LIVE! Germany won't raise taxes for refugee costs

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Sat, 10 October 2015

Germany won't raise taxes for refugee costs

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23:42 Germany won't raise taxes for refugee costs

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Germany will shoulder rising refugee costs without resorting to tax increases, as Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said European Union coffers may lack the means. "The fact remains that we want neither tax increases in Germany nor the introduction of an EU tax," Steffen Seibert said in an e-mailed statement. The EU has said it will mobilize up to 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) for 2015-16 to help Turkey cope with Syrian and Iraqi refugees, part of an action plan to step up cooperation in support of refugees and migration management.

Out of the 456 candidates contesting for 32 seats in the second phase of Bihar Assembly elections, 142 have declared criminal cases against themselves according to the Association for Democratic Reforms which studied the affidavits in detail. Candidates with serious criminal cases number 110. Serious criminal cases include those related to murder, attempt to murder, communal disharmony, kidnapping, crimes against women etc.

The Saudi Arabian employer, accused of chopping off the hand of an Indian domestic help, has claimed that the woman had to get her hand amputated in hospital after she damaged it badly while allegedly jumping from the third floor of his house here. Kasturi Munirathinam, 55, whose hand was severed, is currently being looked after in a Saudi hospital and India has demanded a full-scale inquiry into the incident.

The case evoked a strong condemnation from India which demanded that a case of attempt to murder be lodged against the culprit. The Saudi sponsor, who has not been named, told Arab News that Munirathinam's right hand was amputated as a result of her failed attempt to flee by jumping from a window.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asked Indian-origin people and expatriates abroad to come forward and contribute to the government's flagship programmes of 'Clean Ganga' and 'Swachh Bharat'.

Swaraj, who is in the Maldives on a two-day official visit, said those contributing to the programme can see how their donation is being utilised through the India Development Foundation, an initiative of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. "This is an opportunity for you to set apart a portion of your earning for Clean Ganga. Please take a vow that if the school of the village where you came from does not have toilets, you will make one," she said.

Turkey's government says it has imposed a temporary news blackout following two blasts that killed 86 people who were gathering for a peace rally in the capital Ankara. The attack was Turkey's deadliest in recent years. A government spokesman said the blackout Saturday covered images showing the moment of the blast, gruesome or bloody images or "images that create a feeling of panic."He warned media organizations they could face a "full blackout" if they did not comply.

21:46 Russian jet 'shot down' by Turkish forces

Turkish forces are said to have shot down a Russian jet after it flew into the country's airspace, according to unconfirmed reports on social media. It has been claimed by eyewitnesses that there was a large explosion in Huraytan, northern Syria, while three fighter planes were seen overhead. Rumours of a jet being shot out of the sky come amid heightening tensions between Russian president Vladimir Putin and the West.

The Samjhauta Express was cancelled for the second time today, even as the rail blockade by the agitating farmers of Punjab continue to paralyse train operations. The '14001 Delhi-Attari Express' scheduled to leave Old Delhi station on October 11 and '14002 Attari-Delhi Express' scheduled to leave Attari on October 12 will remain cancelled, said a Northern Railway statement. The rail route between Delhi-Amritsar has been blockedby the farmers, who have been agitating against the Punjab government over failed cotton crops due to the white-fly attack.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray willnot be attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's functions inMumbai tomorrow as he will be away in Marathwada to review thedrought situation there. Modi will be in the city to lay the foundation stone for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's memorial at Indu Mills in Dadar and to conduct 'bhoomi pujan' for two new Metro lines at Bandra-Kurla Complex, where he will also address a rally.

After ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, Shiv Sena has asked the management of a Mumbai-based convention centre to call off former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book launch function. Citing the neighbouring country's support to terrorism as the reason behind the opposition, the party warned that the function will be disrupted if not canceled. Sena vibhag pramukh Ashish Chemburkar submitted a letter to director of Nehru Planetarium, demanding that the event be cancelled and organisers informed accordingly.

"The people at Nehru Planetarium where the event is scheduled, told us they will try to cancel it," Chemburkar said, "We have informed them that we will disrupt the event if it is not canceled."

Image: Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri

Social activist Anna Hazare said the reservation system, which was required only for some time after Independence, poses a threat to the country "as political parties have got involved in it". "The country faces a threat from the reservation system. Reservation was needed only for some time after Independence but now political parties have got involved in it," Hazare said.

The ongoing farmers' 'Rail Roko' agitation in Punjab has caused a whopping financial loss of Rs 100 crore to Railways even as more than 550 trains have so far been hit in four-day long farmers' stir in the state.

"We expect that financial losses (to Railways) could be up to Rs 100 crore because of ongoing farmers' protest in Punjab so far," Divisional Railway Manager, (Ferozepur Division), Anuj Prakash said.

With agitating farmers now extending their stir for next two day, the loss to the Railways could exceed Rs 100 crore mark, railway officials said.

India's Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha announced this week that the Indian Air Force will start allowing women to become fighter pilots. News of the decision, which came on Thursday, means women pilots, who already fly helicopters and transporter aircraft for the Indian Air Force, will be able to take part in combat as well.

Many countries already allow women to be fighter pilots; Col. Jeannie Leavitt became the US's first female fighter pilot in 1993 and the UK wasn't far behind in employing women fighter pilots in 1994. Pakistan welcomed Ayesha Farooq as its first qualified female fighter pilot in 2013.

So why did it take the Indian Air Force so long to follow suit?

Read more HERE

At least 19 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy last night for allegedly fishing in Lankan waters were today remanded in custody till October 23. The Point Pedro's Acting Magistrate issued their remand orders after they were presented before him earlier this morning.

The 19 fishermen were arrested last night and their two trawlers were also seized off the coast of Point Pedro in the north by the Sri Lankan Navy. They were handed over to the officials of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for further investigations, the navy said.

18:28

JUST IN: Death toll in Ankara blasts jumps to 86 dead: Turkish minister.

18:13 Victim of internal party politics, claims Delhi minister who was sacked on TV

Asim Ahmed Khan, who was removed from the Delhi Cabinet yesterday, by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on live TV, through a press conference of his own questioned his removal, saying he wasn't even informed of his sacking and only came to know through TV channels.

He said that he is still to receive the audio clip which allegedly has a conversation in which the food minister was heard asking for a bribe from a builder. "I am being made a victim of internal party politics. Till date, no case of corruption has been filed against me," said Asim Ahmed Khan.

Stating that a protest at the venue of India vs South Africa ODI at Rajkot on October 18 was the only way to broadcast the voice of agitating Patidars in Gujarat to the world, Hardik Patel, leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti said the protesters will neither interrupt nor stall the match in any manner.

"During the match, we all will turn out at the stadium wearing white T-shirts, that will have the logo of PAAS. Though placards won't be allowed inside the stadium, we will try to somehow sneak some placards inside the stadium on which slogans related to our agitation like Jai Sardar and Jai Patidar will be written. We will not try to stop the match, nor will we cause any sort of interruption during the game. We will not try to stall the match. We will sit in the stadium and protest while the match is on," Patel added.

An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Handwara area of north Kashmir, police said. The gun-battle started after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Wader forests of Zachaldara, 100 kms from Srinagar, a police officer said. He said further details of the incident were awaited.

IG (Prison) Bipin Kumar Singh who was interrogating the recent episode of the hospitalisation of Indrani Mukerjea, arrested in her daughter Sheena Boras murder case, has said that she had collapsed due to weakness and that there was no drug overdose or poisoning.

Indrani had briefly stopped taking medicines and has a history of fainting, ANI quoted the officer as saying.

Indrani, who is currently in jail, was admitted to state-run J J Hospital here on October 2 after she complained of "uneasiness".

She was discharged four days later on October 6. After Indrani's hospitalisation, conflicting reports had emerged on suspected drug overdose in prison. While one report showed she had overdosed on anti-depressant pills, the other found no such thing.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is raiding liquor baron Vijay Mallya's residences and offices at five places in Mumbai, Goa, and Bangalore in connection with an alleged loan fraud case.

The case has been registered aganst Mallya, A Raghunathan (CFO of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines) and other unknown officials of IDBI Bank for allegedly violating banking norms in sanction and disbursement of credit limits of Rs 900 crore.

No immediate reaction was available from the company.

The CBI sources said an FIR into the alleged violations was registered recently as part of its wide probe into criminal aspects of loans declared to be non-performing assets by public sector banks.

The sources said the bank will have to explain reasons for extending the loan to the airlines, ignoring its own internal report which has warned against such a move.

The debt-laden airlines stopped operations in October 2012.

After having denied entry in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri town, Congress activists held a fast to appeal for communal harmony on the Delhi-Noida border this afternoon.

A delegation of state Congress leaders, led by AICC General Secretary and incharge of party affairs in Uttar Pradesh Madhusudan Mistry, had planned to stage "sadbhawna upwas" in Dadri to appeal for communal amity, but were denied entry into the town, Congress spokesman Amarnath Agarwal said.

However, the delegation -- comprising UPCC president Nirmal Khatri, former ministers RPN Singh, Jiten Prasad, among others -- held the 'fast' inside a park on the Delhi-Noida border to make an appeal for peace and amity, he said.

"The leaders resolved that since their party is the oldest, they have the responsibility to make the public aware of the designs and actions of ruling parties at the Centre and state aimed at harming the social fabric and ask them to remain vigilant," Agarwal said.

The Rajya Sabha Committee of Privileges has been asked to examine a complaint of Opposition MPs against VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi for her controversial "terrorists in Parliament" remarks, with Chairman Hamid Ansari referring the matter to it.

"Members are informed that Chairman, Rajya Sabha has (on Thursday) referred a question of breach of privilege arising out of the complaint of Naresh Agrawal and other Members of Rajya Sabha pertaining to alleged derogatory remarks against Members of Parliament by Sadhvi Prachi, a leader of a religious organisation, to the Committee of Privileges," a bulletin of the Upper House said.

The matter has been referred to the Committee under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha for examination, investigation and report.

Opposition MPs had on August 7 sought breach of privilege proceedings against the VHP leader for her controversial "terrorists in Parliament" remarks, and gave a notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari in this regard.

Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today questioned the much talked about 'Gujarat Model' of development and said he will "expose the reality behind it."

While making announcements in Gandhinagar about the next round of agitations, Hardik, who leads a faction of Patel groups' campaigning to get reservation under OBC quota, cited several examples to prove his point.

"This government claims that farmers are very happy in Gujarat. Then why two farmers committed suicide in last one week? What is the reason that people involved in recruitment rackets are not punished? Why innocent women are beaten up and sent to jail by police? Is this the Gujarat Model?" Hardik said at a press conference.

He alleged that Patels are being subjected to violence by police and the state government delayed the local body polls for its benefit.

"Patels are being singled out by police and mercilessly thrashed. BJP-led Gujarat government brought an ordinance to delay the local body polls, for their benefit. Is this Gujarat Model? What will happen when such a model, for which our PM takes credit all the time, will be implemented across India?" asked Hardik.

Pakistan and India should live like "good neighbours" and resolve all issues including Kashmir through dialogue, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in Lahore today.

"I raised the issue of Kashmir in the UN with courage and spoke out my heart (over the issue). I also gave a proposal to India to improve ties with Pakistan.

"We (Indian and Pakistan) should live like good neighbours and find out a solution to the Kashmir issue," Sharif said while talking to reporters at the Governor's House.

The prime minister said he told the United Nations that it was its resolution on Kashmir and not that of Pakistan therefore it was the body's duty to implement it.

"I spoke the truth while looking into their eyes. The UN should realise itself and implement its resolution on Kashmir," he said.

In his address last week at the United Nations General Assembly, Sharif had proposed a four-point formula to improve ties with India.

15:37 President Pranab arrives in Amman

President Pranab Mukherjee began a six-day historic visit to turbulent West Asia, arriving in Amman today to a ceremonial welcome followed by lunch with King Abdullah of this strategically-located kingdom.

A colourful reception was accorded to the Indian leader at the Al Husseinieh Palace, where he drove straight from the airport after a six-hour flight from India.

The President and the King, who wields all the power in Jordan, met for half-an-hour before delegation-level talks.

The King thereafter hosted a lunch for the Indian leader who is accompanied by Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot and six MPs including K V Thomas of Congress and Meenakshi Lekhi of BJP.

Mukherjee, who will travel to Palestine and Israel after a two-day stay here, is the first Indian Head of State to visit the three countries even as the External Affairs Minister has not been to these countries.

Ahead of his visit, the President called his trip to the three countries as "historic".

The CBI today carried out searches at Bank of Baroda branches in Delhi in connection with the alleged Rs 6100 crore black money which was transferred to Hong Kong, in collusion with bank officials.

Sources said searches were carried out at the bank branches and private properties in connection with the shady remittances.

The unusual remittances were spotted in the audit report of the bank, the CBI sources said.

Accounts of about 60 companies opened at the Ashok Vihar branch of the bank are under scanner.

The Enforcement Directorate has also registered a case and carried out searches in this connection.

15:25 30 killed, 126 injured in Ankara bomb attacks

Turkey's Interior Ministry says two bomb explosions apparently targeting a peace rally in the capital Ankara today killed 30 people and injured 126 others.

The ministry said the explosions occurred as demonstrators were starting to gather for the rally. It condemned the attack which it said "targets Turkey's democracy and peace."

The explosions occurred minutes apart near Ankara's train station as people gathered for the rally organized by the country's public sector workers' trade union. The rally aimed to call for an end to the renewed violence between Kurdish rebels and Turkish security forces.

It was not clear if the attacks, which came weeks before Turkey's Nov. 1 elections, were suicide bombings.

A near complete bandh was today observed in Jammu district in protest against the 'beef party' hosted by the Independent MLA Engineer Rashid and killing of cows in Udhampur district.

The bandh was called by Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and supported by various religious and social organisations, including Bar Association Jammu (BAJ), evoking near complete response in the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

The public transport mostly remained off the roads although the movement of private vehicles continued as normal. The transporters association remained undecided whether to support the bandh or not.

Shops and other business establishments remained closed to protest the 'beef party' hosted by Independent MLA Engineer Rashid at MLA hostel in Srinagar, even though the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CII) Jammu refused to extend support to the strike call given by the JKNPP.

In a major boost to the party ahead of next year's assembly polls, the Trinamool Congress on Saturday scored a landslide victory in the newly formed Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, bagging 37 of the 41 wards and winning all the 16 wards in Bally Municipalty under Howarah district.

The TMC has also taken a massive lead in Asansol Municipal Corporation by leading in almost 80 wards out the 106 wards. Out of those 80 wards, TMC had already won 43 wards, officials of state election commission said.

Although the TMC hailed it as victory of the masses and people restoring their faith in the developmental work ushered by party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the opposition Left Front has claimed that the results reflect the strength of the TMC's 'goondaism' rather than the reflection of the people's mandate.

Elections to Asansol, Bidhannagar municipal corporations and Bally municipalty, held on October 3 was marred by rampant violence and assault on journalits with over 70 per cent people casting their votes.

13:56 Blasts hits rally in Turkish capital, 20 dead

Two explosions have hit a peace rally in the Turkish capital Ankara, causing multiple casualties, reports say.

Turkish news agency Dogan said that at least 20 people have been killed.

Photos posted on social media show a number of bodies at the scene.

The blasts took place near the city's central train station.

The target appears to have been a peace march calling for an end to the violence with the Kurdish separatist group, the PKK.

Undertaking a padayatra and interacting with farmers, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today counselled the peasants not to commit suicide as it was no solution to their problems.

On the second day of his tour of Karnataka to comfort the distressed families of farmers who had committed suicide, Rahul started about a seven-km long padayatra from Maidur village in Haveri district of north Karnataka.

At the first stop of his padayatra, the Congress MP had interactions with students at Maidur higher primary school.

Asked how he would solve the farmers' problems if he became the Prime Minister, Rahul said the country should be run by the citizens and they should be empowered to solve their problems.

During his interaction with farmers, he urged them not to commit suicide because it is not the solution. He met the farmers at Kandebagur helipad in Rannebennur, where they raised concern over Kalasa-Banduri row between Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter appealed against the 90-day ban that forced him out of office, his lawyers confirmed, as world football's sleaze-tainted governing body headed into months of turmoil over how to find a new leader.

As the drama intensified, FIFA announced that an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee would meet in Zurich on October 20.

Some senior FIFA members had suggested the meeting could discuss postponing the election to replace Blatter -- who has already announced he will stand down -- currently slated for February 26.

That development followed growing calls for an emergency meeting after the suspension of Blatter, UEFA president Michel Platini and FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke.

The row over Blatter's suspension had already taken a fresh twist as FIFA's ethics watchdog rejected the 79-year-old's claims he was not allowed to give evidence before he was banned, saying he was given "all his rights".

13:02 Lankan Navy arrests 19 TN fishermen

Nineteen fishermen from Nagapattinam were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of violating the International Maritime Boundary Line this morning, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department officials said.

Their two boats were also seized by the navy personnel, Joint Director of Fisheries Department Subburaj said.

Ten of the fishermen belonged to Akkaraipettai and the rest were from Keechankuppam, he said.

The fishermen were arrested when they were fishing in Palk Straits.

A Correspondent: Are Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan trying to destabilise the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi? At least AAP leaders suspect so.

According to AAP sources, the duo is plotting against MLAs to agitate against the leadership.

In off-the-record conversations, AAP leaders believe that Delhi Food Minister Asim Ahmed's sacking was the first test case and that Prashant Bhushan has organised yet another secret video recording of another AAP minister.

In a nut-shell, the AAP is terrified of corruption charges against its ministers. The focus is now on Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Will he escape Prashant Bhushan's eagle eyes? One has to wait and watch.

12:54 Behind Stalin's new Hindu drift

A Correspondent: "90 per cent of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadre are Hindus" -- This statement by M K Stalin has created tremors in the party.

Stalin's statement is being interpreted in the context of his visit to a Vaishavite temple where he received honours like Angawastharam and crowning his head with silk clothes etc.

He ate Tulsi and drank the holy water, which is the residual after bathing the Vaishavite God.

Rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders describe such new turns as a political stunt ahead of the 2016 polls in Tamil Nadu.

Interestingly, the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit has welcomed Stalin's remarks.

Stalin also admits in his Facebook comment that M Karunanidhi has begun writing the autobiography of Ramanujar, which is now being telecast as a soap opera in Kalaignar TV.

Malayalam novelist Sarah Joseph on Saturday returned her Sahitya Akademi award in protest against the alleged "stifling of free thinking and trampling of democratic ideals".

Josephs protest came on the day Malayalam poet K Satchitanandan announced he had resigned from the Akademis executive board.

"Shocking tales are coming out every day. A writer can't keep quiet. And higher authorities' continued silence is really frightening," said Joseph.

"It is sad people are even denied their basic right to select their food. Intolerance is visible everywhere," she said commenting about the murder of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh's Bisada village for allegedly slaughtering a cow and eating beef.

"The recent killings of writers and rationalists are really worrying. And people are spilling blood on the street over their right to take their food. Fringe organizations are dictating terms for them what to eat or what not to. Situation is really scary," she said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had commented on Bisada nine days after the murder.

"We all thought the PM would refer the incident and console the family. But he made a general speech aimed at attracting more votes in Bihar assembly election. It is highly deplorable," she said.

Rejecting charges that it had "stopped" the Samjhauta Express, India on Friday said the train was cancelled due to local agitation and Indian authorities had informed their Pakistani counterparts about it in advance.

The Indian response came as Pakistan summoned India's Acting Deputy High Commissioner S Raghuram and expressed concern over the cancellation of operation of Samjhauta Express on Thursday due to farmer protest in India leaving over 200 passengers from both countries stranded.

Asked about reports in the Pakistani media that the Samjhauta Express was "stopped" by India on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "Samjhauta Express was among 75 trains traveling through Punjab that were cancelled due to local agitation, including rail blockade."

"Railway authorities had informed in advance their Pakistani counterparts that the train would not be able to run in such a situation," he said.

11:36 Whole clan of RJD has gone mad: Giriraj Singh

Condemning the remarks on beef made by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Giriraj Singh on Saturday said that the 'whole clan of RJD has gone mad.'

"I am very much hurt by hearing this statement of Raghuvansh Prasad. I think all this spoken as a well thought strategy made by Lalau Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar. Whatever he is speaking is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated," Singh told ANI.

"I think Lalu and his party leaders are making these kinds of statements just for the sake of votes. I think the whole clan of RJD has gone mad," he added.

Earlier, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh had said that people used to eat meat in Vedic period also and there is proof of it in the ancient texts.

Refuting reports that he owns a meat processing unit, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sangeet Som on Saturday said that he doesn't even eat egg and therefore there is no point of him owning a meat processing unit.

"I did buy the land but after three months, I had sold it. I don't know why people are repeating this issue again and again. I have all the documents related to the land," Som told the media in Meerut.

"I am a Hindu. I know each and every ritual which is there in the religion. It's a sin to eat meat according to Hinduism. I don't even eat egg. So, there is no point of establishing a meat processing unit," he added.

The denial comes a day after a media report said registry documents revealed that the MLA had purchased land in Aligarh for a meat processing unit in 2009.

Rashtriya Janata Dal Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah by branding him a 'narbhakshi' (cannibal) again, saying that the BJP was over and there was no hope for their victory in the upcoming Bihar elections."

"Amit Shah is a 'narbhakshi.' The defeat of the BJP is certain. Do you know what the crime rate of Gujarat was when Narendra Modi was the chief minister? He is abusing the people of Bihar and me. I am addressing him as a 'bramhapishaach'... a dangerous ghost and we have ways to ward him off," Lalu told the media persons in Patna.

Lalu's statement comes in the wake of an FIR filed against him after he had said how a 'narbhakshi' of Gujarat riots was now roaming around in Bihar, while addressing a rally earlier.

The RJD chief was responding to Shah's earlier barb.Shah, while addressing a rally in Begusarai, referred to Lalu's conviction in a fodder scam case, alleging that Bihar, which had a glorious past, had attained a bad name due to 'chara-chor' Lalu, after which an FIR was filed against him too.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet Aam Admi Party MLAs and their families on Sunday for a discussion over his public sacking of Food minister Asim Khan and to warn them that reports of corruption must not crop up again in the party.

"Meeting all MLAs, with families, tomo eve. To remind them why we came in politics. To warn them that Asim Khan episode shud not happen again," Kejriwal tweeted.

Hours after Kejriwal sacked Asim Ahmed Khan publicly from his cabinet following allegations of corruption, the latter said that it was a conspiracy against him by the opposition.

Even as DMK leader Stalin claimed on Friday that the pictures of him hitting an auto-driver Dhilip during a rally in the Nilgiris distict were morphed, the auto-driver was brought to Coimbatore by his team.

Stalin met the auto-driver and clicked a selfie with him, according to The Times of India report.

Stating that he himself was a DMK member, Dhilip told TOI, "Someone spread the video that I was slapped by Stalin. He did not slap me."

Following the video which went viral on the social media sites, Stalin was repeatedly questioned.

Though, the auto-driver said that he was not involved in the incident.

Read more HERE

10:06

JUST IN: Saradha scam accused Kunal Ghosh begins hunger strike in jail in Kolkata alleging unfair probe against him

10:05 Earthquake measuring 3.0 jolts Delhi, no damage reported

A medium-intensity earthquake measuring 3.0 magnitude on the Richter scale hit the national capital early on Saturday.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the epicentre of the earthquake was located in Delhi-NCR and the depth of the tremor was 5 km.

The tremor was felt at 1.40 am across Delhi and its adjoining areas. However, there were no reports of loss of lives and damage to property.

Lot of surprise, some skepticism and a few brickbats followed his decision to quit amateur boxing and star Indian pugilist Vijender Singh will look to live upto the unprecedented hype when he makes his eagerly-awaited professional debut against Britain's Sonny Whiting in Manchester today.

The 29-year-old, who scripted history as an amateur by becoming India's first Olympic and World Championships medallist, is all set to begin a new chapter in his illustrious boxing career.

In his debut middleweight pro bout, the strapping six-footer faces a cocky opponent in Whiting, who has promised to put him "through hell". The 26-year-old from Rochester is three-bouts old in the circuit and has a 2-1 win-loss record.

Despite the verbal provocations, Vijender has remained his usual composed self and has promised to answer every threat with his punches in the ring.

"I am totally focussed and waiting for the right moment to reply in the ring. I am not at all bothered by his comments. I will reply with my punches," Vijender said on the eve of the bout.

Vijender, who signed up with Queensberry Promotions in July, is not the first Indian to enter the professional arena with the likes of Gurcharan Singh and Pradeep Sihag having been a regular in the circuit earlier. However, never before has an Indian boxer's professional debut generated this kind of hype.

10:02 Twitter planning layoffs: report

Twitter will lay off employees next week as freshly-returned chief Jack Dorsey pushes for a leaner operation focused on winning users, tech news website Re/code has reported.

Layoffs will be spread across the entire San Francisco-based company and will likely include engineers, which account for about half of Twitter's approximately 4,200 employees, according to Re/code.

The job cuts reportedly come as engineering teams are being reorganised at the one-to-many messaging service.

Re/code cited unnamed sources in its yesterday's report, while Twitter declined to comment on what it referred to as rumour and speculation.

Twitter is betting that the second coming of co-founder Dorsey as chief executive will bring blockbuster growth that has eluded its grasp and disappointed investors.

Dorsey, who had been interim CEO since June, returned permanently to the helm last week while also remaining chief executive of Square, the digital payments firm he founded.

He is returning to Twitter as the company struggles to expand its user base above 300 million people.

The Congress, TDP-BJP combine and other Opposition parties have called for a bandh in Telangana today in support of their demand that the TRS government fulfill its farm loan waiver promise at one go rather than in phases.

"If the loans are waived at one go, farmers will get fresh loans for Rabi and if drought-hit mandals are announced, they will get subsidies and relief. We insisted (in the Assembly) on a solution," Opposition Leader K Jana Reddy told reporters in Khammam district.

Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee President Danam Nagender and other leaders took out a rally in the city on Friday and appealed to the people to make today's bandh a success.

In the run-up to today's bandh, the Opposition parties have been holding protests across the state this week following suspension of 30 members from the Legislative Assembly for disrupting proceedings on the issue.

The Congress, TDP, BJP, CPI, CPI(M) members demanded during the Legislative Assembly session that the TRS government waive farm loans at one go.

10:00 President leaves for Israel, Palestine, Jordan

President Pranab Mukherjee today left on a six-day landmark visit to Israel and Palestine, becoming the first Head of Indian State to visit these two nations and providing an opportunity for him to impress upon the leadership there to reduce tensions.

A ceremonial send-off was accorded to the President. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, the three service chiefs and other bureaucrats were present to see off the President.

Mukherjee will first travel to Jordan, where he will be discussing various issues including making a renewed appeal for help in securing release of 39 Indians held by ISIS in Mosul town of Iraq.

After his two-day state visit to Jordan, the President will travel to Palestine on October 12 and then Israel for a three-day visit from October 13.

During the President's stay in Jordan, India will be looking for opportunities to increase the trade between the countries as Jordan can act as the base for Indian companies to start operations in that region.

Mukherjee will be the first Indian President to travel there in the last 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Earlier, Rajiv Gandhi had visited Jordan as Prime Minister in 1988.

04:27 Pilot who helped 'El Chapo' escape captured

Three months later, "El Chapo" remains at large.

But a pilot accused of playing a role in the drug lord's escape is in Mexican custody, Mexico's attorney general said Thursday.

Attorney General Arely Gomez said at a Mexican Senate hearing that the pilot had been captured. But she didn't offer details -- including the name of the pilot and where, when or how he or she was caught.

Thursday was the first time Mexican authorities have said anything publicly about a pilot having a part in springing Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Gomez said 24 people, all but one of them government employees, have been arrested in connection with the July 11 escape. Ten other civilians have been detained.

In addition, authorities have conducted 40 inspections, crafted 522 documents and collected 191 pieces of evidence from the tunnel -- which had lights, ventilation and led directly to his cell -- that Guzman used to bust out of a maximum-security prison.

A top Iranian military commander has been killed by ISIS in Syria, where he was advising the Syrian army in its fight against extremists, Iranian state media reported Friday.

Brig. Gen. Hossein Hamedani, a former commander in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88, was killed Thursday night outside Aleppo during an attack by ISIS, Iran's semiofficial FARS News Agency reported.

Hamadani was there "to render military advice to the Syrian army and popular forces in their fight" against ISIS, the agency reported.

One of the Syrian regime's strongest allies, Iran admits to having military advisers to aid Syrian government forces in the country's civil war, which has killed more than 300,000 people in four years.

03:17 Mild earthquake hits Delhi, no damage reported

A medium-intensity earthquake measuring 3.0 magnitude on the Richter scale hit the national capital early today.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the epicentre of the earthquake was located in Delhi-NCR and the depth of the tremor was 5 km.

The tremor was felt at 1.40 AM across Delhi and its adjoining areas. However, there were no reports of loss of lives and damage to property.

Seven people, including one fighter, were killed today in two separate border region attacks blamed on jihadists in Mali and neighbouring Burkina Faso, security and government sources said.

Three civilians died in Mali at Dounapen, a village in the Mopti region close to the Burkinabe border, where local officials said the assailants had descended by motorbike on the area brandishing black flags.

Earlier, three police officers and one attacker died in Samorogouan district not far from the border with Mali.

It was unclear whether the attacks, some 500 kilometres (310 miles) apart, were directly linked.

"Three civilians, including a mayoral assistant, were killed Friday," in the Mopti attack, a Malian security source told AFP, adding an unspecified number of people were injured.

A town hall official confirmed this account.

In the other attack across Burkina Faso's western border, three police were killed in a raid on their barracks carried out by "about 50" assailants, the defence ministry said in the capital Ouagadougou.

01:58 Chile to allow sale of marijuana-derived drugs

Chile plans to allow the sale of marijuana-derived medication in pharmacies, a government health official said today.

President Michelle Bachelet is expected to approve the new regulation being drawn up, Undersecretary of Public Health Jaime Burrows told local media.

The measure would require strict oversight, including authorization by a specialist and inventory checks, Burrows said.

Under current Chilean law, cannabis-derived drugs are not allowed to be sold and those who want to obtain them must petition the IPS public health institute to import them from abroad.

Islamic State militants captured a string of villages near Aleppo today in a lightning attack that brought them closer to the prized city in northern Syria, despite a major increase in Russian airstrikes that Moscow

insists are targeting the extremists.

The surprise advance that brought the IS group to within a few miles of Aleppo was the most significant in months, following what has largely been a summer of stalemate in the war against the extremists.

It comes amid a wave of intense Russian airstrikes that have targeted insurgents fighting to topple President Bashar Assad, and a ground offensive by the Syrian army in the country's central region.

Moscow says it is targeting mainly Islamic State militants, but US officials and Syrian rebels have said the strikes have hit mainstream rebels for the most part and are aimed at shoring up Assad's embattled government and troops.

Many of the rebel groups hit by the Russian strikes are also at war with the IS group.

01:34 Guatemala mudslide toll rises to 253 dead

The mounting toll from a mudslide that buried a Guatemalan community on October 1 has risen to 253 confirmed dead, authorities said Friday, with

several hundred more unaccounted for.

Search and rescue efforts will continue through the weekend, but on Monday officials will meet to decide how much longer to continue the operation, deputy Public Health Minister Israel Lemus said.

Eight days after the disaster, 374 people remain unaccounted for in the town of Santa Catarina Pinula, 15 kilometers (nine miles) east of Guatemala City.

The death toll rose by 16 over Thursday's count as more remains were recovered, officials said.

More than 100 homes were levelled in a section of the town known as Cambray II.

At least six Palestinians were killed and 21 others injured today when Israeli troops opened fire on demonstrators along the Gaza border as a fresh wave of stabbing attacks rocked Israel, exacerbating an already tense situation.

A week of violence between Israelis and Palestinians spread to the Gaza Strip today with clashes breaking out east of Gaza City and Khan Yunis along the border with the Jewish state.

Ahmed al-Hirbawi, Shadi Dawla, Abed al-Wahidi and Nabil

Sharaf, all aged 20, were shot and killed east of the al-Shujaiyeh neighbourhood, while 15-year-old Muhammad al-Raqeb was killed after being shot by Israeli forces near Khan Younis, Gaza's Hamas governed Ministry of Health and medics said.

An unnamed 19-year-old youth was killed east of Khan Yunis, in Gaza's south. 21 Palestinians were also wounded in the firing by Israeli forces.

Israeli security officials said that about 400 Palestinians approached the security fence and hurled rocks and rolled burning tyres at Israeli forces in an attempt to break into a no-go buffer zone.

Islamist faction Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, had declared Friday a day of rage against Israeli actions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

The violence came even as stabbing incidents perpetrated by both Arabs and Jews against each other continued in Israel with tensions escalating, adding to the three weeks of violence that has marred the region.

00:51 Top headlines of the last hour

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