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Sat, 10 December 2016
Modiji, people are tired of monologues: Rahul

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21:21   Pak cricketer takes female guest to room, let off with warning
A current Pakistan cricketer has escaped punishment and embarrassment during the Bangladesh Premier League when he was let off with a warning after he took a female to his hotel room in Chittagong who was on the watch list of the local anti-corruption sleuths. 

The allrounder, who has done extremely well for Pakistan in recent limited over games, was pulled up by the organizers with another overseas player from another country when security officials found a female guest in his room. 

"The organizers had advised the players to not invite female guests to their rooms. In the case of this Pakistani player he was advised in particular about a foreign national girl who was on the watch list of the anti-corruption sleuths in the BPL," one source aware of the developments said.

The source said the player had still invited the same girl to his room and the security staff had to ask him sternly to kick her out.
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21:18   Modiji, people are tired of monologues: Rahul
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to face Parliament and answer the questions raised by MPs, saying people are tired of his "monologues". 

Gandhi's attack came soon after Modi slammed the opposition for not allowing him to speak in the Lok Sabha forcing him to speak out in 'jan sabha' (public rallies).

"Modiji, people are tired of monologues. I urge you to honestly face the Parliament and answer our questions," Gandhi tweeted.

Modi, while speaking at a public rally in Deesa in Gujarat, targeted the opposition for disrupting Parliament over demonetisation, noting that even the President was unhappy with their conduct. 

"Opposition is not allowing me to speak in Lok Sabha, so, I have decided to speak in 'jan sabha'. But, whenever I would get a chance, I will try to represent the voice of 125 crore people in Lok Sabha," Modi said at a rally, in a retort to the opposition leaders accusing him of running away from speaking on demonetisation in Parliament. 
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20:52   Andaman: Evacuation ends, all 2168 tourists rescued
The National Disaster Management Authority on Saturday announced evacuation of total 2168 tourists who were stranded in Neil and Havelock Islands here.

National Disaster Management Authority informed that the evacuation process has officially been completed with all the tourists being evacuated safely to Port Blair.

As per initial reports, 2376 tourists were said to have been evacuated.

Among the tourists were 12 foreigners including two German, Four Spanish, and one Israeli.

The Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Union Territory administration brought back all the tourists to Port Blair in a joint evacuation drive.
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19:55  
Police seize Rs 4.15 lakh in fake tenders of 2,000, 100 notes along with printer and scanner in Punjab's Sangrur; 4 held, reports PTI
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19:28   TN govt decides: Rs 15 cr memorial, recommend Jaya for Bharat Ratna
Resolutions passed in Tamil Nadu cabinet meeting: 

* MGR memorial will be renamed to 'Bharat Ratna Dr MGR and Jayalalithaa' memorial.

* Jayalalithaa memorial to be built at a cost of Rs 15 crore

* Recommend Centre to bestow Bharat Ratna on Jayalalithaa.

* Request central government to install a bronze statue inside Parliament campus.
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19:23   SP leader booked for issuing threats to Modi, Shah
A youth leader of ruling Samajwadi Party, who had announced a reward for physically harming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, was booked today even as he tendered an apology, saying he made the remarks "in a fit of rage".

A video in circulation on social media shows Tarun Dev Yadav, former Baghpat unit president of SP youth wing, purportedly announcing an award for physically harming the Prime Minister and the BJP president. 

Yadav, who is seen daring Modi and Shah to hold a rally in Baghpat in western UP, targeted them over the 2002 Gujarat riots and demonetisation.

He had issued a statement on December 7 on a letterhead of SP former district president of youth wing in this regard. An FIR has been filed against Yadav under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 106 (Right of private defence against deadly assault) and further action will be taken after proper investigations, Baghpat Superintendent of Police Shankar Rai said.

When contacted, Yadav claimed that he had "issued the statement in a fit of rage" and also offered an apology later for the same but electronic media has been ignoring it.
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18:44   Colombian President Santos collects his Peace Nobel
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his resolute efforts to bring the country's more than 50-year-long civil war to an end -- a war that has cost the lives of at least 220,000 Colombians -- accepted his award at Oslo, Norway on Saturday.

In his acceptance speech he said: 

"I must confess to you that this news came as if it were a gift from heaven. At a time when our ship felt adrift, the Nobel Prize was the tailwind that helped us to reach our destination: the port of peace!

"Thank you; thank you very much for this vote of confidence and faith in the future of my country.

"Today, distinguished members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, I come to tell you and, through you, the international community that we achieved our goal. We reached our port.

"Today, we have a new agreement for ending the armed conflict with the FARC, which incorporates the majority of the proposals we received.

"This new agreement was signed two weeks ago, and it was endorsed last week by our Congress, by an overwhelming majority, so that it can be incorporated into our laws. The long-awaited process of implementation has begun, with the invaluable support of the United Nations."

Read his full acceptance speech HERE

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18:28   Tyagi incident adversely affects IAF's reputation: Chief Arup Raha
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Saturday said that former air force chief SP Tyagi's involvement in the AgustaWestland scam is unfortunate and would adversely affect the reputation of the Indian Air Force. 

"It is a very unfortunate episode and the incident adversely acts on the reputation of a very professional force that is the Indian Air Force. I am sure that law of the land and the judicial system will dwell into it and finally deal with the subject," he said.

Air Chief Marshal Raha assured that the Indian Air Force will correct every error quickly and will serve the nation to best of its ability. 

"I can rest assure you the Indian Air Force and the armed forces will continue to serve the nation to best of its abilities and if anything is wrong, we will correct it quickly," he added.

Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi (retd) was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday, along with his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, for their alleged involvement in the Rs. 3,700-crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam. They have been accused of routing kickbacks.
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17:54   After an earthquake, Cong came down from 440 to 44: Naidu
Naidu attacks Rahul Gandhi over his earthquake remark
New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) 

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today hit back at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi over his earthquake remark saying a previous quake had brought the strength of his party from 440 to 44 in the Lok Sabha. 

Naidu said that Parliament is the best forum to debate and Opposition should hear the government and say what it wants to say there. And if they are still not convinced they can go to people and agitate.

"Without even either going to the people, nor allowing people's representatives to be heard in the House, you are obstructing. That is why I say you are committing a contempt of democracy, you are committing a contempt of democracy and contempt of Parliament," Naidu said.

Referring to Gandhi's remark that if he is allowed to speak there will be an earthquake, Naidu asked what message does the Congress Vice President wants to send.

"Simply by verbal threatening, If I speak there will be an earthquake, what example is this? What sort of message do you want to convey to the people, that there will be an earthquake in the Parliament. After an earthquake, Congress came down from 440 to 44," Naidu said. 
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17:50  
Former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi and other accused sent to CBI remand till Dec 14 by Delhi Court in AgustaWestland case
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17:50  
NITI Aayog requests National Payment Corporation of India to conceptualise and launch a new scheme to incentivize digital payments.
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16:35   Chopper deal was a collective decision: SP Tyagi's counsel
Former Air Force chief SP Tyagi, who was arrested by the CBI on Friday for alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, has been produced before a Delhi court.

Tyagi tells the court:

* I am not a lawyer so I dont understand the need for arrest, but I am not going anywhere.

* Can account for my agricultural land purchase. In this nation, if you're arrested you're arrested. You're on TV channels, says 

S P Tyagi's counsel says: 

* Procurement of chopper deal was a collective decision.

* There has to be specific purpose for custodial interrogation... When you (CBI) have I-T returns filed by family members (of Tyagi), why the arrest now?

* Remand papers say the CBI is seeking custody to follow money trail and transfer of funds through 'banking channels'. If banking channels have not been investigated what will the CBI do now? The arrest is only to use third-degree on the accused. Gautam Khaitan wasnt even questioned by the CBI yesterday.
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16:23   Cash crunch to escalate during three-day bank holiday
With banks closed for three consecutive days from today and ATMs in the city still not functioning to full capacity, the ongoing cash crisis may escalate further leaving residents high and dry for want of cash during the weekend.

Customers are venting anger as most of the ATMs are running dry. As banks remained closed, long to moderate queues were seen outside different cash-loaded ATMs, while some ATMs continued to flash 'ATM Closed' placard. 

Citizens who stood by government's decision to demonetise high denomination notes earlier, are now running out of patience following reports that huge amount of cash in new currency is being seized by the Income Tax and police authorities across the country.

"This is really shocking and shameful that a common man is dying in the bank and ATM queue to get Rs 2,000 and Rs 10,000 but the high and mighty are stashing cash of over Rs 60 crores and Rs 80 crores ... where are these notes coming from? Can this be possible without nexus of bank officials," a former banker from Indian Bank said while letting out his aggression.

Due to the holidays starting from December 10, all the banks would remain closed for three consecutive days. December 10 being a second Saturday, December 11 being Sunday and December 12 being Milad-un-Nabi, Prophet's Birthday.
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15:50  
Sushma Swaraj's kidney transplant surgery at AIIMS ends. Surgery was successful, ANI reports.


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15:06  
AgustaWestland case: CBI asks for 10 days police custody of Former Air Chief SP Tyagi, Gautam Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi
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14:43   AP govt braces to face cyclone Vardah
With severe cyclone Vardah expected to cross the Bay of Bengal coast in the next two days, the Andhra Pradesh government today placed the administrative machinery in SPS Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts on high alert to meet any eventuality. 

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu conducted a teleconference with officials of different departments this morning and directed them to take all precautionary  measures.

"I have cancelled my trip to the Gulf (scheduled to begin tomorrow). I will constantly monitor the situation," he told the officials.

The cyclone is currently 840 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam. The sea continued to be very rough around the Andhra coast, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

It moved west-northwestwards in the past few hours at the speed of 17 kmph. The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further during the next 24 hours, the NDMA said.

According to the weather forecast, the cyclone may make a landfall somewhere between Kavali and Machilipatnam and under its impact rainfall is likely in the south coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.
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14:06   PM has no solution except giving 'bhashan': Mamata
Continuing her criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetisation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said except giving 'bhashan', he has no solution to the move that has "derailed". 

"Modi babu knows that #DeMonetisation (is) now derailed. Except giving bhashan (lecture), he has no solution," she said in a tweet immediately after Modi's speech at a public meeting in Banaskantha in Gujarat.

Banejee had on Thursday said Modi must resign because the move has led to "economic disaster" in the country and that he has "no moral right" to continue.

Alleging that the country's growth and business were hit due to demonetisation, she had said the prime minister "doesn't trust" anyone and "doesn't understand" what is good for the country. 
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14:05   US is sending 200 more troops to Syria to battle IS
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today that as many as 200 more American troops are being sent to Syria to help Kurdish and Arab fighters capture the Islamic State group's key stronghold of Raqqa. 

The extra troops will include special operations forces and are in addition to 300 US troops already authorized for the effort to recruit, organise, train and advise local Syrian forces to combat IS. 

Addressing a security conference in Bahrain, Carter said the extra troops will help the local forces in their anticipated push to retake Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist group's self-styled caliphate, and to deny sanctuary to IS after Raqqa is captured. 

He said President Barack Obama approved the troop additions last week. 

"These uniquely skilled operators will join the 300 US special operations forces already in Syria, to continue organizing, training, equipping, and otherwise enabling capable, motivated, local forces to take the fight to ISIL," Carter said in his address to the IISS Manama Dialogues in the Bahraini capital, Manama.
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13:59   280 persons died of 'shock' over Jaya's demise so far: AIADMK
The ruling AIADMK today released a list of 203 deceased persons, saying they died of "shock" over the demise of party supremo and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5, taking the number of toll in this regard to 280.

The party headquarters released the list containing the names of 203 such deceased persons from different parts of the state, including Chennai, Vellore, Tiruvallore,
Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Krishnagiri, Erode and Tirupur districts.

The party condoled their death and announced a welfare fund of Rs three lakh each to families of the deceased. 

Earlier, the party had said that 77 persons had died of shock and grief following Jayalalithaa's death and announced a similar sum as relief to the dead persons' families.

The number of people having died of shock over Jayalalithaa's death stands at 280 now. 
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13:59  
Income Tax department seize Rs 7,20,000 in new Rs 2000 currency notes from Bhilwara, Rajasthan
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13:58  
Industrialist Pawan Ruia arrested in Delhi by West Bengal CID in connection with the Jessop factory fire case
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13:47  
Sworn in as Tamil Nadu chief minister after demise of Jayalalithaa, O Panneerselvam holds his first Cabinet meet at secretariat in Chennai.

Photograph: ANI
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12:50   India abstains from voting on UNGA resolution on Syria
India along with 35 other nations abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in the war-ravaged country. 

The Canada-led resolution, which expressed "outrage" at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, was adopted by a vote of 122 in favour, 13 against and 36 abstentions on Friday. 

Indian diplomatic sources said that India abstained from voting on the resolution in line with its traditional approach that it does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.

The sources said the resolution had several elements mixed up -- the humanitarian elements mixed with a large amount of political elements, which are "contentious".

"The resolution had elements addressing the humanitarian situation mixed with political viewpoints of the sponsors which made for an uncomfortable cocktail. Consequently we abstained in line with our approach that is for a delineation of humanitarian issues from the politics of a situation," the sources said.

The 193-member Assembly adopted the resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in war-ravaged country. 
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12:26   Criticise me, but teach people electronic banking: PM tells Oppn
More highlights from PM Modi's rally speech in Deesa town:

* Like 100 Rs currency notes have gained in strength, the poor has also been empowered

* India wants to progress. Corruption and black money is slowing our progress and adversely affecting the poor. These evils have to end

* Today your banks and wallets are in your mobile. This is how things have changed. I urge you all to integrate people with e-banking, e-wallets. There is no need to waste your time standing outside banks or ATMs, e-wallets have brought banks to your mobiles.

* You must have seen how bank officials and others who have stashed huge amount of black money are being caught. They thought they can escape through back-channels but they didn't know that Modi has installed cameras in the back-channels as well. I want to assure the people of the country that no one will be spared

* Had asked for 50 days. You will see how things will change. This is a major step to rid the nation from corruption

* Merely talking about the poor is different from working for the poor, something that the NDA government is always doing.

* From the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel I want to share something with my friends in the Opposition. Yes, during elections we have a lot of heated debates. But we all call for increased voter turnout. Likewise, yes, you can oppose me but do teach people about banking, using technology for financial transactions
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12:16   Not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha on note ban: PM
PM Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in Deesa town of Banaskantha district of Gujarat. Highlights:

* Government has always said we are ready to debate. I am not being allowed to speak in Lok Sabha so I am speaking in the Jan Sabha

* Parliament is not being allowed to function. Happenings in Parliament anguished our President, who has tremendous political experience.

* We belong to a nation where we do not think 'what's my interest'. We are not a selfish nation. We think about future generations.

* For 70 years, the honest have been looted. But now I am standing with them & that's why they are being provoked. We are standing with the poor of the nation.

* Who is unhappy with corruption? Not those perpetrating corruption...it is the poor, the common citizens who are unhappy

* With our step on currency notes, we have been successful in weakening the hands of terrorists, those in fake currency rackets

* For how long can poor of India be told to pay for houses in cash. For how long will poor be asked -- you want Pucca bill or Kuccha bill?

* Today everyone in the nation is discussing the issue of currency notes. We took the decision on currency notes to strengthen the hands of the poor of the nation

* Earlier, due to draught farmers committed suicide but changes came & farmers adopted livestock leading to white revolution. Along with 'Shwet Kranti', here there is also a 'Sweet Kranti.' People are being trained in honey products

* When I took over as CM, I would tell farmers that you need to focus on water as much as you focus on electricity. The farmers in Banaskantha heard my request and embraced drip irrigation. This changed their lives and lives of future generations. The farmers here turned to dairy and animal husbandry. This was beneficial for the farmers.

* There was a time when people from Kutch & Banaskantha would leave their homes in search of better opportunities. It is not the case now.

* I am told it is after a very long time that a Prime Minister is visiting Banaskantha. But, I am here not as PM but as a son of this soil.

* If anyone can breathe life into a rigid desert, it's the farmers of North Gujarat. The farmers of North Gujarat have shown to the world what they are capable of
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12:05  
Chennai tax evasion case: Income Tax department seizes Rs 24 crore cash in new currency from Vellore.
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12:00   Sushma to undergo kidney transplant at AIIMS today
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to undergo a kidney transplant at AIIMS on Saturday, with the organ being harvested from a living unrelated donor.

"Living unrelated donor could be anyone who is emotionally attached to the recipient, such as friend, a relative, a neighbour or an in-law. As no suitable donor was available in the immediate family, the transplant will be done with the kidney from a living unrelated donor. As of now the transplant is scheduled to take place this weekend. The clearance from the authorisation committee has been obtained," PTI sources at AIIMS had said on Tuesday, adding that Swaraj's pre-transplant process was complete.

The surgery will be performed by a team of experts constituted by AIIMS.

According to doctors, Swaraj been suffering from diabetes for quite a long time. After the kidney failure diagnosis, she was put on maintenance dialysis. "She undergoes dialysis thrice a week," a senior doctor said.
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11:46   Virat Kohli reaches two major milestones
Indian Test skipper, Virat Kohli's magnificent year with the bat got even better as he went past 1000-run mark in Tests in the year 2016 and also became the 14th Indian to score 4000 runs in the longer format of the game.

The right-hander also became the sixth fastest Indian (in terms of innings taken) to score 4000 runs in Tests.

Kohli is already the highest run-getter of 2016 if all the three international formats are taken into account and this feat is just another feather in the hat of the courageous leader of a young pack.
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11:28   ATM looted, security guard killed in Patna
M I Khan reports from Patna: A security guard was murdered during an ATM robbery by unidentified criminals in Patna early Saturday, police said.

The incident took place at the Central Bank ATM in Mayurna Lok Complex, barely few metres from the Kotwali police station in the heart of Patna.

Angry over the incident, local residents and relatives of the security guard blocked roads and burnt tyres. They demanded the arrest of those behindthe murder and compensation for the family of the victim.

According to police officials, prima facie, it appears that the armed criminals killed the security guard when he resisted their attempt to loot the cash in the ATM.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj told media persons that a probe is underway.

Representative Image
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11:14   2 NDFB(s) terrorists neutralised in Kokrajhar
The army and Assam police on Saturday neutralised two hardcore National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit) terrorists in a joint operation based on specific intelligence in Kokrajhar district.

One AK 47 gun and a pistol along with large quantity of ammunition were recovered by the forces.

Earlier, security forces held a cadre of NDFB(S) from Nabinagar forest village under Kachugaon PS in Kokrajhar district.

Also, a major terror strike was averted following the arrest of two NDFB(S) cadres by the army forces and the state police from Lankeswar in the city.

Image for representation only.
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10:48   Tyagi's arrest: Centre diverting attention from note ban 'fiasco', says Prashant Bhushan
Reacting to the arrest of former Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi in the AugustaWestaland deal, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on Saturday said the Central Bureau of Investigation is acting at the behest of the Centre and wants to divert attention from the demonetisation 'fiasco'.

"All the facts relating to Air Chief Marshal Tyagi are known for more than two years, yet he was not arrested till now. Now, suddenly he has been arrested since this whole fiasco of demonetisation," Bhushan told ANI.

Bhushan further said had the CBI and the Centre been serious about weeding out corruption, then, they should have launched an inquiry into the defence deals done by the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments who have agreements with AugustaWestaland.

"If they are serious about (tackling) corruption, why have they not taken action in similar Augusta Westaland purchases by the Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan governments," he asked.

Asserting that defence deals in India are notorious for corruption and over-pricing, Bhushan said, "Even now, in this Rafale deal, the price of the aircraft was increased more than double where the contract of Rs 58,000 crore was given to Rafale and half of that has been given to Anil Ambani's company which has no experience in defence production."

Bhushan further alleged that the interim CBI director is acting on behest of the Centre who is a handpicked man of Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah.
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10:00   Panneerselvam to chair first cabinet meet today
New Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam will hold a Cabinet meeting on Saturday at the state secretariat.

The meeting will begin at 11.30 am as per the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam sources.

Panneerselvam is expected to adopt a resolution to accord formal sanction for a suitably impressive memorial for Jayalalithaa.

Meanwhile, the chief minister is yet to formally take his seat in his office at the secretariat. -- ANI
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09:33   Shivraj attends wedding of martyr Ramashankar Yadav's daughter
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister attends wedding ceremony of Sonia, daughter of Ramashankar Yadav, the policeman  who was killed in Bhopal jailbreak.

He also gifted her a job appointment letter.

Photograph: @ChouhanShivraj/Twitter
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09:14  
Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh): Locals in ATM queue use serial numbers to avoid scuffle and maintain order.ANI
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09:03   CBI to produce ex-IAF chief Tyagi before court today
The Central Bureau of Investigation will produce before the court today former Air Force chief S P Tyagi and seek his remand after he was arrested yesterday in the Agusta Westland helicopter deal case.

Delhi based lawyer Gautam Khaitan and another person namely Sanjeev Tyagi were also arrested in the case.

The deal is related to purchase of 12 helicopters for VVIPs from Italian manufacturer, Finmeccanica in 2010 during United Progressive Alliance-2 government's rule.

71-year old Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI Headquarters along with Khaitan and Sanjeev Tyagi.

These are the first arrests in the case by CBI which came three years after it registered an FIR in 2013.
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08:42   101 trains delayed due to dense fog in north India
As many as 101 trains delayed, 18 rescheduled and 11 cancelled in New Delhi due to dense fog that engulfed north India on Saturday morning.

Thick fog engulfed Delhi and nearby areas, delaying flights and trains.

Foggy weather and cold wave conditions also prevailed in many areas of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. -- ANI

IMAGE: Dense fog in Rajpath area of New Delhi. Photograph: ANI
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00:42   UN votes by strong majority to demand end to Syria carnage
The UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire in Syria and urgent aid deliveries in a resolution adopted by a strong majority as Syrian forces launched another assault on Aleppo.

The measure drafted by Canada passed by a vote of 122 to 13 in the 193-nation assembly, with 36 abstentions. Russia, Iran and China opposed the resolution.

The vote came as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces carried out more air raids on Aleppo and the United Nations reported that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing the battered city.

"This is a vote to stand up and tell Russia and Assad to stop the carnage," US Ambassador Samantha Power told the assembly ahead of the vote.

"This is a vote to defend the bedrock principles of how states should act, even in war."
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00:20   Samsung to disable Note 7 phones in recall effort
Samsung announced it would disable its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in the US market to force remaining owners to stop using the devices, which were recalled for safety reasons.

The South Korean electronics giant, the world's biggest smartphone vendor, said 93 per cent of Note 7 phones in the United States had been returned to the company after its recall earlier this year, which came amid reports of devices exploding or catching fire.

But to get any remaining devices off the market, Samsung said it would deliver an over-the-air update that prevents the phones from charging.
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00:02   Trump to work on 'Celebrity Apprentice' in his 'spare time'
Donald Trump will serve as an executive producer on an upcoming series of the Celebrity Apprentice even after becoming president, in an unprecedented arrangement which has raised questions about possible conflicts of interest.

Trump helped create and starred in the hit NBC reality show from 2003 until he and the network severed ties in 2015.

The president-elect is now back in the fold for a new season, to premiere in January and be hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. His name will appear in the credits after Mark Burnett, the show's British creator, and before Schwarzenegger.

According to Variety Magazine, which originally reported the arrangement, Mr Trump is expected to be paid at least "in the low five-figures" per episode. He has not said whether he will accept payment.

Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trump, confirmed that he continued to have "a big stake" in the show.

The agreement has spawned criticism from media watchdogs and liberal commentators, who claim it is improper for the president to produce a show on a major media network that is supposed to be covering him impartially.

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