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Wed, 17 August 2016
Goyal says PM's Nagla Fatela claim based on UP govt's report
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23:51 Centre initiates exercise to update 'Make in India' action plan
The Centre has initiated an exercise to revise the 'Make in India' action plan, a top official said today.
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion secretary Ramesh Abhishek said that the commerce and industry ministry has reviewed the action plan with all departments and has also discussed it with all stakeholders, including industry associations.
Based on the meetings, 'now we have a tentative revised plan which has been now proposed to various ministries and departments. We have requested them to examine the inputs received from the industry', he said.
"We have requested them to see whether, how and in what manner these Make in India action plans can be revised. We have also decided to do a kind of reality check on what has been achieved so far in the last two years," he told reporters.
The 'Make in India' programme was launched in September 2014 with an aim to make the country a global manufacturing hub and attract investments.
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion secretary Ramesh Abhishek said that the commerce and industry ministry has reviewed the action plan with all departments and has also discussed it with all stakeholders, including industry associations.
Based on the meetings, 'now we have a tentative revised plan which has been now proposed to various ministries and departments. We have requested them to examine the inputs received from the industry', he said.
"We have requested them to see whether, how and in what manner these Make in India action plans can be revised. We have also decided to do a kind of reality check on what has been achieved so far in the last two years," he told reporters.
The 'Make in India' programme was launched in September 2014 with an aim to make the country a global manufacturing hub and attract investments.
22:51 Goyal says PM's Nagla Fatela claim based on UP govt's report
Centre trusts the state government and we followed the due process and declared the village (Nagla Fatela) electrified only after receiving the certificate from the state, said Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, defending Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement from the Red Fort that the village was electrified 70 years after Independence, which was later contested by the villagers.
Goyal said on November 24, 2015, the Centre received a certificate from Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited in Uttar Pradesh, declaring that the village has been energised.
On October 30, we received a mail from DVVNL that four villages of Hathras district have been electrified, which included Nagla Fatela, he said.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while elucidating his governments achievements -- especially electrification of villages across India -- claimed: Brothers and Sisters, you will be surprised to know that at merely three hours journey from Delhi, there is a village called Nagla Fatela in Hathras region. But it took 70 years for electricity to reach there. 70 years, my brothers and Sisters! And therefore, I am introducing you to the work culture that we are following.
However, according to a report in the Indian Express, many of the villagers in this hamlet in Mahamaya Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh have been living without electricity.
Goyal said in November 2013, the UP government had submitted a list of un-electrified villages to the Centre which included Nagla Fatela. He also said that in December 2014, the Centre received DVVNLs letter which said this village is still un-electrified.
A chief secretary-level committee approved DPR (Detailed Project Report) on basis of which the Centre sanctioned funds (for electrification of the village), Goyal said.
Goyal said on November 24, 2015, the Centre received a certificate from Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited in Uttar Pradesh, declaring that the village has been energised.
On October 30, we received a mail from DVVNL that four villages of Hathras district have been electrified, which included Nagla Fatela, he said.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while elucidating his governments achievements -- especially electrification of villages across India -- claimed: Brothers and Sisters, you will be surprised to know that at merely three hours journey from Delhi, there is a village called Nagla Fatela in Hathras region. But it took 70 years for electricity to reach there. 70 years, my brothers and Sisters! And therefore, I am introducing you to the work culture that we are following.
However, according to a report in the Indian Express, many of the villagers in this hamlet in Mahamaya Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh have been living without electricity.
Goyal said in November 2013, the UP government had submitted a list of un-electrified villages to the Centre which included Nagla Fatela. He also said that in December 2014, the Centre received DVVNLs letter which said this village is still un-electrified.
A chief secretary-level committee approved DPR (Detailed Project Report) on basis of which the Centre sanctioned funds (for electrification of the village), Goyal said.
22:23 UN launches probe into South Sudan violence
The United Nations has launched a probe of a hotel attack in South Sudan in which soldiers raped women and assaulted aid workers while UN peacekeepers allegedly failed to act
Civil war broke out in South Sudan in December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has split the country along ethnic lines and driven it to the brink of collapse.
A peace deal signed between the government and rebels almost a year ago has so far failed to end the conflict. And last month, Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting between Kiir's forces and those loyal to Machar.
The abuses now being probed by the UN -- specifically, a July 11 attack on the Hotel Terrain in the capital Juba --took place during these days of fighting.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said late on Tuesday that he was 'concerned about allegations that UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba'.
He was referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, called UNMISS.
Ban said that in the July 11 incident one person was killed and several civilians were raped and beaten by men in uniform.
Civil war broke out in South Sudan in December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has split the country along ethnic lines and driven it to the brink of collapse.
A peace deal signed between the government and rebels almost a year ago has so far failed to end the conflict. And last month, Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting between Kiir's forces and those loyal to Machar.
The abuses now being probed by the UN -- specifically, a July 11 attack on the Hotel Terrain in the capital Juba --took place during these days of fighting.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said late on Tuesday that he was 'concerned about allegations that UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba'.
He was referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, called UNMISS.
Ban said that in the July 11 incident one person was killed and several civilians were raped and beaten by men in uniform.
22:03 2 'commander-rank' cadres among 4 Naxals killed in Dantewada
Four Naxals, including a 'commander-rank' woman cadre and another wanted in the deadly Jiram Valley attack, were on Wednesday gunned down while a jawan was injured in a fierce encounter between security personnel and the ultras in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.
The encounter took place in wee hours in the restive Dabba-Kunna hills when the joint team of CRPF, District Reserve Group and STF was out on an anti-Maoist operation, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI.
"While four cadres, including two Maoist commanders, were killed, a jawan was also injured in the face-off," he said.
Based on specific inputs, the operation was launched by security forces last night to flush out the ultras hiding in the forests near Dabba and Kunna villages, the SP said.
The two villages are located on top of a hill which lies along the Dantewada and Sukma districts border, about 500 km from the state capital Raipur.
A group of armed Naxals opened indiscriminate fire at the security personnel close to Dabba village following which an encounter broke out between the two sides.
21:58 12 die due to suspected hooch consumption in Bihar, probe on
Twelve persons have died after suspected consumption of spurious liquor in Gopalganj district of Bihar, where prohibition was implemented in April, even as authorities claimed that the reason behind the deaths is not clear and ordered a probe.
"Twelve persons have died so far. The deaths have been reported from different areas of five police stations of the district in the past 24 hours. One person is admitted at a Sadar hospital," said Gopalganj District Magistrate Rahul Kumar.
Read full story HERE
21:50 Suu Kyi kicks off China visit
China on Wednesday rolled out a red carpet welcome to Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi who gently reminded Beijing about reviving its $3.6 billion hydroelectric dam project which was stalled over public
protests for the past five years.
Suu Kyi kicked off a five-day visit to China, the first after her government took over power, during which Beijing has decided to welcome her as Head of Government, in recognition of her status as highest ranking political leader of the country even through her designation is the State Councillor and Foreign Minister.
"As is known to all, State Counsellor is ranked second only to the President among all the posts in the state organs of Myanmar," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement.
It was decided after communication between the two sides that Premier Li Keqiang will invite Suu Kyi for the visit andholds talks with her, he said.
She is also expected to meet President Xi Jinping.
Suu Kyi's visit comes roughly one week after Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw decided to form a new commission for reviewing all proposed hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River, including the Myitsone Dam, which is jointly funded by China and Myanmar, state-run Xinhua news agency said.
It was suspended by former Myanmar military government in 2011 following public protests .
21:20 Modi govt's foreign policy changes faster than weather: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Modi government for its "inconsistent" foreign policy which changes faster than the weather and asked the government to end its "knee-jerk" policy with Pakistan and fix problems within the country first before raising issues like Balochistan.
"It has become almost impossible for us to track this government's daily changes in policy. One day, we are talking at Ministerial level, one day we are talking at Foreign Secretary level, one day we are calling off. I am waiting for a stable policy.
"I think the real thing is zigzag, the real thing is consistency, the real thing is the lack of it and the real thing is rhetoric and empty threats. This is the real problem with this Government and with this Prime Minister," Congress
Spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
Questioning the government's foreign policy which he said changes faster than the weather, and asked, "What kind of policy is this? This knee-jerk policy needs to stop immediately. We are ready with our support if there is one consistent, stable, long-term policy on these issues."
He said one felt pride when the Prime Minister made "jingoistic" statements about Balochistan, but lamented that it would have no resonance or meaning when things in the country's own backyard in Kashmir are not set right.
He said the Prime Minister spoke about Balochistan in his Independence day speech but nothing about prevailing situation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The real problem Mr Prime Minister is that you have not sorted out the internal contradictions and paradoxes in your lust for power.
21:01 Osama's son urges overthrow of Saudi rulers
The son of Al-Qaeda's slain founder Osama bin Laden has urged Saudis to "overthrow" the kingdom's rulers in order to "free" themselves from United States influence, SITE Intelligence Group reported on Wednesday.
In an undated audio message, Hamza bin Laden urged Saudi youth to join the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to "gain the necessary experience" to fight, according to SITE.
Classified by the United States as the network's deadliest franchise, AQAP was formed in January 2009 as a merger of the Yemeni and Saudi branches of Al-Qaeda.
Yemen is the ancestral home of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was killed in Pakistan in 2011 by an elite team of US Navy SEALS after a decade on the run.
US intelligence officials have said that 23-year-old Hamza was the favourite son of the 9/11 mastermind who had been grooming him to take over as Al-Qaeda's leader.
On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death, experts have noted Hamza's increasing prominence among jihadists in comparison to that of Egyptian Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
A Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen as well as Sunni jihadists who have joined AQAP and the Islamic State group.
20:30 Iran acknowledges Russia using its air base to strike Syria
A prominent Iranian lawmaker confirmed on Wednesday that Russia is using an Iranian air base for airstrikes in Syria, as Moscow said another wave of airstrikes launched from the Islamic Republic struck the east of the war-ravaged country.
The comments by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, are the first official acknowledgment that Russian planes are flying out of Iran's Shahid Nojeh Air Base.
Meanwhile, Russia's foreign minister rejected allegations that its use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria violates United Nations sanctions on Iran.
Russia on Tuesday first announced that it had launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria.
The defense ministry on Wednesday announced a new wave of airstrikes out of Iran, saying its jets took off earlier in the day from a base southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria.
It is virtually unheard in recent history for Iran to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks.
Russia has also never used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's government for nearly a year. Iran is also a major supporter of Assad.
20:10 Latest ICC Test ranking
Australia have conceded the No. 1 Test ranking to India after losing all three Tests on their tour of Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli's team -- currently ahead of Pakistan by one point -- must win the fourth Test against West Indies, beginning on August 18 in Trinidad, to retain their top ranking.
20:07 Salman to present Indian Olympic athletes with Rs 1 lakh each
Bollywood actor Salman Khan has announced that he will present each Indian athlete at the Rio Olympics 2016 with a cheque of Rs 1,01,000.
The actor, who is one of the goodwill ambassadors of the Indian contingent for the Rio Olympics this year, conveyed this message on social media sites.
"As a gesture of appreciation for our Olympic athletes, I will present each one with a cheque of Rs1,01,000. The government is very supportive of sports. Each of us can also do our bit to encourage a sports nation," he said.
19:53 Everything you need to know about Balochistan
Prime Minister Narendra Modis reference to Balochistan in his Independence Day speech has ignited war of words between India and Pakistan.
While raking up Balochistan issue, Modi did not just touch upon a sensitive spot in Pakistans political history, but also gave out a clear signal that India will no longer be cornered and submissive on the Kashmir issue.
Here's everything you need to know about the Pakistan province and its bumpy history
19:48 Army Chief reviews security situation in J&K
Army Chief General Dalbir Suhag and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda on Wednesday visited Jammu to review the prevailing security situation in Kashmir.
The army chief also visited Doda, Reasi and Rajouri wherein he was briefed on the operational readiness and security situation by the respective General Officers.
Two soldiers and a policeman were killed on Wednesday in Kashmir valley where curfew remained in force for the 40th consecutive day.
As many as 63 persons including two cops have been killed and several thousand others have been injured in the clashes that began on July 9.
19:11 NIA probes routing money through ordinary Kashmiris to fund militancy
The NIA has launched a probe to track the funding of militants in Jammu and Kashmir by their sympathisers abroad who have started using bank accounts of ordinary citizens to route money to finance their activities in the restive state.
Running the risk of getting caught by the Indian security and intelligence agencies, the militant organisations and their sympathisers have begun jettisoning the hawala channels for transferring money and are wooing Kashmiris who travel to gulf countries for work.
After thoroughly brainwashing them, the individual is persuaded to receive money in his bank account which is then used for financing terror activities, official sources said.
One per cent of the money received is left in the bank account of the individual by their 'handlers' based abroad as commission, they said.
18:31 Four elephants killed by Sri Lankan train
A passenger train hit and killed an elephant and three calves in northern Sri Lanka today, the latest deadly accident involving the venerated animals.
The herd was walking across a newly upgraded railway line that runs through a jungle area when the accident occurred at Cheddikulam, about 260 kilometres north of Colombo.
"One of the baby elephants was dragged about 300 metres along the track after being hit," a local police official told AFP, adding that it was thought to be Sri Lanka's worst accident involving the animals.
No passengers were injured in the collision.
18:12 SC seeks Maha government's reply on plea against Bombay HC beef order
The Supreme Court today sought the response of Maharashtra government on a plea challenging a Bombay high court verdict which held that mere possession of beef of animals slaughtered outside the state cannot invite
criminal action.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri and D Y Chandrachud issued notice to the state on the plea filed by 'Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh'.
The counsel appearing for the Sangh told the apex court that they were challenging part of the May 6 verdict of the high court which had said provisions of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, which criminalise possession of beef, is an infringement on the right to privacy of citizens and unconstitutional.
The high court had also upheld the ban on slaughter of bulls and bullocks in Maharashtra while striking down two sections of the state Act which criminalised possession of beef.
17:45 South Korea says top North Korea diplomat defected to Seoul
South Korea said today that North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain had defected to Seoul, in a rare and major loss of diplomatic face for Pyongyang.
The Unification Ministry said Thae Yong-Ho - the number-two at the North's mission in London - had defected together with his family and they were now in the South Korean capital.
"They are under government protection and are going through necessary procedures with related institutions," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told reporters.
Jeong declined to reveal Thae's defection route, citing the diplomatic sensitivities involved for the concerned countries.
17:36 Stephen Hawkings prediction about black holes observed in lab
Scientists who created a virtual black hole in the lab claim to have observed for the first time a phenomenon predicted by English physicist Stephen Hawking more than 30 years ago according to which some particles can escape black holes.
Jeff Steinhauer, a physicist at the Israel Institute of Technology built a virtual black hole in the lab in order to prove that Hawkings theory of radiation emanating from black holes is correct though his experiments are based on sound, rather than light.
Steinhauer said that he observed the quantum effects of Hawking radiation in his lab as part of a virtual black hole which, if proven to be true, will be the first time it has ever been achieved.
For many years, scientists believed that nothing could ever escape from a black hole not even light.
However, in 1974, Stephen Hawking suggested particles, that are now called Hawking radiation, could escape black holes.
17:27 Not possible to evacuate any more Indians from Yemen at this stage, says Swaraj
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday made it clear in a series of tweets that India has had to shut down its embassy in war-torn Yemen and it is not possible to evacuate any more Indians from the Arab nation any more.
She said this in response to a tweet from a person who stated that a woman from Hyderabad was stuck in Hajjah, 127 km from Yemen's capital Sanaa, along with her children after her husband divorced her and left for the US.
"We evacuated more than 4,500 Indians and over 2,500 foreigners from Yemen," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
"We made repeated requests calling upon Indians to leave Yemen. We had to close our Embassy in Sanaa due to situation prevailing there," the EAM added.
"However, some people chose to stay back. Some of those evacuated, returned to Yemen. We do not have our Embassy there. It is a war torn situation. We are not in a position to evacuate people from Yemen at this stage," Swaraj stated.
She said that the Indian government made repeated requests calling upon Indians to leave Yemen.
17:07 Italy rules out burkini ban, wants home-trained imams
Italy will not follow France by allowing burkini bans on public beaches but is planning tighter regulation of imams and mosques, the country's interior minister said in comments published today.
Angelino Alfano told the Corriere della Sera daily that he regarded France's restrictions on Islamic clothing as counter-productive because of the potential backlash it could provoke.
"The interior ministry's responsibility is to guarantee security and to decide the severity of responses which however must never become provocations that could potentially attract attacks," Alfano said.
Asked specifically about the burkini bans recently introduced by several French seaside towns, Alfano added: "It doesn't seem to me, alas, that the French model has worked for the best".
17:05 Escaped Chibok girl: I miss my Boko Haram husband
Escaped Chibok girl Amina Ali Nkeki says she misses her Boko Haram fighter husband and is still thinking about him three months after escaping the militants' camp.
Amina Ali, who was held hostage by the terrorist group for more than two years, says she was married off a year into her ordeal and later had a baby girl, Safiya.
The couple and their daughter were found on the outskirts of Nigeria's Sambisa Forest in May. She says they fled the camp by themselves and were not rescued by the Nigerian military, contrary to reports.
Her husband, identified as Mohammed Hayatu at the time of their escape, told a witness that he too had been kidnapped by Boko Haram.
He was placed in military detention for interrogation by Nigeria's joint intelligence center.
16:46 Oklahoma man killed by neighbor who called him 'dirty Arab'
Police say 37-year-old Khalid Jabara was fatally shot by his neighbor, Vernon Majors, in a neighborhood near 93rd and Memorial Friday night.
The 61-year-old Majors has been accused of terrorizing his community for years with racist attacks and had previously referred to Jabara as a dirty Arab and filthy Lebanese.
Police said Majors has a criminal history with the neighbors. Residents in the area say the suspect and victim had some animosity for quite some time.
16:32 No new liquor shops in Delhi this year, says Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today made another big announcement while giving his rationale behind hiking the minimum wages by 50 per cent, announced on Independence Day.
"This initiative was necessary for the people on lower rungs of society. They were not getting the dues they deserve."
"Finally there's a government who want the money to go directly in people's pocket. We will also request the Centre and Prime Minister Modi that this should be applied in the country."
He added that no new liquor shops will be opened in Delhi this year and the location of existing ones will be reconsidered.
"The other important decision taken today is that no new liquor shops will be opened in the national capital this year. And if the residents have a problem with existing liquor shops in the vicinity, a local committee or mohalla sabha will be formed and a decision will be taken if the shops need to be moved," said the CM.
16:19 Mayawati urges EC to announce Assembly polls in UP by Feb
BSP supremo Mayawati today urged the Election Commission to hold Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh by February, alleging that the "infighting" within the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan will have an adverse effect on the functioning of the Samajwadi Party government. She alleged that while BJP and Samajwadi Party want to delay the assembly polls, the Commission should start working on the schedule and announce the dates in January-February in larger "public interest".
16:13
Just in: Top North Korean diplomat who disappeared from London embassy has defected to South Korea, Seoul confirms.
15:47 India ready for foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan on terrorism
Just in: India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad after Pakistan invites India for talks. But the government has rejected Pakistan's "self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K. The state is an integral part of India and Pakistan has no locus standi," India has said. India has proposed Indo-Pak FS level talks focus on aspects related to cross-border terrorism which is central to current situation in J&K.
New Delhis formal response to Pakistani foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhrys letter inviting his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to Islamabad for talks on the Kashmir issue was handed over to the Foreign Office by high commissioner Gautam Bambawale. New Delhi had ruled out talks solely focused on Kashmir.
The proposal for talks on the Kashmir issue was unveiled by Sartaj Aziz, advisor on foreign affairs to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during a media briefing in Islamabad on August 12.
Three days later, the Pakistani foreign secretary called in Bambawale and handed over the letter inviting Jaishankar to visit Pakistan for talks on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan.
New Delhis formal response to Pakistani foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhrys letter inviting his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to Islamabad for talks on the Kashmir issue was handed over to the Foreign Office by high commissioner Gautam Bambawale. New Delhi had ruled out talks solely focused on Kashmir.
The proposal for talks on the Kashmir issue was unveiled by Sartaj Aziz, advisor on foreign affairs to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during a media briefing in Islamabad on August 12.
Three days later, the Pakistani foreign secretary called in Bambawale and handed over the letter inviting Jaishankar to visit Pakistan for talks on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan.
15:19 Dum lagake... Stalin, all DMK MLAs thrown out of TN Assembly
Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes when DMK members strongly protested remarks made by a ruling AIADMK member apparently ridiculing Leader of Opposition M K Stalin, culminating in their en masse eviction and suspension.
Speaker P Dhanapal ordered eviction of the DMK members by assembly marshals after they stood up and insisted on expunging the remarks even after he rejected their demand and asked them to cooperate for the smooth conduct of the House.
Later, the government moved a resolution suspending the DMK members for a week which was passed by a voice vote. Trouble erupted during the debate on demands for grants for the Housing and IT departments when AIADMK member S Gunasekaran, without naming Stalin, made some remarks about the 'Namaku Naame' programme undertaken by the DMK Treasurer in the run up to this year's assembly election.
During the 'Namakku Naame' programme, Stalin had extensively toured the state and interacted with people. The remarks about the programme triggered strong objection from the DMK members who wanted the Speaker to expunge them. Dhanapal, however, said the MLA had not made any pointed reference to anyone and therefore there was no need to expunge the remarks.
DMK Deputy Leader Durai Murugan said Namakku Naame was an initiative of Stalin and therefore the remarks refer only to him and sought their expunction. At one point, Stalin himself rose and said he was proud that Namakku Naamme had featured in an assembly debate. He also made some remarks which were later expunged by the Speaker.
Following this, the DMK members stood up and opposed the Speaker's action even as Dhanapal asked them to cooperate in the smooth conduct of the House.
Since the DMK members did not heed his repeated pleas, he summoned the marshals to evict the agitating MLAs.
Stalin, who was physically removed, staged a brief sit-in before being finally taken out of the House. The Speaker later said he had to resort to such an action as the DMK members did not heed his pleas for cooperation.
Leader of the House and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam then moved a resolution for the suspension of the DMK members for a week, which was passed by a voice vote in the AIADMK- dominated House. DMK has 89 members in the 234-member assembly.
Image: DMK leader MK Stalin is removed from the House after he staged a sit-in
Speaker P Dhanapal ordered eviction of the DMK members by assembly marshals after they stood up and insisted on expunging the remarks even after he rejected their demand and asked them to cooperate for the smooth conduct of the House.
Later, the government moved a resolution suspending the DMK members for a week which was passed by a voice vote. Trouble erupted during the debate on demands for grants for the Housing and IT departments when AIADMK member S Gunasekaran, without naming Stalin, made some remarks about the 'Namaku Naame' programme undertaken by the DMK Treasurer in the run up to this year's assembly election.
During the 'Namakku Naame' programme, Stalin had extensively toured the state and interacted with people. The remarks about the programme triggered strong objection from the DMK members who wanted the Speaker to expunge them. Dhanapal, however, said the MLA had not made any pointed reference to anyone and therefore there was no need to expunge the remarks.
DMK Deputy Leader Durai Murugan said Namakku Naame was an initiative of Stalin and therefore the remarks refer only to him and sought their expunction. At one point, Stalin himself rose and said he was proud that Namakku Naamme had featured in an assembly debate. He also made some remarks which were later expunged by the Speaker.
Following this, the DMK members stood up and opposed the Speaker's action even as Dhanapal asked them to cooperate in the smooth conduct of the House.
Since the DMK members did not heed his repeated pleas, he summoned the marshals to evict the agitating MLAs.
Stalin, who was physically removed, staged a brief sit-in before being finally taken out of the House. The Speaker later said he had to resort to such an action as the DMK members did not heed his pleas for cooperation.
Leader of the House and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam then moved a resolution for the suspension of the DMK members for a week, which was passed by a voice vote in the AIADMK- dominated House. DMK has 89 members in the 234-member assembly.
Image: DMK leader MK Stalin is removed from the House after he staged a sit-in
15:03
In effect, India regains No 1 ranking in Test cricket.
15:01
Just in: India becomes the #1 test cricket team in the world after Sri Lanka whitewash Australia 3-0.
14:54 Dipa Karmakar likely to get Khel Ratna
Just in: Dipa Karmakar has been recommended for the Khel Ratna and her coach the Dronacharya award. If she indeed gets the coveted prize named after former PM Rajiv Gandhi, it will be conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee on National Sports Day, celebrated on August 29. Reports say that Asian Games Silver medallist Tintu Lukha was also in the running for the country's highest sporting honour.
Dipa created history last week when she became the first Indian gymnast to qualify for the final of the women's vault final. Opinions were divided after she broke the barrier - many thought she had already done enough but others still felt she had a genuine shot at a medal.
A final decision on the award will be taken tomorrow.
Also read: As I cheered for Dipa, a part of me wept too
Dipa created history last week when she became the first Indian gymnast to qualify for the final of the women's vault final. Opinions were divided after she broke the barrier - many thought she had already done enough but others still felt she had a genuine shot at a medal.
A final decision on the award will be taken tomorrow.
Also read: As I cheered for Dipa, a part of me wept too
14:48
Other gubernatorial appointments: Prof Jagdish Mukhi appointed Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, V P Singh Badnore as Governor of Punjab.
MIA seems to be former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel.
MIA seems to be former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel.
14:40 SC rules on Dahi Handi: 18 years minimum age, 20-ft high pyramid
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Bombay High Court's decision banning youth below the age of 18 to participate in Dahi Handi ritual and restricting the height of the human pyramid to 20 feet. The decision comes after Maharashtra government had approached the apex court last week seeking clarity over the issue.
The Bombay High Court, in August 2014, had directed the state government to issue a circular providing details of the restrictions. The matter was then taken to Supreme Court which put a stay on the high court ruling.
The matter once again surfaced after a city-based social worker Swati Patil filed a contempt petition against state government claiming that it was not following the Bombay High Court's orders.
The Bombay High Court, in August 2014, had directed the state government to issue a circular providing details of the restrictions. The matter was then taken to Supreme Court which put a stay on the high court ruling.
The matter once again surfaced after a city-based social worker Swati Patil filed a contempt petition against state government claiming that it was not following the Bombay High Court's orders.
14:22
Just in: Sri Lanka thrash Australia by 163 runs to clean sweep Test series 3-0.
14:17 Najma Heptullah is Manipur governor
Former union Minister Dr Najma Heptullah will be the new Governor of Manipur. The Manipur government was officiallly informed about this appointment.
Dr Heptullah will be the 18th Governor.
She had resigned from the Union Ministry on July 12, 2016 as she had crossed 75 years of age. V. Shamuganathan, the Governor of Meghalaya has been looking after the state of Manipur from September 30, 2015.
Manipur goes to polls in February next year.
Dr Heptullah will be the 18th Governor.
She had resigned from the Union Ministry on July 12, 2016 as she had crossed 75 years of age. V. Shamuganathan, the Governor of Meghalaya has been looking after the state of Manipur from September 30, 2015.
Manipur goes to polls in February next year.
14:10
Bihar: Police detains four persons from Gopalganj area, huge quantity of country made liquor seized from them.
13:52 Two Army personnel, policeman killed in militant attack
Militants today ambushed an Army convoy, killing two soldiers and a policeman in Kashmir Valley where curfew remained in force in Srinagar district, Anantnag town and Magam area.
Two soldiers and a policeman were also injured in the militant attack at Khwajabagh in Baramulla district which took place at 2:30 am, a police official said.
He said two soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack and a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot.
Normal life, meanwhile, remained paralysed for the 40th consecutive day today in Kashmir where 63 persons have been so far killed in the ongoing unrest.
"Curfew has been imposed in Magam area of Budgam district where four persons were killed in security forces firing yesterday. Curfew also remained in force in Srinagar district and Anantnag town," a police official said. He said restrictions on the movement of the people have been imposed in the rest of the Valley.
IMAGE: Last rites of Commandant Pramod Kumar, martyred in the line of duty at Srinagar on 15 August was performed at his village in Mihijam, Dist Jamtara yesterday with full state honours.
Two soldiers and a policeman were also injured in the militant attack at Khwajabagh in Baramulla district which took place at 2:30 am, a police official said.
He said two soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack and a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot.
Normal life, meanwhile, remained paralysed for the 40th consecutive day today in Kashmir where 63 persons have been so far killed in the ongoing unrest.
"Curfew has been imposed in Magam area of Budgam district where four persons were killed in security forces firing yesterday. Curfew also remained in force in Srinagar district and Anantnag town," a police official said. He said restrictions on the movement of the people have been imposed in the rest of the Valley.
IMAGE: Last rites of Commandant Pramod Kumar, martyred in the line of duty at Srinagar on 15 August was performed at his village in Mihijam, Dist Jamtara yesterday with full state honours.
13:46
The Supreme Court seeks the Gujarat govt's response on pleas challenging freezing of bank accounts of NGOs of Teesta Setalvad.
13:44 India rejects Pak's invite for Kashmir talks
Just in: India rejects Pakistan's invite for talks on Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan on Monday invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the international obligation of both the countries to resolve the issue, notwithstanding Indias insistence that it would talk on contemporary and relevant issues in Indo-Pak relations.
Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said in a statement that Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale was called to hand over a letter of invitation for talks.
The Foreign Secretary called in the Indian High Commissioner this afternoon [Monday] and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan, Zakaria said.
12:47
SC directs Unitech to refund Rs 15 crores to investors in Gurgaon project, asks to pay Rs 5 crore in 2 weeks & balance by end September: ANI
12:19 Nargis Fakhri robbed of Rs 6 lakh in credit card fraud
Actor and model Nargis Fakhri has lost Rs 6 lakh to fraudulent credit card transactions made in the United States, according to news reports.
The actress, who was recently seen in Dishoom, discovered that her card details had been compromised when she received a notification on her phone, alerting her that $9,062 (Rs 6,06,519) had been swiped -- even though her card was with her at the time.
Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, a police official surmised that it was a case of data theft and was quoted as saying, "We suspect the fraud might have been committed outside India as the transaction is in dollars. We are trying to ascertain the point of sale, location and other details."
12:15 Cisco Systems to lay off about 14,000 employees: report
Reuters reports: Cisco Systems Inc is laying off about 14,000 employees, representing nearly 20 percent of the network equipment maker's global workforce, technology news site CRN reported, citing sources close to the company.
San Jose, California-based Cisco is expected to announce the cuts within the next few weeks, the report said, as the company transition from its hardware roots into a software-centric organization.
Apart from Cisco, the other tech giants, which have announced job cuts in the face of PC industry decline in recent years, are Microsoft Corp, HP Inc and Intel Corp.
Microsoft Corp kicked off one of the largest layoffs in Tech history in July 2014 after it said it would slash 18,000 jobs.
12:00 Man blackmails Minister V K Singh's wife, demands Rs 2 crore
Union Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh's wife has claimed that she is being blackmailed.
Bharti Singh has reportedly received phone calls from a relative's friend named Pradip Chauhan, demanding Rs 2 crore.
Chauhan has allegedly threatened her that he would release some audio and video clips on social media platforms, which would bring shame to her family.
While a complaint has been registered at the Tughlaq Road Police Station in the national capital, the Delhi Police has remained tight-lipped about the case.
Image: A copy of the police complaint filed by V K Singh's wife, Bharti
11:54 Tim Cook, the interview: Running Apple 'is sort of a lonely job'
Apple's CEO talks iPhones, AI, privacy, civil rights, missteps, China, taxes, Steve Jobs -- and steers right past the car rumors. Read more
11:53 Amnesty case: NGO moves SC against 'misuse' of sedition laws
Two day after Amnesty International India was booked on the charge of sedition, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court against the 'misuse and misapplication' of sedition laws.
According to ANI, a petition has been moved by the NGO Common Cause, seeking urgent intervention of the apex court.
"The Petition filed through Advocate Prashant Bhushan alleges that the Sedition charges are framed against Citizens with a view to instil fear and to scuttle dissent and are in complete violation of the scope of sedition as laid down by a constitution bench of Supreme Court in Kedar nath v State of Bihar [1962 Supp. (2) S.C.R. 769], which is the locus classicus on the interpretation of sedition," reported LiveLaw.com.
Local police in Bengaluru had slapped sedition charges against Amnesty International India on Monday following allegations that anti-India slogans were raised at the event, organised by it, during a discussion on Kashmir issue.
11:38 Ola shuts down TaxiForSure
Ola has shut down its TaxiForSure business and has laid off 700 employees, according to three people directly aware of the developments at India's largest cab aggregator. This move comes nearly an year and half after Ola acquired its crosstown rival TaxiForSure for $200 million in order to gain market leadership against rival Uber, the most-valuable startup in the world. Read more
11:36 Happy New Year!
New year greetings to the our Parsi readers!
On the eve of Parsi New Year, President Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings to all his Parsi brothers and sisters. "On the auspicious occasion of the Parsi New Year, I convey my greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens, particularly my Parsi brothers and sisters. The Parsi Community of India has played a major role in the building of our nation and contributed immensely to the development of our country in various spheres, including industry, commerce, trade and education. The Navroz festival signifies the coming of the new and passing of the old. Let us spread goodwill on this day and work hard to make our nation united, secure and prosperous [sic]," Mukherjee posted on his official Facebook page ahead of the new year celebrations.
On the eve of Parsi New Year, President Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings to all his Parsi brothers and sisters. "On the auspicious occasion of the Parsi New Year, I convey my greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens, particularly my Parsi brothers and sisters. The Parsi Community of India has played a major role in the building of our nation and contributed immensely to the development of our country in various spheres, including industry, commerce, trade and education. The Navroz festival signifies the coming of the new and passing of the old. Let us spread goodwill on this day and work hard to make our nation united, secure and prosperous [sic]," Mukherjee posted on his official Facebook page ahead of the new year celebrations.
11:20
The Supreme Court issues a notice to the Maharashtra Govt on a petition seeking possession of cattle meat be declared illegal in the state.
10:56 PM's I-Day speech claim on village electrification is not true
During the course of 93-minute speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day, PM Narendra Modi spoke among other things, about the success of the government's rural electrification programme.
He even named the village in Hathras, called Nagla Fatela, and said, It takes only three hours to reach Nagla Fatela. But it took 70 years for electricity to reach there.
Modis official Twitter handle @PMOIndia tweeted a photo of a group of people allegedly sitting in Nagla Fatela village and watching his speech on a TV set. His tweet said, People of Nagla Phatela watching the Independence Day celebrations for the first time. More power to them. :)
An enthusiastic union power minister, Piyush Goyal, tweeted not one but several photos of people watching Independence Day celebrations claiming that they were in in the newly electrified villages.
On the ground, in the village, however, this statement came as a surprise to residents, who said the images were not from their village.
Villagers said that while poles had been set up and electricity metres installed in the houses but there was still no power supply
The village head of Nagla Fatela said, No programme was organised in our village. The picture with children watching the Independence Day programme does not belong to our village.
Faced with widespread embarrassment, the PIB today issued a clarification titled Electrification of village Nagla Fatela, Hathras facts at a glance. It read: Electrification of said village was proposed by the UP government under 12th plan of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted through a state-level steering committee, headed by the chief secretary of the state on 13.11.2013. For this village, the DPR proposed connections to all households, including creation of infrastructure
He even named the village in Hathras, called Nagla Fatela, and said, It takes only three hours to reach Nagla Fatela. But it took 70 years for electricity to reach there.
Modis official Twitter handle @PMOIndia tweeted a photo of a group of people allegedly sitting in Nagla Fatela village and watching his speech on a TV set. His tweet said, People of Nagla Phatela watching the Independence Day celebrations for the first time. More power to them. :)
An enthusiastic union power minister, Piyush Goyal, tweeted not one but several photos of people watching Independence Day celebrations claiming that they were in in the newly electrified villages.
On the ground, in the village, however, this statement came as a surprise to residents, who said the images were not from their village.
Villagers said that while poles had been set up and electricity metres installed in the houses but there was still no power supply
The village head of Nagla Fatela said, No programme was organised in our village. The picture with children watching the Independence Day programme does not belong to our village.
Faced with widespread embarrassment, the PIB today issued a clarification titled Electrification of village Nagla Fatela, Hathras facts at a glance. It read: Electrification of said village was proposed by the UP government under 12th plan of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted through a state-level steering committee, headed by the chief secretary of the state on 13.11.2013. For this village, the DPR proposed connections to all households, including creation of infrastructure
10:26 When an Olympic runner stopped to help competitor...
If you haven't been following the Rio Olympics, make an exception and read this heartwarming story. In a games marred by accusations of doping, crowd hostility and ill-will between nations, a New Zealand and US athlete have been praised for embodying Olympic spirit . This was a moment that helped to restore faith in the ideals of sportsmanship. Do read
09:59 Poof! North Korea diplomat in UK defects to 'third country'
North Koreas deputy ambassador in London has defected with his family, according to media reports, which if confirmed would make it one of the most high-profile defections in recent years from the increasingly isolated country.
South Koreas JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported on Tuesday that a high-profile diplomat in the UK defected with his wife and son to a third country. The BBC named the defector as veteran diplomat Thae Yong Ho, a counsellor at the North Korean embassy and deputy to the ambassador.
Quoting an unnamed source, JoongAng Ilbo said the diplomat embarked on a defection journey following a scrupulous plan and was in the process of landing in a third country as an asylum seeker.
It was not clear from the newspaper report whether the third country was the UK. The term is usually used in South Korean media to refer to a country which is neither North nor South Korea.
An official at the North Korean embassy in London would not confirm the defection, describing reports of the event as quite sudden. If it is appropriate to give a response, then you might hear about our response, the official told Reuters.
Further calls to the embassy went unanswered. Calls to Thaes mobile phone were redirected to a voicemail inbox.
Thaes reported defection follows a string of recent such flights by North Koreans, including 12 waitresses at a North Korean restaurant in China who defected to South Korea earlier this year.
South Koreas JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported on Tuesday that a high-profile diplomat in the UK defected with his wife and son to a third country. The BBC named the defector as veteran diplomat Thae Yong Ho, a counsellor at the North Korean embassy and deputy to the ambassador.
Quoting an unnamed source, JoongAng Ilbo said the diplomat embarked on a defection journey following a scrupulous plan and was in the process of landing in a third country as an asylum seeker.
It was not clear from the newspaper report whether the third country was the UK. The term is usually used in South Korean media to refer to a country which is neither North nor South Korea.
An official at the North Korean embassy in London would not confirm the defection, describing reports of the event as quite sudden. If it is appropriate to give a response, then you might hear about our response, the official told Reuters.
Further calls to the embassy went unanswered. Calls to Thaes mobile phone were redirected to a voicemail inbox.
Thaes reported defection follows a string of recent such flights by North Koreans, including 12 waitresses at a North Korean restaurant in China who defected to South Korea earlier this year.
09:47 On paper, electrified villages in reality, darkness
The Centre claims to be fulfilling the Prime Minister's plan for full rural electrification. But a close check of its own real-time data shows that the gap between official claims and ground reality is stark. Read the story here.
09:33 Rs 24 cr pumped into Kashmir to keep it on the boil: Reports
As fresh clashes are reported between protesters and security forces in the Kashmir Valley, a top government official told NDTV that about Rs 24 crore has been poured into keeping the unrest seething in the last three weeks.
The official, among those handling Kashmir affairs at the centre, alleged that much of the money from across the border has been routed to mid and senior-level functionaries of pro-Pakistan separatist groups operating in Kashmir like the Jammat e Islami and the Dukhtranan-e-Millat, headed by Asiya Andrabi.
The government, sources said, does not expect the unrest to die down soon. "With the kind of money being pumped in it is unlikely that protests will die down. The youth of the valley are being paid to continue with protests and attacking security forces," top government sources said.
The official, among those handling Kashmir affairs at the centre, alleged that much of the money from across the border has been routed to mid and senior-level functionaries of pro-Pakistan separatist groups operating in Kashmir like the Jammat e Islami and the Dukhtranan-e-Millat, headed by Asiya Andrabi.
The government, sources said, does not expect the unrest to die down soon. "With the kind of money being pumped in it is unlikely that protests will die down. The youth of the valley are being paid to continue with protests and attacking security forces," top government sources said.
09:25
Four Naxals killed in encounter with police in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district
09:24 All eyes on shuttler Srikanth after Sindhu's inspiring win
Kidambi Srikanth, the centre of attention in the Rio Olympics today, can take heart from Hyderabad city mate P V Sindhu for his men's singles quarterfinal clash against Chinese badminton icon Lin Dan in Rio.
Sindhu's stunning straight-game victory over formidable Chinese shuttler Wang Yihan on day 11 yesterday to reach the semis is the ideal morale boost for Srikanth as he confronts two-time Olympic champion Dan.
With the memorable win, Sindhu became the second Indian badminton player to reach an Olympic semifinal after Saina Nehwal achieved the feat four years ago. Sindhu's highly inspirational 22-20 21-19 victory over the current world no 2 and silver medal winner in London four years ago has boosted the country's sagging hopes of a medal from the Games.
The 21-year-old Indian now stands just a win away from assuring India an elusive medal at the Games.
Sindhu's stunning straight-game victory over formidable Chinese shuttler Wang Yihan on day 11 yesterday to reach the semis is the ideal morale boost for Srikanth as he confronts two-time Olympic champion Dan.
With the memorable win, Sindhu became the second Indian badminton player to reach an Olympic semifinal after Saina Nehwal achieved the feat four years ago. Sindhu's highly inspirational 22-20 21-19 victory over the current world no 2 and silver medal winner in London four years ago has boosted the country's sagging hopes of a medal from the Games.
The 21-year-old Indian now stands just a win away from assuring India an elusive medal at the Games.
09:11 'Art Of Living Event completely destroyed Yamuna floodplains'
The 'World Culture Festival' extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AOL) on Yamuna has 'completely destroyed' the riverbed, an expert committee has told by the National Green Tribunal.
"The committee observes that entire floodplain area used for the main event site i.e. between DND flyover and the Barapulla drain (on the right bank of river Yamuna) has been completely destroyed, not simply damaged. The ground is now totally levelled, compacted and hardened and is totally devoid of water bodies or depressions and almost completely devoid of any vegetation. "
"The committee observes that entire floodplain area used for the main event site i.e. between DND flyover and the Barapulla drain (on the right bank of river Yamuna) has been completely destroyed, not simply damaged. The ground is now totally levelled, compacted and hardened and is totally devoid of water bodies or depressions and almost completely devoid of any vegetation. "
09:05 Modi's Baloch gambit
Three months after the government concluded that its risk-fraught intervention in the Uighur separatist movement had reaped a security harvest with China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided last week that wading into Balochistan from the Red Fort on Independence Day was potentially less risky, yet worth the attempt.
The government's carefully considered twin decisions to fish in the troubled separatist waters of China first and now Pakistan also mark the culmination of a two-year-long ideological struggle in Modi's inner circle between an interventionist line in neighbourhood diplomacy and the continuation of status quo. Read more
The government's carefully considered twin decisions to fish in the troubled separatist waters of China first and now Pakistan also mark the culmination of a two-year-long ideological struggle in Modi's inner circle between an interventionist line in neighbourhood diplomacy and the continuation of status quo. Read more
08:44 Army chief heads to Jammu to take stock of situation
As violence continued in the Kashmir Valley, Army chief General Dalbir Suhag will visit Jammu today to take stock of the situation.
Incidentally, Eastern Command chief Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, who is slated to be the next Army chief, will also be present in Jammu today.
Defence sources said Lt Gen Bakshi will be there to participate in a regimental ceremony but could take part in the review meeting.
General Suhag will be meeting Northern Army commander Lt Gen D S Hooda and other top security officials.
Five persons were killed and several others injured in security forces action against stone-pelting protesters in Budgam and Anantnag districts of Kashmir today where normal life remained paralysed for the 39th consecutive day due to curfew, restrictions and separatist-sponsored strike.
08:43 Will Dawood attend nephew's wedding via Skype?
Dawood Ibrahim's nephew Alishah Parkar will tie the knot in Mumbai today even as the Mumbai Police and other security agencies are going to keep a close watch on the event, which is likely to be attended by the mob boss via Skype.
Alishah, son of Dawood's late sister Hasina Parkar, will marry Aisha Nagani, daughter of a city-based businessman at a hotel in the metropolis.
Police sources said Dawood is likely to attend the function via 'Skype'.
Mumbai Police's Crime Branch has asked the anti-extortion cell to keep a hawk-eye vigil on the events.
"Police will keep a close watch on the proceedings as there is a possibility of rival gangsters trying to disturb the peace," a senior police official said.
Alishah's elder brother Danish had died in a road accident in 2006, while his sister Umaira got married in May last year.
08:33 Russia stripped of 2008 relay title over doping
Russia was stripped of its 4x100m women's sprint relay title from the 2008 Beijing Olympics after team member Yulia Chermoshanskaya failed a doping re-test.
"The Russian Federation team is disqualified from the women's 4x100m relay," the International Olympic Committee said in a statement announcing Chermoshanskaya's failure yesterday.
Chermoshanskaya, now 30, tested positive for two banned substances after samples from 2008 were re-analysed using more advanced detection techiques.
Belgium finished second behind Russia in the 2008 race at Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' stadium, with Nigeria third and Brazil in fourth position.
Chermoshanskaya also had her eighth-place finish in the women's 200m annulled because of her newly revealed doping offence.
08:17 Terrorists ambush Army convoy in Baramullah; 3 dead
Two army men and a cop were killed while three other security personnel were injured in a terrorist attack in Baramulla district of Kashmir, police said.
Militants ambushed an army convoy at Khwajabagh in Baramulla at 2.30 am on Wednesday, a police official said.
He said two soldiers were killed and two others were injured.
"One policeman was also killed while another cop was injured as their vehicle also came under attack by the militants," the official said.
He said a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot.
04:06 8 killed, 40,000 homes affected in Louisiana floods
The death toll from historic flooding in the United States state of Louisiana went up to eight on Tuesday, as the expanding flood zone prompted authorities to declare disasters in a dozen parishes.
While waters were receding in parts of southern Louisiana,other areas were seeing rising waters. The National Weather Service issued renewed flood warnings.
"We're seeing unprecedented flood levels as the waters move south," Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said at a news conference.
Officials said 40,000 homes have been impacted by the floods, and more than 8,000 people were in shelters.
More than 20,000 have been rescued or evacuated, they said.
A dozen parishes -- similar to counties in other states --have now been declared emergency disaster areas, up from four on Monday.
Waters were receding in some northern and western areas of the flood zone, while other areas were still in an active emergency, the governor said.
IMAGE: Residents use a boat to navigate through flood waters in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters
While waters were receding in parts of southern Louisiana,other areas were seeing rising waters. The National Weather Service issued renewed flood warnings.
"We're seeing unprecedented flood levels as the waters move south," Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said at a news conference.
Officials said 40,000 homes have been impacted by the floods, and more than 8,000 people were in shelters.
More than 20,000 have been rescued or evacuated, they said.
A dozen parishes -- similar to counties in other states --have now been declared emergency disaster areas, up from four on Monday.
Waters were receding in some northern and western areas of the flood zone, while other areas were still in an active emergency, the governor said.
IMAGE: Residents use a boat to navigate through flood waters in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters
03:05 Smoking banned in Darjeeling, for tourists too
The West Bengal government has banned smoking in public places and sale of tobacco products to minors in Darjeeling district failing of which would draw a fine of Rs 200.
Stating that the ban was in force in the Hills as per Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) in 2003, District Magistrate Anurag Srivastava said that the administration has started its implementation from the Independence Day.
"It (ban on smoking in public places) was in place but the implementation was not done properly. Now on the directive from the Health department we started implementing the ban in the district from yesterday (on Monday)," he said.
Elaborating more on the ban, the DM said the sale of tobacco products to minors would be a punishable offence while sale of tobacco products would not be allowed within 100 metres of an educational institution.
"Not only the locals, this (ban) goes for tourists also. Anybody found smoking in public places will be fined Rs 200. And nobody will be allowed to sell tobacco-related products like cigarettes to minors below 18 years," Srivastava said, adding that manufactures of tobacco products should adhere to the norm related to warnings on packages.
As per the COTPA, failing of adhering to the norm related to warnings on packages, the manufacturer of tobacco products on first conviction can face up to 2 years of imprisonment or can be fined Rs 5,000.
Stating that the ban was in force in the Hills as per Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) in 2003, District Magistrate Anurag Srivastava said that the administration has started its implementation from the Independence Day.
"It (ban on smoking in public places) was in place but the implementation was not done properly. Now on the directive from the Health department we started implementing the ban in the district from yesterday (on Monday)," he said.
Elaborating more on the ban, the DM said the sale of tobacco products to minors would be a punishable offence while sale of tobacco products would not be allowed within 100 metres of an educational institution.
"Not only the locals, this (ban) goes for tourists also. Anybody found smoking in public places will be fined Rs 200. And nobody will be allowed to sell tobacco-related products like cigarettes to minors below 18 years," Srivastava said, adding that manufactures of tobacco products should adhere to the norm related to warnings on packages.
As per the COTPA, failing of adhering to the norm related to warnings on packages, the manufacturer of tobacco products on first conviction can face up to 2 years of imprisonment or can be fined Rs 5,000.
02:15 Seven civilians dead as Yemen rocket hits Saudi
A rocket fired by Yemeni rebels killed seven civilians inside Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the civil defence agency said.
It was the highest reported number of civilian casualties in the kingdom's south since a Saudi-led coalition intervened 17 months ago in Yemen.
"It killed four citizens and three residents," the civil defence spokesman in Najran city said of the rocket strike, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
He said emergency personnel were called at 5:00 pm after a report of 'a military rocket that had been fired from Yemen landing in Najran city'.
Social media video purportedly from the scene showed fires burning and the ground strewn with debris across a wide area.
Two men lay apparently dead, one with blood pouring from beneath his head, beside a pickup truck.
Image used for representation only.
"Najran is sad and hurt today," one local resident told AFP.
"We are worried but we are not afraid," he said, adding that the city has been targeted before. The rocket hit a busy industrial-commercial area where many garages are located.
It was the highest reported number of civilian casualties in the kingdom's south since a Saudi-led coalition intervened 17 months ago in Yemen.
"It killed four citizens and three residents," the civil defence spokesman in Najran city said of the rocket strike, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
He said emergency personnel were called at 5:00 pm after a report of 'a military rocket that had been fired from Yemen landing in Najran city'.
Social media video purportedly from the scene showed fires burning and the ground strewn with debris across a wide area.
Two men lay apparently dead, one with blood pouring from beneath his head, beside a pickup truck.
Image used for representation only.
"Najran is sad and hurt today," one local resident told AFP.
"We are worried but we are not afraid," he said, adding that the city has been targeted before. The rocket hit a busy industrial-commercial area where many garages are located.
01:10 Shiv Sena holds protest rally in support of Balochistan and PoK in Jammu
Shiv Sena and Dogra Front took out a 'pro-Balochistan and pro-Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir' rally in Jammu to express support to the people of both the regions in 'their fight and struggle' for 'independence from Pakistan'.
"People of countries who live in glass houses should not pelt stones on others. In Balochistan, the Baluch organisations brought down the Pakistan flag and waved the Baluchistan flag, demanding freedom of Baluchistan from Pakistan against its highhandedness, inhumane behavior, human rights violations and no development since independence," president of local Shiv Sena unit, Ashok Gupta said.
"The region of PoK is a high casualty area for the civilians as the people of PoK have no rights and when they demand it they are beaten and killed by the Pakistani Army," he said.
"On the day of the Pakistani Independence, the people of Balochistan raised slogans against the Pakistan demanding independence from the terror haven Pakistan," Gupta said. He said Inter-Services Intelligence was 'supporting' and 'financing' people in Jammu and Kashmir to project Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani as a 'martyr'.
"People of countries who live in glass houses should not pelt stones on others. In Balochistan, the Baluch organisations brought down the Pakistan flag and waved the Baluchistan flag, demanding freedom of Baluchistan from Pakistan against its highhandedness, inhumane behavior, human rights violations and no development since independence," president of local Shiv Sena unit, Ashok Gupta said.
"The region of PoK is a high casualty area for the civilians as the people of PoK have no rights and when they demand it they are beaten and killed by the Pakistani Army," he said.
"On the day of the Pakistani Independence, the people of Balochistan raised slogans against the Pakistan demanding independence from the terror haven Pakistan," Gupta said. He said Inter-Services Intelligence was 'supporting' and 'financing' people in Jammu and Kashmir to project Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani as a 'martyr'.
00:26 Army chief to Visit Jammu today to review security
Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir 16 Corps Headquarters on Wednesday to review security situation in the state.
The visit comes against the backdrop of ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
"Army Chief is visiting 16 Corps HQS at Nagrota in Jammu and will hold an internal review on security," a senior officer said.
After the meeting with commanders in the region, he will fly back in the evening, the officer said.
The visit comes against the backdrop of ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
"Army Chief is visiting 16 Corps HQS at Nagrota in Jammu and will hold an internal review on security," a senior officer said.
After the meeting with commanders in the region, he will fly back in the evening, the officer said.
00:13 Bomb hoax at Red Fort a day after I-Day
A day after Independence Day, a phone call of a bomb planted at Red Fort sent the police and security agencies in a tizzy, which searched the premises thoroughly on Tuesday.
The phone call of a bomb kept at Lal Qila (Red Fort) was received by police control room at around 4.15 pm. Teams of Delhi Police and security agencies rushed to the spot and searched the premises for the bomb, a senior police officer.
After search, nothing was found and the call was found to be a hoax at around 8 pm. The caller, who was reportedly mentally unstable, was identified as a resident of north east Delhi, he said.
The Rajghat was also sanitised by the police as a precautionary measure, the officer said.
However, no specific call about any explosives at Rajghat was received but the step was taken as a precautionary measure, he added.
The phone call of a bomb kept at Lal Qila (Red Fort) was received by police control room at around 4.15 pm. Teams of Delhi Police and security agencies rushed to the spot and searched the premises for the bomb, a senior police officer.
After search, nothing was found and the call was found to be a hoax at around 8 pm. The caller, who was reportedly mentally unstable, was identified as a resident of north east Delhi, he said.
The Rajghat was also sanitised by the police as a precautionary measure, the officer said.
However, no specific call about any explosives at Rajghat was received but the step was taken as a precautionary measure, he added.
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Art of Living event 'completely destroyed' Yamuna floodplains, NGT told
Gujarat: 22 people arrested for attack on Dalits
Nawaz Sharif vows to support struggle of Kashmiri people
Going to Pakistan is same as going to hell: Parrikar
Army's Kashmir Corps commander briefs Governor on situation in the Valley
Indian Railways to run magnetic trains soon
Final goodbye to CRPF officer killed in Srinagar attack on Independence Day
M J Akbar rings the closing bell at Nasdaq
Read yesterday's commentary HERE
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