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Wed, 10 February 2016
The letter Baig never handed over to J & K Governor

Timeline  Refresh

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23:37   US and India discuss joint South China Sea patrols
The United States and India have held talks about conducting joint naval patrols that a US defense official said could include the disputed South China Sea, a move that would likely anger Beijing, which claims most of the waterway.

Washington wants its regional allies and other Asian nations to take a more united stance against China over the South China Sea, where tensions have spiked in the wake of Beijing's construction of seven man-made islands in the Spratly archipelago.

India and the United States have ramped up military ties in recent years, holding naval exercises in the Indian Ocean that last year involved the Japanese navy.

The US and India have taken no decision on conducting joint naval patrols, the Pentagon today said but stressed the two countries were exploring ways to expand defence their ties, amid reports that the naval patrols may include the disputed South China Sea.

The response from Defence Department spokesman Commander Bill Urban came as media reports suggested that India and the US recently held talks about conducting joint naval patrols in areas that may include the disputed South China Sea.

"On the matter of joint patrols, no decisions have been made and we do not have any additional details to provide at this time," Urban told PTI.

"The United States and India continue to explore ways to deepen our defense cooperation, including in the area of maritime security," Urban said, without giving the details of the areas likely to be covered under the proposition.

Read more HERE,
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23:08   The letter Baig never handed over to J & K Governor
On the day Mufti Mohammad Sayeed died, senior PDP leader Muzaffar Baig had taken a letter from his party to J & K Governor N N Vohra to intimate him of the decision that Mehbooba Muti will be the Chief
Minister but did not hand it over to him as he needed to be fully assured that all the MLAs were on board on the decision.

The details have been revealed in a report sent by Vohra to Rashtrapati Bhavan recommending Governor's rule in the state, according to the documents provided by the Union Home Ministry in an RTI response to activist Venkatesh Nayak.      

A similar request by Srinagar-based activist Shaikh Ghulam Rasool was turned down by Vohra's office citing August 13, 2013 communication from the Home Ministry that any privileged communication between the Governor and the President of India and other matters pertaining to the
official functioning of the Governor cannot be divulged.
 
It also cited a pending Supreme Court case in a similar RTI matter.
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22:29   Portugal lawmakers overturn veto on gay rights, abortion law
Left-of-centre parties in Portugal's Parliament have used their majority to overturn presidential vetoes on bills that granted adoption rights to same-sex couples and removed some abortion restrictions.
The legal changes give gay couples the same adoption rights as heterosexuals and waive mandatory counselling and payments for women seeking an abortion. 

Lawmakers with the governing Socialist Party and its allies in the Communist Party and radical Left Bloc voted Wednesday to keep the abortion changes. Some members of center-right parties also supported lifting the alterations on adoption.
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22:14   Turkish PM slams 'hypocritical' calls to open borders
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today slammed as "hypocritical" calls by some countries urging Ankara to open its borders to Syrian refugees while failing to demand Russia halts punishing air strikes.
Turkey is under mounting pressure to open its border to people fleeing a Russian-backed assault by the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad in the north of the war-torn country.
Tens of thousands of Syrians were still stranded today at the frontier north of the second city of Aleppo, where more than 500 people are said to have been killed in the offensive since February 1.
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21:49   Pak facing growing threat of Islamic State: IB chief
In a rare admission, Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau Chief today said the country was facing growing threat from the Islamic State as hundreds of
Pakistanis have travelled to Syria to join the terror outfit.
"There are reports of fighters being recruited by sectarian and other outfits, and being sent to Syria. The number of people leaving from Pakistan to Syria to join IS are in hundreds," Director General Intelligence Bureau Aftab Sultan said.
Addressing a Senate Standing Committee on interior affairs and narcotics control, Aftab said IB was locating militants in the country and carrying out arrests.

He also confirmed trend among militants to leave for Syria for fighting despite "successes" in dismantling militant networks.
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21:07   Jashodaben files RTI on PM's passport
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben today filed an RTI application with Regional Passport Office here seeking details about the marriage-related documents Modi had submitted to get his passport when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.
The plea was made after her application for passport was rejected last November on the ground she did not produce a marriage certificate or a joint affidavit to prove that she is married to Modi.

"Jashodaben came to the office today and filed an RTI application related to her passport. We will give her reply in due course," said Regional Passport Officer Z A Khan. 
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20:44   Weed users found to have poorer verbal memory in middle age
People who smoked weed regularly as teenagers remembered fewer words as they entered middle age, according to a new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Marijuana use is increasingly common among adolescents and young adults in the United States. In fact, a recent survey of high school students found more teens use marijuana than tobacco. One reason: a perception that it's not harmful

For this study, researchers randomly selected more than 5,000 young adults from 18 and 30 and followed up with them at varying points over 25 years. At the end of the 25 years, there were more than 3,400 participants still in the study. Their cognitive function was measured using standardized tests of verbal memory, processing speed and executive function.
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20:34   Kanye West's 'Bill Cosby Innocent' tweet sparks outrage
With just one tweet, Kanye West succeeded at creating yet another Twitter storm.

The rapper caused an uproar on Twitter Tuesday, when he tweeted: "BILL COSBY INNOCENT !!!!!!!!!!" West gave no explanation as to how he got to such a conclusion or any context as to why he made such a controversial comment. In fact, he moved on and posted about another hot topic -- NBA star Lebron James' new NIKE sneakers.

West's declaration of innocence for Cosby -- who is charged in a sexual assault case in Pennsylvania and has been publicly accused of assault by more than 50 women -- did not sit well with many people, including celebrities like actress and comedian Sarah Silverman.

"Kanye!! You can't be for real. FIFTY WOMEN. With nothing to gain thank to a statue of limitations ON RAPE. Oy," Silverman wrote.

Read more HERE.
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20:04   UK daily 'The Independent' reverts to using Bombay instead of Mumbai
British newspaper The Independent will switch back to using Bombay rather than Mumbai when referring to India's financial capital, its editor said on Wednesday.

Amol Rajan said the move was a stand against what he said was the closed-minded view of Hindu nationalists.

The city was officially renamed Mumbai in 1995, a change forced through by the far-right Shiv Sena party. However, within the city, the old colonial name and the Marathi-language name are often used interchangeably.

"The whole point of Bombay is of an open, cosmopolitan port city, the gateway of India that's open to the world," said Rajan, who was born in Kolkata -- formerly known as Calcutta -- and raised in London.

"If you call it what Hindu nationalists want you to call it, you essentially do their work for them," the 32-year-old told BBC radio.

"As journalists, as someone who edits The Independent, it's incredibly important to be specific about our terminology.

"I'd rather side with the tradition of India that's been open to the world, rather than the one that's been closed, which is in ascendance right now," he said, referring to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Shiv Sena had renamed the city after the goddess Mumbadevi, the protector of fisherman who were the area's original inhabitants.

Marathi speakers had always called the city "Mumbai", and the move was popular among that community, whereas "Bombay" was an anglicised take on the Portuguese colonial name "Bom Bahia", or "good bay".
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19:39   Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince arrives; PM receives him at airport
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to a warm welcome by Prime Minister Narendra who went to the airport to receive the "special friend". 

During Al Nahyan's three-day visit, his first to India, the two countries will discuss ways to enhance ties in a range of areas including energy, economy and security and are expected to sign a number of agreements in sectors like oil nuclear energy, IT, aerospace, railways and electronics. 

"A special welcome for a special friend. PM @narendramodi personally receives HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan," tweeted the PMO with a photo of the two leaders shaking hands at the Palam Technical Airport.

Modi had visited UAE in August last year, the first by an Indian Prime Minister after a gap of 34 years, and Al Nahyan had received him at the Abu Dhabi airport. 

"This is Sheikh Mohammed's 1st state visit to India & am glad he is visiting with his family," Modi said in a tweet.
"Sheikh Mohammed is a visionary leader. His visit will add new vigour and momentum to comprehensive strategic partnership between India & UAE," the Prime Minister added. 
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19:38   Victim's family members move SC against Salman's acquittal
The family members of a man who was killed in the 2002 hit-and-run case involving actor Salman Khan today moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bollywood star's acquittal by the the Bombay high court.

The special leave petition sought setting aside of the high court judgement and a direction to the 50-year-old actor to pay compensation to the wife and son of deceased Shaikh Noorulla Shaifik.

The petitioners alleged that the high court has made a "serious error" in reversing the well-reasoned judgment of the trial court, which had sentenced Salman to five years in jail. They said they were grievously affected by Salman's actions. 

Seeking compensation from the megastar, the family members said the courts below have ignored sections 357 and 357 A of the CrPC which provides for compensation to victims of crime. 

The petition said the apex court has held that in every criminal case, it is the mandate and duty of the court to ensure that victims are compensated/rehabilitated on its own motion, even without there being an application by the victim.
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19:28   Economic empowerment of women a must: SC
Women still have a "long way to go" to achieve a status equal to men as granted by the Constitution and their real empowerment can be achieved only through economic empowerment, the Supreme Court has said. 

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Abhay M Sapre made the observation while allowing the appeal of a woman excise officer who was denied appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Police by Chhattisgarh government on the ground that she had crossed the age-limit required for the post. 

"It is notwithstanding the fact that under Constitution of India, women enjoy a unique status of equality with men. In reality, however, they have yet to go a long way to achieve this constitutional status. 

"It is now realised that real empowerment would be achieved by women, which would lead to their well-being facilitating enjoyment of rights guaranteed to them, only if there is an economic empowerment of women as well," it said.
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18:42  
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik's tribute to Lance Naik Hanamanthappa as he battles for life. 
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18:41   Sonia writes to Siachen survivor's mother, prays for his well-being
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote a letter to the mother of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who was miraculously found alive after remaining buried under huge mass of snow for six days at Siachen Glacier, and prayed for his well-being.


"I was deeply pained to know about the death of ten brave soldiers of the Indian Army in the horrific avalanche in Siachen. But the news about your son has shown a ray of hope. Living in insurmountable circumstances in a place like Siachen, the soldiers brave against all odds to save our country, any appreciation is less for them," Gandhi said in her letter to the Lance Naik's 62-year-old mother.


"I pray to lord that he cures such a brave heart quickly so that he can start his routine activities and serve this nation yet again. I once again pray for Lance Naik Hanamanthappa's quick recovery and long life," she added.
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18:17   Evidence of oxygen deprivation to the brain, says hospital bulletin
The latest medical bulletin from the Army hospital where Lance Naik Hanamanthappa is being treated says:

-- A team of doctors from AIIMS called to R&R hospital for another opinion on Hanumanthappa. Leaving no stone unturned even now.

-- He continues to remain extremely critical with evidence of oxygen deprivation to the brain on CT scan.

-- There is evidence of pneumonia in both lungs. His multi-organ dysfunction state continues unabated. 
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18:14   Siachen survivor's condition deteriorates, says hospital
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa's condition deteriorates, despite aggressive therapy, says a fresh medical bulletin from Army R&R Hospital. There's  evidence of pneumonia in his lungs. 

Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad -- the Army jawan who is battling for life after he survived being snowed in 30 feet below the surface for six days in Siachen, remains critical even as his condition is being monitored continuously.

Koppad is still dependent on a ventilator. "The medical team treating him at the RR hospital is monitoring his situation continuously and is treating him with best expertise and resources available in the world," the statement said.

Earlier today, the braveheart's family visited him at the Army Hospital Research and Referral here. Army Chief General Dalbir Singh also checked up on Koppad at the hospital today.
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18:11   Siachen survivor chose conflict areas over peace postings
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who is in a critical condition after miraculously surviving six days buried under snow on the Siachen glacier in Jammu and Kashmir, chose difficult areas over "peace" postings and fought for 10 years in conflict areas.


"The brave solider displayed a high degree of initiative and has served 10 years in difficult and challenging areas out of 13 years of total service," a senior army officer said.


Koppad, who hails from Karnataka, was found alive on Monday, buried under 25 feet of snow for six days after an avalanche hit his post at an altitude of 19,600 feet close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.
The temperature at that altitude was minus 45 degrees Celsius.


"The 33-year-old serving soldier, who was enrolled in 19th Battalion of the Madras Regiment on October 25, 2002, is highly motivated and physically fit... He opted for challenging terrains from the beginning," the officer said.


"The soldier has served in Mahore (J&K) from 2003 to 2006 where he was actively involved in counterinsurgency operations. He again volunteered to serve with 54 Rashtriya Rifles (Madras) in the state from 2008 to 2010 where he displayed indomitable courage and gallantry in fighting terrorism during his tenure," he said.


Koppad also volunteered to serve in the Northeast from 2010 to 2012 where he actively participated in successful operations against the National Democratic Front of Bodoland and United Liberation Front of Assam, he added.


He was serving in the super high altitude areas of Siachen Glacier from August 2015 and was chosen for deployment in one of the highest posts at an altitude of 19,600 feet since December 2015, encountering temperature well below minus 40 degrees C and winds up to 100 km per hour, the officer said.


"As an individual, Hanamanthappa is an ever smiling man who shares a cordial relationship with peers and subordinates," the officer said.


After being evacuated, he was transferred to Delhi by an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft accompanied by a critical care specialist of the force and a medical specialist from the base camp.Mr Koppad is being treated at Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi by a team of intensivists, neurologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and surgeons. He has been administered fluids and drugs to bring up his blood pressure, besides antibiotics.


"He continues to battle the odds and his medical condition remains very critical," a medical bulletin issued by the hospital said today.
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18:02   Rebirth for all of us, says Siachen survivor's wife
"It is a rebirth for all of us," said Mahadevi, wife of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, with a sense of relief as the family reacted to the news of his miraculous survival after remaining buried under snow for six days at Siachen Glacier.


"My husband's grandmother inspired him in his life. Her prayers saved him from certain death in Siachen. It is a rebirth for all of us," Mahadevi, residing at Betadur village in Kundagol taluk of Dharwad district, said.
Hanamanthappa, who hails from Karnataka, was found alive on Monday after being buried under 25 feet of snow for six days following an avalanche that had hit his post at an altitude of 19,600 feet where the temperature was minus 45 degrees Celsius.

Mahadevi said the family was going through a painful ordeal after the members came to know of the tragedy, but the news of his survival brought smiles back on faces.


"We were going through a painful ordeal after the avalanche struckThe news of his survival brought smiles back on our faces. We were all crying and almost lost hope. I didn't know what to do I have one-and-half-year old girl child," she said.


Eshwar, Hanamanthappa's cousin, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting Koppad who is on a ventillator at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.


"What should I say about the gesture Modi has shown to a simple soldier. It is heartening that a person who is Prime Minister of India visited him," he said.


Eshwar also appreciated the concern shown by Army officials who had visited the family members and gave hope of his survival. "The army officials had visited us and instilled hope by saying 'don't worry, nothing will happen. The Army had said will find him out and retrieve him alive from the glacier," he said.


Pic: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa's mother and wife.
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17:45   Woman, former Navy sailor offer to donate organs to save Siachen hero
Moved by the inspiring real-life story of Lance Naik Hanamananthappa Koppad, who was rescued five days after being trapped in an avalanche on the Siachen glacier and is currently in a critical state at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi, a woman from Uttar Pradesh has volunteered to donate a kidney. Another ex-Navy sailor in Mumbai has offered to donate 'any organ' to save the brave soldier.

Nidhi Pandey, a housewife from Lakhimpur Kheri, 167km from the state capital Lucknow, contacted the helpline of a local news channel and sought to know how she can contact the hospital and proceed with her wish to donate a kidney to Koppad, who is battling for his life.

Navy ex-sailor SS Raju has expressed his willingness to donate any organ of his body to save the life of "fellow-brother" Hanumanthappa.
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17:40  
School children pray for Lance Naik Hanamanthappa who is still very critical.
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17:16   Internet power to the people
TRAI's vigorous endorsement of net neutrality safeguards the Internet against platform monopolies, retaining the ability for users not only to be consumers but also creators of content. Read
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17:02   Kohlis Pakistani fans bail plea verdict reserved
A young die-hard Pakistani fan of ace Indian cricketer Virat Kohli who was arrested for hoisting the Indian tri-colour atop his home in Punjab province may have to spend more time in police custody after a court reserved its verdict on his bail plea.

Judge Anique Anwar of district court in Okara reserved the decision yesterday after the counsel for Daraz completed his arguments on his bail petition.


Daraz, a 22-year-old tailor, who also resembles Kohli, is facing up to 10 years imprisonment for hoisting the Indian flag at the rooftop of his house in Okara district.


He was arrested from his house, some 200 kilometers from Lahore, on January 25 and police registered an FIR under section 123-A of Pakistan Penal Code and 16 Maintenance of Public Order.The section 123-A (acts of damaging the sovereignty of the country) carries maximum punishment of 10 years in jail or fine or both.


His counsel Aamir Bhatti told the court his client is innocent as he hoisted Indian flag at his house only to support his favourite cricketer who was playing against Australia at that time.He said Daraz committed a mistake without knowing its implications.
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16:51   More than 500 dead in Syria regime's Aleppo offensive: monitor
More than 500 people, including dozens of civilians, have been killed since a major Russian-backed regime offensive in Syria's Aleppo province began this month, a monitor said today. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources for its figures, said the toll of 506 included 23 children killed in Russian air strikes on Aleppo city and its surroundings since the operation was launched on February 1.
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16:49  
Salman Khan's acquittal challenged in Supreme Court by family of 2002 hit-and-run victim.
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16:45  
Whoever handles the Twitter feed for the Mumbai Police is doing a fantastic job. Getting the message across with wit, isn't easy. @CPMumbaiPolice  tweets on child abuse: "Don't be a snake in their life, be a ladder. Let's stop child abuse. #NoKidding."
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16:35   Delhi to take odd-even decision tomorrow
Delhi's government has promised the capital a big Odd-Even announcement tomorrow. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said he was sure Delhi would be pleased.

He bases that confidence on the overwhelming feedback he claims the government has received that the city is waiting eagerly for round two of the formula that allows only odd-numbered cars on the roads on odd days and even-numbered cars on the other days.

"Dilli mangay dil se, Odd-Even phir se (Delhi wants odd-even again, from the bottom of its heart)," Sisodia told NDTV as the government began a meeting of all departments to review suggestions it has received on the scheme that ran for 15 days starting January 1 this year.

Over 12 lakh suggestions were received on the government's website and 200 jan sabhas or citizen meetings will be held in the capital to review the feedback, Sisodia said.

The Delhi government has already indicated that Odd-Even, designed to cut Delhi's infamous smog, will return in April. Sisodia said today that the Aam Aadmi Party government wants to launch round two after the Board exams for class 10 and 12 that begin in March, so that students are not inconvenienced.

The jury is still out on whether Odd-Even, which meant fewer cars on the roads between 8 am and 8 pm, indeed improved the air quality in the world's most polluted capital. But fewer traffic jams were reported in a city that adds over five lakh cars every year.

On February 14, the government of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal completes a year. Its ministers will sit on stage and answer calls from citizens in what will be the centrepiece of the anniversary celebrations.

Opposition parties are unlikely to join, but the Congress, which had won not a single assembly seat in last year's election, plans to send Mr Kejriwal 21,000 roses with a card that will read, "Ek Saal Dilli Behal".
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15:43   Now KinkBNB for lovers to book guiltless sexcapades
This new site lets lovers book sexscapades without worrying about waking up the next door neighbours or being landed with a hefty damages charge. Read
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15:39   N Korea executes its army chief
North Korea has executed its army chief of staff, Ri Yong Gil, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday, which, if true, would be the latest in a series of executions, purges and disappearances under its young leader.

Reuters reports that the news comes amid heightened tension surrounding isolated North Korea after its Sunday launch of a long-range rocket, which came about a month after it drew international condemnation for conducting its fourth nuclear test.


A source familiar with North Korean affairs also told Reuters that Ri had been executed. The source declined to be identified, given the sensitivity of the matter.Ri, who was chief of the Korean People's Army (KPA) General Staff, was executed this month for corruption and factional conspiracy, Yonhap and other South Korean media reported.


Yonhap did not identify its sources. The source who told Reuters the news declined to comment on how the information about the execution had been obtained.South Korea's National Intelligence Service declined to comment and it was not possible to independently verify the report.


The North rarely issues public announcement related to purges or executions of high-level officials.
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15:31   The nine Indians who fell for Islamic State
Rahul Tripathi profiles 9 men who were part of the IS cell headed by Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh alias 'Abu Musab.' A lot of planning went into the recruitment and assignment of work, reveal interrogation details and clear hierarchy was set according to the level of radicalisation and other parameters. Read more
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15:27   Hanamanthappa still critical
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad -- the Army jawan who is battling for life after he survived being snowed in 30 feet below the surface for six days in Siachen, remains critical even as his condition is being monitored continuously.

According to the latest health bulletin released by the Army, Koppad is still dependent on ventilator. "The medical team treating him at the RR hospital is monitoring his situation continuously and is treating him with best expertise and resources available in the world," the statement said.

Earlier today, the braveheart's family visited him at the Army Hospital Research and Referral here. Army Chief General Dalbir Singh also checked up on Koppad at the hospital today.
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15:15   Executve vice-chairman post a demotion, not promotion: Pachauri
TERI executive vice chairman RK Pachauri files a reply in the Delhi HC rebutting the complainant's application which alleged that some employees at TERI were made to dilute their stand. Pachauri in his reply to the Delhi HC, said that the complainant has relocated to outside India for academic pursuits or other concerns. Reacting to condemnation that a post of executive vice chairman had been created for Pachauri, his lawyer said it was in fact a demotion for him not a promotion.


The complainant in the sexual harassment case against him wrote an open letter yesterday saying the move made her "flesh crawl". "Shamelessness abounds. The news of promotion of a man who stands booked on charges of sexual harassment at workplace, stalking and criminal intimidation by the country's who's who, makes my flesh crawl," she wrote. Teri defended the move to promote Pachauri despite court proceedings against him.
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14:42   Tharoor differs from Cong, says Sabarimala must allow women
Congress lawmaker and former UPA minister Shashi Tharoor today said he is against the Sabarimala temple's ban on women even though his party believes that the tradition should continue.


Speaking to NDTV, Tharoor said, "My party has taken a stand that the Sabarimala tradition should be followed. But, I am personally against it - because I believe customs and traditions evolve."


The Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha member's remarks come at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing a petition, by the Indian Young Lawyers' Association, seeking entry for women all ages to the temple located in Kerala's Pathanamthitha district.


The shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyapa does not allow women between the ages of 10 and 50. The court had come down heavily on the temple management during a hearing on the petition last month.


"Why can you not let a woman enter? On what basis are you prohibiting women's entry... What is your logic? Women may or may not want to go...but that is her personal choice," Justice Dipak Misra, who headed a three-judge Special Bench, said.


The court has asked the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, to provide proof of its claim that the temple is following a centuries-old tradition.


Days earlier, the Congress-led Kerala government had told the Supreme Court in an affidavit that the issue of allowing women into Sabarimala is a matter of religion and a decision should be taken by the priests.


Tharoor said there is "nothing sacrosanct about social practices...Dalit were not allowed (to visit temples) till 1930s. Now they are."  "I don't think God's dignity, whom we worship is capable of being polluted by human presence, and he or she who wants to worship should be free to...If one wants to go to the temple, I believe it's wrong to bar her on grounds of gender and especially between specific ages. This is my personal view, not as a party person," the lawmaker said.
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14:26  
Jhumpa Lahiri on her new book, a new language and a new land. Read more
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14:11   MHA's new go-to instructions for natural disasters
Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday released a new set of drills to tackle national disaster such as tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, cyclones, avalanches, heat/cold waves and landslides.

The Home Ministry has sent out instructions to the District Magistrates. The circular contains emergency phone numbers, coordinating heads etc. The circular also says that 'disaster handling notes' can be opened from the attachment and exhaustive drill may be conducted. Take a look.
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14:01   Parrikar's casual dress irks protocol babus
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar's casual attire during President Pranab Mukherjee's At Home at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Republic Day has upset the protocol division.

The dress code for the occasion says, 'National Dress', but Parrikar chose to wear his signature bush shirt and trousers as did Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Parrikar has asserted that he will continue to dress as he chooses.

A Vishakhapatnam-based businessman, embarrassed by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals sartorial sense, has sent him a demand draft of Rs 364 requesting Kejriwal to buy a decent pair of shoes and not attend important occasions wearing sandals.

Any donors for Mr Parrikar?
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13:34   This is how the PMO treats ministers
When PM Narendra Modi meets foreign heads of state, it's smiling selfies and hugs all around. But for his minister's at home it's the metaphorical rap on the knuckles. That's what is being said of the PM in the political circles. 

A story doing the rounds is of how the Prime Minister's Office treated Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu recently. Incidentally, Prabhu is among the few ministers the PM trusts.

Suresh Prabhu was to lead a delegation last month to the US to seek direct foreign investment in the railways. In fact, Prabhu had been directed to do the trip by none other than the PM.

So, Prabhu's office kept tickets, visas, foreign exchange and luggage ready, but the clearance from the PMO did not come. Obviously, neither Prabhu nor his office dared contact the PMO seeking a clarification.

Just as the delegation decided to unpack, the PMO called saying the trip has been cleared.

Prabhu was however told that there would be no long stop-over at London or anywhere else. Prabhu returned within three days.
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12:48   India unites in prayer for Siachen survivor Hanamanthappa
India unites to pray for Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad who battles for life at the Army R&R Hospital in New Delhi, where he was brought in yesterday.

In Mumbai, the city's iconic dabbawalas prayed for his well-being (pictured), while in Varanasi, at the evening aarti, a special prayer was said for him. 

This morning, Army chief Dalbir Singh visited the hospital for the second time, where he was told that Hanamanthappa continues to remain serious. 

Army officials says that the miraculous rescue of the Lance was possible because he was trapped inside an air pocket under 35 feet of snow, and had access to oxygen ever since he was buried alive in an avalanche on February 3.

Army sources said Hanumanthappa was detected with the help of a radar, but rescue teams had little hope of discovering him alive.

About 150-200 personnel from nearby posts and units, including the 19 Madras regiment to which Hanumanthappa belongs, were engaged in round-the-clock rescue work since the avalanche. The rescue teams, which also included two sniffer dogs, Dot and Misa, were equipped with radars, snow cutting equipment, medical equipment, Doppler radars and thermal detectors. They also had specialised digging and boring equipment, like rock drills, electrical saws and earth augers to break blue ice, which is harder than rock.

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12:07   Why is America so angry with its politicians?
The American people have had enough and are turning on their government. Here we analyse exactly why the public are rallying against the establishment - from political, social and economic reasons to the rise of hardliners such as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Read more
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12:03  
Prayers being held in Varanasi for Lance Naik Hanamanthappa's recovery. The only survivor in the Siachen avalanche is in a coma and battling for life. 
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11:53   Ask for a probe into attacks on journalists in Bastar too, Mr Jaitley
The I&B minister was quick to condemn an assault on reporters in UP. But it is in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh that the press is truly under siege. Read
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11:46   Meteorite didn't kill Tamil Nadu man, says NASA
The news reported by newspapers across India and picked up by many outlets around the world was startling: A bus driver was killed and three people were injured after a meteorite hit a college campus Saturday. If true, it would have been the first scientifically confirmed report of someone being killed by a meteorite.


By Tuesday, however, the story appeared to be fizzling as scientific experts weighed in. The early reports included images of a crater, 5 feet deep and 2 feet wide. Witnesses described hearing an explosion, and the police recovered a black, pockmarked stone from the site, in southeast India.

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa promised compensation for the families of the driver, who was hit by debris, and for the other three people, The Times of India reported.


At the college in the Tamil Nadu district of Vellore, the driver, identified only as Kamaraj, died of his injuries after window panes in the engineering building and on several buses shattered, officials there told the local media.Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics were analyzing samples of the rock provided by the police.


"Considering that there was no prediction of a meteorite shower and there was no meteorite shower observed, this certainly is a rare phenomena if it is a meteorite," said Prof. G.C. Anupama, the dean of the institute, in a telephone interview Tuesday.


But Nasa scientists in the United States were more emphatic, saying that the photographs posted online were more consistent with "a land-based explosion" than with something from space.Lindley Johnson, Nasa's planetary defense officer, said in an email that a death by meteorite impact was so rare that one had never been scientifically confirmed in recorded history.


"There have been reports of injuries, but even those were extremely rare before the Chelyabinsk event three years ago," she said, referring to a 2013 episode in Russia.The object recovered from the site in India weighed only a few grams and appeared to be a fragment of a common Earth rock.


Pic: The rock, believed to be a meteorite, recovered by the police.
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11:25   What lies ahead for Hanamanthappa
As Siachen survivor Hanamanthappa battles for life, this is what he has to face.

The Telegraph reports that a search-and-rescue team found Hanamanthappa conscious but drowsy and disoriented, dehydrated, suffering from poor oxygen supply and dangerously low blood sugar level. Doctors at the rescue site, a mountain top at 19,600 feet, resuscitated him, treated him with warm intravenous fluids, humidified warm oxygen, and passive external rewarming and sent him via helicopter to a base camp at 10,000 feet, then on an aircraft to Delhi.

"When someone is buried in snow, the cold and lack of oxygen are the biggest threats," said William Selvamurthy, a specialist in high-altitude physiology.

"It is possible Hanamanthappa was trapped in a space with air-carrying conduits, air from the surface leaked into that space. It would have also helped if he refrained from significant activity - lack of activity would have helped reduce the body's metabolic needs," he said.

Physiologists say the human body when exposed to extreme cold responds involuntarily with vasoconstriction - a narrowing of blood vessels - to minimise heat loss from the body to the surroundings. Vasoconstriction helps delay hypothermia, or loss of body heat, a doctor said.

The normal body temperature is about 37C, and persistent hypothermia can progress to a severe, irreversible and life-threatening condition. Any hypothermia leading to a temperature drop up to 28C can lead to impaired consciousness, a drop below 24C leads to unconsciousness.

Physiologists say the bulletin from the Army Hospital suggests the life-saving measures that Hanamanthappa requires themselves pose a challenge. "The rewarming can lead to vasodilation, or expansion of the blood vessels, which can contribute to a drop in blood pressure," Selvamurthy said.

"Someone who is in a dehydrated condition is already likely to have low blood pressure, so the rewarming can exacerbate the fall in blood pressure."

Hanamanthappa has been administered antibiotics, a medication to increase his blood pressure, and is receiving intravenous fluids. He is under care of a team of critical care specialists, surgeons, a neurologist, a nephrologist, and an endocrinologist.
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11:03  
Just in: 25 cars collide with each other due to fog on NH 1 in Nilokheri, Karnal. 4 people dead.
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10:41   Poster of Bhindranwale with Kejriwal, AAP leaders sparks row
A poster carrying pictures of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders, urging people to celebrate Bhindranwale's birthday on February 9, has sparked off a controversy in Punjab. 

While AAP leaders led by state in-charge Sanjay Singh and convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur distanced the party from the posters, stating it was "dirty politics' being played by rival parties, the Punjab Congress was quick to react, accusing AAP of engaging in "disruptive politics'. 
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10:18   Headley's deposition adjourned, to resume tomorrow
The Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative's deposition in the court was adjourned for today and will resume tomorrow after the video conferencing link suffered a technical snag. 

Headley is being examined as an approver in the 26/11. Deposing from a undisclosed location yesterday, Headley told the special judge G A Sanap that ISI was helping different terror outfits in Pakistan by providing financial, military and moral support. 

Terror outfits LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen are given "financial" and "military" support by the ISI. Headley also made fresh revelations including about an aborted plan to target Indian defence scientists and famous Siddhivinayak temple.
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09:59   Leopard sightings: Panic grips Bengaluru
After complaints of another leopard sighting in Vibgyor school in Bengaluru poured in, panic has gripped Bengaluru. Schools in the area have suspended classes for today and police has been deployed in the locality.
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09:49   Gates Foundation on Centres radar
The Indian government will closely scrutinise the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's methods of donations in India after an international report accused the world's biggest philanthropist of influencing government policies in favour of multinational pharmaceutical companies. 

Unlike other international donors, the BMGF is not registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, leaving its funding out of the ambit of the ministry of home affairs, which is the regulatory authority for NGOs and associations who receive foreign funds.
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09:27  
JUST IN: Army Chief reaches R&R hospital to visit Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, who was pulled out of the avalanche six days later. 
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09:23   What will Headley reveal today? Deposition begins for third day
Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley on Wednesday continued his deposition for the third consecutive day before a Mumbai court via videoconferencing. 

Yesterday, continuing his deposition, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative had told special judge GA Sanap that ISI was helping different terror outfits in Pakistan by providing financial, military and moral support.

He also revealed that plans to target Mumbai had started over a year before November 26, 2008 and that LeT initially wanted to attack a conference of Indian defence scientists at Taj Mahal Hotel for which even a dummy of the hotel was prepared.
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08:41   Pak's growing nuclear stockpile, doctrine pose risk: Pentagon
Expressing concern over Pakistan's evolving "tactical nuclear weapons" doctrine, a top American spymaster warned US Congress about the increasing risks of an "incident" associated with the growing nuclear arsenal. 

"Pakistan's nuclear weapons continues to grow. We are concerned that this growth, as well as the evolving doctrine associated with tactical weapons, increases the risk of an incident or accident," Defence Intelligence Agency Director Vincent Stewart told the Senate Armed Services Committee.        "Islamabad continues to take steps to improve its nuclear security, and is aware of the threat presented by extremists to its programs," Stewart said in his testimony.
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08:14   Headley's deposition in Mumbai court delayed
David Coleman Headley's deposition in a Mumbai court via video link has been delayed on Wednesday owing to a technical snag. Headley has been deposing in the court since Monday providing crucial information about the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the Pakistan's ISI's hand in the attacks and his role in the killing of over 166 people. 
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07:59   US presidential race: Trump, Sanders win New Hampshire primary
Donald Trump, the New York tycoon running for the Republican presidential nomination, and Bernie Sanders, the rival to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic contest, won decisive victories in the New Hampshire primary as polls closed across the state. 

Trump secured 34 per cent, followed by Ohio governor John Kasich who had 15.5 per cent. In the Democratic race, Sanders had a commanding 58-40 lead over Clinton with 25 per cent of the ballots counted.

Trump will welcome the victory after his humbling loss in Iowa where Ted Cruz, the Texas senator, proved the polls wrong by securing a 27-24 per cent win over the property mogul. 
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03:26   Decision day in New Hampshire
The Iowa caucuses are in the rear view mirror, and now it's time for the nation's first presidential primary, as New Hampshire residents go to the polls today.

Voters will be casting their ballots all. 

But polls will close for nearly all of the state at 7 pm Eastern time (5.30 am in India), and a few straggler polling places will close at 8 pm Eastern (around 6.30 am in India).

Importantly, registered independents are permitted to vote in either of the two major party primaries (though not both). And residents who aren't registered to vote can register at the polls. 

Read more HERE.
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03:12   Amid cybersecurity warnings, Obama unveils 'action plan'
President Barack Obama has unveiled a cybersecurity "national action plan" as his intelligence chief warned of growing risks from new
technologies that open more doors to hackers.
Obama asked for USD 19 billion for cybersecurity efforts in his budget request, a 35 per cent increase from current levels, with USD 3 billion earmarked to help modernise the patchwork of computer systems used in government agencies. 

"More and more, keeping America safe is not just about more tanks or more airplanes," Obama told reporters at the White House yesterday.
"We also have to bolster our security online. As we've seen in the past few years, and just in the past few days, cyber threats pose a danger not only to our national security but our economic security."
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02:56   Top intelligence official: ISIS to attempt US attacks this year
Top US intelligence officials said Tuesday that ISIS was likely to attempt direct attacks on the US in the coming year and that the group was infiltrating refugees escaping from Iraq and Syria to move across borders.

ISIS "will probably attempt to conduct additional attacks in Europe, and attempt to direct attacks on the US homeland in 2016," Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, testified on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who was also at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, estimated that violent extremists were active in about 40 countries and that there currently exist more terrorist safe havens "than at any time in history."

Clapper warned that ISIS and its eight branches were the No. 1 terrorist threat, and that it was using the refugee exodus from violence in Iraq and Syria to hide among innocent civilians in order to reach other countries.

Read more HERE.
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01:57   France, Germany press Brussels on terror funding crackdown
France and Germany pressed the European Union today to speed up plans designed to crack down on the funding of terrorist groups.

Paris -- left reeling by two major terror attacks last year and Berlin want the plans implemented by June, according to a source at talks between the two governments in the French capital.
"We have to accelerate the process," said French Finance Minister Michel Sapin at a press conference with his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble. 

The call came a week after the European Commission unveiled plans to choke off financing of terrorist groups, with France pushing hard for a crackdown after attacks last January and November.
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01:31   Obama proposes USD 860 mn in aid for Pak
The Obama administration today proposed USD 860 million in aid for Pakistan, including USD 265 million for military hardware, which it said would help the country fight terrorists, secure nuclear weapons and
improve ties with India.
While there was no mention of Pakistan in President Barack Obama's budgetary proposals, Secretary of State John Kerry in his proposals said the budget includes USD 859.8 million towards sustaining ties with Pakistan and making progress to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat violent extremist groups." 

"The requested funding will support the country's counter-insurgency missions, and bolster stability, energy access, economic growth, and social reform," Kerry said in a letter accompanying his proposals.
"Pakistan lies at the heart of the US counter-terrorism strategy, the peace process in Afghanistan, nuclear non-proliferation efforts, and economic integration in South and Central Asia," State Department said making its case for the aid to Pakistan under the Overseas Contingency Operations
fund. 
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00:43   Indo-Pak ties 'tense': US intelligence chief
Noting that the Indo-Pak ties "remain tense", the US intelligence chief today said India's engagement with Pakistan hinges on Islamabad's willingness to act against those responsible for the Pathankot terror attack.

"Relations between Pakistan and India remain tense despite the resumption of a bilateral dialogue in December," James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing.

Following the attack on Pathankot Air Force base in January, which New Delhi blames on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, "India's engagement with Pakistan will probably hinge in 2016 on Islamabad's willingness to take action against those in Pakistan linked to the attack," he said.
Seven security personnel were killed and several others were injured when six militants stormed the Pathankot base.

Clapper also said the Islamic State group has become a prominent threat because of its self-described caliphate in Syria and Iraq, its branches and emerging branches in other countries, and its increasing ability to direct and inspire attacks against a wide range of targets around the world.
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00:38   FBI confirms Clinton email investigation
The FBI has formally confirmed it is investigating Hillary Clinton's private emails, giving fuel to a controversy that the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination has been unable to put behind her.
In a letter dated February 2 that was made public on yesterday, FBI General Counsel James Baker said the FBI's investigation into Clinton's use of a private e-mail server while she was secretary of state is "ongoing."
Clinton has repeatedly denied doing anything wrong. 

Although the FBI's investigation first became public in July, the Republican Party jumped on the latest news, saying it should disqualify her from the presidency. 

"The investigation into Hillary Clinton's secret email server is far from the routine 'security review' she has claimed," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.

"Clinton's conduct was a severe error in judgment that grossly endangered our national security and put highly classified information at risk."

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