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Thu, 07 April 2016
Blackmailing or threatening won't work with me: Kangana on Hrithik spat

Timeline  Refresh

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23:45   Judiciary must introspect and self-correct when needed: Prez
Emphasising that the organs of Indian democracy -- Parliament, Executive and Judiciary -- should operate within their own spheres, President Pranb Mukherjee on Thursday said the judiciary being a "critical" pillar must introspect and self-correct, when required, to meet the evolving needs of polity.
Receiving the first copy of 'Statement of Indian Law: Supreme Court through its Constitution Bench Decisions since 1950' written by lawyer Govind Goel, the President said constitutionalism is the primary edifice on which Indian democracy stands.
He said it is the constitution which is supreme rather than the pillars -- Parliament, Executive and Judiciary -- and each organ of the state "must operate within its own sphere and must not appropriate what has been assigned to others".
"The exercise of authority by the legislature and the executive is subject to judicial review. However, in the exercise of authority by the judiciary, the only check possible is judiciary's self-imposed discipline and self-restraint," he said.
"The balance of power between the three organs as enshrined in our Constitution must be maintained at all times," Mukherjee said.
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23:17   Kejriwal opposes IIT fee hike
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday opposed the centre's decision to increase annual fees for undergraduate courses in IITs from existing Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh, saying the "steep" hike will make the
institutions "out of reach" for the poor.
"I strongly oppose steep fee hike in IITs. Pl don't make IIT out of reach for poor. I couldn't hv studied at IIT if fee were this high (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted.
The hike in IIT fees is of 122 per cent. The HRD Ministry has also decided to give a total fee waiver to the differently-abled, students from SC and ST communities and those belonging to families with annual income less than Rs 1 lakh, officials in the Ministry said.
The HRD Ministry issued an order in this regard this evening, saying the implementation of the decision will happen after ratification by the IIT Council.
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22:13   Blackmailing or threatening won't work with me: Kangana on Hrithik spat
Actress Kangana Ranaut, who has accused Hrithik Roshan and his legal team of "slut-shaming" her by leaking her personal mails and photographs, has said "blackmailing" or "threatening" her won't work as it doesn't
scare her.

"... blackmailing or threatening won't work with me. Though my legal team is taking strict actions against blackmailing and threatening me, but as a girl it doesn't scare me. You won't get a sorry by threatening me or
circulating my love poems, letters or images," said Kangana, who has also written to Commissioner of Police seeking the arrest of the actor for releasing her letters and photographs to the media.
"I am not ashamed of anything, not my past, not my affairs, not my body and most definitely not my desire. So slut-shaming won't work either. If they want an apology then they have to come to the point, beating about the bush won't help, me and my team are eager to help as hurting sentiments isn't our intention," she said.
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21:52   Pak suspension of peace process is a body blow' to Modi: Omar
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today termed termed as a "body blow" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Pakistan policy the statement of Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit that peace process with India has been suspended.

"PM Modi's Pakistan policy has been delivered a body blow today. Surprisingly the dialogue has been called off by Pakistan," Omar wrote on Twitter. 

Earlier, Basit, during his interaction at the Foreign Correspondents Club in New Delhi, today said the bilateral peace process stands "suspended" and also indicated that Pakistan would not allow Indian investigators to travel there, while accusing India of creating unrest in its territory. 
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21:27   MEA counters Pak envoy's assertion, says both sides agreed on reciprocity
Countering the Pakistan High Commissioner's assertion that the visit by Pakistani JIT was not on reciprocity, India today said before the team's visit here, both sides had agreed that it would be on the basis of
reciprocity.
"We have seen comments by the Pakistani High Commissioner on the visit of the JIT Team to investigate the terrorist attack on the Pathankot Air Base that have reference to reciprocity.

"MEA would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian High Commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry that the Terms of Reference 'are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in
accordance with extant legal provisions'.
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21:23   250 Syrians missing after IS attack east of Damascus
More than 300 staff at a cement factory near Damascus have been kidnapped after an attack earlier this week by ISIS, Syrian state TV said on Thursday.

Hundreds of employees at the Al Badia Cement company were taken by ISIL fighters from a factory 50km east of the Syrian capital, the report quoted the industry ministry as saying.

It added the workers' employer had lost all contact with them. 

There were conflicting reports earlier on Thursday about the number of people missing.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "dozens" of staff had disappeared, while a plant administrator put the figure at 250. 

Read more HERE.
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20:32   NASA planning mission to explore life on Jupiter's moon
US space agency NASA is planning an ambitious mission involving international scientists to explore the possibility of life on Europa, the moon of planet Jupiter.
"We are planning to mount an international effort. We are trying to formulate a mission to go Jupiter's giant moon Europa, because there are some scientists who believe in possibility of single-cell organisms being there in the waters of Europa.
"We don't care where we find life elsewhere in Europa, but just imagine what that says about us and life, if we found out whether life exists at other places in (the solar system),"  NASA administrator Charles Frank Bolden here said.

Europa is the sixth closest moon of Jupiter, and the smallest of its four satellites, and the sixth largest moon in the solar system.
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20:23   Taliban app surfaces on Amazon
In a game of whack-a-mole, a Taliban app banned by Google has become available on Amazon.

The app, called "Voice of Jihad," lets people keep up with the latest Taliban news, videos and updates.

The version currently available on Amazon is in English. On Monday, Google removed a Pashto version of the app from its Play store. A spokesman for Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Amazon's app store provides an alternate way for people to download apps for Android smartphones. Though most of the apps on Google Play and the Amazon app store are the same, Amazon offers a small handful of apps that have been banned by Google (GOOGL, Tech30).

Read more HERE.
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19:47   Images show Brussels suspect walking from airport
Belgian police on Thursday released a series of surveillance images they say show a suspect in the March 22 Brussels Airport bombing walking from the airport in Zaventem to eastern Brussels in the two hours after the attack.

The suspect is the same man shown in a previously released surveillance image taken at the airport before the attack -- a man wearing a dark hat who was pushing a luggage cart -- the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said.

Read more HERE.
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19:24   PM Modi to host Prince William and Kate on their maiden visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be hosting a lunch for Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton on their maiden visit to India, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, will begin their visit to India in Mumbai on April 10 and they will reach Delhi on April 11. We look forward to welcome Duke and Duchess on their first visit to India, next week. In Delhi, they are scheduled to lay a wreath at India Gate and visit Gandhi Smriti. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch for them on April 12," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

"Engagement with the British Royal Family has been an integral component of India-UK relations," he added.
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19:07   Peace process with India suspended, says Pak envoy
In a big setback to Modi government's Pakistan policy, Islamabad on Thursday suspended the peace process between the two countries. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit, in press conference, said "I think at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is "suspended". It is the J&K dispute that is the root cause of mutual distrust (Indo-Pak) and other bilateral issues. He added that there shouldn't be any doubt that Pak wants to have a normal and peaceful relationship with India. 

Basit also said India should not expect any reciprocity vis-a-vis the Pathankot JIT probe. Pak envoy Abdul Basit said it is not about reciprocity but about cooperation and pointed out that the Pakistan JIT was taken to the crime scene for only 45 minutes. Basit has said India's NIA will not be allowed to visit Pakistan to probe the Pathankot attack or meet the mastermind, Masood Azhar. Pakistan said India was maligning the nation by dragging in the ISI in the attacks.

Addressing a press conference today, Basit said, "I think at present the peace process between India and Pakistan is "suspended. I subscribe to the Chinese viewpoint," the Pak High Commissioner said on Beijing's veto on Masood Azhar.

"Therefore, a fair and just resolution is a must and attempts to put it on backburner from our perspective will be counterproductive. It is high time we break the carapace of complacency and dispense with self-serving approaches.


The Pakistani Joint Investigation Team, probing the Pathankot terrorist attack in India, in its final report allegedly raises serious questions over the accuracy of the Indian government's claims with regards to the attack.

The final report, which will soon be submitted to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also claims that India had prior information about the attackers, reports Pakistani daily Pakistan Today.
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19:05   The Surrogacy Cycle
Promising an escape from poverty, transnational surrogacy has left many Indian women with little to show for their efforts. What went wrong?
Read more
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19:03   William to raise Tata Steel workers' woes during India tour
Prince William and wife Kate Middleton are expected to raise during their upcoming maiden India tour the plight of thousands of British steelworkers hit by the Tata Steel's decision of selling their loss-making plants in the UK, a media report said today.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to meet Indian politicians and some Indian business leaders during their stay in Delhi and Mumbai beginning Sunday, and the subject of jobs uncertainty after Tata Steel announced its plans to exit the UK last month is likely to feature among the discussions, 'Daily Express' newspaper reported.


"The future king and queen, who are in India at the request of the British Government, are aware of the need to represent the interests of British workers during their taxpayer-funded visit. "Under (Prime Minister) David Cameron, royal tours have reflected an emphasis on commercial diplomacy and the need to win jobs and orders for British firms," the newspaper said.
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18:45  
Pedal power: how bicycles are changing what it means to be a girl in India. Read more
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18:39   Where Trump talks about his baby's breasts
If you thought Donald Trump's views on just about everything was was repellent, try this one for size. There's a video floating around Trump talking about his 1-year-old daughter's breasts. Yes, really.

Here you go.
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17:55   Swaraj likely to raise Masood issue with China
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to raise the issue of China blocking India's bid to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar by the UN with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, whom she will be meeting on the sidelines of a trilateral in Moscow on April 18.

A day after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the Chinese action at the UN was raised at "fairly high level", MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup today said, India was in constant touch with China on the matter and further action will depend on the outcome of "conversations" between the two countries.
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17:48   19th Saarc summit to be held in Islamabad
Just in: 19th SAARC Summit will be held in Islamabad in November this year, says Pak High Commissioner, Abdul Basit.

"We sincerely hope the Summit, building on the past achievements, would help create more synergies and win-win situations," he adds.

That's management speak for "We know the Summit will end up a big zero, but what the hell."
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17:37   Padma Lakshmi calls Trump a racist buffoon
"Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi says she would never vote for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump from being elected.

"Even if he wasn't the racist buffoon that he is making himself out to be, I probably wouldn't vote for him," Lakshmi said."But as an immigrant, I obviously don't see his worldview as mine," she told Variety.


Lakshmi, 45, who moved from India to New York as a child, said she is particularly bothered by Trump's controversial views on immigration.


"We are a country of immigrants, so to say you should put a wall up or limit certain ethnicities is sort of antithetical to what this country is about," she said.


"He himself is an immigrant of immigrant decent. Unless you are from the Cherokee nation, your ancestors are immigrants so you may be an umpteenth generation immigrant but there you are, squatting on someone else's land."


The former wife of author Salman Rushdie noted that because she runs the women's health organisation, she has been paying close attention to Trump's recent comments on reproductive rights specifically, that women receiving abortions should be punished.


"I think he is insane. I think he's blabbing, I don't think he really knows what he is saying, I am not even sure he really believes that a woman shouldn't have a right to choose.But I can only judge someone by what they say."  
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17:10  
Just in: Mumbai police reaches Kandivali hospital where Pratyusha's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh is admitted.
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17:09   BSP MP, family sent to jail for 14 days in dowry death case
Just in: BSP MP Narendra Kashyap, his wife and son sent to 14 days judicial custody by Ghaziabad Court. Kashyap, his wife and his son have been arrested in connection with the mysterious death of his daughter-in-law Himanshi Kashyap murder case. Charges of dowry have been filed against the MP's family.

Himanshi's family alleges her in-laws were demanding a Toyota Fortuner SUV. Himanshi was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her residence in Ghaziabad on Wednesday. She died due to a single gun shot injury to her head.
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16:45   No stay on 1st IPL match on April 9, rules HC despite drought rap
Just in: Bombay HC says first match of IPL to be held at Wankhede stadium on April 9, reports ANI. Which means there is no stay on the scheduled match. The next hearing is on April 12.

This comes after the Bombay High Court had more sharp words for Maharashtra's Cricket Association today as it resumed hearing a petition against holding Indian Premier League matches in the state, which is reeling under drought.

"It is a question of priority - a game or people... Are you going to maintain gardens and stadiums when people are dying? Is this what you are saying?" the court asked when the cricket body argued against shifting the tournament out of the state.

The MCA drew the court's wrath when it said, "Water is required throughout the year. On match day it is not needed. So why are you against IPL? If you have to be logical then stop watering of gardens and for everything else." It also said that it had allowed a stadium in Latur "die a natural death".
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16:36   A camera triggered by blinking...
Samsung is exploring the development of a contact lens that can project images directly into the users' eye, take photographs and connect wirelessly to a smartphone, a patent application has revealed. Read more
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16:01  
Film actors including SRK, Aamir Khan,  Aishwarya Rai, Rishi Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar will be at the party hosting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 
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15:47   CBFC boss Pahlaj Nihalani awards U/A certificate to 'scary' Jungle Book
The Indian Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chopping off major scenes and muting dialogues in popular films, it has now gone a step ahead and awarded this year's much-awaited film, The Jungle Book, a U/A certificate, reports India Today.


The U/A rating is given to a movie which contains mild violence, language and sensuality and is unsuitable for children under 12. According to CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani, the film is "too scary" for children to watch alone.


"The 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience," he told DNA in an interview.


The nerve-wracking 3D effects in the film require children to go with their parents to watch it, suggests Nihalani. Though the film has been given a PG rating worldwide, it seems this decision hasn't gone down all too well with the Indian audience. People have taken to social media to ridicule Nihalani's decision.
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15:05   Bone-dry Latur to get water by train in 15 days: Maha govt
Drought hit Latur district in Marathwada region will get water through train within next 15 days, the Maharashtra Assembly was told today.


"We have made arrangements for supplying water through train to Latur. The first such train will reach Latur by next fortnight," Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said, during a discussion on the acute water scarcity in Latur, in the Lower House.


Khadse rejected claim by former CM Prithviraj Chavan that the BJP-led government in Maharashtra lacks the 'political will' to resolve the water crisis in Latur and other parts of Marathwada. "We don't want long speeches but a solution. Today, there is no other issue more important than this one," Chavan said, underlining the gravity of the water supply situation. "All other business on today's agenda should be set aside to enable a discussion on the drought situation," Chavan said.
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14:54   Kejriwal vs Jaitley: AAP leader gets bail, next hearing on April 19
Just in: A Delhi court grants bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and 5 other AAP leaders in a criminal defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The next hearing is on April 19. The AAP leaders will have to pay a surety of Rs 20,000 each.



Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders have been sued for defamation by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has filed a criminal defamation case and a civil suit demanding Rs. 10 crore in damages.

Jaitley has accused the AAP leaders of making defamatory statements against him when they made allegations of corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association. Mr Jaitley headed the association for 13 years till 2013.


Pic: Police bandobast at the Patiala House court.
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14:47   Bipasha-Karan Singh Grover to wed on April 30
Actors Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover have put to rest all speculation and confirmed in a joint official statement today that they will tie the knot on April 30.

"We are happy to finally share the good news with everyone. April 30, 2016 is the big day and we cannot thank our family, friends, fans and well wishers enough for all their love and support," the statement read.

"The wedding will be a private intimate affair. Our deepest gratitude for respecting our privacy this far. We hope to have your continued blessings and warm wishes as we embark on this new journey together."

According to the information available so far, Bipasha will marry at her Khar residence, with only family and close friends from both sides in attendance. A reception is said to be planned later at St. Regis, in Lower Parel.There will also be a mehendi ceremony on April 28 at Villa 69, a lounge bar in Juhu. But these details are yet to be officially confirmed.
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14:34   Actor Akshay Kumar detained at Heathrow for invalid visa
Just in: Actor Akshay Kumar held at Heathrow airport for travelling with a visa that was not valid.  According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the actor, who arrived in London for the shoot of his upcoming film Rustom, was made to wait for over an hour-and-a-half at the airport and had to sit in the general holding area where detained passengers are made to wait.
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14:32   The Panama Papers trail
As the ramifications of the leak of about 11 million secret documents from the Panama-based law firm, Mossack Fonseca, play themselves out, a clear articulation of what the "Panama Papers" hold for the state of global finance today came from US President Barack Obama.

Following the joint investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the German newspaper Sddeutsche Zeitung into the leaked papers, Mr. Obama described global tax avoidance as a huge problem. Read more
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14:14   Bangladeshi student critical of Islam hacked to death in Dhaka
A Bangladeshi law student was murdered by four unidentified men on Wednesday evening near Dhaka's Jagannath University, where he was pursuing a Masters degree, reported Dhaka Tribune.

Nazimuddin Samad had posted against Islamism on his Facebook page, the police told AFP. The 28-year-old was then hacked and shot dead by the men on a busy street near the university, in what appears to be the latest in a wave of killings targeting secular activists, writers and bloggers in the country.

Samad had frequently posted his secular views on social media, where he criticised Islamic fundamentalists. He was also associated with a secular campaigning group called Gonojagoron Moncho. His attackers allegedly shouted Allahu Akbar, or god is the greatest, while killing him. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
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14:06   Kate Middleton flaunts Indian-origin designer's creation
Britain's Kate Middleton has flaunted a sheer navy blue dress from India-born British designer Saloni Lodha's creations at a reception here for expatriates from India and Bhutan, days ahead of her visit to the two countries.


The Duchess of Cambridge joined husband Prince William to host a pre-tour reception for representatives of the Indian and Bhutanese expatriates at their home in Kensington Palace yesterday.


The royal couple will be setting off on their six-day India and Bhutan tour from Sunday. The high-collar, floor-length dress is called the Mary Illusion Dot Dress from Lodha's Pre-Fall 2016 collection. It featured polka dots all over, a high ruffled neck and long sleeves. It was also cinched in at the waist with a band-like belt. The dress gave an illusion of a plunging neckline and had a v-shaped cut-out detailing at the back. The dress gave a very Victorian vibe to the Duchess's style. The 34-year-old completed her outfit with diamond and sapphire earrings and navy high-heels.
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14:03   Glittering parties, cricket, rhinos... Will-Kate's days in India
Their first public moment will be on arrival at the Taj Palace Hotel. The Taj was one of the scenes of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November 2008 and is now an iconic symbol of the city's resilience and strength. The stories of the bravery and dedication of the staff there are now known around the world. The Duke and Duchess are following in the footsteps of other world figures, including The Prince of Wales and The US President who have both used their stays at the hotel to display solidarity with the people of this great city. On arrival they will lay a wreath at a memorial inside the hotel and meet members of staff who helped protect guests during the attack. Read more
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13:40   Mumbai security alert ahead of Will-Kate visit
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will travel to India at the weekend as security is tightened following a police warning of a possible terror threat. Read more

Also read: William-Kate's itinerary for their India visit
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13:35  
In a manifestation of Pakistan's growing distrust in conventional judicial system and mounting influence of religious organisations in society, Jamatud Dawa (JuD) has set up 'Darul Qaza Sharia' in the provincial metropolis to dispense 'justice' among people in light of Sharia laws, Dawn has learnt.  Read
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13:26   No serious challenge to rupee: Jaitley
The rupee does not face any "serious challenge" of depreciation and will find its own level after initial bouts of volatility, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.


"I think India's currency is finding its own level. I don't see a very serious challenge," he said at an event jointly organised by Ananta Centre and CII. Rupee is impacted by global events but eventually recovers, he said. "Of course if some significant movements in currencies globally take place -- like US rates, there is some movement. But I think eventually after an initial impact our currency has shown, at least twice in last 3 years, a tendency to recover."
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13:15  
Just in: At least 250 Syrian civilians feared kidnapped after an attack by Islamic State group on a factory east of Damascus, reports AFP.
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13:13   Show some seriousness, SC rebukes Centre during drought hearing
The Centre today faced a furious Supreme Court as its lawyer arrived 15 minutes late to a hearing on drought. "Show some seriousness," the judges admonished the government.

NDTV reports that the judges lost their temper after the Centre asked for more time to file a response, as they waited for the Additional Solicitor General to arrive in court for the hearing on drought.

Yesterday, the court had given the Centre time till today to explain its performance in drought relief. "Is this like cattle or something? Go here, go there. This is not your priority? Are we useless people? Two judges are sitting here. You expect us to do nothing and just keep looking at the watch waiting for time to pass?" the judges questioned.


The court is hearing former Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav's petition seeking relief for farmers of drought hit states.     
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13:03   No anticipatory bail for Pratyusha's boyfriend
A Mumbai sessions court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh. A case has been lodged against him for abetment of his girlfriend and TV star Pratyusha Banerjee's suicide. The actor had filed an anticipatory bail application yesterday at the Dindoshi sessions court.


Yesterday, Rahul's lawyer Neeraj Gupta withdrew from the case, saying he was "kept in the dark" about the details pertaining to the case. "I withdrew from the case on humanitarian grounds. I felt that I shouldn't be fighting the case, and hence left it be so that injustice is not done to anyone," Gupta told PTI on Wednesday.


"A client should pass on all the information, right or wrong, good or bad, to the lawyer, but I was kept in the dark and got all the details (pertaining to the case) from outside (media)," Gupta claimed.
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12:47   In Bihar, dry with no high, 750 fall ill, 1 even eats soap for a buzz
Bihar's alcoholics have been left dry without a high.After the Nitish Kumar government banned all alcohol in the state on Tuesday, doctors have had to deal with hundreds of people going through alcohol withdrawal.

Without the booze, many got the jitters, literally. Some people failed to recognize family members and one man even ate a bunch of soap bars hoping to get high.As of Wednesday, at least 749 such people were brought to the state's 38 new de-addiction centres, according to reports received by the State Health Society of Bihar (SHSB).

The 30-year-old man who failed to recognize his family used to drink 600-1200ml of country liquor every day until March 31, after which desi booze was banned.


"He could not stand properly when he was brought. He is experiencing tremors on and off," said an Aurangabad de-addiction centre's officer, Dr R K Singh, told TOI. Read more
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12:32   Priyanka Chopra confirms Bipasha-Karan marriage
Bipasha Basu and her beau Karan Singh Grover may have kept mum about their upcoming wedding but the actress' friend Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra seems to have confirmed that the couple is indeed tying the knot soon. There were rumours that the pair, who have been dating for more than a year now, are getting married at the end of this month but they haven't confirmed the impending nuptials.


Extending her best wishes to the couple, Priyanka took to her Twitter page and wrote, "I'm truly so happy for my friend @bipsluvurself and her handsome bridegroom to be @Iamksgofficial You're a golden heart... you deserve so much and more."


While Priyanka and Bipasha, 37, have shared screen space in 2005 film "Barsaat", the "Quantico" actress hosted the third season of celebrity stunt-based show "Khatron Ke Khiladi" where Karan was a participant. Bipasha and Karan, 34, began dating after starring in 2015 horror film "Alone".
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12:27   Bastars IGP Kalluri: Both lauded as a hero and damned as a villain
Love him or hate him, but you cannot ignore S R P Kalluri, the Inspector General of Police for the Bastar Range in South Chhattisgarh. Read more
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12:08   IIT fees hiked from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) fee raised from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh for students in the upcoming academic year, says the HRD ministry. However, this new fee will not be applicable to SC, ST and BPL students.


This comes after a committee of IIT directors tasked with finding ways to achieve greater financial autonomy for the schools has suggested an over threefold hike in student fees and creation of a Rs 2,000-crore nonbanking financial company.

The NBFC will offer interestfree loans for futuristic projects, research infrastructure and efficient use of space on campus.


Another key recommendation the Standing Committee of IIT Council made was that the proposed new entrance examination designed to test the aptitude conducted by a National Authority of Test (NAT) would be held from 2017 onwards.
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11:56   Why Baba Ramdev would do well to go into vanvaas
What Ramdev has done is criminal. He is sowing seeds of horrendous violence in the minds of unsuspecting people within an ambience of faith. Read more
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11:49   Manmohan Singh returns to teaching, at alma mater
Fifty years after Dr Manmohan Singh delivered his last lecture at Panjab University (PU), the former Prime Minister is set to return to his alma mater after accepting the offer of professorship for the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair.


"We have worked out the logistics, which was the main problem. He is happy to be able to come here and interact with students," said PU vice-chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover.


"He might deliver lectures during his visit to Chandigarh and the remaining ones through video conferencing."


Singh completed his masters in economics from PU in 1954 and joined as senior lecturer in economics in 1957. He left in 1966, when he was appointed economic affairs officer (UNCTAD) at the UN Secretariat, New York. Panjab University vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said former VC RP Bambah had raised the subject of teaching with the former prime minister at a function in Chandigarh a few months back. Read more
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11:43   BSP MP's son arrested after daughter-in-law found dead in Ghaziabad
The son of BSP Party Rajya Sabha member Narendra Kashyap was on Thursday arrested after her wife, Himani Kashyap, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Ghaziabad early on Wednesday morning.

According to reports, Narendra Kashyap, who is presently admitted in a hospital, will also be arrested once he is discharged. Himani, who was shot in the head, is the daughter of ex-minister in the BSP Government Hira Lal Kashyap.
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11:26  
Read the Telegraph's tribute to Pandit Ravi Shankar.
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11:24   Google pays tribute to Pt Ravi Shankar on his 96th birthday
Google pays tribute to Pandit Ravi Shankar with a very artistic doodle on his 96th birthday. Googles has used its letters like a spiraling creeper intertwined with a standing sitar to mark the Panditji's birthsay.

A Bharat Ratna, Ravi Shankar was one of India's most-loved musicians credited with introducing Indian classical music to the west. He passed away on December 11, 2012, after undergoing heart valve replacement surgery.
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10:48   Banks reject Mallya's Rs 4,000 crore repayment offer
The consortium of lenders led by the State Bank of India has rejected businessman Vijay Mallya's offer to repay Rs 4,000 crore - less than half of what his defunct Kingfisher Airlines owes them. The banks said they want a better offer from Mallya. 

Last week, the airline and Mallya had submitted a proposal in the apex court to pay Rs 4,000 crore by September to the consortium. 

A Bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton F Nariman had given the consortium a week to respond to the proposal and fixed April 7 for further hearing. 

Mallya and KFA owe Rs 9,000 crore to the consortium. SBI has an exposure of more than Rs 1,600 crore to the defunct airline. Of the total amount, the banks have so far recovered only around Rs 1,240 crore by selling pledged shares and other collaterals.
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10:29   BSP MP Narendra Kashyap, wife, son arrested in Himanshi Kashyap death case
Bahujan Samaj Party MP Narendra Kashyap, his wife and his son have been arrested in connection with the mysterious death of his daughter-in-law Himanshi Kashyap murder case. They have been arrested for harassing Himanshi for dowry. 

Himanshi's family alleges her in-laws were demanding a Toyota Fortuner SUV. Himanshi was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her residence in Ghaziabad on Wednesday. She died due to a single gun shot injury to her head. Charges of dowry have been filed against the MP's family. 
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10:28   Pathankot probe: NIA approaches FBI, other probe agencies
National Investigation Agency has approached probe agencies of some foreign countries including the US' Federal Bureau of Investigation in connection with its probe into the Pathankot terror attack. 

The help of the agencies is being sought even as central probe agencies still await a formal response from Pakistan for allowing a NIA team to that country for a thorough investigation. 

Official sources said that the help of some of the agencies including the FBI had been sought for tracking some of the cyber footprints that had been left by handlers of Pakistan- based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in the aftermath of the attack on the strategic IAF base at Pathankot on the intervening night of January 1 and 2. 
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10:10   Suite spa, gold antiques set to welcome William-Kate in Mumbai
A suite with a spa, traditional meals on solid silver thalis and archery lessons are some of the experiences on the itinerary of Prince William and Kate Middleton as they prepare for their first visit to the subcontinent.

Read more HERE
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09:37  
UPDATE: Jammu & Kashmir Deputy CM Nirmal Singh to visit NIT Srinagar campus at 10:30 am to take stock of the situation. 
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09:34   Sweeping heatwave claims 66 lives in Telangana
The unusually harsh summer heat in Telangana has already started taking a huge toll of human life. 

With heatwave conditions prevailing across the state, 66 people have died due to sun stroke and other related problems, officials said. 

The highest number of deaths -- 28 -- were reported from Mahbubnagar, followed by 11 in Medak and five each from Karimnagar and Khammam.

Other deaths were reported in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Warangal and Nalgonda.

According to the Meteorological Department Nizamabad, north Telangana continues to be the hottest area in the state with maximum temperatures of 43.4 degrees Celsius followed by Medak and Karimnagar with 43 degrees Celsius. Hyderabad recorded 41 degrees Celsius.

The severe heatwave was forcing the people to stay indoors during the peak hours of the day and the roads and bazaars in Hyderabad and other major cities were wearing deserted look.

The state administration has advised the people to avoid going out into the open from 12 noon.
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09:04   Maharashtra mulling to shift inmates from jails in drought-hit areas
Jail authorities in Maharashtra are considering to shift inmates from drought-hit Beed and Latur districts in view of the acute water scarcity in the areas.

"We have prepared a contingency plan for shifting the jail inmates in these districts. So far, no inmate has been shifted, but we will do so if the situation warrants," a top official said.

If the situation demands, the prisoners will be shifted to places like Nashik and Dhule, the official said. The move comes amid decision by officials in drought-hit Parbhani town, which is experiencing an unprecedented water scarcity this summer, imposing prohibitory orders near water supply spots in the town.

"Orders under section 144 of CrPC  have been imposed in the vicinity of the water supply spots in Parbhani," Parbhani district collector Rahul Mahiwal had said.
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08:52   'Achche din aane wala hain': Survey finds PM Modi a hit with middle class
Prime Minister Narendra Modi still holds sway over members of his core constituency -- the urban salaried, especially those living in India's seven biggest cities. 

The government's overall approval ratings are still running high almost two years after the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power at the head of a robust majority, according to the findings of an ET-TNS survey.

The government has an overall approval rating of 86 per cent on economic performance, while 62 per cent say that it has delivered on job creation and 58 per cent expect the future to be better. In other words, they still believe that 'achhe din aaney wala hain'.

Read the full story HERE
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08:43   Global executions at 25-year high, Amnesty finds
The world saw the highest number of recorded executions in more than 25 years in 2015, according to a new report from human rights group Amnesty International. 

At least 1,634 people were executed last year, an increase of more than 50 per cent on 2014. According to the rights group's annual report the dramatic increase was fueled by three nations -- Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia -- who together were responsible for nearly 90 per cent of executions in 2015.
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08:21   Iceland names new PM amid Panama fallout
Iceland's ruling coalition has named Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as the new PM, with early elections to be held in the autumn. Johannsson, 53, is agriculture and fisheries minister and deputy leader of the Progressive Party. 

The move comes after PM and PP chairman Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson stepped down in the wake of the leaked Panama Papers. The leaks, from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, showed Gunnlaugsson owned an offshore firm with his wife.
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07:53  
JUST IN: Two militants have been killed in a gun battle with security forces in Shopian district in south Kashmir early this morning, said an army official. 
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07:49   2 detained for murder of NIA officer in Uttar Pradesh
Two persons have been detained in connection with the murder of a National Investigation Agency or NIA officer last week in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor.

Mohammed Tanzil, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was shot at from close range by two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle near Sahaspur town on Saturday. Tanzil, 45, was returning home to Delhi with his wife and children after attending a family wedding.
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03:51   Gap apologizes for racist ad
Apparel maker Gap on Tuesday has apologized for an image used in an ad that some critics said was racially insensitive. 

The ad in question depicts four young girls that are part of Le Petit Cirque, a traveling circus company that features boys and girls between the ages of 5 to 14. In the image, an African-American girl is posing next to a taller Caucasian girl that is propping her arm on the younger girl's head.

Click HERE to know more about the story 
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03:45   Iceland coalition names agriculture minister as new PM
Iceland's right-wing coalition government has named Agriculture Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johanssonn as new prime minister, a day after his predecessor was forced to step down over his implication in the Panama Papers scandal, AFP has reported.
 
The Progressive Party and the Independence Party agreed after talks late yesterday to hand the prime minister post to Johannssonn, 53, replacing Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, 41, Progressive Party MP Hoskuldur Thorhallsson told reporters.
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03:22   Obama calls new Myanmar president, Suu Kyi
The White House has said that President Barack Obama called Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, praising the move toward civilian-led government.
Obama on Tuesday called the pair to offer his congratulations, as military hardliners try to limit Suu Kyi's formal role.
Banned from becoming president by a junta-era constitution, Suu Kyi has cemented conftrol over the country's first civilian-led government in decades by taking on a string of senior roles in the new administration.
She has vowed to rule "above" the president, picking school friend and close aide Htin Kyaw for the role.

According to the White House "the president commended Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's determined efforts, over the course of many years and at great personal cost, to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation."
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02:44   Ex-serviceman files complaint against Kanhaiya
Ex-serviceman and national shooter Kahan Singh Thakur today filed a complaint against Jawaharlal Univesity Student Union president Kanhaiya Kumar in Dharamshala's district court for his alleged derogatory remarks against the army at an event in Delhi.
The complaint was filed in the Kangra District and Sessions Court under Section 124-A (sedition), 499 (defamation), 500 (punishment for defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 
505 and 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment) of the IPC.
"I have registered a complaint in the court against the JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar for not apologising for his remarks on Indian soldiers," Thakur said. 
The complaint was filed as the dead line for Kanhaiya to reply to his notice ended on March 27.
Kahan's counsel Vishav Chakshu said Kanhaiya, on the occasion of Women's Day in Delhi, had said we will raise our voice against Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), while we have a lot of respect for our soldiers, we will still talk about the fact that in Kashmir women are raped by security personnel.
Kanhaiya also made similar remarks about security forces in Rwanda, Africa and Gujarat, where the women were not just killed but were raped first.
Terming as "highly obnoxious and irresponsible" an attempt to "attempt to vilify the forces" Kanhaiya's remark, a legal notice was sent to him on March 14 seeking a public apology within 15 days, Chakshu said.
Kanhaiya neither replied to the notice, nor apologised for his derogatory remarks against the Army, he said, adding that the case will come up for hearing on April 12. 
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02:18   Harry Potter author's chair sells for $394,000 at auction
The humble chair JK Rowling sat on while writing the first two books of the Harry Potter series was auctioned in New York City on Wednesday for $394,000.
An anonymous private collector made the winning bid, Heritage Auctions said.
The chair is one of four mismatched chairs given to the then little-known writer for her flat in Edinburgh, Scotland, and which she used while writing "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."
The seller, Gerald Gray, of Worsley, England, said the winning bid far exceeded his expectations.
The unassuming 1930s-era oak chair with a replacement burlap seat decorated with a red thistle sat in front of Rowling's typewriter when she was "writing two of the most important books of the modern era," said James Gannon, director of rare books at Heritage Auctions.
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01:45   Pakistani boy to be reunited with his father in Bangladesh
Mohammad Ramzan, a 15-year-old Pakistani boy who ended up in India after migrating to Bangladesh, would be reunited with his father soon.
"Ramzan left for Kolkata this evening, where he will be helped by the NGO Sanlaap to fly to Bangladesh where his father lives," said Archana Sahay, who runs Umeed, a shelter home where Ramzan was living for the last over two years. 
"We tried hard to send him to his mother in Pakistan, but could not. So we had no choice but to reunite him with his father as it is easy to travel to Pakistan from Bangladesh than from India," she told PTI.
Ramzan got separated from his mother Begum Razia in 2010-11 when his father, Mohammad Kazol, took him to Bangladesh and remarried, said Hamza Basit, the youth's friend in Bhopal.
According to Basit, his step-mother allegedly ill-treated Ramzan, so one day he walked into India by crossing the border as someone advised him to return to Pakistan that way.
He first went to Ranchi, then to Mumbai and Delhi before landing here and getting caught by the police at the railway station in October 2013. 
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01:09   Relative arrested in NIA officer murder case: Report
Uttar Pradesh police have made the first arrest in the murder case of Mohd Tanzil Ahmed, the National Investigation Agency officer who was gunned down in front of his family last week, CNN-IBN reported.

According to the report, Ahmed, was killed by a relative over property disputes.

Read more HERE.
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00:55   Irish MPs fail to chose PM, again
Irish lawmakers on Wednesday failed to elect a new prime minister for the second time in 40 days since an inconclusive general election, while forming a new government remains an elusive prospect.
The February 26 election resulted in political stalemate and there is little sign of the logjam being broken, according to lawmakers from all sides.
Neither Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, the two main parties, have the numbers to form a government without the support -- active or passive -- of the other.
The election of a prime minister, or taoiseach, is a prerequisite to agreeing the composition of the next government.
Meanwhile the outgoing Fine Gael-Labour coalition government remains in office in a caretaker capacity, as does Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
Kenny's Fine Gael party won 50 seats in the vote -- 27 fewer than in the previous election in 2011.
Its bitter centre-right rival, Fianna Fail, increased its vote substantially to 44 in the 158-seat Dail, the lower house of parliament.

Read more about it HERE
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00:27   Brussels bomber 'had cleaning job' at European Parliament
One of the jihadists who blew themselves up in Islamic State attacks in Brussels on March 22 briefly worked as a cleaner at the European Parliament several years ago, the EU body said on Wednesday.
"He held a summer holiday job cleaning at the Parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. Those were the only instances he worked at the Parliament," it said in a statement.
It did not name the individual, but a source close to the inquiry told AFP it was Najim Laachraoui.
Laachraoui and fellow suicide bomber Ibrahim El Bakraoui blew themselves up at Brussels airport in coordinated attacks two weeks ago that also struck a Brussels metro station and killed a total of 32 people.
Laachraoui is also suspected of being the bomb-maker for the Paris terror assaults last November after his DNA was found on some the explosives used in the attacks, which killed 130.
The European Parliament said the suspect did not have a criminal record when he worked for the cleaning firm it had contracted at the time.

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