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Fri, 05 February 2016
5.2 magnitude quake jolts Nepal, tremors felt in Bihar
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23:45 Three Nigerians 'assaulted' in Hyderabad
After the assault and stripping of a Tanzanian woman in Bengaluru, three Nigerian nationals were allegedly assaulted in Hyderabad by a group of around 10 locals, who hurled 'racist' comments.
However, Hyderabad police dismissed it as a 'minor brawl' between one Nigerian and a local youth.
One of the trio, Orolabe Ibidola, said the incident had occurred on Thursday night in Hakimpet area when he was returning home from a religious place when some local youths allegedly passed 'racist' comments against him.
Ibidola, a degree student, claimed when he sought to know the reasons for their comments, the locals assaulted him.
"After beating me up, the locals then beat up two other Nigerian youths," he claimed.
He also said one of the attackers was carrying a knife.
However, Banjara Hills Police Station Inspector P Murali Krishna said there was a 'minor brawl' between a Nigerian and a local youth following arguments over a road accident.
"We have registered a case under Indian Penal Code Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) against the local youth following a complaint by the Nigerian youth," he said.
The inspector said they have received a counter complaint from local residents against the Nigerian, alleging assault by the latter.
A probe into the incident is on, Krishna said.
After the incident, a group of Nigerians residing in the city held a protest outside the police station on Thursday night.
However, Hyderabad police dismissed it as a 'minor brawl' between one Nigerian and a local youth.
One of the trio, Orolabe Ibidola, said the incident had occurred on Thursday night in Hakimpet area when he was returning home from a religious place when some local youths allegedly passed 'racist' comments against him.
Ibidola, a degree student, claimed when he sought to know the reasons for their comments, the locals assaulted him.
"After beating me up, the locals then beat up two other Nigerian youths," he claimed.
He also said one of the attackers was carrying a knife.
However, Banjara Hills Police Station Inspector P Murali Krishna said there was a 'minor brawl' between a Nigerian and a local youth following arguments over a road accident.
"We have registered a case under Indian Penal Code Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) against the local youth following a complaint by the Nigerian youth," he said.
The inspector said they have received a counter complaint from local residents against the Nigerian, alleging assault by the latter.
A probe into the incident is on, Krishna said.
After the incident, a group of Nigerians residing in the city held a protest outside the police station on Thursday night.
22:47 5.2 magnitude quake jolts Nepal, tremors felt in Bihar
An earthquake of 5.2 magnitude jolted Nepal at around 10:05 pm on Friday.
The tremors were also felt in parts of Bihar, including Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Bettiah, Darbhanga and Raxaul.
The epicentre was 16 kilometres from Kathmandu. Panic-stricken people ran out of their houses.
Further details are awaited.
The tremors were also felt in parts of Bihar, including Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Bettiah, Darbhanga and Raxaul.
The epicentre was 16 kilometres from Kathmandu. Panic-stricken people ran out of their houses.
Further details are awaited.
22:20
JUST IN: Earthquake in Nepal, strong tremors of 5.2 magnitude felt in Kathmandu, reports ANI quoting United States Geological Survey.
22:15 Major victory for TRS in Hyderabad civic polls
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti in today pulled off a spectacular victory and coasted to majority in the prestigious Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections decimating the Telugu Desam Party-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance and the Congress.
From not even contesting the last GHMC polls in 2009, the TRS, led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, bagged 96 seats in the 150-member house and was leading in four divisions tonight.
In what turned out to be a two-horse race, Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen bagged 36 divisions, and was leading in four, trying to match its 2009 performance of 43 seats.
The MIM in 2009 had shared power with the Congress which had in its kitty 55 seats.
"It has always been a fractured verdict (in Hyderabad). I thank the people, TRS leaders and workers for this victory. We should not have arrogance. We should moveahead with humility," Rao told reporters.
It was in fact a humiliating defeat for the TDP-BJP alliance that together had 50 corporators fighting separately in 2009 and the Congress which had to be content with single digit numbers in the February two elections, where the stakes were high coming as it did first time after the formation of Telangana in 2014.
The BJP won three seats and the TDP and Congress won one each.
The TRS, which had in 2014 bagged a mere three assembly seats of the total 24 that come under the civic body's limits,had put up a spirited campaign to shrug off the tag that it's not a big force to reckon with in the city.
The TRS saw today's results in the GHMC election as a vote of confidence in the leadership of KCR and the government's 'work' reaching the people.
"Basically, our work is reaching the people," TRS leader and KCR's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha, who is also Lok Sabha member from Nizamabad, said.
"I would say it's only our chief minister's vision andhis dedication to make sure whatever his policies are...theyreach the people," she said.
Not contesting the previous GHMC polls in 2009 was a strategic decision of Rao, Kavitha said.
"People had many apprehensions (then)... what will happen if Telangana comes (becomes a reality)... what will be security situation...what would be the real estate situation in Hyderabad and what kind of person KCR would be". Kavitha said people had then seen KCR as leader of the agitation spearheading demand for statehood for Telangana and they were not sure about him as an administrator.
The opposition TDP-BJP leaders said they respect people's verdict with humility.
Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who also campaigned for the TDP-BJP candidates in the GHMC elections, hoped that those elected to office should work for people's welfare.
Telangana TDP president L Ramana said the TDP accepts people's verdict and continues to work for the people whether it won or lost the election.
From not even contesting the last GHMC polls in 2009, the TRS, led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, bagged 96 seats in the 150-member house and was leading in four divisions tonight.
In what turned out to be a two-horse race, Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen bagged 36 divisions, and was leading in four, trying to match its 2009 performance of 43 seats.
The MIM in 2009 had shared power with the Congress which had in its kitty 55 seats.
"It has always been a fractured verdict (in Hyderabad). I thank the people, TRS leaders and workers for this victory. We should not have arrogance. We should moveahead with humility," Rao told reporters.
It was in fact a humiliating defeat for the TDP-BJP alliance that together had 50 corporators fighting separately in 2009 and the Congress which had to be content with single digit numbers in the February two elections, where the stakes were high coming as it did first time after the formation of Telangana in 2014.
The BJP won three seats and the TDP and Congress won one each.
The TRS, which had in 2014 bagged a mere three assembly seats of the total 24 that come under the civic body's limits,had put up a spirited campaign to shrug off the tag that it's not a big force to reckon with in the city.
The TRS saw today's results in the GHMC election as a vote of confidence in the leadership of KCR and the government's 'work' reaching the people.
"Basically, our work is reaching the people," TRS leader and KCR's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha, who is also Lok Sabha member from Nizamabad, said.
"I would say it's only our chief minister's vision andhis dedication to make sure whatever his policies are...theyreach the people," she said.
Not contesting the previous GHMC polls in 2009 was a strategic decision of Rao, Kavitha said.
"People had many apprehensions (then)... what will happen if Telangana comes (becomes a reality)... what will be security situation...what would be the real estate situation in Hyderabad and what kind of person KCR would be". Kavitha said people had then seen KCR as leader of the agitation spearheading demand for statehood for Telangana and they were not sure about him as an administrator.
The opposition TDP-BJP leaders said they respect people's verdict with humility.
Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who also campaigned for the TDP-BJP candidates in the GHMC elections, hoped that those elected to office should work for people's welfare.
Telangana TDP president L Ramana said the TDP accepts people's verdict and continues to work for the people whether it won or lost the election.
21:43 These 10 bravehearts lost lives in Siachen avalanche
The Indian Army has deployed specialised earth penetrating radars to locate the bodies of 10 soldiers who were buried alive in an avalanche in the Siachen Glacier.
The radars are being taken to the spot, at an altitude of 19,600 feet, by the Indian Air Force's Cheetah helicopters, in a knocked down version. The indigenous Dhruv helicopters, bigger than the Cheetah, were unable to land there due to lack of proper space.
The Army, meanwhile, released the names of the 10 soldiers who were buried alive.
They are: Subedar Nagesha T T from Karnataka,
Havildar Elumalai M from Tamil Nadu,
Lance Havildar S Kumar from Tamil Nadu,
Lance Naik Sudheesh from Kerala,
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad from Karnataka,
Sepoy Mahesha from Karnataka,
Sepoy Ganesan G from Tamil Nadu,
Sepoy Rama Moorthy N from Tamil Nadu,
Sepoy Mustaq Ahmed of Andhra Pradesh and
Sepoy Nursing Assistant Suryawanshi of Maharashtra.
The radars are being taken to the spot, at an altitude of 19,600 feet, by the Indian Air Force's Cheetah helicopters, in a knocked down version. The indigenous Dhruv helicopters, bigger than the Cheetah, were unable to land there due to lack of proper space.
The Army, meanwhile, released the names of the 10 soldiers who were buried alive.
They are: Subedar Nagesha T T from Karnataka,
Havildar Elumalai M from Tamil Nadu,
Lance Havildar S Kumar from Tamil Nadu,
Lance Naik Sudheesh from Kerala,
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad from Karnataka,
Sepoy Mahesha from Karnataka,
Sepoy Ganesan G from Tamil Nadu,
Sepoy Rama Moorthy N from Tamil Nadu,
Sepoy Mustaq Ahmed of Andhra Pradesh and
Sepoy Nursing Assistant Suryawanshi of Maharashtra.
21:11 SC begins hearing to re-look anti-defection law
The Supreme Court today commenced hearing to revisit its two-decade-old verdict on the anti- defection law by which a member elected or nominated by a political party continues to be under its control even after expulsion.
The issue had cropped up after Amar Singh and cine star Jaya Prada, who were members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively, had moved the Supreme Court on their expulsion from the Samajwadi Party on February 2, 2010, anticipating ouster from Parliament.
They had contended that they have landed in a piquant situation as expelled members and apprehended disqualification under the anti-defection law if they chose to defy party's whip on any issue in Parliament.
Making a submission before a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Arun Mishra and Prafulla C Pant, counsel for the two former MPs, said the interpretation of the anti-defection law, as per a 1996 ruling of the apex court, does not apply to them as they did not form their own party.
The bench, after hearing part arguments today, fixed the matter for further hearing on February 12. Giving details of submissions made before the bench, advocate P S Sudheer, said it was argued that the Anti- Defection Law, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in G Vishwanathan case, does not apply to Amar Singh and Jaya Prada as they had not resigned from the party and neither had they floated their own.
He said the bench has also sought written submission on the question of law by February 10. As per the interpretation of the anti-defection law by the Supreme Court in G Vishwanathan case in 1996, a member elected or nominated by a political party continues to be under its control even after his or her expulsion.
The issue had cropped up after Amar Singh and cine star Jaya Prada, who were members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively, had moved the Supreme Court on their expulsion from the Samajwadi Party on February 2, 2010, anticipating ouster from Parliament.
They had contended that they have landed in a piquant situation as expelled members and apprehended disqualification under the anti-defection law if they chose to defy party's whip on any issue in Parliament.
Making a submission before a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Arun Mishra and Prafulla C Pant, counsel for the two former MPs, said the interpretation of the anti-defection law, as per a 1996 ruling of the apex court, does not apply to them as they did not form their own party.
The bench, after hearing part arguments today, fixed the matter for further hearing on February 12. Giving details of submissions made before the bench, advocate P S Sudheer, said it was argued that the Anti- Defection Law, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in G Vishwanathan case, does not apply to Amar Singh and Jaya Prada as they had not resigned from the party and neither had they floated their own.
He said the bench has also sought written submission on the question of law by February 10. As per the interpretation of the anti-defection law by the Supreme Court in G Vishwanathan case in 1996, a member elected or nominated by a political party continues to be under its control even after his or her expulsion.
20:10 Sonu Nigam's midair performance: These violations by crew prompted DGCA action
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Friday cited a series of violations that took place during singer Sonu Nigam's concert on Jet Airways in justification of its order to the airline to suspend the five air hostesses on board for allowing the singer to use the in-flight intercom.
DGCA sources said the in-flight intercom was used for song, which is a violation of set procedures; the forward galley was unattended; the aircraft was descending due to a large number of passengers standing in the aisle area; the passengers could have been hurt in case of clear weather turbulence; and the crew was not aware of the cabin activity.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said certain norms and protocols have to be maintained by anyone of us, and he is happy that Jet Airways has taken initiative on the issue.
"The laid down specific protocols need to be followed, because the mic system has to be used by the authorised staff or the captain only. Use of it by any artiste, individually I am not against it, but protocol should have been maintained, because there is then no limit of violating the protocol," he said.
"This is the beginning, and it needs to be ended at this stage only. I am happy that Jet Airways has taken initiative on the issue," the minister added.
DGCA sources said the in-flight intercom was used for song, which is a violation of set procedures; the forward galley was unattended; the aircraft was descending due to a large number of passengers standing in the aisle area; the passengers could have been hurt in case of clear weather turbulence; and the crew was not aware of the cabin activity.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said certain norms and protocols have to be maintained by anyone of us, and he is happy that Jet Airways has taken initiative on the issue.
"The laid down specific protocols need to be followed, because the mic system has to be used by the authorised staff or the captain only. Use of it by any artiste, individually I am not against it, but protocol should have been maintained, because there is then no limit of violating the protocol," he said.
"This is the beginning, and it needs to be ended at this stage only. I am happy that Jet Airways has taken initiative on the issue," the minister added.
19:40 Tanzanian envoy expresses satisfaction over action taken in assault case
Expressing satisfaction over the action taken by India in the incident of an assault on a 21-year-old Tanzanian girl by a mob in Bengaluru, Tanzanian ambassador John W H Kijazi said he is 'impressed by the concrete measures taken by the Indian government'.
"We are very much impressed by the action taken by the Indian government. Concrete measures have already been taken. What is more important is that we should look into the future," he said.
"We didn't want to dwell very much into discussing the issues of racism. We discussed facts of situation. The government assured me that they are going to continue to take proper measures to make sure the African students are secure," Kijazi said, adding, "My message to African students -- Follow the law of country, live in harmony with local community, respect leadership of state."
Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said, "The Tanzanian delegation is convinced about the action taken. The entire incident was explained to the Tanzanian ambassador and representatives of the external affairs ministry."
"I have reassured them that such incidents won't happen again," Parmeshwara said.
"We are very much impressed by the action taken by the Indian government. Concrete measures have already been taken. What is more important is that we should look into the future," he said.
"We didn't want to dwell very much into discussing the issues of racism. We discussed facts of situation. The government assured me that they are going to continue to take proper measures to make sure the African students are secure," Kijazi said, adding, "My message to African students -- Follow the law of country, live in harmony with local community, respect leadership of state."
Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said, "The Tanzanian delegation is convinced about the action taken. The entire incident was explained to the Tanzanian ambassador and representatives of the external affairs ministry."
"I have reassured them that such incidents won't happen again," Parmeshwara said.
19:13 Tanzanian assault case:NHRC sends notices to K'taka DGP
Taking cognisance of the alleged assault on and stripping of a Tanzanian student in Bengaluru, NHRC has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Karnataka government, seeking a report on the matter within two weeks.
"If the contents of the (media) report are true, it would amount to a serious violation of human rights including racism," the Commission said in the notices.
The 21-year-old Tanzanian woman student was allegedly beaten up and stripped by a mob in a case of "mistaken identity" after a woman was mowed down by a car on Sunday night.
She was reportedly dragged out of the car in which she was seated along with her three friends when she reached the accident spot with the miscreants mistaking them to have caused the fatal accident though a Sudanese was involved in it, police said.
Bengaluru Police has registered a case under Section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of IPC against unidentified persons in connection with the matter.
18:56 WikiLeaks founder Assange should be freed immediately: UN
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be allowed to walk free immediately and compensated for his "arbitrary detention" of over five years by the UK and Sweden, a UN panel ruled today, a finding hailed by the whistleblower as "vindication" of his innocence.
The Geneva-based five-member Working Group on Arbitrary Detention "considers that the various forms of deprivation of liberty to which Julian Assange has been subjected constitute a form of arbitrary detention," said Seong-Phil Hong, head of the expert panel of the Group.
"The Working Group maintains that the arbitrary detention of Mr. Assange should be brought to an end, that his physical integrity and freedom of movement be respected, and that he should be entitled to an enforceable right to compensation," Hong added. Assange told reporters via video link from the Ecuadorean embassy building in central London, where he has been holed up, that "it is now the task of the states of Sweden and the United Kingdom as a whole to implement the verdict", which he hailed as "vindication" of his innocence.
Assange's lawyer Melinda Taylor also called the ruling "a resounding vindication of Mr. Assange's position". The computer hacker, who founded the WikiLeaks in 2006 that released 500,000 secret US military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and 250,000 diplomatic cables enraging Washington, has been confined to a small in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden to face a rape investigation.
However, both Sweden and the UK rejected the non-binding legal opinion, saying it "changes nothing". The UK said it will formally contest the opinion, which Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond termed as "ridiculous" while Sweden said the panel had no right to "interfere".
The Geneva-based five-member Working Group on Arbitrary Detention "considers that the various forms of deprivation of liberty to which Julian Assange has been subjected constitute a form of arbitrary detention," said Seong-Phil Hong, head of the expert panel of the Group.
"The Working Group maintains that the arbitrary detention of Mr. Assange should be brought to an end, that his physical integrity and freedom of movement be respected, and that he should be entitled to an enforceable right to compensation," Hong added. Assange told reporters via video link from the Ecuadorean embassy building in central London, where he has been holed up, that "it is now the task of the states of Sweden and the United Kingdom as a whole to implement the verdict", which he hailed as "vindication" of his innocence.
Assange's lawyer Melinda Taylor also called the ruling "a resounding vindication of Mr. Assange's position". The computer hacker, who founded the WikiLeaks in 2006 that released 500,000 secret US military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and 250,000 diplomatic cables enraging Washington, has been confined to a small in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden to face a rape investigation.
However, both Sweden and the UK rejected the non-binding legal opinion, saying it "changes nothing". The UK said it will formally contest the opinion, which Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond termed as "ridiculous" while Sweden said the panel had no right to "interfere".
18:44 Welder's son leaves IIT with Rs 1.02 crore Microsoft job
A final-year student of IIT-Kharagpur, who is the son of a welder in Bihar, has bagged a job with Microsoft with an annual starting salary of Rs 1.02 crore. Vatsalya Singh Chauhan, 21, who bagged the dream job, hails from Khagariya village in Bihar, where his father runs a small welding workshop.
IIT-Kharagpur Director Partha Pratim Chakraborty in his Facebook page on Thursday congratulated Vatsalya.
"I was offered Rs 1.02 crore per annum salary package by Microsoft and I will be joining in October this year," he said.
He credits his success to two teachers, who mentored and motivated him to pull himself together when he had decided to give up and return home from the coaching institute in Kota.
"My 20-year-long devotion has yielded result and my dream has come true. My son is now going out of India and I want that he should work for the country to glorify the nation's name abroad,' said Chandra Kant Singh Chauhan, Vatsalya's father.
IIT-Kharagpur Director Partha Pratim Chakraborty in his Facebook page on Thursday congratulated Vatsalya.
"I was offered Rs 1.02 crore per annum salary package by Microsoft and I will be joining in October this year," he said.
He credits his success to two teachers, who mentored and motivated him to pull himself together when he had decided to give up and return home from the coaching institute in Kota.
"My 20-year-long devotion has yielded result and my dream has come true. My son is now going out of India and I want that he should work for the country to glorify the nation's name abroad,' said Chandra Kant Singh Chauhan, Vatsalya's father.
18:01 Maharashtra govt bans school, college picnics to beaches, hills after Murud tragedy
The Maharashtra government has clamped a ban on schools and colleges taking students to picnics at dangerous places. The decision was taken in the wake of the tragedy at Murud beach in which 14 college students from Pune lost their lives, reports ABP News.
The government has banned picnics on beaches, hills, river banks etc.
The steps were taken on the suggestions of the state education department in view of the Murud tragedy.
The government has directed that schools or colleges taking students to excursion tours will have to secure permission from the government.
The teachers will be prosecuted in case of accidents on these picnics. The government has also directed the schools to allow the students to use mobile phones during such picnics.
Other guidelines include a quorum of one teacher to every 10 students. The teachers are also barred from smoking during picnic.
Fourteen college students -- part of a group of 130 on a picnic -- drowned in the Arabian Sea at Murud Beach in Raigad district, around 150 km Mumbai. The students were part of a group of more than 130 from Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society's Abeda Inamdar College.
The government has banned picnics on beaches, hills, river banks etc.
The steps were taken on the suggestions of the state education department in view of the Murud tragedy.
The government has directed that schools or colleges taking students to excursion tours will have to secure permission from the government.
The teachers will be prosecuted in case of accidents on these picnics. The government has also directed the schools to allow the students to use mobile phones during such picnics.
Other guidelines include a quorum of one teacher to every 10 students. The teachers are also barred from smoking during picnic.
Fourteen college students -- part of a group of 130 on a picnic -- drowned in the Arabian Sea at Murud Beach in Raigad district, around 150 km Mumbai. The students were part of a group of more than 130 from Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society's Abeda Inamdar College.
17:26 After 5 months in jail Indrani seeks bail citing ill health
Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, has sought bail citing ill health. Indrani has been in jail since September 7, 2015.
Last week, the CBI informed a special court that Indrani Mukerjea had given a statement in jail in December 2015 about having allegedly informed her husband Peter Mukerjea that she had murdered her daughter Sheena Bora, on the same night that the crime had been committed. Peter's lawyer argued in court Saturday, however, that such a statement could not be trusted and that he had nothing to do with the murder conspiracy.
Indrani, her ex husband Sanjeev Khanna, driver Shyamvar Rai and Peter are all in judicial custody.
Last week, the CBI informed a special court that Indrani Mukerjea had given a statement in jail in December 2015 about having allegedly informed her husband Peter Mukerjea that she had murdered her daughter Sheena Bora, on the same night that the crime had been committed. Peter's lawyer argued in court Saturday, however, that such a statement could not be trusted and that he had nothing to do with the murder conspiracy.
Indrani, her ex husband Sanjeev Khanna, driver Shyamvar Rai and Peter are all in judicial custody.
17:16 More than 100 missing in South Africa mine collapse
More than 100 people were unaccounted for after a gold mine in Mpumalanga province in northeastern South Africa caved in, a union official said today, while emergency services said 49 miners had so far been brought to the surface, reports Reuters.
South Africa's mines are the deepest and among the most dangerous in the world. Manzini Zungu, spokesman for the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), said some 115 union members were trapped underground after a cave-in at the Makonjwaan Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga province, at 8:40 a.m. (0640 GMT).
"At this point it's unclear what caused the disaster," he said The mine is located about 360 km east of Johannesburg. A spokesman for the ER24 rescue service said 49 miners had so far been brought to the surface, and that they had sustained only minor injuries.
Fatalities in the industry have been falling due to both improved safety practices and a reduction in the labour force as production declines. Last year, 77 workers were killed in mining accidents, the lowest number on record.
South Africa's mines are the deepest and among the most dangerous in the world. Manzini Zungu, spokesman for the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), said some 115 union members were trapped underground after a cave-in at the Makonjwaan Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga province, at 8:40 a.m. (0640 GMT).
"At this point it's unclear what caused the disaster," he said The mine is located about 360 km east of Johannesburg. A spokesman for the ER24 rescue service said 49 miners had so far been brought to the surface, and that they had sustained only minor injuries.
Fatalities in the industry have been falling due to both improved safety practices and a reduction in the labour force as production declines. Last year, 77 workers were killed in mining accidents, the lowest number on record.
17:00 J Dey murder case: CBI seeks order for Rajan's voice samples
The CBI today urged a special MCOCA court in Mumbai to issue a direction to deported gangster Chhota Rajan to give his voice samples for probe in connection with 2011 J Dey murder case.
"First he (Rajan) gave his consent (for the voice test) but later he refused to undergo the same," CBI prosecutor Bharat Badami told the court after the fugitive was produced before it via video-link from Tihar jail. On the CBI plea, Special Judge S S Adkar asked Rajan's advocate Anshuman Sinha to file a reply. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on February 11.
CBI told the court that an audio CD containing telephonic conversation between Rajan and a person has been deposited in the court by Mumbai Police and they want to compare the voice in the CD with that of Rajan. Badami also sought more time for investigation into the murder, saying that they need to take help of some external agencies like Interpol to probe the case against Rajan as he was out of country for long following which its prayer was granted.
"First he (Rajan) gave his consent (for the voice test) but later he refused to undergo the same," CBI prosecutor Bharat Badami told the court after the fugitive was produced before it via video-link from Tihar jail. On the CBI plea, Special Judge S S Adkar asked Rajan's advocate Anshuman Sinha to file a reply. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on February 11.
CBI told the court that an audio CD containing telephonic conversation between Rajan and a person has been deposited in the court by Mumbai Police and they want to compare the voice in the CD with that of Rajan. Badami also sought more time for investigation into the murder, saying that they need to take help of some external agencies like Interpol to probe the case against Rajan as he was out of country for long following which its prayer was granted.
16:46
Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung offers Rs 300 crore loan to the North and East Delhi municipal corporations from DDA.
16:23 Modi, Jaitley may be setting themselves up for another budget flop
If the reports now leaking out of North Block are anywhere near true, we are going to get even more initiatives from the centre in the 29 February budget. Both the Modi government and the finance ministry are setting themselves up for failure through an initiative overload. Read more
16:20 'One family' not letting RS function, Modi says at Assam rally
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi of disrupting Parliament to avenge defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and hence blocking the passage of Bills aimed at benefitting the poor.
Addressing tea garden workers in Assam, Modi alleged that one family was indulging in negative politics, as he claimed that there are leaders in opposition parties other than Congress, who want Parliament to function even though they oppose him.
Those who have lost the election (in 2014) and have come down from 400 to 40 have decided not to allow Modi to work. They have decided to create obstacles and difficulties. The conspiracy for the same is going on, he said, referring clearly to Congress.
They have now decided to take revenge from people, from the poor workers for voting the Congress out of power, the PM said.
There are many leaders and parties even in the opposition who oppose Modi, the BJP and the government but they want Parliament to run and carry out is business. But one family is so rigid that they do not allow the Rajya Sabha to function and let the nations agenda of development to be taken forward because people of the country have defeated them, Modi said.
The country is not going to benefit from this politics of negativism and obstructionism. There is only one family with such a thinking, which has brought this kind of destruction. Leaders in the other opposition parties are not like this, the Prime Minister said.
Modi urged people to give a chance to the BJP to form a government in Assam.
He contended that laws for the welfare of the State can be put in place only when there is a government in Guwahati, which listens to Centre.
Addressing tea garden workers in Assam, Modi alleged that one family was indulging in negative politics, as he claimed that there are leaders in opposition parties other than Congress, who want Parliament to function even though they oppose him.
Those who have lost the election (in 2014) and have come down from 400 to 40 have decided not to allow Modi to work. They have decided to create obstacles and difficulties. The conspiracy for the same is going on, he said, referring clearly to Congress.
They have now decided to take revenge from people, from the poor workers for voting the Congress out of power, the PM said.
There are many leaders and parties even in the opposition who oppose Modi, the BJP and the government but they want Parliament to run and carry out is business. But one family is so rigid that they do not allow the Rajya Sabha to function and let the nations agenda of development to be taken forward because people of the country have defeated them, Modi said.
The country is not going to benefit from this politics of negativism and obstructionism. There is only one family with such a thinking, which has brought this kind of destruction. Leaders in the other opposition parties are not like this, the Prime Minister said.
Modi urged people to give a chance to the BJP to form a government in Assam.
He contended that laws for the welfare of the State can be put in place only when there is a government in Guwahati, which listens to Centre.
16:15
Sakurajima volcano erupts explosively in southern Japan; lava flowing down slope: AP
16:13
And the last word on the matter from Ramesh Srivats @rameshsrivats: Anyway, at least we have a new meaning for the phrase - Sonu Nigam, now on air.
16:12 Sonu's mid-air performance on Jet Airways not a 'safety violation': Aviation expert
Aviation expert Harshvardhan on Friday downplayed the ongoing controversy over suspension of Jet Airways crew members, who allowed Sonu Nigam to perform impromptu on the aircraft's address system, saying it was not a safety violation and the playback singer could not be seen as a security threat.
"Generally such things happen in aircrafts. It is usually seen as a promotional event. Sometimes, airlines themselves organise such events. In-flight entertainment system is one such example. I don't think there is a safety violation. There is no such provision in the Aircraft Safety Act. When the emergency lights are switched off, there is no control on movement and sound. I think this is a wrong action by the DDCA," he said.
The aviation expert further said that airlines all over the world organise such shows and concerts to create an image and give passengers something to talk about.
"Generally such things happen in aircrafts. It is usually seen as a promotional event. Sometimes, airlines themselves organise such events. In-flight entertainment system is one such example. I don't think there is a safety violation. There is no such provision in the Aircraft Safety Act. When the emergency lights are switched off, there is no control on movement and sound. I think this is a wrong action by the DDCA," he said.
The aviation expert further said that airlines all over the world organise such shows and concerts to create an image and give passengers something to talk about.
16:08 Rajat Gupta gets chance to void insider-trading conviction
In a relief to Rajat Gupta, the India-born former Goldman Sachs director, a US court has agreed to rehear his appeal to throw out his 2012 insider- trading conviction that landed him in jail.
The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan yesterday agreed to revisit its rejection of 67-year-old Gupta's appeal, five weeks before his release from home confinement on March 13.
Gupta, who was also the global managing director of McKinsey & Co, in the past too had filed several appeals, including to the US Supreme Court to overturn his conviction and a two-year prison term but the courts rejected his arguments and affirmed his sentence.
Gupta, the highest-profile corporate executive found guilty in the US crackdown on insider trading, was convicted in 2012 of passing illegal tips about Goldman Sachs to Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam while serving on the Goldman Sachs board.
The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan yesterday agreed to revisit its rejection of 67-year-old Gupta's appeal, five weeks before his release from home confinement on March 13.
Gupta, who was also the global managing director of McKinsey & Co, in the past too had filed several appeals, including to the US Supreme Court to overturn his conviction and a two-year prison term but the courts rejected his arguments and affirmed his sentence.
Gupta, the highest-profile corporate executive found guilty in the US crackdown on insider trading, was convicted in 2012 of passing illegal tips about Goldman Sachs to Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam while serving on the Goldman Sachs board.
15:54 Peacekeepers accused of raping girls
United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic raped or sexually exploited at least eight women and girls last fall, including a young teenager who said she was released only because she had managed to scream, according to a Human Rights Watch report released Thursday.
In a country where armed groups routinely prey on civilians, peacekeepers should be protectors, not predators, said Hillary Margolis, a womens rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The United Nations mission in the Central African Republic confirmed that it had been informed by Human Rights Watch about the reports findings and said it had taken steps to address them. One of the episodes had been previously reported and was already under investigation, the mission said in a statement.
Read more HERE.
15:37 ISIS fighters in Libya surge as group suffers setbacks in Syria, Iraq
The US assesses that ISIS is ramping up the numbers of militants in Libya and that it has become harder for the group's fighters to enter Syria.
The US estimate of ISIS militants in Libya has doubled as it has become harder for them to enter Syria, according to US intelligence assessments.
There may now be up to 6,500 ISIS fighters in Libya, twice the number previously thought, according to several U.S. intelligence officials.
They attributed the increase to the US analysis that ISIS is diverting more fighters to Libya from Syria -- and from Turkey when they cannot get into Syria.
"ISIS is investing heavily in Libya," one US official said.
While the estimate of up to 6,500 is the most recent from military intelligence sources, others in the intelligence community don't agree and believe the number could be half that.
15:18 Dig this?
That's what the new thali meal on Air India looks like. On Monday, the national carrier became the first carrier to serve lunch and dinner thalis and tea in kulhads on board flights. Whether the latest debuts on the in-flight menu will curry favour with its passengers remains to be seen. Initially, thali meals will only be served on the Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi sector.
15:09 Salman Khan acquittal travesty of justice: AG
Salman Khan's acquittal in a 2002 hit-and-run case is a "travesty of justice", the Maharashtra government argued in the Supreme Court today. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi described as "perverse" the Bombay High Court order in December, overturning the 50-year-old actor's guilty verdict.
"Salman Khan had consumed liquor and was drunk, he was driving the Land Cruiser which killed a person sleeping on the pavement. He knew he should not be driving," Rohatgi said.
He also said the theory that the car was being driven by Khan's driver, who surfaced after 12 years, should be discarded.
In May, a trial court had ruled that the actor was guilty of running over a man sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in Mumbai after a night out drinking on September 28, 2002.
The high court cancelled the order and Khan's five-year jail sentence, saying that the prosecution had failed to establish beyond doubt that the actor was driving and was drunk at the time of the accident.
The court also discredited the testimony of a key prosecution witness - the actor's bodyguard Ravindra Patil -- who had said that Khan was driving drunk and had ignored his repeated warnings. Patil died of tuberculosis in 2007. The Maharashtra government has challenged the high court verdict. The case will be heard next Friday.
"Salman Khan had consumed liquor and was drunk, he was driving the Land Cruiser which killed a person sleeping on the pavement. He knew he should not be driving," Rohatgi said.
He also said the theory that the car was being driven by Khan's driver, who surfaced after 12 years, should be discarded.
In May, a trial court had ruled that the actor was guilty of running over a man sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in Mumbai after a night out drinking on September 28, 2002.
The high court cancelled the order and Khan's five-year jail sentence, saying that the prosecution had failed to establish beyond doubt that the actor was driving and was drunk at the time of the accident.
The court also discredited the testimony of a key prosecution witness - the actor's bodyguard Ravindra Patil -- who had said that Khan was driving drunk and had ignored his repeated warnings. Patil died of tuberculosis in 2007. The Maharashtra government has challenged the high court verdict. The case will be heard next Friday.
14:46 Sir Elton busks at London tube station
So cool! Sir Elton John busks at St Pancras station, tells commuters: 'Enjoy this piano, it's a gift'. The instrument was donated to the station in conjunction with the release of his new album, Wonderful Crazy Night. Listen in.
14:42
Just in: Maharashtra Govt cancels Government Resolution (GR) of 1983 by which many personalities were allotted cheap lands including Hema Malini.
14:30 Randeep Hooda loses 18 kg for 'Sarabjit'
That's Randeep Hooda in the upcoming biopic Sarabjit.
The actor lost 18 kg in just 28 days for the film, the film's director Omung Kumar has revealed.
"Sarbjit' is a biopic on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted for terrorism and spying in Pakistan and was sentenced to death. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later.
"When I had approached Randeep for this role, I was very clear in my mind that I need someone who is open about going through a rigorous weight loss, as the role demanded lot of different looks," Kumar said in a statement.
"Randeep took that as a challenge and agreed upon giving 100 percent dedication not to prove that he can do it as an actor but to do justice to the character and the film.
"The role needed Randeep to look very fragile with his bones being visible. He shed around 18 kilos of weight in 28 days, went through a strict diet and in fact in the last few days he was living completely on water," added Kumar, who is mighty impressed with Randeep.
Kumar also shared a photograph of the transformed "Kick' star on Twitter."@RandeepHooda salute to your dedication, lost 18 kg in 28 days, making a statement #Sarbjit,' Kumar captioned the image."Sarbjit' is slated to hit the screens on May 19, a day before it was scheduled to hit the screens.
The actor lost 18 kg in just 28 days for the film, the film's director Omung Kumar has revealed.
"Sarbjit' is a biopic on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted for terrorism and spying in Pakistan and was sentenced to death. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later.
"When I had approached Randeep for this role, I was very clear in my mind that I need someone who is open about going through a rigorous weight loss, as the role demanded lot of different looks," Kumar said in a statement.
"Randeep took that as a challenge and agreed upon giving 100 percent dedication not to prove that he can do it as an actor but to do justice to the character and the film.
"The role needed Randeep to look very fragile with his bones being visible. He shed around 18 kilos of weight in 28 days, went through a strict diet and in fact in the last few days he was living completely on water," added Kumar, who is mighty impressed with Randeep.
Kumar also shared a photograph of the transformed "Kick' star on Twitter."@RandeepHooda salute to your dedication, lost 18 kg in 28 days, making a statement #Sarbjit,' Kumar captioned the image."Sarbjit' is slated to hit the screens on May 19, a day before it was scheduled to hit the screens.
14:27 I've Rescued Jawans At Siachen. You Never Forget It.
"I have evacuated many casualties, serious and not so serious, but can never forget the haunting and helpless look of a strapping young Naga lad of around 20 odd years who was suffering from cerebral edema (in which water collects in the brain due to the effects of high altitude). Preparing to go back from Base Camp to Leh one afternoon, we were asked to go for an urgent cas evac (casualty evacuation) to a helipad called 'Golf.' Cas Evac requests override everything else and off we went to 'Golf.' As he was put in our Cheetah helicopter, I asked him above the din of the rotors, "Kaise ho (how are you feeling)?" With great effort, he moved his hand to give me a "thumbs up", writes Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur VM (retd.)
13:50 This is the real intolerance, says Sonu after Jet suspends crew
Playback singer Sonu Nigam reacts to the news that the crew on the Jet Airways flight he was on was suspended for allowing him to entertain passengers with a couple of ditties.
"To suspend crew for asking me to sing on the address system, when the seat belt signs were off, and no announcements were to be made is nothing less than punishing someone for spreading happiness. Pity there's no one to question such harshness except media perhaps. Indians, need to loosen up. This act of lack of common sense, according to me, is the real intolerance," Nigam said.
Jet Airways suspended their crew for allowing Nigam to sing from the aircraft's address system during a flight. On January 4, passengers on a Jet Airways chartered plane requested Nigam to sing for them. Nigam obliged and sang two popular songs from flight's address system.
However, this did not go down too well with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, after the video of Nigam's mid-air concert was posted by some passengers on social media.
The regulator investigated the incident and asked the airline to suspend the airhostesses on board.
Jet has also been asked to ensure that such "misuse" of the in-flight announcement system is not allowed in future.
The Jet Airways said in its statement that the flight announcement system was allegedly misused and a corrective training to reinforce strict adherence to operating procedure would be given to the plane's staff.
"To suspend crew for asking me to sing on the address system, when the seat belt signs were off, and no announcements were to be made is nothing less than punishing someone for spreading happiness. Pity there's no one to question such harshness except media perhaps. Indians, need to loosen up. This act of lack of common sense, according to me, is the real intolerance," Nigam said.
Jet Airways suspended their crew for allowing Nigam to sing from the aircraft's address system during a flight. On January 4, passengers on a Jet Airways chartered plane requested Nigam to sing for them. Nigam obliged and sang two popular songs from flight's address system.
However, this did not go down too well with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, after the video of Nigam's mid-air concert was posted by some passengers on social media.
The regulator investigated the incident and asked the airline to suspend the airhostesses on board.
Jet has also been asked to ensure that such "misuse" of the in-flight announcement system is not allowed in future.
The Jet Airways said in its statement that the flight announcement system was allegedly misused and a corrective training to reinforce strict adherence to operating procedure would be given to the plane's staff.
13:39 No surprises in T20 squad; Shami back
The 15-member squads for the ICC World T20 Championships and upcoming Asia Cup were announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday, after a selection committee meeting in New Delhi, and expectedly, there were no surprises.
After Indias 3-0 whitewash over Australia in the recently-concluded T20I series, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the selectors decided against toying around with a winning combination.
The only surprise inclusion was pacer Mohammad Shami.
India will play a three-game T20 series at home against Sri Lanka from February 9, ahead of the multi-nation T20 events.
The Asia Cup is slated to be held from February 24 to March 6, after a four-team qualifying event to spot one qualifier for the tournament proper from February 19-22.
India take on hosts Bangladesh in the tournament opener at Mirpur followed by matches against arch-foes Pakistan (Feb 27), Sri Lanka (Mar 1) and qualifiers (Mar 3).
This is the first time the Asia Cup is being played in the T20 format, in a change from the earlier 50-over competitions.
In the World Twenty20 championship, commencing on March 8, India have been seeded in the Super 10 and will play New Zealand in their opening game on March 15 at Nagpur's VCA Stadium in Jamtha.
After Indias 3-0 whitewash over Australia in the recently-concluded T20I series, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the selectors decided against toying around with a winning combination.
The only surprise inclusion was pacer Mohammad Shami.
India will play a three-game T20 series at home against Sri Lanka from February 9, ahead of the multi-nation T20 events.
The Asia Cup is slated to be held from February 24 to March 6, after a four-team qualifying event to spot one qualifier for the tournament proper from February 19-22.
India take on hosts Bangladesh in the tournament opener at Mirpur followed by matches against arch-foes Pakistan (Feb 27), Sri Lanka (Mar 1) and qualifiers (Mar 3).
This is the first time the Asia Cup is being played in the T20 format, in a change from the earlier 50-over competitions.
In the World Twenty20 championship, commencing on March 8, India have been seeded in the Super 10 and will play New Zealand in their opening game on March 15 at Nagpur's VCA Stadium in Jamtha.
13:29
Actor Salman Khan's acquittal in hit-and-run case 'a travesty of justice,' says Mukul Rohatgi, Attorney General in the Supreme Court.
13:28
Vice President Hamid Ansari on the final day of his three-day visit to Thailand met Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
13:20
#Tanzanian Girl Assault Case: Four more persons arrested. Total nine arrests made so far in the case.
13:09 Is pro-Pakistan sentiment in Kashmir still alive?
There is a mixed response from Jammu and Kashmir on February 5. Some say that Kashmir Day is of "great significance' whereas others believe that the observance has been reduced to mere ritual and that Pakistan's official stance over Kashmir appears to be "wavering'. Read more
12:53
The BCCI meeting on in real earnest.
12:39 BCCI meet to announce Asia Cup, ICC T20 squads begins
BCCI Selection Committee meeting to select Indian Team for #AsiaCupT20I and #ICCWorldT20 underway in Delhi; MS Dhoni also present.
12:27 Ecuador demands compensation for housing Assange in London embassy
After the Swedish Foreign Ministry said that a UN panel will declare WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's detention illegal, Ecuador asked for a compensation for housing Assange in its London embassy.
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said the declaration by the UN panel shows that they were right.Correa claimed that maintaining security at the embassy has been expensive and there were a lot of spying attempts.
Assange, 44, took refuge in the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden on a rape charge, which he denies.
The UN working group on arbitrary detention (UNWGAD) is expected to declare on Friday that his three-and-a-half years in the embassy office amount to illegal detention, the Swedish foreign ministry and Assange's lawyers said.Swedish prosecutors said the ruling had no impact on their investigation into the 2010 rape allegation.
The British government said it would have to arrest Assange if he leaves the embassy as long as a European arrest warrant is in force.
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said the declaration by the UN panel shows that they were right.Correa claimed that maintaining security at the embassy has been expensive and there were a lot of spying attempts.
Assange, 44, took refuge in the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden on a rape charge, which he denies.
The UN working group on arbitrary detention (UNWGAD) is expected to declare on Friday that his three-and-a-half years in the embassy office amount to illegal detention, the Swedish foreign ministry and Assange's lawyers said.Swedish prosecutors said the ruling had no impact on their investigation into the 2010 rape allegation.
The British government said it would have to arrest Assange if he leaves the embassy as long as a European arrest warrant is in force.
12:23 How Gujarat CM daughter's partners landed a good deal
Business associates of Anar Jayesh Patel, 45, daughter of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, own a company that's sitting on 400 acres of land near the Gir lion sanctuary in the state -- and 250 acres of that land was given to that company at an official rate of Rs 15 per square metre.
Anar Patel describes herself as a social worker and an entrepreneur. Filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), accessed by ET, show a number of transactions between her and her business partners that started when the Gujarat government allotted 250 acres of public land in 2010-11 to Wildwoods Resorts and Realties. Read the story here.
Anar Patel describes herself as a social worker and an entrepreneur. Filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), accessed by ET, show a number of transactions between her and her business partners that started when the Gujarat government allotted 250 acres of public land in 2010-11 to Wildwoods Resorts and Realties. Read the story here.
12:16 Delhi juve nile who murdered again after being release could be tried as adult
Just in: The Delhi teen who has allegedly murdered months after release from juvenile home could be tried as adult.
A 17-year-old boy was apprehended on Thursday for allegedly strangulating an elderly widow and robbing her of cash, jewellery and other items from her residence in south Delhi's B K Dutt colony.
The juvenile, along with his girlfriend, had last year allegedly abducted and murdered a 13-year-old boy for money, which he needed for participating in a popular reality dance show, police said.
After being released from a correction home recently, he targeted the 65-year-old widow, Mithilesh Jain, who lived alone in a first-floor residence in B K Dutt colony, police said.
The woman was found dead on Monday by her son-in-law but the police had then claimed that it was a case of natural death.Things took a turn when Jain's relatives informed police that some jewellery, cash and expensive items, including two mobile phones, were missing from her residence.
The post-mortem report also suggested that she was strangulated, following which police registered a case.Police traced the boy when he switched on one of the phones, which he had allegedly robbed from Jain and apprehended him today from his residence at Faridabad.
On being questioned, he told the police that he had targeted the woman as he needed money to participate in a popular reality dance show.On Sunday night, he went to Jain's house, where he allegedly strangulated her and then placed the body on the bed to make it look like a case of natural death, before he fled with cash, jewellery and other belongings, police said.Jain, who had retired from her job at Safdarjung Hospital which she got after her husband's death, is survived by her son who lives in Singapore, a daughter settled in US, and another daughter who lives with her chartered accountant husband in elsewhere in Delhi, police said.She was planning to leave for Singapore in a few days.The accused is a professional dancer and takes training in choreographer.
A 17-year-old boy was apprehended on Thursday for allegedly strangulating an elderly widow and robbing her of cash, jewellery and other items from her residence in south Delhi's B K Dutt colony.
The juvenile, along with his girlfriend, had last year allegedly abducted and murdered a 13-year-old boy for money, which he needed for participating in a popular reality dance show, police said.
After being released from a correction home recently, he targeted the 65-year-old widow, Mithilesh Jain, who lived alone in a first-floor residence in B K Dutt colony, police said.
The woman was found dead on Monday by her son-in-law but the police had then claimed that it was a case of natural death.Things took a turn when Jain's relatives informed police that some jewellery, cash and expensive items, including two mobile phones, were missing from her residence.
The post-mortem report also suggested that she was strangulated, following which police registered a case.Police traced the boy when he switched on one of the phones, which he had allegedly robbed from Jain and apprehended him today from his residence at Faridabad.
On being questioned, he told the police that he had targeted the woman as he needed money to participate in a popular reality dance show.On Sunday night, he went to Jain's house, where he allegedly strangulated her and then placed the body on the bed to make it look like a case of natural death, before he fled with cash, jewellery and other belongings, police said.Jain, who had retired from her job at Safdarjung Hospital which she got after her husband's death, is survived by her son who lives in Singapore, a daughter settled in US, and another daughter who lives with her chartered accountant husband in elsewhere in Delhi, police said.She was planning to leave for Singapore in a few days.The accused is a professional dancer and takes training in choreographer.
11:50 BCCI to announce squads for Asia Cup, ICC World T20 at noon
The BCCI willl meet today to choose the T20 squads for the upcoming Asia Cup in Bangladesh and the World Cup at home. The decision will be taken in Delhi at noon by the national selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil.
India would play a three-game T20 series at home against Sri Lanka from February 9, ahead of the multi-nation T20 events.
The Asia Cup is slated to be held from February 24 to March 6, after a four-team qualifying event to spot one qualifier for the tournament proper from February 19-22.
India take on hosts Bangladesh in the tournament opener at Mirpur followed by matches against arch-foes Pakistan (Feb 27), Sri Lanka (Mar 1) and qualifiers (Mar 3).
This is the first time the Asia Cup is being played in the T20 format, in a change from the earlier 50-over competitions.
In the World Twenty20 championship, commencing on March 8, India have been seeded in the Super 10 and will play New Zealand in their opening game on March 15 at Nagpur's VCA Stadium in Jamtha.
India would play a three-game T20 series at home against Sri Lanka from February 9, ahead of the multi-nation T20 events.
The Asia Cup is slated to be held from February 24 to March 6, after a four-team qualifying event to spot one qualifier for the tournament proper from February 19-22.
India take on hosts Bangladesh in the tournament opener at Mirpur followed by matches against arch-foes Pakistan (Feb 27), Sri Lanka (Mar 1) and qualifiers (Mar 3).
This is the first time the Asia Cup is being played in the T20 format, in a change from the earlier 50-over competitions.
In the World Twenty20 championship, commencing on March 8, India have been seeded in the Super 10 and will play New Zealand in their opening game on March 15 at Nagpur's VCA Stadium in Jamtha.
11:33 Loud music ban lifted on Goa Carnival, Ganesh Chaturthi
Goa government has issued notification allowing loud music till late night for several festivals, including the Carnival, which begins in the state from tomorrow, and Ganesh Chaturthi.
The notification, issued last evening, has listed fifteen festivals which are exempted from the loud music ban.
Currently, the music cannot be played on loudspeakers after 10 PM. However, the state government has now allowed it to be played during these festivals till midnight.
The festivals that are exempted from loud music ban include Carnival, Holi, Easter Eve, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Kojagiri Pournima, Diwali eve, Diwali, Tripurari Pournima, Christmas and New Year. For Ganesh Chaturthi, the use of loudspeakers is allowed on second, fifth and eleventh day of idol immersion. The permissions are granted as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules-2000.
The notification, issued last evening, has listed fifteen festivals which are exempted from the loud music ban.
Currently, the music cannot be played on loudspeakers after 10 PM. However, the state government has now allowed it to be played during these festivals till midnight.
The festivals that are exempted from loud music ban include Carnival, Holi, Easter Eve, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Kojagiri Pournima, Diwali eve, Diwali, Tripurari Pournima, Christmas and New Year. For Ganesh Chaturthi, the use of loudspeakers is allowed on second, fifth and eleventh day of idol immersion. The permissions are granted as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules-2000.
11:31
The Supreme Court dismisses the plea of Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury against the Delhi High Court order asking him to vacate a govt bungalow in the national capital.
11:20 On the way to Lanka
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj leaves for Sri Lanka, with Syed Akbaruddin who is the India's permanent representative at the United Nations.
11:05 WikiLeaks' Assange may leave embassy after UN panel ruling
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could walk out of the Ecuadoran embassy in London after more than three years on Friday, when a UN panel will rule whether he has been illegally held.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is expected to declare that his time stuck in a cramped embassy office amounts to arbitrary detention, according to the Swedish foreign ministry and Assange's lawyers.
Though the opinion is non-binding, the 44-year-old said he expects the panel's decision to change the game after three and a half years in confinement.
"Should the UN announce tomorrow that I have lost my case against the United Kingdom and Sweden I shall exit the embassy at noon on Friday to accept arrest by British police," he said in a statement.
If the group decides in his favour, however, Assange said he expects "the immediate return (of) my passport and the termination of further attempts to arrest me".
10:54 Solar Scam: Ruckus in Kerala assembly, Opposition stages walkout
Protests broke out in the Kerala legislative assembly on Friday over the solar scam as opposition LDF lawmakers staged a walk-out during Governor P Sathasivam's speech on the opening day of the budget session.
However, in an extraordinary move, Sathasivam publicly acknowledged the Opposition Left Democratic Front's protests against the Oommen Chandy Government and urged the Opposition to take their case to the people, rather than disrupting his address.
Sathasivam did not begin his speech till the Leader of the Opposition V S Achuthanandan was through with his statement on the corruption charges against the state government.
10:47 Tanzanian woman assault case: MEA team to visit Bengaluru
Following the assault of a Tanzanian female student in Bengaluru, a team of External Affairs Ministry and High Commissioner of Tanzania will visit the city on Friday to take stock of the situation.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took a high level meeting yesterday in view of the incident which was attended by the Foreign Secretary, following which she sought a detailed report from Commissioner of City, Bengaluru on the incident.
Expressing regret over the incident, External Affairs Ministry official spokesperson Vikas Swarup assured necessary legal action against the culprits.
The Home Ministry has also sought a report from the Karnataka government over the incident. It has also sought details of steps taken for the protection of the victim.
10:34 Maha CM orders probe into Deonar fire incident
Maharashtra Chif Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the Deonar fire incident.
Additional Commissioner of Polcie Manoj Lohiya is set to head the enquiry team.
The fire at dumping ground, that broke pout on Friday, led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to shut down 74 schools run by it, as the smoke from the ground veiled the area causing breathing difficulties.
Located in eastern Mumbai, the Deonar dumping ground is spread across 326 acres, with trash mountains as a high 30 metres, the equivalent of a nine-story building. It is the biggest of the citys three dumping grounds, and receives 5,500 metric tonnes of waste every day.
10:21 Canadas Sikh Defence Minister heckled in Parliament
Canada's first Sikh Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has been heckled in Parliament, with an Opposition member shouting that MPs needed an 'English-to-English' translation as he spoke, an act dubbed as 'racist'.
Veteran Conservative MP Jason Kenney sparked a controversy in the question period in Parliament with the heckle directed at Sajjan while the minister was responding about the military mission against the Islamic State.Kenney, a former defence minister himself, said MPs needed an English-to-English translation of Sajjan's responses.
Sajjan, 45, was in November named Canada's Defence Minister as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 30-member Liberal Cabinet was sworn in.
He is a combat veteran and has served in Bosnia and had three deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan.
10:01 MCD strike enters 10th day: Delhi suffers as garbage piles on roads
As the strike of municipal employees entered its tenth day, the agitation among sanitation workers and other employees of the three civic agencies picked up pace.
Over 1.5 lakh workers are on strike depriving the city of its basic services. For the last nine days, heaps of garbage has been left abandoned, causing immense inconvenience to the residents.
09:41 US Senators honour Mali terror victim Anita Ashok Datar
Anita Ashok Datar, the lone Indian-American killed in a terrorist attack in Mali last year, has been honoured by the US Senate which unanimously
passed a resolution praising her work for the advancement of
international development and public health.
The resolution recognised and honoured the commitment of Datar to connect low-income women to quality health services.
"Through her life and her work, Anita Datar selflessly and bravely worked to advance international development and public health," said Senator Cory A Booker, who along with Senator Robert Menendez, introduced the resolution.
"Her death is a devastating loss not just for her son, Rohan, her family, and friends, but for the greater cause of bringing stability to communities around the world," Booker said.
"This resolution honours Anita's sacrifice and the ongoing work of dedicated development professionals and volunteers across the globe working to provide critical humanitarian aid and counter violent extremism," Booker said.
09:39 Swaraj leaves for two-day visit to Lanka
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today left for Colombo on a two-day visit during which she is expected to discuss the fishermen's issue and rights of minority Tamils with the top Sri Lankan leadership.
Swaraj and her Sri Lankan counterpart Mangala Samaraweera will co-chair the 9th Joint Commission meeting to discuss key bilateral and regional issues in Colombo later today.
The discussions will cover the entire gamut of relationship pertaining to economic cooperation, trade, power and energy, technical and maritime cooperation, social, cultural and educational matters, science and technology, defence cooperation, health, civil aviation, tourism and
people-to-people contact.
The joint commission was set up in 1992 as a mechanism to address issues of bilateral cooperation. The last meeting of the Joint Commission was held in New Delhi in January 2013.
09:18 Democratic debate: Sanders and Clinton trade jabs on Wall Street, Isis
Sen. Bernie Sanders, pressed about his experience in foreign affairs in Thursday nights Democratic presidential debate, repeatedly cited his 2002 vote against the Iraq War as evidence that he could be trusted to make foreign policy decisions.
Experience is not the only point. Judgment is. And once again, back in 2002 when we both looked at the same evidence about the wisdom of the war in Iraq, one of us voted the right way, and one of us didnt, Sanders said, addressing former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Clinton voted in favor of the war, a vote that has become a centerpiece of Sanderss case against her.
But earlier in the debate, the first one-on-one contest between the two, Clinton offered a counter-argument. She has apologized for the vote, but said that Sanderss vote was not enough.
We did differ. A vote in 2002 is not a plan to defeat ISIS in the present day, Clinton said.
Sanders, asked to give more details about his foreign policy, said it flows out of the experience of the Iraq War. That lesson is the United States cannot do it alone. We cannot be the policeman of the world, Sanders said. He added: The key doctrine of the Sanders administration would be, no, we cant continue to do it alone. We need to work in coalition.
Read more HERE.
09:03 Obama calls on all religions to 'overcome fear causing divide'
US President Barack Obama urged followers of all religions to overcome the fear that drives a wedge among people in the name of faith.
According to the Dawn, Obama addressed the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday which was attended by a team of Pakistani politicians, including PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sherry Rehman and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
"Fear can lead us to lash out against those who are different or lead us to try to get some sinister 'other' under control. Alternatively, fear can lead us to succumb to despair or paralysis or cynicism. Fear can feed our most selfish impulses and erode the bonds of community," Obama said.
09:01 Zika virus's other looming threat
When the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Monday, it didn't cite the Zika virus itself as the reason. The emergency, it said, is the alarming rise in cases of microcephaly and Guillan Barre Syndrome.
At this time we have no other convincing explanation for the spike in these two conditions than the Zika virus.
But while the WHO isn't ready to pass judgment on precisely what's to blame, (it specifies only "possible association with Zika virus") by citing Guillan Barre Syndrome, a debilitating neurological disorder, it has elevated our awareness of the threat posed by it.
Read more HERE.
08:33 SC to hear Maha Govt.'s plea against Salman today
The Supreme Court will hear Maharashtra Government's special leave petition against Salman Khan in the hit-and-run-case today.
Justice J.S. Kher and Justice C. Nagappan will be on the bench that will hear his case.
Khan had moved the Supreme Court, saying he should be heard before any hearing on the Maharashtra Government's petition challenging his acquittal in the 2002 hit-and-run case.
The Maharashtra Government had on January 22 filed a petition in the apex court against the Bombay High Court's judgement acquitting Salman of 'all charges', overturning the trial court's order sentencing him for five years.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced that his government would challenge the High Court's verdict on its merits.
08:28 13 injured in Island Express derails in Tamil Nadu
The Kanniyakumari-Bangalore Island Express derailed between Somanayakanpatti and Patchur in Tamil Nadu in early morning hours.
According to reports 13 people have been injured in the accident although no deaths have been reported.
As a result of the derailment, 11 coaches were flipped off the tracks. Eight of the coaches derailed, while 3 got capsized.
"Relief/ rescue operations are in full swing, around 8-10 injured persons have been admitted to the hospital," the railway PRO said.
"We have rushed some buses to the accident site to clear the stranded passengers," the railway authorities added.
More details awaited.
08:18 Arizona woman killed by Islamic State militants honored
The family of a Prescott woman killed by Islamic State militants wants her to be remembered for her commitment to serving the vulnerable.
Kayla Muller died a year ago this week. She had been taken by the militant group in August 2013 after leaving a hospital in Aleppo, Syria.
Her family says she had a special mind and heart to see the many forms of suffering and to find a way to help.
A foundation has been created to honor Mueller, and the Kiwanis Club of Prescott is building a playground in her name. Northern Arizona University also established a scholarship in Mueller's name.
Her family says people should keep in mind lives lost to terrorism, the missing and those held against their will.
08:02 New UN stamp supports gay rights
The United Nations Postal Administration has released six new postage stamps promoting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The colorfully designed stamps by artist and UNPA art director Sergio Baradat are also meant to celebrate the diversity of the gay community and marks the first time the global body's post office has issued stamps with an LGBT theme.
The stamps were unveiled yesterday in a ceremony at the UN General Assembly building that included a performance by the New York Gay Men's Chorus.
"We need to change attitudes to one of acceptance," said Stephen Cutts, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Department of Management.
02:45 Tanzanian attack case: Team to leave for Bengaluru today
A team comprising the Tanzanian high commissioner and senior ministry of external affairs officials will travel to Bengaluru on Friday in connection with the alleged assault and stripping of a Tanzanian woman there, an incident termed as 'isolated' by the government on Thursday.
The decision to send a team was taken at a meeting convened in New Delhi by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who has described the incident as 'shameful'.
Terming the incident as 'isolated', MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said it was result of a 'chain reaction' following a road accident in which a woman was killed. He said the incident should not be 'generalised'.
01:40 Pak in touch with India on finalising dates for FS-level talks
Pakistan today said that it is in touch with India on finalising dates for the postponed Foreign Secretary-level talks.
"Both sides are in touch regarding the date of Foreign Secretary-level talks. We will let you know when it is finalised," Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said today during weekly briefing. The agenda of the talks will be discussed after date for the Foreign Secretary-level talks is finalised, he said.
India and Pakistan last month mutually agreed to a short deferment of Foreign Secretary-level talks after the Pathankot terror attack.
01:17 Fisherman injured as SL Tamil fishermen attack boat
A fishermen from a coastal hamlet in this district suffered an eye injury when his Sri Lankan counterparts, also Tamils, allegedly pelted stones at his mechanised boat at Neduntheevu off the island nation.
Two of his colleagues with him however escaped unhurt in the attack which took place late last night. Sekar, Assistant Director of Fisheries, said that Mansoor, 37, suffered eye injuries as the Sri Lankan fishermen, who were also tamils, pelted stones at their boat for allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line.
The injured fisherman was admitted to a private eye hospital today, he said. Since November 2015, 21 fishermen from Pudukottai district have been arrested by Sri Lankan naval personnel for allegedly fishing near the island nation's waters.
01:11 Sheena case: CBI gets nod to quiz Indrani, Khanna, Rai in jail
A special court today granted permission to the CBI to question three accused in the Sheena Bora murder case -- Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyam Rai - in jail after the agency said some "new facts" have emerged.
"We wanted to question the trio in the jail and we have got permission," a CBI official said.
In an application filed before special CBI judge H S Mahajan, the agency said,"In the course of investigation, certain new facts have emerged from the examination of witnesses and the three accused are required to be re-examined in view of the new information revealed by the witnesses", the CBI application said.
The agency also said they want to question the trio for 15 days. However, when Khanna's lawyer Shreyansh Mithare objected to the CBI's request, it told the court that this was the last time they are filing a plea to question the trio in jail.
00:08 Sheena case: CBI gets nod to quiz Indrani, Khanna, Rai in jail
A special court today granted permission to the CBI to question three accused in the Sheena Bora murder case -- Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyam Rai - in jail after the agency said some "new facts" have emerged.
"We wanted to question the trio in the jail and we have got permission," a CBI official said.
In an application filed before special CBI judge H S Mahajan, the agency said,"In the course of investigation, certain new facts have emerged from the examination of witnesses and the three accused are required to be re-examined in view of the new information revealed by the witnesses", the CBI application said.
The agency also said they want to question the trio for 15 days. However, when Khanna's lawyer Shreyansh Mithare objected to the CBI's request, it told the court that this was the last time they are filing a plea to question the trio in jail.
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