Live! 'The way maths is taught in India must change'

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Sat, 14 March 2015

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23:35 PwC official under CBI scanner in document leak case

An official of high profile consultancy group PricewaterhouseCoopers has come under CBI scanner in connection with the alleged sale of confidential government documents on foreign investment policies to corporate groups by officials.

CBI sources said here that during the questioning of five arrested persons in the case, it has come to light that an official of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was allegedly procuring documents from the Department of Economic Affairs, under the finance ministry, through Khemchand Gandhi, Chartered Accountant, arrested by the agency two days back in Mumbai.

These confidential documents related to foreign direct investment policies being considered in the government, the sources said.

The agency sources said they would be probing the role of the consultancy group in detail to gather corroborative evidence and decipher the official-middleman-corporate nexus in getting hands on the confidential documents.

Late tonight, the company said in a statement, "Our manager met CBI officials today in connection with the FIPB applications filed by our clients and the official communication that we have exchanged with FIPB in this regard, in the normal course of business. Necessary clarification as asked for were provided."

XLRI, one of India's premier B-schools, today claimed to have found a place for itself in the record books of Guinness Book of world records for most participants in a hand washing relay eclipsing the existing record belonging to Sri Lanka.

The record-breaking event was conducted by the Marketing Association of XLRI (MAXI) in association with Dettol India, on January 18 last during the institute's annual marketing fair, a XLRI press release today said.

The record saw a participation of over 991 residents of Jamshedpur against Sri Lanka's record of 650 people taking part in such event in a day under a roof, and was accredited by the Guinness World Record authorities at London on February after a scrutiny of the submitted evidences, the release said.

The attempt to achieve this record was a part of MAXI's endeavour to spread the message of 'Clean India', carrying forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'.

Bids for telecom spectrum rose marginally to Rs 1,02,215 crore at the end of the 10th day of the auction today, and radiowaves allocated provisionally did not witness any increase.

As per the Department of Telecom, at the end of 61st round, about 87 per cent of the spectrum has been provisionally allocated to bidders.

The total auction proceeds were Rs 1,01,432 crore till yesterday, with the sale of about 87 per cent of the available spectrum in various bands.

"The provisional amount committed by bidders at the end of 61st round is Rs 1,02,215 crore. Majority of service areas are going at a premium over reserve price," DoT said.

Bidding was seen for all the four frequency bands today with requirements set at 100 per cent. There was no bidding in Mumbai, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh in 2100 MHz band till now.

"There is robust bidding going on in 1800 MHz, 900 MHz and 800 MHz bands. The competitive bidding is expected to continue," DoT added.

According to sources, bidding was seen in Haryana in 1800 MHz, and 900 MHz in West Bengal.

However, 800 MHz continue to witness good bidding with activity in six circles of North East, Maharshtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Assam and Andhra Pradesh. The bidding would recommence on Monday as there is still spectrum left to be sold.

Yesteryear Bollywood actress Rati Agnihotri today filed a complaint with police here accusing her husband of domestic violence and intimidation.

"Rati Agnihotri, who married Anil Virwani in 1985 filed complaint against him today saying he had mentally tortured her besides assaulting her physically," said S Jaykumar, deputy police commissioner (zone-III).

"A case has been registered against Virwani under IPC sections 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 350 (use of criminal force) and 506 (criminal intimidation)," said Jaykumar.

The 54-year-old actress, who stays in south Mumbai's Worli area with her architect-businessman husband and the actor son Tanuj, had been suffering the violence for a long time, according to her complaint.

"She did not mention any specific reason as to why her husband tortured and thrashed her," Jaykumar said, adding "We will investigate the case and appropriate action would be initiated."

Police sources said that Agnihotri had orally complained to police on March 7, showing abrasions on hands due to the alleged beating by her husband.

Image: Rati Agnihotri with her son Tanuj Virwani

Virwani's business was not doing well and this could be one of the reasons for him to lose his temper, police said.

20:31 'The way maths is taught in India must change'

Renowned Indian-American mathematician Manjul Bhargava today said there is a need to change the way the subject is being taught in the country.

"Mathematics is not at all a scary subject, but the way it is taught may be that should changed. Learning mathematics should, in fact, be fun," Bhargava, who was conferred an honorary degree (Honoris Causa) by the Panjab University for his contribution to the field, said.

Asked about suggestions to make the subject more interesting for students, he said, "It should be taught with puzzles, games, some magic and even music and poems. There are many ways but it should not be taught in a dry manner or rote method by which students tend to mug up things."

"For half a century it is being taught the same way in our country (in dry manner). Still the old textbooks are being used, sometimes they are revised, but are taught by the same procedure. Instead, it should be taught in a process of self discovery and fun," Bhargava said.

A 22-year-old Indian student has died after falling more than 100 feet while hiking in a rocky area in the US state of Arizona.

Rhishav Choudhury, 22, from Guwahati, was hiking in West Clear Creek, Arizona, with fellow students from the College of Wooster in Ohio when he wandered away from the group, according to a Yavapai County Sheriff's Office statement.

Choudhury fell more than 100 feet Wednesday evening near Camp Verde and died.

When members of the group went looking for him, they discovered Choudhury had fallen approximately 100 feet from a rocky area adjacent to the trail, the sheriff's statement was quoted as saying by azcentral.com.

Cell reception was spotty throughout the area, but they were able to call for help.

Sheriff's Office and Department of Public Safety personnel said they made it to the accident spot within an hour.

A paramedic hiked through a canyon and river in darkness to reach him, but Choudhury was already dead, the statement said.

A total of 185 cadets, including 39 women passed out from the Officers' Training Academy in Chennai today.

Those who passed out included six from Seychelles, Tonga and Papua New Guniea.

Lieutenant General Sanjeev Madhok, General Officer, Commanding in Chief, Army Training Command; who reviewed the parade said the Army is in the midst of transformation and needs agile, adaptive leaders with a broad perspective and range of skills.

"You will be expected to make decisions in tactical, operational or ethical situations of unprecedented kinds," he said.

Madhok inspected the Guard of Honour and presented the Sword of Honour to officer M Anjana who received the Gold Medal for standing first in overall order of Merit, an official release said.

The event was followed by an oath taking ceremony.

The newly commissioned lieutenants would be awarded Post Graduate Diploma in Defence Management and Strategic Studies by University of Madras, the release added.

19:30 Miscreants ransack Kolkata convent school

Miscreants ransacked the chapel and holy items kept in it at the Convent school in Nadia, where an elderly nun was allegedly gangraped, Archbishop of Kolkata Thomas D'Souza said on Saturday.

"Besides the brutality, what is also shocking for us is why did they ransack the chapel, which is like a small church and damaged the bread which is used in the Holy Communion? It is very sacred for us," D'Souza said.

After visiting the spot at Gangnapur in Nadia district, D'Souza said the attackers also took away a cup and threw away the holy water from it.

"We do not know what was their motive, but they have ransacked the school and also the chapel, which is very shocking for us. It is only after investigations that it will be clear as to what was the motive behind the attack," he said condemning the brutal incident.

Demanding swift action from the police in the case, D'Souza said the school authorities have the CCTV footage where faces of the perpetrators can be seen.

19:15 Mukul Roy prevented from entering Nandigram

Sidelined Trinamool Congress MP and its former national general secretary Mukul Roy was today prevented from entering Nandigram by party workers as he sought to lead a separate march.

Roy did not participate in the annual martyrs rally organised by TMC-backed Bhumi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) at Bangabera and led a separate march to Nandigram much to the discomfiture of the party leadership.

His unescorted convoy was, however, stopped on Tekhali bridge when he tried to cross over to Nandigram along with TMC MLA Seuli Saha and some of his followers.

TMC workers present there shouted slogans in support of party MP Subhendhu Adhikari, regarded as the face of the anti-farmland acquisition agitation by peasants in Nandigram, and jostled with Roy's followers who were outnumbered.

As TMC workers carrying black flags shouted slogans of 'Mukul Roy go back', he alighted from his car and went on foot to Sherkhan Chowk at the border of Nandigram in East Midnapur district.

Roy made a couple of more attempts to enter Nandigram but was similarly obstructed.

Trinamool Congress observes martyrs' day every year at Nandigram on March 14 to condemn the killing of 14 persons in the 2007 police firing as they opposed forcible land acquisition.

The Haryana government has imposed a complete ban on the sale of beef in any form and proposed to provide for 10 years rigorous imprisonment for cow slaughter, but ruled out equating it with murder.

"The ban also covers canned beef which was legal during the tenure of previous government," according to an official release quoting Animal Husbandry Minister O P Dhankar issued in Chandigarh on Saturday evening.

The move comes days after another BJP-ruled state Maharashtra banned sale and consumption of beef and imposed a five-year jail term for cow slaughter.

"The news being telecast by some TV channels that under the new law, a case would be registered under section 302 (murder) of the IPC against the person found guilty of cow slaughter was wrong," Dhankar clarified.

"There will be no such provision in the law which would aim at the protection and promotion of cows," he added.

The state government is engaged in framing a stringent law to clamp a complete ban on cow slaughter, he said.

Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi was unanimously re-elected as the RSS General Secretary for a third time for the next three years till March 2018 today.

Joshi was re-elected by 1,400 delegates from across the country at the all-India Pratinidhi Sabha of RSS, the highest decision-making body of the Sangh, at its meeting in Nagpur today.

The RSS elects its only general secretary every three years at the all-important meeting of its delegates from its branches across the country.

Joshi has been the RSS General Secretary (Sarakaryavah), the second-in-command in the Sangh, for the last six years.

He will further choose his team of joint general secretaries. Till now, he had three joint general secretaries -- Dattatreya Hosbole, Suresh Soni and Krishan Gopal.

17:07 Rajya Sabha to sit beyond 7 pm from Monday

Rajya Sabha will sit for late hours in last week of the first half of the budget session from Monday to clear the pending legislative and other businesses.

The Business Advisory Committee of the House that met on Thursday decided that the House will sit beyond 7 pm from Monday to take up Governmentss legislative and other business during the fourth week of the current Budget session.

The government, who is woefully short of majority in Upper House, has been able to convert three of the six ordinances into bills after consultations with parties, while two of them on coal and mines and minerals have been referred to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha.

Rajya Sabha has so far passed three bills relating to Amendment of Citizenship Act, The Motor Vehicles Act and the Insurance Laws. Lok Sabha has passed all the six Ordinance Replacement Bills.

Solar Impulse-2, claimed to be the world's first 'no fuel' aircraft, which arrived in Ahmedabad on a round-the-world trip on March 10, has delayed its departure due to the cloudy weather conditions.

"The aircraft will remain at the city airport until Tuesday due to bad weather conditions," Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport Director R K Singh said.

"D-4 (departure minus four) before RTW (Round the world) Flight 3 from Ahmedabad to Varanasi, India," said Solar Impulse-2 project's Twitter handle.

The aircraft does not use "a drop of fuel", according to the project website. It runs on lithium batteries that are charged by solar cells on its wings.

Many parts of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, have had unseasonal rains and overcast skies in the last two days.

Meteorological Centre, Ahmedabad, said the state was likely to witness light rains and thundershowers for another two days due to "upper air-cyclonic circulation that lies over South Pakistan and adjoining west Rajasthan".

The aircraft started its journey on March 9 from Abu Dhabi. Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard flew the plane from Muscat to Ahmedabad on Tuesday night after a fifteen-hour flight.

16:47 White House intruder pleads guilty

The man who intruded the White House in September last year has pleaded guilty to charges of entering the highly protected building with a folding knife after climbing the fence, US Attorney Ronald C Machen said.

Omar Gonzalez, 42, formerly of Copperas Cove, Texas, pled guilty in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to two federal offences: one count of unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds, while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon and one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.

He is to be sentenced on June 8, 2015.

He has been in custody since his arrest on September 19, 2014.

"We are pleased that Gonzalez has chosen to take responsibility for his incomprehensible decision to leap a fence and charge into the White House with a knife," Machen said yesterday.

"He is lucky to be alive. Gonzalez faces significant prison time because of his crime and at sentencing we anticipate that he will barred from entering the District of Columbia and required to undergo psychiatric treatment."

After the unveiling of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, British PM David Cameron said, "This statue celebrates the universal power of Gandhis message. It's a tribute to one of the towering figures in world politics."

"Gandhi said that we must not lose faith in humanity, humanity is like an ocean. If a few drops of ocean are dirty, it doesn't make the entire ocean dirty."

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi has been unveiled at London's Parliament Square.

Present for the unveiling are Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, British PM David Cameron and superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Ironically, Gandhi's statue is next to Winston Churchill, his one-time nemesis who called him a 'half-naked fakir.'

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks at the unveiling. "This is a coming together of world's oldest democracy and world's largest democracy," he says.

"Irony that Winston Churchil's statue in Parliament Square is there along with Gandhi. The former described as 'half-naked fakir'. What will link Churchill and Gandhi together is their strength of character" he says.

"India and Britain have come a long way since the parting "at the stroke of the midnight hour,"he says.

The function for the unveiling of Mahatma Gandhi's statue begins at London's Parliament Square.

It starts with wonderful rendition of Raghupati Raghava Rajaram.

The statue will be unveiled by Arun Jaitley, David Cameron and Amitabh Bachchan.

Britain will shortly unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi today in London's prestigious Parliament Square, a space packed with monuments to men who defended the British empire which Gandhi helped destroy.

Gandhi's likeness will sit close to that of Britain's former wartime leader Winston Churchill.

Present at the unveiling is Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and superstar Amitabh Bachchan along with Britain's David Cameron.

A 75-year-old nun was allegedly gang-raped by dacoits at Gangnapur in Nadia district early today triggering blockade of road and rail tracks as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a CID probe into the incident.

District Magistrate P B Salim, who rushed to the spot, told PTI it was a heinous act and police were already on the lookout for the gang members. State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a CID probe into the incident.

According to authorities of the local convent school in Ranaghat sub-division, the gang broke into the convent after 12:30 am and three-four of them raped the woman after gagging her.

The gang also decamped with Rs 12 lakh in the almirah locker after committing the crime. The nun was taken to Ranaghat Hospital by the school hostel authorities in the morning when the matter came to light.

"We are yet to get a full picture of the incident," the DM said.

Aggrieved guardians of students began blocking the arterial NH 34 and Sealdah-Ranaghat rail tracks from 12 noon as the news spread like wildfire in the locality.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived this afternoon in Jaffna, the first Indian premier to set foot in this war ravaged town in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Northern Province, a day after he urged the country's new leaders to give greater autonomy to its Tamil minority.

Modi flew in by an IAF chopper after brief visits to the holy town of Anuradhapura where he offered prayers at the sacred Mahabodhi tree and Talaimannar where he flagged off a train service.

He is only the second foreign leader to visit the battle- scarred region. British Prime Minister David Cameron had visited Jaffna during a Commonwealth summit in Colombo in November 2013. Jaffna is about 400 km north of Colombo.

The PM's brief visit is seen as hugely symbolic, particularly after he called on the majority -- the Sinhalese government to fully implement the 13th amendment, a 1987 constitutional provision on greater autonomy and go beyond it in the reconciliation process.

Image: PM Modi holds talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Wigneswaran in Jaffna. Photograph: MEA/Twitter

It's six out of six for India at the World Cup. the defending champions beat Zimbabwe in Auckland.

PM Modi, who is currently touring Sri Lanka, tweets: Couldn't catch up on the match but heard about the stellar performance by Team India against Zimbabwe. Congrats!

Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah cold shouldered a proposal to hosting an AICC session in Bengaluru, sources tell our Delhi correspondent.

This has caused immense strain in 10 Janpath. All eyes are on the crucial AICC meet, likely to be held in the last week of April, where Rahul is expected to be elevated.

AICC has now informally decided to have the meet in New Delhi. Meanwhile, Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh offered Shimla as an alternate venue.

The Congress, especially its chief Sonia Gandhi, is furious about the Delhi police inquiring about her son and Congress veep Rahul Gandhi's hair, colour of his eyes, his shoes and even his father's name.

Sonia Gandhi has asked Ghulam Nabi Azad to take up this issue with government. The party is likely to raise the controversial probe by Delhi police in both houses of Parliament on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off a train service at the north-western Sri Lankan town of Talaimannar -- the closest point to India -- restored after decades of civil war, completing the construction of the entire Northern Province Railway Line.

Accompanied by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Modi also unveiled a plaque inaugurating Talaimannar 1650 Pier Railway station.

Modi flew in by an IAF chopper from the ancient holy town of Anuradhapura where he offered prayers at the sacred Mahabodhi tree. He is on his way to Jaffna, a former war zone in the island's Tamil-majority Northern Province.

The newly-constructed 63-km railway track between Madhu Road and Talaimannar Pier is the last segment of the 265-kmlong, prestigious Northern Railway Line Reconstruction Project which is being executed by IRCON International Ltd., a Government of India owned company.

It is designed with a speed potential of 120 km per hour. The completion of the rail projects in the northern region is a big step towards providing safe, time and fuel efficient, comfortable and environment friendly transport service to the people of Sri Lanka.

A Delhi police team today visited the residence of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to enquire about an incident in which some policemen had sought details of his appearance in a case of alleged profiling.

A team, led by additional deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal, visited Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence to inquire about the incident and the sequence of events.

The team also checked the pictures of the policemen who had visited Rahul Gandhi's residence a couple of days ago and enquired about the colour of the colour of Congress leader's eyes and hairs.

They will give a report in this regard to Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters that a Delhi Police Assistant Sub Inspector identified by him as Shamsher Singh had enquired about the colours of Rahul's hairs, eyes, age, height, the shoes he uses and his father's name and the places he visits.

The Congress alleges political espionage behind Delhi Police making "unwarranted and weird inquiries" about Rahul Gandhi.

"This kind of snooping, surveillance and intrusion in political opponent's life may be Gujarat model but not Indian model," says Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi.

Congress demands an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue.

A team of Delhi police visited Rahul's office last week and made inquiries about what he looks like and more.

Read: Why is Delhi police snooping on Rahul?

Noting that India is emerging as one of the fastest growing economies, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that this year the GDP growth rate will be 7.5 per cent and next year hopefully it would be higher.

Launching the Union Bank of India, a subsidiary of the Union Bank of India, Jaitley last night said that since the new government came to power the economy has regained.

"During the last few years we had fallen off the radar, our growth had slowed down, our priorities were blurred and the world was accusing us of policy paralysis. Finally people of India decided to bring about a change," he said.

Without naming the UPA, he said "the I (India) was falling off the BRIC. But today most of others are facing challenge while India is emerging as one of the fastest growth nations. This year we will close at 7.5 per cent GDP growth and next year hopefully higher. "

"Fiscal deficits are on the downside. There is a flurry of activities, we are correcting aberrations in taxation structure, we are concentrating on infrastructure and trying to bring about fairness in our system. The success of the auction of Spectrum and Coal mines have shown how corruption could be avoided and bring higher values. We seem to be favourably placed."

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today went on a 24-hour fast in Gandhian style in Patn as part of JD-U's state-wide agitation against the Centre's land acquisition bill.

Kumar came to the party office in the morning and after doing yoga and taking bath there, began the fast. State JD-U President Basistha Narayan Singh, senior minister Vijay Chaudhary, Shyam Rajak, Rajiv Ranjan SinghLallan, JD-U MPs Ali Anwar, Harbansh, Gulam Rasool Balyawiand senior party leader Sanjay Jha joined Kumar in the protest.

Scores of other party leaders and workers also sat on the protest fast in the party office premises. JD-U MPs, MLAs and office bearers are observing similar fast across the state against the bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said global confidence in India has been restored and the world's engagement with the country is at a "new level" even as he assured Sri Lanka that steps would be taken to address its concerns over the huge bilateral trade imbalance.

Modi said this while asserting that India and Sri Lanka should move "boldly" to conclude a long pending Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Stating that Sri Lanka has the potential to be India's "strongest economic partner" in the region, Modi said it should not worry about India's economic size.

In his address to Sri Lanka's business community at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce here last night, the prime minister acknowledged that there were concerns in Sri Lanka about the huge trade imbalance.

"I am prepared to work with you to address them. I want balanced growth in trade. We will try to make it easier and smoother for you to access the Indian market," he said on the first day of his two-day visit to the country, the first by an Indian Prime Minister since 1987.

11:37 26/11 mastermind Lakhvi to stay in jail

26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi to stay in jail for a following a strong protest by India. The Punjab provincial government has extended his custody by a month.

We will challenge the order in the high court, Lakhvi's lawyer told CNN IBN.

10:40 Pope Francis hints at 'brief' papacy

Pope Francis has suggested he may resign his papacy like his predecessor, rather than remain at the Vatican for life, reports BBC.

The pontiff made the comments during a interview with Mexican television, marking the second anniversary of his election. "I have the feeling that my pontificate will be brief. Four or five years; I do not know, even two or three," he said.

He praised Pope Benedict's decision to step aside in 2013 as "courageous". "Benedict should not be considered an exception, but an institution. Maybe he will be the only one for a long time, maybe he will not be the only one.

The United States today asked Pakistan to follow through its commitment to bring the perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai attack to justice after a court ordered to release Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.

"The government of Pakistan has pledged its cooperation in bringing the perpetrators -- financiers, and sponsors of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice and we urge Pakistan to follow through on that commitment," the State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, told reporters at her daily news conference.

"We are monitoring reports that an Islamabad high court judge suspended detention orders for the alleged Mumbai attack mastermind," she said. "For now he remains in prison," Psaki, told reporters at her daily news conference.

She said, "Pakistan is a critical partner in a fight against terrorism. We've certainly seen these reports (of a court granting bail to Lakhvi), but we can't speculate on the outcome of an ongoing legal process."

Islamabad high court today suspended the detention order of 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Lakhvi and ordered his immediate release, drawing India's ire.

Reacting to reports of a 13-year jail term for ex Maldivian president 13-year jail term for ex-president Mohamed Nasheed, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "India is deeply concerned about the developments in Maldives. We monitoring the situation closely."

Nasheed was last night sentenced to 13-year imprisonment by a criminal court in Male under the anti-terrorism laws. In a court hearing, Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader who was arrested on February 22 over the detention of a judge in 2012, was charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1990, highly-placed sources told PTI.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't been seen in public for over a week and rumour mills are abuzz. Is the macho Putin playing doting dad to a new love child with his rumored Olympian girlfriend?

There is also speculation has fallen seriously or even worse -- he is dead.

Swiss paper Bilk reported that Putin was in Switzerland with Alina Kabayeva, a beautiful 32-year-old Russian gymnast who won a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The paper said that the two were staying in a private hospital -- popular with wealthy Russians -- and that Kabayeva had given birth to a girl.

The divorced Putin has never confirmed the relationship, but the two have been linked for several years. There are unconfirmed reports that Kabayeva has two other kids with Putin, reports The New York daily.

Within a day of issuing it, the Mufti Mohmmad Sayeed government on Friday withdrew the controversial order on state flag after drawing the ire of the Congress.

The People's Democratic Party's alliance partner the Bharatiya Janata Party, however, downplayed the issue. The government also said that appropriate administrative action will be taken after enquiry into the circumstances leading to the issuance of the circular.

The circular put out on Thursday enjoined upon all the Constitutional Authorities to maintain the sanctity of the State Flag, at all costs, as is being done in respect of the Union Flag.

Jammu and Kashmir has a separate constitution and separate flag unlike other states under special status.

Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared in a series of photos released by the Kremlin on Friday after a week in which canceled engagements led to speculation over his health.

The three images showed Putin meeting with the head of the Supreme Court in Moscow on Friday, the Kremlin said. State broadcaster Russia 24 also aired video footage of the meeting.

The Obama administration said today it expects that as a matter of course, the UN Security Council would endorse any final nuclear agreement reached between world powers and Iran.

The State Department said if a comprehensive accord is struck by a June 30 deadline, it would be forwarded to the Security Council for its approval.

Policymakers gather for a ten-yearly meeting on disaster risk reduction today, with hopes high that the conference in tsunami-hit Japan might provide a springboard for real and lasting efforts to tackle costly climate change.

The meeting will review what lessons have been learned since the last conference, which was held months after a quarter of a million people died in the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

North Korea has test-fired seven short-range missiles into the sea, South Korean officials today said, in the latest such launches during ongoing South Korea-US military drills.

The surface-to-air missiles launched late Thursday flew into waters off the country's eastern coast, said a South Korean defense official who requested anonymity because of official policy.

A Belgian minister drew criticism today for asking officials to survey how many people might be turning into Islamist extremists by looking at factors including whether they have grown beards.

Rachid Madrane told AFP he had emailed some 700 officials in the French-speaking part of Belgium who deal with parole or community service issues to give an inventory of all changes in attitudes in people they handle.

Indonesian officials confirmed on Friday that up to 32 Indonesians had been detained in Turkey or gone missing after being suspected of trying to cross into Syria to join Islamic State (IS) militants.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters a group of 16 Indonesians, most of them women and children, had been arrested by Turkish authorities this week.

Solar-powered aircraft 'Solar Impulse-2', which has made a stop-over here during its round-the-world trip, is likely to stay here until Tuesday due to bad climatic conditions, officials said here today.

"The aircraft will remain at the city airport until Tuesday due to bad weather conditions," Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport Director R K Singh said.

An 18-year-old youth was allegedly stripped naked and paraded on a donkey today apparently as a punishment for having an affair with a girl who was not of his caste, police sources said. His family members were also allegedly beaten up by locals, they said.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed has been found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in prison for the military's detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.

Delivering the verdict at the final hearing of the trial tonight, Judge Abdulla Didi said the prosecution's evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nasheed ordered the chief judge's arrest or "forceful abduction' and detention on Girifushi Island.Nasheed was the "architect' of the "atrocity,' Judge Didi said.

00:21 Shuffled off somewhere, have you?

Arundhati Roy on Vinod Mehta:

When he published the Radia tapes, Vinod Mehta did what a good editor should. By making public the dirty diaries of the ongoing cluster-f..k between politicians, journalists, journalist/lobbyists and their corporate sponsors, he broke the club rules of the cosy oligarchy that runs our country.

Not surprisingly, when the curtain went down on the show, for the people who were exposed in the Radia tapes, it turned out to be nothing more than a slightly embarrassing blip in the upward arc of their ambitions. For Vinod Mehta, however, the consequences were serious. I have no doubt they played a role in hastening his end.

00:19 Top headlines in that last 24 hours

Pak test-fires first indigenous armed drone, laser guided missile
Furore over Sharad Yadav's talks of 'saanvli, south women... their bodies'
Revamped BJP National Executive to meet from April 2 to 4
Corporate espionage: More officials may be involved in leaks, say CBI sources
More trouble for AAP: Another sting haunts Kejriwal
Modi seeks a life of peace and dignity for Tamils in Sri Lanka
India fumes over Lakhvi's release; summons Pak envoy
26/11 plotter Lakhvi's release order by Islamabad court
Kerala's fight club: Lawmakers throw chair, mike inside assembly

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