LIVE! NASA New Horizons probe spots 'gorgeous' vistas on Pluto

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Thu, 08 October 2015

NASA New Horizons probe spots 'gorgeous' vistas on Pluto

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23:23 NASA New Horizons probe spots 'gorgeous' vistas on Pluto

The NASA New Horizons probe has beamed back stunning pictures of Pluto which show it has blue skies and ice caps.

These incredible images prove Pluto has surprisingly Earth-like features, although scientists have not been able to confirm whether it could hold life.

Professor Brian Cox recently suggested there could be an ocean beneath Pluto's frozen surface, which may be warm enough to hold living organisms.

Read more HERE.

US ambassador to India Richard Verma today batted for people-to-people cooperation in dealing with global environmental challenges even as he underscored the "important" role films and technology can play in spreading awareness in this regard.

Addressing a gathering at a curtain raiser event for 8th CMS Vatavaran, an Environment and Wildlife Film Festival and Forum, which was also attended by activist Rajendra Singh and filmmaker Krishnendu Bose, Verma maintained that climate is a big area for cooperation between India and the US.

"To solve these (environment and climate) challenges, it's not just government-to-government (cooperation), it's also society, people at all level, need everyone to come together, research community, businesses (to solve these problems).

"...this notion of bringing film and technology and popular culture together is really, really important (for spreading awareness amongst people in this regard)," Verma said.

Kannada actress Maria Sausage, who served jail term in Mumbai's high-profile Neeraj Grover murder case, was today arrested by city police for allegedly duping Haj pilgrims to the tune of Rs 2.68 crore in Vadodara.

Maria had earlier filed for anticipatory bail with Gujarat High Court, but her plea was rejected yesterday. The 35-year-old actress was arrested from her residence at Mysuru, Karnataka and process has been initiated to hand her over to Vadodara Police, according to an Ahmedabad Crime Branch press release.

Maria, along with her business partner Paromita Chakravarti, a resident of Mumbai who is absconding, opened an air ticket booking agency under the banner of Parapan Group in Vadodara a few months ago, it said.

The Aam Aadmi Party government today decided to provide free ride to girl child and women on DTC and Cluster buses on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

A senior government official said that the move comes after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his desire for it.

"DTC and DIMTS have been asked to provide free ride to the girl child and women in their buses from 6 AM to 10 PM on October 11," the official said.

This is the first time that government will provide free ride on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child. Till now, the city government used to only provide free ride to women on DTC and cluster buses on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

21:26 Bishada youth may have consumed poison: Police

Bishada youth Jay Prakash, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Tuesday leading to allegations of police harassment, may have consumed poison following a fight with his wife, police today claimed.

The police said, as per the information shared by the deceased's uncle, 24-year-old Prakash had a dispute with his wife Guddi over some issue and he consumed some poisonous substance soon after.

However, since the post-mortem report was not conclusive, his viscera samples have been preserved which will be further sent to a lab at Agra or Ghaziabad, Jarcha Station House officer Subodh Kumar said. "Viscera samples have been preserved which are being to sent to a forensic lab since. Everything will be clear once the report comes," he said.

Amid a continuing political slugfest over the beef issue, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said he is thankful that at least the recent stampede in Mecca has not been attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also sought to dismiss the criticism that the Prime Minister has kept silence on killing of a man on rumours of he and his family having eaten beef. "If he speaks, people ask why did he speak. If he does not speak, people say why did he not speak... What can be done," Gadkari said.

Replying to a number of queries on the beef controversy at a press conference at Indian Women's Press Corps, Gadkari said, "This is not a major political issue. A section of media, a section of leadership takes interest in it. This has been the history of the country.

"It is our history, since 1947, that there are riots on small issues at some places. This is unfortunate. This should not happen. It should be prevented. Law will take its own course.

Hearing a suit which alleged that the story of Salman Khan-starrer "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" has been plagiarised, the Bombay high court today declined to give any interim relief by staying its world television premier on October 10.

Justice Gautam Patel, however, directed that all the proceeds of the film should not be touched and kept aside during the pending of the notice of motion taken out in the suit.

The notice of motion taken out by the plaintiff, Mahim Joshi, in the suit filed by him had urged the court to stay the television release of the film which has run house-full shows since its release on Eid this year.

The HC said it was not inclined to grant a stay on the TV premier show but ordered that the proceeds of the film should be kept separately until the matter was decided.

Mumbai police today moved an application in the sessions court seeking issuance of a Letter of Request against Pakistani-American LeT terrorist David Headley for his production through video conference from the US in the 26/11 terror attack case.

The court is trying Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative and key plotter of 26/11 terror strikes Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal for his alleged role in the Mumbai attacks.

"This court may kindly issue a Letter of Request to the US district court of Illinois to produce Headley before this court on the next date through video conferencing," the application moved by the Mumbai police reads.

The application further reads that Headley deserves to be tried by this (Mumbai) court together with Jundal as both of them are conspirators and abettors behind the 26/11 terror attack.

19:28 India asks Nepal to 'put its house in order'

In a blunt message, India today asked Nepal to "put its house in order" and rejected charges of economic blockade from the Indian side. Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Vikas Swarup also expressed serious concerns over the growing "anti-India" sentiments in Nepal.

"We do recognise that there is growth of anti-India sentiment and this is something we are seriously concerned about. There is no doubt about that. But who is responsible for this... Who has stoked this anti-India sentiment," he said, adding that due to unrest on Nepalese side, Indian goods were not being able to enter.

"And for which the blame squarely lies with the Nepalese leadership and we hope that they do something about it so that the traditionally friendly relationship between Nepal and India can continue like before," the spokesperson said.

Just in: A complaint has been filed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for likening RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to a 'shaitaan' (devil), reports India Today.

The Election Commission will review the PM's speech in Bihar.

Wading into the beef controversy, Modi today attacked Lalu over his 'Hindus also eat beef' remark, saying he had insulted the people of Bihar and his own community, the Yaduvanshis, who brought him to power.

Addressing a poll rally in Munger, Modi, who has been silent on the lynching of an Indian in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, despite widespread outrage and the debate over the beef ban, latched onto Lalu's remarks on beef and said a 'shaitan (devil) has entered a human body.'

The Gorakhpur police have registered an FIR against All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi for posting morphed image of fireband Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yogi Adityanath on Facebook.

Details awaited.

"We do not want all children to become ninjas," a senior lawyer told the Supreme Court on Thursday, taking a cue from Chief Justice H L Dattu's reference to his grandson looking like a ninja by wearing a mask to avoid high levels of pollution in Delhi.

The remark was made by Kapil Sibal when the apex court was hearing a plea filed by three infants against the use of loud firecrackers during the festivals of Diwali and Dussehra.

Ninjas were known to carry out espionage and covert activities, often in disguise, during the 16th and 17th century in Japan.

Sharing the concerns expressed by senior lawyers Sibal and K K Venugopal on the issue, a bench headed by the Chief Justice, however, said it would be difficult to pass an interim order, but sought responses from the Centre and the Delhi government on the matter. "Issuing notice is fine. But issuing any interim order is not feasible right now," the bench, also comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Adarsh Kumar Goel, said.

In a shocking incident, a Saudi employer in Riyadh has chopped off a hand of a domestic help from India just because she had filed a complaint against him.

As per reports on news channels, the help from Tamil Nadu's Vellore used to be repeatedly torture. Recently, when she filed a complaint against him he got enraged and chopped off her hand.

She is now recuperating in a hospital and her family has appealed to Indian authorities to rescue her, reports Zee News.

Photograph: India Today

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today offered to host the concert of Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali, a day after the event was cancelled in Mumbai in the face of Shiv Sena threats.

"Music has no boundaries. Music is the rhythm of the heart. Ghulam Ali concert can be held in Kolkata", Banerjee, who is now on a visit to Bhutan, tweeted. "We will make all arrangements," (for the concert) she added.

Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai was cancelled after Sena threatened to disrupt it warning that no artiste from Pakistan will be allowed to perform in the city till terror emanating from across the border is stopped.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally broken his silence on the Dadri lynching. "We should put an end to communal politics," said the PM during a rally at Navada in Bihar.

"I want to appeal to everyone that please don't listen to hate speech," he said asking people to ignore controversial statements made by politicians. He said that they were doing so for political gains.

"The nation mus stay together. It must defeat hatred/ In a democracy everyone has the right to speak their mind. The President' message is the best guidance we can get as a nation," Modi said.

"Follow President Pranab Mukherjee's message on core civilisational values of diversity, tolerance and plurality."

16:42

Svetlana Alexievich is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for her "polyphonic writings". Alexievich, said to be "a monument to courage and suffering".

16:34

Here is what you need to know about this year's Literature Nobel winner:

Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich is a Belarusian investigative journalist and prose writer.

Her first book War's Unwomanly Face came out in 1985. It was repeatedly reprinted and sold out in more than two million copies. This novel is made up of monologues of women in the war speaking about the aspects of World War II that had never been related before.

67-years-old Alexievich is the 14th women Literature Laureate.

16:32 Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich awarded Literature Nobel

Just in: The Nobel Prize for literature was awarded today to Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich in Stockholm.

This year was the 107th time the prize has been awarded.

For the first time, Nepal will be importing fuel from China in the wake of it facing a shortage due to Indian shipments being put on hold.

Nepal Oil Corp has decided to ask suppliers to submit proposals for flying in shipments through Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport.

According to Nepal Oil Corp. spokesman Deepak Baral, the shipments will be delivered by air, as roads linking Nepal and China are still in bad shape due to the April 25 earthquake.

Nepal is now set to move away from its exclusive agreement with the Indian Oil Corp, which was the sole supplier of fuel to Nepal.

India, though, has denied imposing any official blockade.

According to ACB News report, Indian truck drivers are reluctant to cross the border to make deliveries due to the ongoing protest at the border by Madhesis and other minority groups.

Eyeing their eight title of the season, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis entered the semi-finals of the China Open in Beijing today.

Fresh from their Wuhan Open triumph, the top seeds managed to prevail over the German-Czech pair of Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova 7-6(5) 6-4 in their quarterfinal match that lasted lasted an hour and 20 minutes.

The Indo-Swiss combination has bagged seven women's doubles titles this year so far, including two Grand Slams -- Wimbledon and the US Open -- since they started playing together in March.

Their WTA titles together this year include Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Guangzhou and Wuhan.

JUST IN: Mobile internet services blocked in Jammu over fear of misuse of social media on beef row: Press Trust of India

15:38 Why do jihadis drive Toyotas, asks US

Toyota has spoken with US officials about the prominent use of its vehicles by militants in Syria, Iraq and Libya.

Toyota trucks are conspicuous in extremist propaganda and are often what carry Islamic State group fighters into war with large caliber weapons affixed to truck beds.

The company says it maintains "a strict policy to not sell vehicles to potential purchasers who may use or modify them for paramilitary or terrorist activities."

The Treasury Department's Terrorism and Financial Intelligence wing monitors monetary transfers and the flow of goods that could aid militants, and an abundance of any company's product being used by extremists would draw attention. Yet such inquiries are often part of a more comprehensive look into how money and material flows in areas of strife where militants operate.

Read more HERE

15:27

JUST IN: Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh elected as President of Paralympic Committee of India

15:02 Gold, silver tumble on weak global cues, low demand

Gold retreated from one-month high by falling Rs 200 to Rs 26,650 per 10 grams at the bullion market today largely in tandem with weak global cues and fall in demand from jewellers.

Silver followed suit and plunged by Rs 550 to Rs 36,700 per kg on reduced offtake by industrial units and coin makers.

Bullion traders said besides a weak global trend as investors awaited minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting for clues on the timing of an interest rate hike, slackened demand from jewellers and retailers at the existing levels pulled down the precious metal from its one-month high.

In the international market, gold dropped 0.3 per cent to USD 1,141.76 an ounce in Singapore today. Silver also slumped 2.5 per cent to USD 15.65 an ounce.

Mulayam Singh Yadav on Dadri lynching: "Conspiracy hatched by three persons of a specific party. Those behind Muzaffarnagar riots involved."

"Will take stern action even if we have to sacrifice government."

Amid a bitter political row over cancellation of famous Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai, controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin has said that India is fast turning into 'Hindu Saudi'.

In a series of tweets, Taslima Nasrin -- the author of several controversial books -- asked political parties to differentiate between a singer and a Jihadi.

She tweeted: "OMG! Pak Singer Ghulam Ali's Concert in Mumbai Cancelled After Sena Threat? India is becoming Hindu Saudi?"

"Ghulam Ali is not a jehadi, he is a singer. Please try to differentiate between Jehadis and singers."

The reactions from Nasrin came hours after the organisers cancelled Ghulam Ali's concert, which was scheduled to be held at the Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai following a threat from Shiv Sena.

13:35 Sidhu recovering well

BJP leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is undergoing treatment for acute deep vein thrombosis, is making steady recovery, doctors at a Delhi hospital said today.

"He is being treated by our team of experts and is making steady recovery," said a statement issued by Indraprastha Apollo Hospital authorities.

They said no surgery or intervention is being planned for now and that Sidhu is medically stable.

51-year-old Sidhu was admitted to the hospital with acute deep vein thrombosis, a life threatening condition if not treated in time.

DVT is caused by a blood clot in a deep vein which hinders the normal blood flow. The symptoms may include swelling, pain, and tenderness, often in the legs.

An initial list of 165 authors, including global writers set to participate in the mammoth Jaipur Literature Festival scheduled in January 2016 has been announced today.

The ninth edition of the five-day literary extravaganza set to begin on January 21 at its usual historic setting of the Diggi Palace Hotel in Jaipur.

Headline names set to attend this year are Canadian poet and novelist Margaret Atwood, Indian author Ruskin Bond, American photographic Steve McCurry, Harvard historian Niall Ferguson and Stephen Fry from Britain.

French economist and global voice on wealth and income inequality Thomas Piketty, Bosnian-American fiction writer Aleksandar Hemon, Israeli author and peace activist David Grossman, and India's most celebrated psychoanalyst and author Sudhir Kakar take centre-stage alongside leading writers, from India.

These include prominent Hindi poet and author Uday Prakash, Sahitya Akademi awarde winners in Assamese literature Rita Chowdhury and Dhrubajyoti Bora besides Gujarati poet and scholar Sitanshu Yashaschandra, among others.

13:31

Dadri lynching: 2 person arrested -- one from Surajpur and another from Jewar -- for spreading rumors through Watsapp.

13:00 Modi may speak to Sonia, Rahul to get GST going

The Goods and Services Tax regime is likely to be implemented from April 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in Bengaluru in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel two days ago.

So how is it possible, when the Congress is viscerally opposed to the passage of the bill in Parliament?

Modi, it is learnt, has some strategies in mind to overcome this hurdle.

Soon after the Bihar elections are over, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu are likely to create a "conducive atmosphere" with the Congress.

There may even be some "quid pro quo" involved but the strategy will not be divulged till such time the Congress leadership agrees to get on board.

In stage two, according to a top source, Modi might make a public appeal to all the political parties to support GST, which will be followed by him hosting dinner or luncheon meetings with almost all the parties in Parliament.

This will address the Congress's long-standing grouse, that Modi has always ignored Sonia Gandhi and Rahul.

And with this, GST will see the light of day in April 2016, according to a top BJP source.

The big question is, will the Congress bite?

Two CoBRA jawans were today injured in a fierce gun-battle between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Sukma district, police said.

The skirmish occurred in the restive Tetri forests under Bhejji police station limits when a squad of CRPF's elite battalion-CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) was carrying out an anti-naxal operation in the region, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police, Santosh Singh, said.

A team of CoBRA's 208 battalion was mobilised from its Errabor camp this morning for the operation.

While cordoning off a forest axis near Tetri village, a group of armed cadres opened indiscriminate firing on security personnel after which they retaliated, he said.

Post the ensuing gunfight that lasted for around half-an-hour, ultras fled to the deep forests on finding security personnel zeroing on them, he said.

However, two jawans sustained minor bullet injuries in the incident, the officer added.

India Today reports: The Pakistan government has reportedly deboarded all its citizens travelling by the Samjhauta Express, which runs between Delhi and Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan, near Wagah border.

According to sources, Islamabad is worried about the safety of its citizens in India

BJP MLA Ravinder Raina on why he assaulted Independent MLA Engineer Rashid:

"Engineer Rashid provoked Hindus of the world and J&K by doing what he did. What he did was a violation of Constitution of J&K."

"He (Rashid) said in the assembly that he will hold 1000 more parties like this. Thats when my colleagues lost their temper, what happened was in virtue of provocation."

The Bombay High Court today granted anticipatory bail to controversial self-styled godwoman Radhe Maa in a dowry harassment case.

On August 14, the court had granted Radhe Maa alias Sukhvinder Kaur interim protection from arrest while hearing her plea.

Radhe Maa, who apprehended arrest in the case, had moved the high court after a sessions court had rejected her anticipatory bail petition on August 13.

Mumbai police had filed a case against her on August 5 for allegedly instigating the in-laws of a 32-year-old woman to harass her for dowry.

The case was filed after a Borivali Magistrate had ordered a probe by police under section 156(3) of CrPc into allegations of dowry harassment against her on a complaint filed by a housewife.

Girish Kulkarni, counsel for the housewife, and intervenor Ramesh Joshi, argued that the in-laws of the complainant were disciples of Radhe Maa.

The godwoman had complete control over the family and at her instance they had allegedly taken dowry from the housewife, he argued.

In a highly volatile trade, the market benchmark Sensex slipped by nearly 100 points in late morning deals on emergence of selling in FMCG, banking, capital goods and healthcare stocks amid mixed Asian cues.

The 30-share BSE Sensex resumed higher at 27,116.86 and hovered in a range of 27,120.11 and 26,910.19 before quoting 26,938.32 at 1105 hours -- a fall of 97.53 points or 0.36 per cent.

The NSE Nifty was also trading lower by 25.30 points or 0.31 points at 8,152.10.

Major losers were ITC 2.06 per cent, Lupin 1.44 per cent, Airtel 1.40 per cent and ICICI Bank 0.87 per cent. However, Tata Steel rose by 1.60 per cent, followed by Vedanta 1.32 per cent , BHEL 1.13 per cent and Hindalco 1.13 per cent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing the first of his four rallies scheduled for the day in poll-bound Bihar.

Here are highlights of his election speech in Munger:

* They didn't provide electricity like they had promised yet they came for votes.

* There is so much water here that others states are desperately looking for, I have confidence on Bihars youth and water.

* There have been 4000 incidents of kidnapping in Bihar under 'Jungle Raj'. Kidnapping was biggest industry during 'Jungle Raj'.

* Bihar election is a fight between 'jungle raj' and 'vikas raj'.

* People know everything. Bihars youth will also reply to their arrogance.

* Congress wants to come to power through back door, but there is option of 'jungle' raj and development before the people.

* For last 25-years big brother and younger brother have ruled and ruined Bihar. Do you want them to come to power again?

* Laluji, elections happen but remember you got the power due to suppurt of Yaduvanshis and you have insulted them

* People who used to talk about Ram Manohar Lohia's ideology are now drinking Congress' water and abusing us.

* Bihar's youth will change the fate of this state.

Independent MLA Engineer Rashid, who a hosted beef party at MLA hostel on Wednesday, was beaten up by BJP MLA Ravinder Raina in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Thursday.

At the party, Rashid served kebabs, rista (minced meat balls) and patties -- all made from beef -- to the guests.

The J&K assembly is scheduled to take up a Bill on beef ban, which seeks to repeal the law that prohibits slaughter of bovines and the sale of beef in the state.

"My aim is to send a message to the governmentI wanted to tell the government that whether you pass the Bill or not, discuss it or not, we don't care about this ban. It doesn't make any difference to us," Rashid had told media persons.

Insisting that the ban on beef was "interference in religious" affairs, he added: "By this party, I want to tell them that religious affairs can not be kept subservient to judiciary or legislature."

Women pilots will soon fly fighter jets of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said on thursday.

"We have women pilots flying transport aircraft and helicopters, we are now planning to induct them into the fighter stream to meet the aspirations of young women of India," the air chief on the 83rd Air Force Day.

In the past, the Air Force had refused to allow women in fighter squadrons because of fears of torture if they were shot down in combat.

If they do change their rules to make a historic leap, the IAF will be the first to have women in active front-line combat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated his 63rd birthday on Wednesday by hitting the ice.

Putin scored seven goals as his star-studded team, which included NHL legends Vyacheslav Fetisov and Pavel Bure, won the game 15-10. The opposing team included Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as well as Putin's close friends -- tycoons Gennady Timchenko and Arkady Rotenberg.

Both were slapped with Western sanctions last year for their ties to Putin in the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Putin was given a trophy for his team's win at the end of the game and a medal for his contribution to hockey in Russia.

09:08

SPOTTED: Sachin Tendulkar, first sportsperson to be made honorary IAF Group Captain, at the 83rd IAF Day celebrations at Hindon.

09:04 Choose peace over hatred: Ghulam Ali on cancelled concert

Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali on his Mumbai concert being cancelled following threats by the Shiv Sena:

To NDTV: "I'm not angry but very hurt. I have always got love in India. The concert was a tribute for Jagjit Singh. He was like a brother to me."

To India Today: "Music is work of love. I go to India because people love music. And this is not just the case of Pakistan or India, but I have been performing all over the world. People call me with love."

"My only request to them is to choose peace over hatred. Tension has no role to play in this work of peace. I am always at the service of my listeners wherever they are."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today address four election rallies in poll-bound Bihar.

He will be campaigning through the day in Munger, Samastipur, Nawada and Begusarai.

He is also likely to stay back and hold a strategy meet overnight.

BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is locked in a bitter battle with the Mahagathbandhan of Janata Dal United-Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress. The other partners of BJP are Lok Janshakti Party, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular).

The five phase elections will take place from October 12 and end on November 5. The other dates of voting are October 16, 28 and November 1, Counting of votes will take place on November 8 and the entire election process will be over by November 12.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee have saluted IAF personnel for their courage and determination, on Air Force Day.

In a statement, PM Modi said: "I salute our air force personnel on Air Force Day. They have always served India with great courage and determination. Contribution of our Air Force is monumental. They are always at the forefront, be it in protecting skies or in times of disasters."

In his statement issued on the eve of the 83rd anniversary of the IAF, President Pranab said: "The Indian Air Force has remained the vanguard of the Indian skies safeguarding the sovereignty of our nation all through its glorious history of eight decades. Over the years, IAF has evolved into a formidable force with new acquisitions and weapons of great precision. Today, IAF is rated one of the best in the world and has acquired the capability of strategic reach and precision targeting."

"In today's world order, the role of IAF is not only limited to fighting a war but also rendering timely assistance during national crisis. On numerous occasions in the past, during natural disasters, IAF has been at the forefront providing timely succor and relief. The recent efforts of IAF to airlift our countrymen from Yemen, rescuing people during flash floods in Srinagar and the assistance rendered to the people of Nepal during the aftermath of a massive earthquake is praiseworthy."

"It bears testimony to IAF's glorious legacy of valour, courage and commitment. The nation remains indebted to the air-warriors for their selflessness and sacrifice. I am confident that the ongoing process of modernisation will transform the IAF into an even more potent and strategic force and it will continue to serve the nation with dedication and commitment.

08:38 4-day Hindu fest begins in Jaipur today

A four-day Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair focusing on various works undertaken by Hindu organisations will begin in Jaipur today with spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar making the inaugural note.

"Sri Sri Ravishankar, noted mentor of Art of Living, will inaugurate the fair and Dr Krishna Gopal, sah-sarkaryavahak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will be delivering a key note lecture," HSSF Secretary Sanjay Kumar told media persons .

The fair will begin with hundreds of women carrying "mangal kalash yatra", with a pot full of Gangajal on the roads of the city, he added.

Participants in HSSF will deliberate on conservation of forests, sustainable environment, women empowerment, ecology with special reference to "Tulsi" bush and cow conservation, Kumar said.

The social and religious organisations of Hindus of national and international repute will showcase their works being done for the society, the secretary said.

But after a bruising 2012 cycle, in which its polls were farther off than most of its competitors, Gallup said it isn't planning any polls for the presidential primary horse race this cycle.

And, even following an internal probe into what went wrong last time around, Gallup won't commit to tracking the general election next year.

It's a stunning move for an organization that built its reputation on predicting the winners of presidential elections. But it comes at a time of unusual tumult in the polling world.

Other top-level brands like the nonprofit Pew Research Center have yet to poll the horse race, and still others have expressed concern about the accuracy of polling at a time when fewer people are reachable or willing to talk to pollsters.

Gallup had vowed to examine its methods closely after 2012.

And after a lengthy post-mortem, Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport promised to be ready when the next presidential election arrived. But so far, Gallup hasnt been willing to put its methods to the test.

Read more HERE.

04:32 'Muslim Merkel' German TV image causes outrage

An image of Angela Merkel wearing a traditional Iranian Islamic headscarf has caused controversy in Germany.

ARD television was inundated with complaints after it broadcast a mocked-up picture of Mrs Merkel wearing the garment, known as a chador, against a backdrop of the Reichstag surrounded by minarets.

The image was shown during a debate on the refugee crisis on Report from Berlin, a Newsnight-style programme, and was intended to be satirical, the broadcaster claimed.

"This is not constructive journalism. Ugh!" read one comment on the programme's Facebook page.

"The mood turns because of such defamation and propaganda. So yes it's true: integration cannot succeed."

Read more HERE.

Suicide bombers, some screaming "God is great," have killed at least 40 people in two northeastern Nigerian states, including explosions in two

mosques, officials and witnesses said.

All the bombers died. Earlier, Boko Haram Islamic extremists had attacked a rural military camp in northeastern Yobe state overnight but were repulsed by troops who killed at least 100 of the insurgents, army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said yesterday.

Seven troops died in that fighting and nine were injured, he said.

Hours later, at around 6 am (local time) when mosques are filled with the faithful performing early-morning prayers, two women suicide bombers struck in Damaturu, Yobe state's commercial center.

"One of the suicide bombers gained entry into the mosque and detonated explosives and the other bomber was sighted roaming around the compound and (when) asked questions, she too detonated explosives," said resident Ibrahim Musa.

Picture for representation only.

04:16 Two injured in bomb attack in Egypt

At least two people, including a policeman, were injured after a homemade bomb went off near a police station here, police said today.

The bomb was planted by unknown militants under a police vehicle that was parked near Azbakia police station in one of the crowded areas in Cairo late last night, the police said.

The injured have been admitted to the hospital for treatment, medical sources said.

Security forces are currently investigating the incident and searching for other potential bombs.

Egypt has witnessed a spate of attacks since the January, 2011 revolution that toppled the ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule.

Over 600 security personnel have been reported killed since then.

The FBI helped Moldovan authorities three times in the last five years to thwart potential smuggling of nuclear and radioactive material, a Moldovan interior minister said Wednesday.

The cases in the former Soviet republic involved sting operations, and no one from jihadi groups was involved, a U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the investigations said.

But officials were concerned that smugglers would try to sell to extremist groups such as ISIS, the U.S. source said, and the cases offer a glimpse at efforts to keep such materials -- which in some cases could be used for weapons -- from being sold on the black market.

The sting operations in the eastern European nation were first reported Tuesday by The Associated Press.

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President Barack Obama called and apologized to the head of Doctors Without Borders, whose staff and patients were killed and injured during a bombing Saturday in Kunduz, Afghanistan, the White House said Wednesday.

The US has characterized its airstrike Saturday, which killed 12 members of the Doctors Without Borders staff as well as 10 patients, as a mistake.

Obama pledged full cooperation with the joint investigations being conducted with NATO and the Afghan government in the morning conversation with Doctor's Without Borders International President Joanne Liu.

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Iran said today it will boycott next week's Frankfurt Book Fair after organisers invited the controversial author Salman Rushdie, whom Iranian scholars said should be killed, as a guest speaker.

The foreign ministry said the fair had, "under the pretext of freedom of expression, invited a person who is hated in the Islamic world and create the opportunity for Salman Rushdie... to make a speech".

It said the Islamic republic "strongly protests" Rushdie's appearance and had decided against participating in the fair, which is one of the world's largest such events.

The ministry called on other Muslim nations to join its boycott.

For his part, Deputy Culture Minister Abbas Salehi said:"Fair officials chose the theme of freedom of expression but they invited someone who has insulted our beliefs."

Rushdie, a Muslim and British citizen who lives in the United States, was made subject of a 1988 fatwa (religious edict) that called for his killing after his fourth novel, "The Satanic Verses," was published.

The Islamic State group executed 70 members of a Sunni tribe allied to the government in western Iraq earlier this week, a tribal leader and the United Nations said today.

The victims, members of the Albu Nimr tribe, were executed on Sunday in the Tharthar area north of Ramadi, the capital of the western Anbar province, tribal elder Naim Gaoud told AFP.

"These people who were executed were the fathers and brothers of members of the police, the army... and of tribal fighters who are battling Daesh," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Daesh executed them by shooting," he said.

Iraqi security forces, backed by US-led coalition air strikes, launched a vast operation west of Ramadi Sunday to tighten the noose on IS, which captured the Anbar capital in May and controls most of the province.

Hatem al-Gaoud, another clan member reached by phone, said IS had trapped dozens of tribe members in the Khanzir area of Tharthar since the jihadist group launched its major offensive in Iraq last year.

The UN Mission in Iraq's human rights office confirmed the mass execution.

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