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Sat, 23 May 2015
Live! Cong comes out with scathing 'report card' on Modi's 1yr rule

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23:27   Cong comes out with scathing 'report card' on Modi's 1yr rule
In a stinging counter offensive, Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no work on ground to show and accused him of "murdering democratic institutions" while running "a one-man government".

Presenting a five-chapter report card on the completion of one year of Modi government, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said "MODI refers to Murder Of Democratic India" as it has bypassed Parliament with its "maximum governance becoming maximum arrogance and minimum government becoming one-man government".

Calling Modi "Super Gagan Vihari", Congress leaders also attacked the Prime Minister over his foreign visits saying he was only busy polishing his global image.

The opposition party accused Modi government of playing with national security, saying "reducing defence expenditure, frequent ceasefire violations, Pakistani and Chinese infiltration into Indian territory and no decision over one-rank one-pension scheme show its lack of concern".
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22:59  
Moments later, Twitter exploded with reactions:

el-p ‏@therealelp: ireland just showed up the rest of the world with civility and heart.  reeeespek.

Hozier ‏@Hozier: The pure joy of it. I'm so proud of Ireland today... We can all take pride in making history. Only sorry I can't be there to celebrate!
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22:56   Ireland legalises gay marriage in historic vote
It's official - Ireland has voted for gay marriage.

More than 3.2m people were asked whether they wanted to amend the country's constitution to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Read this story HERE
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22:19   After Ram Jethmalani, Subramanian Swami to argue for Asaram
Living up to his promise made to Asaram, BJP leader and leading lawyer Subramanian Swami today moved a bail application in a trial court here and will be arguing for the release of the self-styled godman.

Swami's assistants appeared in the court to submit the application. Judge Manoj Kumar Vyas allowed the application and has listed the matter for arguments on Tuesday.

"Swami himself will be coming on May 26 to argue on the bail application," said an assistant advocate, who appeared in the court with the application.

Swami had come to Jodhpur on April 23 and had visited Asaram in the jail, where he has been lodged for over a year and a half.
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22:05   Is ISIS planning to buy nuclear weapon from Pakistan?
ISIS claims it could buy its first nuclear weapon within a year.The terror group claims it could purchase the devastating weapon from Pakistan within less than 12 months.

The claim was made in the group's propaganda magazine Dabiq.An article in the latest issue says ISIS is expanding so rapidly it could afford to purchase the highly expensive weapon.

Read the story HERE
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21:52   Khurshid wonders why Modi hasn't visited any Arab nation
Countering BJP's claim about India's image having been bolstered during the one-year rule of Narendra Modi government, Congress leader Salman Khurshid today wondered why the prime minister did not make a trip to Arab countries on whom the country depends for its oil.

"The prime minister visited the US, France, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and several European countries in the past one year but has no time to make a visit to Arab countries from where we get supply of oil and natural gas," Khurshid told reporters.

"Why has he not gone to Iran which is the main supplier of natural gas to India?" the former External Affairs minister questioned. India made a lot of investments in Africa..."But, there is no clarity on Africa under Modi," he said.

Khurshid made a scathing attack on the PM for making "disparaging" comments against previous UPA government on foreign soil like "Scam India versus Skill India" and "Indians felt ashamed of being born in India earlier which they do not have to now".
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21:39   4.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Las Vegas valley
A magnitude-4.8 earthquake struck a rural area of southern Nevada on Friday, shaking buildings more than 100 miles away and shutting down a busy Las Vegas interchange as road-tripping travelers were descending on Sin City for Memorial Day weekend.

The U.S. Geological Survey revised an earlier report that pinned the magnitude of Friday's earthquake at 5.4.The temblor hit at 11:47 a.m. about 24 miles southwest of the small town of Caliente, and most of Southern Nevada felt it, along with parts of Utah including St. George and Cedar City, the USGS said.
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21:34   Heatwave kills more than 150 in AP, Telangana
Vast swathes of the country reeled under the heatwave which has claimed more than 150 lives in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana even as the scorching sun today continued to drive the mercury upwards with Delhi recording its hottest day of this season.

As many as 73 persons died in Telangana and 80 deaths were recorded in Andhra Pradesh due to severe heatwave conditions.

But as Delhiites struggled to cope with the excruciating heat as the maximum today hit this summer's highest at 44.5 degrees Celsius, five notches above the normal, the weatherman hinted at the likelihood of some relief in the form of dust storms or thunderstorms tomorrow across northern India.
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21:11   No statehood rights to Delhi unless there is consensus:Jaitley
Amid a raging row over exercise of powers in Delhi, Centre today said that full statehood rights cannot be given to Delhi government unless there is a general consensus in the country on the issue as it is the national capital.

"Whenever there will be general consensus in the country on giving full statehood status to the national capital, it is possible. But till that is not done, full statehood rights cannot be given to the state government," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.

He was asked about BJP's views on granting full statehood to Delhi, as promised by it in the past.

He, however, noted that the confusion over rights exercised by the Centre and the elected government would lead to "offices being shut down" and to avoid that the Home Ministry had issued the classificatory notification yesterday.
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20:53   11-year-old Indian-American genius graduates from college
Creating a record of sorts, an 11-year-old Indian-American schoolboy has surprised one and all by graduating from a California college with three associate degrees in maths, science and foreign language studies.

Unlike children of his age who are seen scrolling through iPads and smartphones or are into music and games, Tanishq Abraham graduated from American River College in SacramentO, California, alongside 1,800 students and wants to become the President of the United States.

Abraham, a native of Sacramento, is the youngest to graduate from the college this year.

"The assumption is that he's the all-time youngest," American River College spokesman Scott Crow told NBC News. Abraham last year became one of the youngest ever in the US to graduate high school.
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20:52   43 dead in hours-long firefight on Mexican ranch
Government security forces killed 42 suspected drug cartel henchmen and suffered one fatality in a firefight in western Mexico on Friday, an official said, one of the bloodiest shootouts in a decade of gang violence wracking the country.

National Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro Rubido said one federal policeman died and another was injured in the three hour battle on a ranch just inside the Michoacan state border with Jalisco, home of Guadalajara, Mexico's second-biggest city.

Read this story HERE
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20:04   Modi congratulates Jayalalithaa on taking oath as TN CM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated Jayalalithaa on her taking oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

"PM @narendramodi congratulates Jayalalithaa ji on taking oath as CM of Tamil Nadu and conveys his best wishes to her & her team," said a post on the PMO Twitter.

Jayalalithaa, AIADMK supremo, was sworn in as Chief Minister about eight months after she was forced to quit over corruption charges. Twenty eight ministers were also sworn in at the ceremony.

Modi had also congratulated Jayalalithaa soon after she was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in the disproportionate assets case. PTI AKK
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19:48   Upping the ante, Kejriwal calls 'emergency' assembly session
Raising the stakes in its fight with the Lt Governor, AAP government today decided to call a two-day 'emergency' session of Delhi assembly from Tuesday to deliberate on Centre's notification giving absolute powers to him in appointment of bureaucrats and issues of police and public order. 

The decision to hold the special session was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Assembly was due to meet in June for the passage of Budget.

Officials said the session will deliberate on the gazette notification issued by the Centre as well as issues relating to sharing of power between the elected government and the Lt Governor.
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19:38   2 Vadodara cops suspended for dancing with woman, showering notes
Two police personnel who were allegedly found dancing with a woman and showering notes while on duty have been suspended today, a senior official said.

Vadodara police commissioner E Radhakrishna told PTI that ASI Suresh More and head constable Amirkhan Pathan attached with Kishanwadi police station have been suspended.

"Their suspension follows after the report of a probe by Detective Crime Branch which was ordered two days back after the video went viral," he said.

In the 2.12 minute video that went viral on May 21, the two policemen were first seen holding the hand of a woman, attired in a black glittery outfit while an old Hindi film song was heard in the background.
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19:36   Report: Israel offered Saudi Arabia use of its Iron Dome technology
Arabic-language newspaper Rai al-Youm reported on Saturday that Israel has offered Saudi Arabia to use its Iron Dome anti-rocket technology. The offer was made to the Kingdom to defend its border with Yemen that has come under numerous rocket attacks.

According to the report, the offer was made last week during meetings in Amman between the Saudis and the US ambassador to Jordan.

A spokesman for the Jordanian government said that he was not aware of a meeting between the Saudis and the Israelis in Amman, the news outlet reported.

Read this story HERE
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19:30   Morsi goes on trial for 'insulting the judiciary' in Egypt
Egypt's ex-President Mohammed Morsiand several secular figures went on trial today for "insulting the judiciary", a week after the deposed leader was sentenced to death by a court here in connection with a mass jail break in 2011.

The court, however, adjourned the first session of the trial of the 63-year-old ex-president and 24 others, including even some supporters of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, toJuly 27 for "insulting the judiciary" in comments made in the 2012 parliament, speeches, on social media or in interviews.

The latest trial is the fifth for Morsi, who was sentenced to death last week along with Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohammed Badie and over 100 other members of the banned group for a mass prison break during the 2011 revolution which toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.
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18:25  
Early indications suggest the Republic of Ireland has voted to legalise same-sex marriage in a historic referendum.

More than 3.2m people were asked whether they wanted to amend the country's constitution to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Government ministers have said they believe it will pass, while prominent "no" campaigners have conceded defeat.

Read this story HERE
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18:23   National security compromised under Modi rule: Congress
The Congress today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has put the national security at stake by drastically reducing defense sector spending.

Congress national spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here that the NDA government has failed miserably to meet the expectations on defence and national security fronts.

"Out of the total sanctioned budget for defence, Modi government has not utilised more than Rs 28,000 crore. Thus, the defence spending remained just 86 per cent. Such failure in defence spending has put our national security and national interest at stake," claimed Singhvi. 

The Rajya Sabha MP accused the BJP government of curtailing spending on Mountain Strike Corps (MSC), which was created during UPA rule to keep a vigil on Indo-China border.

"MSC was created under UPA government. We have allocated Rs 85,000 crore for it. However, that budget was reduced by 50 per cent by Defence Ministry in April," he said. Singhvi questioned the manner in which Modi announced to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
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18:13   Maharaj Modi's selfie govt weakened national security: Raj Babbar
Congress leader Raj Babbar today accused the Modi government of compromising national security, saying the "selfie" government was busy projecting "Maharaj Modi's" image at international level than protecting country's borders and strengthening internal security.

"Within one year, Maharaj Modi's government has compromised with national security and national interest," the Congress' national spokesperson said.

"The government's priorities are not to protect our borders and strengthen internal security. It has indulged in kneel down politics in order to project the image (of the prime minister) at international level. Our country's defence strategy now has turned quite weak," he alleged.

He demanded the Centre to issue white paper pertaining to any benefit gained from the foreign visits of PM Narendra Modi. 

"This government is a selfie government where only one individual speaks. I want Maharaj Modi-led government should release white paper explaining what kind of benefits country gained from Modi's foreign visit," Babbar said.
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17:50   Film City firing: Police identifies motorcycle owner
The Mumbai police today said it has identified the owner of the motorcycle which was used in firing at Film City here in which one person was critically injured. 

Two unidentified assailants opened fire at one Raju Shinde yesterday inside Film City, close to spot where actor Amitabh Bachchan was shooting. 

Shinde is the owner of Trinity security agency that provides security guards for film shootings and an office bearer of Shiv Sena's film wing 'Chitrapat Sena'.

"We have identified the owner of the motorcycle we seized yesterday. We are very much hopeful to nab the assailants very soon," Additional Commissioner (North region), Mumbai Police, Fateh Singh Patil. 

Police also said that it seems to be a case of business rivalry.
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17:22   Manmohan made same number of foreign trips as Modi: Amit Shah
BJP president Amit Shah today debunked criticism of Congress about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits, saying that UPA prime minister Manmohan Singh had undertaken same number of trips abroad.

"I hear people saying that Modi is only interested in foreign tours and has made a number of trips in a year. But I want to say that Modiji has undertaken the same number of tours as former PM Manmohan Singh. The only difference is that people never came to know about his tours," Shah said while addressing a BJP state executive meet.

"When Modiji undertakes a trip abroad, thousands of Indians wait to welcome him and foreign nations are eager to do business with India," he added. Listing out the achievements of the Modi government, which is set to complete a year in office on May 26, Shah criticised the Congress-led UPA government over corruption.

"Even the staunchest of opponents cannot accuse the NDA government of corruption, while there was corruption to the tune of Rs 12 lakh crore during the UPA government," he said.

"In the first Cabinet meeting of the Modi government, an SIT was constituted to probe black money. The government has also proposed a jail term of 10 years for people found stashing away black money overseas," he said.
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14:21   Nepal quake toll reaches 8,635, over 300 missing
The death toll following the two devastating earthquakes that have struck Nepal has reached 8,635 with over 300 people, including 89 foreigners, still missing. 

At least 79 foreigners, including 49 Indians have been killed in the devastating earthquakes, according to a statement by the Nepal police.
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14:17   Govt gives nod to sea plane landing in Goa waters amid protest
The Goa government today went ahead with its tourism proposal amid protests by fishermen community and conducted trial of sea plane landing on Mandovi river in the heart of the state. 

The traditional fishermen have threatened to end their lives if Goa government allows the sea planes to operate in the waters disturbing their livelihood.
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13:00   US: Myanmar should share responsibility for Rohingya crisis
Navy ships were scouring Southeast Asian waters for boats believed to be carrying thousands of migrants with little food or water, and a top US diplomat said Myanmar needs to shoulder some responsibility for the crisis. 

That's something it has been reluctant to do. US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said yesterday that Rohingya Muslims fleeing the predominantly Buddhist nation were risking perilous journeys and putting their lives in the hands of human traffickers because "they are in despair and don't see a future" at home.
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13:00   Delegation of Gujjar community to hold talks with govt
A delegation of Gujjar community would hold talks with the government at Bayana in the city on the third day of their agitation today to discuss the issue of 5 per cent quota in jobs. 

Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla took the decision to hold talks with the government yesterday following which the meeting was planned.
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12:02   Rahul Gandhi meets ex-servicemen over one rank one pay issue
Amid growing demands for 'one- rank-one-pension" for ex-servicemen, Rahul Gandhi will now be taking up their cause by meeting representatives of former military personnel and war widows at the Congress headquarters on Saturday. 

Party sources said that Gandhi is taking up the cause of "one-rank-one-pension" at a time when there is unhappiness among ex-servicemen over non-implementation of the scheme.
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11:25   O Panneerselvam sworn in as finance minister
AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, who announced his resignation as Tamil Nadu chief minister minutes after Jayalalithaa was unanimously elected AIADMK legislature party leader on Friday, has been sworn in as finance minister in Jayalalithaa's cabinet
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11:15   Jayalalithaa sworn in as Tamil Nadu chief minister
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo J Jayalalithaa has been sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time at the Madras University Centenary Hall.   

Governor K Rosaiah administered the oath of office and secrecy to Jayalalithaa.   

On Friday, the Governor had invited Jayalalithaa to form the government after AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam submitted his resignation as chief minister of the state.   

IADMK MLAs had unanimously elected Jayalalithaa as their leader, thereby, paving way for her to become chief minister of Tamil Nadu. 
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11:06   Jayalalithaa arrives at Madras University for swearing-in ceremony
Actor Rajinikanth, ICC Chairman N Srinivasan, Union Min Pon Radhakrishnan arrive at Madras University for Jayalalithaa's swearing-in ceremony. 

The Madras University auditorium has limited space and large screens have been put up outside at various places for supporters to watch the ceremony.

Jayalalithaa returns to power less than a fortnight of the Karnataka High Court upholding her appeal and acquitting her in a corruption case.   
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10:53   Obama signs bill giving Congress a say on Iran nuclear deal
Though he once vigorously opposed its involvement, President Barack Obama has signed legislation that gives the US Congress the power to review and potentially reject a nuclear deal with Iran.

 Achieving a deal with Iran is a central element of Obama's foreign policy ambitions, and the new law imposes conditions on his ability to act on his own. He signed the measure without ceremony Friday at the White House.
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10:44   Jayalalithaa heads to Madras University to take oath as Tamil Nadu CM
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time at the Madras University Centenary Hall at 11 am on Saturday.

Governor K Rosaiah will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Jayalalithaa along with 28 other ministers.
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10:31   US Senate passes bill on fast-track trade authority for Obama
In a major victory for President Barack Obama, the US Senate overcame bitter divisions and approved a bill that gives him the authority to swiftly negotiate and forge international trade pacts. 

A coalition of 48 Senate Republicans and 14 Democrats voted for Trade Promotion Authority last night, sending the legislation to a difficult fight in the House of Representatives, where it faces more entrenched opposition from Democrats.
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10:19   Impressed by Modi's commitment to clean energy: Bloomberg
Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for proposing new public health standards for emissions from coal-fired power plants, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has said he is impressed by the Indian leader's commitment to build a clean energy future for India. 

"Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking such a bold step toward his vision of 'Swach Bharat '"- Clean India' by proposing new public health standards for emissions from coal fired power plants," said Bloomberg, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change.
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09:23   Two 6.8-magnitude quakes strike off Solomon Islands
Two strong 6.8-magnitude earthquakes struck off the Solomon Islands early today, US geologists said, but there were no initial reports of damage and no tsunami warnings were issued. 

The first quake hit at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), 205 kilometres from Kirakira and 448 kilometres from the capital Honiara and the second shallow quake struck just over two hours later about 159 kilometres from Kirakira.
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09:20   2 Indians among 126 fallen peacekeepers to be awarded UN medal
Two fallen Indian peacekeepers are among the 126 military, police and civilian personnel who will be posthumously awarded a prestigious UN medal next week for their courage and sacrifice while serving in the world body's peacekeeping operations last year. 

Lance Naik Nand Ram, who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Raju Joseph, who had served in a civilian capacity with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), will be awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers observed annually on May 29.
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09:20   2 Indians among 126 fallen peacekeepers to be awarded UN medal
Two fallen Indian peacekeepers are among the 126 military, police and civilian personnel who will be posthumously awarded a prestigious UN medal next week for their courage and sacrifice while serving in the world body's peacekeeping operations last year. 

Lance Naik Nand Ram, who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Raju Joseph, who had served in a civilian capacity with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), will be awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers observed annually on May 29.
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04:14   ISIS pushes towards Baghdad as thousands flee
On one side of the Bzebiz Bridge is Anbar province, where ISIS has made its most recent gains. It was barely visible Friday from the Baghdad province side -- a sandstorm obscured the view in a translucent, sepia murkiness.

The bridge is the only safe passage from Anbar to Baghdad province for thousands of displaced people trying to flee fighting in the area over the past few days. It was closed on Friday.

Officials did not give CNN a clear answer as to why it was shut down.

"ISIS from that side and from here the road is blocked," said Sabah Hamid, a woman fleeing ISIS. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Read full story HERE.
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03:26   Eiffel Tower shut in protest at pickpocket explosion
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on Friday after staff went on strike to protest against marauding pickpockets who they say fleece tourists daily and threaten staff.

The Eiffel Tower is momentarily closed, read the sign by one of the worlds most visited monuments, as staff said they could no longer cope with the rising number of pickpockets operating on the citys famed iron lady, following several attacks and threats.

Representatives from among 40 staff refusing to work said they were powerless to prevent gangs of between four to five pickpockets, and sometimes 30 on the monument at any one time.

"There have always been pickpockets at the Eiffel Tower, but we are now facing an organised network," said a union representative.

Staff called on management to provide formal guarantees so that lasting, efficient measures are taken to end this scourge that numerous tourists fall foul of every day.

They said that high-spending Asian tourists were the most commonly targeted.

Read full story HERE.
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03:00   Teacher 'let students have classroom sex'
An Atlanta-area teacher was arrested after a parent accused him of letting middle-school students have sex in his classroom.

Quinton Wright is charged with four misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office said. He was booked into jail Tuesday and released after posting bond.

The mother who made the complaint said she discovered a disturbing text message on her 14-year-old son's phone.

"Basically he's allowing the students to have sex in a storage room of his classroom," the mother told CNN affiliate WSB.

"He told my son, 'You can have it from 7:30 to like 8:30,' " the mother said, reading some of the messages. " 'Did you tell the girl what's going to happen? That she cannot tell anybody?' -- basically don't tell anyone I'm allowing you to use my room."

Read more HERE.
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01:47   ISIS woos rival fighters
A recently released propaganda recruitment video by ISIS shows Somali fighters in the group inviting other Somali jihadis to join their ranks.

In the roughly six-minute video, five unmasked men of Somali ethnicity arrive in large, new-looking SUVs. They are carrying weapons and surrounded by heavily armed bodyguards.

Speaking in Arabic under palm trees, the men take turns imploring Somalis and members of the insurgent group Al-Shabaab, whom they refer to as ''truthful mujahedeen" to join their movement to fight the West, and to pledge allegiance to ISIS.

This is the first time ISIS has appealed directly through video to Al-Shabaab to merge with them.

Al-Shabaab, meaning "the youth," is a Somalia-based insurgent group that formally pledged allegiance to international terror organization al Qaeda in 2012.

Read full story HERE.
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01:11   White House: Offensive Twitter posts part of 'open society'
The White House says "offensive and disgusting" replies posted on President Barack Obama's new Twitter account are part of an open society.

But spokesman Josh Earnest says the bile flooding Obama's @POTUS account is worth the price of engaging the public on issues they care about.

Earnest says that's why Obama launched the account on Monday after more than six years in office.

A review of the Twitter feed finds numerous messages that are racist or that call the president names. Others welcome him to Twitter.

"POTUS" is an acronym for "President of the United States."

Obama had more than 2.3 million followers as of Friday.
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00:40   Ram Temple will be completed during this govt's tenure: Prachi
Construction work for Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya would start "soon" and be "completed during this tenure" of the present NDA government, controversial VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi today said.

"The construction work for Ram Mandir at Ayodhya would start soon. It would be completed during the tenure of the current NDA government," she told reporters here at the sidelines of BJP Dalit Morcha National Executive meet.

She said the final decision in this regard would be taken in the two-day meeting of the VHP's Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal.

"The two-day Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal meet starts on 25th of this month at Haridwar. Final decision about Ram Mandir's construction would be taken in this meeting," Sadhvi said.

Asked about her controversial remarks over Salman Khan's bail in hit-and-run-case, Sadhvi insisted, "Malegaon blasts accused Sadhvi Pragya was denied bail, rape victim nurse Aruna did not get justice for 42 years and she died, how come Salman got the bail so easily."

Sadhvi had earlier allegedly said that Salman was granted bail as he was a "Khan".

Sadhvi said she was not rapped by her organisation for the remarks.

She also criticised the BJP-SAD government in Punjab for "discriminating against" Dalits.
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00:19   Modi chairs meeting to discuss launch of 'DD Kisan' on May 26
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a meeting to discuss the preparations for launching Doordarshan's 'Kisan TV' on May 26, to coincide with the first anniversary celebrations of the NDA government. 

According to sources, a 30-minute meeting was held this evening which was attended by Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, MoS for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore and top officials of I&B ministry and Prasar Bharati.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister was apprised about the content and preparations for the launch of the channel.

Officials said the 24X7 channel for farmers will be launched by Modi at a ceremony in Vigyan Bhawan on May 26.

In his Union Budget 2014 speech, Jaitley, who also holds the charge of the Finance Ministry, had announced that a TV channel will be dedicated to the agriculture sector, for which he had marked an outlay of Rs 100 crore.
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00:05   Ireland goes to polls in historic vote on same-sex marriage
Irish voters were choosing Friday whether to change the country's constitution to allow same-sex marriage.

It's a landmark referendum that, if passed, would make Ireland the first country in the world to adopt same-sex marriage through a popular vote.

Ireland's voters will be asked to approve this statement: "Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex."

If more say "yes" than say "no," the change to the constitution will give gay and lesbian couples the right to civil marriage, but not to be wed in a church. Counting will start Saturday morning, with the result due by the end of the day.

As in many other countries around the world, the issue is a polarizing one. And the referendum will be a test of whether in Ireland, a majority Catholic nation, more liberal thinking wins out over conservative, traditional leanings.

Opinion polls in the run-up to the vote suggest that the "yes" vote is on track to come out on top, but that the gap is narrowing.

Read full story HERE.

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