of responsibility... She has gone out of her way to provide Lalit Modi with help. She talks to a British MP and the British High Commissioner and Lalit Modi gets the requisite travel papers in 24 hours," Congress leader PL Punia told the media.

"Sushma Swaraj acted on humanitarian grounds to facilitate Lalit Modi, who has been accused of laundering several hundred crores. They say it is so that Modi could visit his ailing wife in Portugal and sign papers before the operation is conducted. However, as per Portuguese law, it is not a requirement to obtain the signature of the husband for any surgical operations," he added.

Singer George Michael has reportedly checked into a rehabilitation centre in Switzerland following a battle with substance abuse.

The 51-year-old star has apparently entered the facility because he was smoking "as many as 25 joints a day" before deciding to seek help at the Kusnacht Practice, reported Daily Mirror.

The Faith hitmaker had previously said a series of health scares and trouble with the law had convinced him to quit using the drug.

The treatment reportedly costs around 100,000 euros and has previously been sought by other famous names, including designer John Galiano.

Renowned Indian-American cardiologist Suresh Gadasalli, who performed the world's first simultaneous hybrid revascularisation, was shot dead by his friend and business associate who then committed suicide in Odesaa in the US state of Texas, the police said.

Dr Gadasalli, 53, was shot dead by 60-year-old patient and business associate Ayyasamy Thangam at the 'Healthy Heart Centre' on Thursday, according to a release issued by the Odessa police department.

Thangam then closed the door of the room the two men were in and witnesses heard another, single gunshot, it added.

According to corporal Steve LeSueur, the two men were close friends and business associates.

Dr Gadasalli's brother-in-law said that the two families knew each other for a decade, and that the last rites will be held in Odessa likely on Wednesday.

The incident shocked the city of 2.5 lakh people.

Just In: Supreme Court cancels CBSE medical entrance test, orders fresh exams within four weeks.

A vacation bench of Justices RK Agrawal and Amitava Roy gave the ruling on a batch of petitions seeking re-conduct of the AIPMT following the leak of the question paper and circulation of answer keys through electronic devices at different examination centres across 10 states.

The Apex court bench had on Friday reserved its verdict in the matter.

The Central Board of Secondary Education, which had conducted the exam, has opposed the plea for re-conduct of the test, saying that it would involve a mammoth exercise spread over a long period.

At the last hearing, the court had extended till today its earlier order restraining the CBSE from declaring the result that was originally scheduled to be announced June 5.

NDTV reports: Amid outrage and protests in Uttar Pradesh over the alleged murder of a journalist, in which a state minister is a suspect, another minister has controversially said about the incident: "You can't fight nature."

Uttar Pradesh Horticulture Minister Parasnath Yadav was speaking to journalists in Allahabad on Sunday when he said: "There are some incidents that happen in the course of nature and destiny."

His callous remarks have intensified anger against the Uttar Pradesh government, which has been accused of shielding its minister Ram Murti Verma, accused of ordering the killing of freelance journalist Jagendra Singh.

Delhi Police on Monday conducted a raid on former Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar's office in the fake degree scam.

The police also conducted raids in Rajdhani College of Delhi University and Shivaji College, where he was reportedly enrolled as a student.

A team of police officers also took him to a coaching centre in Rohini to probe whether a fake degree scam was operating there.

Meanwhile, Tomar is likely to be produced before Saket court today in the fake degree case as his two-day extended police custody will end today.

The police is likely to seek extension of his remand claiming that the Trinagar MLA was not cooperating in the investigation and was reluctant to answer questions pertaining to the case.

10:45 Rain-hit Mumbai braces for high tide

Mumbaikars, who have been experiencing heavy rainfall, are now bracing for a high tide on Monday.

As per the weather department, a high tide of upto 4.5 metres is likely to hit the shores of the financial capital at around 11.20 am today.

Among the areas that could be affected by the high tide include King Circle and Hindmata.

Local trains are also reported to be running late by around 15 to 20 minutes on the Central Line.

To add to Mumbaikars' woes, the taxis and autorickshaws too are off the roads today. Scroll below to read

There seems to be no relief for journalists in Uttar Pradesh.

Days after a journalist was set ablaze over alleged reports on illegal mining activities and land grabbing against UP minister Ram Murti Verma, another journalist, who had been reporting on a land-grab case in Pilibhit, was allegedly tied to a motorcycle, dragged and beaten up on the night of June 13.

According to reports, Haidar Khan, a resident of Sherpur Kalan, works as a stringer for a news channel.

"Yesterday, around 6 pm I got a call that the eye witness in a robbery case has met with an accident and I should come to rescue him. When I reached at the spot I was surrounded by some three-four people. They then started beating me up and hit me with a revolver on my head and dragged me for 100 meters from a car," the journalist said.

Commuters in Mumbai faced major inconvenienced on Monday following Nitesh Rane-led Swabhiman union's call for a one-day "taxi and auto bandh" to protest against cab aggregators like Uber and Ola.

However, it is yet to be seen if the strike is successful as one of the biggest unions led by A L Quadros is opposing the lockdown and has appealed to all drivers to ply their cabs "fearlessly".

A million passengers who depend on autos and taxis to travel to their workplace could be hit hard. Heavy rain too is adding to the commuters' woes. Besides, the largest auto union led by Shashank Rao has called for a strike on Wednesday.

A day before the strike, two private cabs were found damaged near Cigarette Factory in Andheri East on Sunday morning and the needle of suspicion points to the Swabhiman union, sources said. The union may also force autorickshaws to go off roads on Monday. Although Rane's union is not a big one, the fear of violence can force most taxis and autos off the roads, sources said.

On the eve of the strike, Rane tweeted: "Black n yellow taxis hv been th identity of Mumbai city 4 generations nw..can we just c them disappear 1 day Becz of these illegal pvt cabs? Rickshaw Taxi strike is on.. For the existence of Black n yellow taxi n rickshaws..we gave time but no response."

Telecom services provider Vodafone has increased prepaid data tariff for 2G and 3G services in Delhi-NCR by up to 47 per cent while MTS hiked rates of its post-paid data pack by eight per cent.

Vodafone has followed in the footsteps of Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular, which had announced an increase in tariffs in the wake of March spectrum auction, in which telcos had to fork out a whopping Rs 1.1 lakh crore to acquire airwaves in fierce competitive bidding rounds.

Airtel and Idea Cellular were first off thy blocks to increase tariffs for mobile data.

Vodafone has increased the price of its 3G pack of 10 GB data to Rs 1,847 with a validity of 28 days from Rs 1,255 earlier.

The country's second-largest mobile operator has increased the price of its 1 GB pack of 3G data to Rs 297 from Rs 255.

It has also increased the price of 1 GB 2G pack to Rs 195 from Rs 175 earlier.

Read more HERE

The Indian Coast Guard is expecting some concrete information on its missing Dornier aircraft with a submarine joining the search operations.

The Coast Guard also refuted television reports of the aircraft being located under water.

"The submarine (INS Sindhudhavaj) has started its search in the area where the aircraft is suspected to have fallen," a Coast Guard officer said.

"Late Sunday evening we should get some information on the missing aircraft. The television reports of locating the aircraft underwater are totally wrong," he added.

09:20 BSNL to launch free roaming from today

State-run BSNL will launch free roaming, starting Monday, which will allow all its mobile customers across the country to receive incoming calls at no cost.

"Now BSNL mobile customers will not need to carry multiple SIMs and handsets during roaming. They are free to talk as long as they want without worrying of any charges during incoming calls.

"In fact, it is like a dream of 'One Nation One Number' coming true," BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said in a statement.

One June 2, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had announced that the telco would be launching free roaming scheme from June 15.

The company also clarified that it has not received any communication from sectoral regulator TRAI regarding the roaming scheme.

"We have not received any such communication from TRAI. BSNL has announced this scheme with the consent of Minister of Communications & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad who himself had announced it in a press conference held on June 2. TRAI has no objection to it," Shrivastava said.

09:17

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