LIVE! Tom Alter withdraws resignation, to continue at FTII

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Wed, 06 July 2016

Tom Alter withdraws resignation, to continue at FTII

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21:49 Tom Alter withdraws resignation, to continue at FTII

Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) today said noted actor Tom Alter, who had resigned as the head of the Acting department last month, has taken back his resignation. "I was given the responsibility by academic council to persuade him to take his resignation back and now he has taken his resignation back and will continue as head of the Acting department," said Bhupendra Kainthola, Director, FTII. Alter was a very fine and veteran actor and the institute needed him, Kainthola said. While resigning, Alter had said his other commitments prevented him from devoting time to the FTII assignment. However, FTII sources said that a strained relationship with the students had also contributed to Alter's decision.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashish Khetan, under fire for equating the party's 'Youth Manifesto' for Punjab polls with religious books and using the image of Golden Temple on it, today met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

AAP's Punjab in charge Sanjay Singh and senior leader Ashutosh were also present in the meeting. However, the party maintained that the meeting had got nothing to do with the controversy.

While Khetan has already tendered an apology, saying he did not intend to "undermine any section of the society", a case was registered against him in Amritsar today for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. When contacted, a senior party leader said the meeting was "informal".

The leader criticised the opposition for "communalising" the issue despite Khetan tendering apology. "The opposition is just trying to whip up communal sentiments. Khetan has already apologised and the party's Punjab unit has also done the same," the leader said.

21:00 Federer beats Cilic to reach Wimbledon semis

World No 3 Roger Federer edged out Marin Cilic 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in a gruelling 3 hour and 20 minutes to advance into the semifinals of Wimbledon.

The victory keeps Federer on course for his long-awaited 18th Grand Slam.

Citing "precarious" security situation and an increasing threat from the Taliban, President Barack Obama today announced that the US will station 8,400 troops in Afghanistan when he completes his term, reversing his previous plan to leave behind just 5,500 soldiers in the war-torn country.

The readjustment to original plan came as the US struggles to maintain stability in Afghanistan while fulfilling promises to end the war by the end of Obama presidency in January 2017.

"The security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious," Obama said. "I strongly believe it is in our national security interest... that we give our Afghan partners the best opportunities to succeed," he added.

Without naming Pakistan, Obama called on countries in the region to end all terrorist safe havens in the region. "The decision I'm making today ensures that my successor has a solid foundation for progress in Afghanistan, as well as the flexibility to address the threat of terrorism as it evolves," Obama said.

"I firmly believe the decision I'm announcing is the right thing to do." he said. Obama's announcement in this regard came on the eve of his departure to Europe to attend a crucial NATO summit, wherein Afghanistan and the threat from Islamic State would be major topics of discussion.

A public prosecutor today told a court here that a bail petition seeking the release of engineering graduate Ram Kumar, prime accused in the murder of a woman IT employee, has been filed by an advocate without the knowledge of the accused.

City public prosecutor M L Jegan submitted in the Principal Sessions court that Krishnamoorthy, who filed the plea, was not duly authorised by Ram Kumar through a 'Vakkalath.' He made the submission when Krishnamoorty appeared on behalf of Ram Kumar, accused in the murder of IT employee Swathi, as the bail plea came up for hearing.

The public prosecutor also brought to the notice of the court claims made by the advocate in the media. One of the claims was that Ram Kumar's cut injuries was not inflicted by the accused but by someone else who had come with police to arrest him.

19:38 Tendulkar undergoes knee surgery in London

India's retired cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has undergone a knee surgery at a hospital here. Tendulkar posted a picture of his left leg, covered in a black cast, on his facebook page and commented that he hopes to recover soon.

"Some injuries trouble even after retirement, but I will be back very soon doing the things I enjoy. Had a knee operation & resting," the iconic batsman wrote.

More than 17,000 people reacted with shock and sympathy by liking the picture and posting comments on it.

Seventeen fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who were arrested by Sri Lankan naval personnel for allegedly fishing in their territorial water, were today remanded to judicial custody till July 20 by a court in the island country.

The fishermen from Nagapattinam had set out for fishing in two mechanised boats and they were arrested yesterday off Neduntheevu in Sri Lanka, according to Nagapattinam Fisheries Joint Director Subburaj.

They were today taken to a court which remanded them to judicial custody, he said. They have been lodged in a prison at Jaffna, Subburaj said.

18:40

Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls up Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to wish him on Eid.

18:39 UK went to war in Iraq based on flawed intelligence: UK report

The UK joining the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 to oust dictator Saddam Hussein was not used as a "last resort" and was based on "flawed intelligence," an inquiry into the war today said in a damning indictment of then prime minister Tony Blair's decision to go to war.

The UK did not exhaust all peaceful options before joining the invasion of Iraq, said John Chilcot, the chairman of the official inquiry into the war set up in 2009. "We have concluded that the UK chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted. Military action at that time was not a last resort," the former senior civil servant told reporters. He also said judgments about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction "were presented with a certainty that was not justified" and post-war planning was "wholly inadequate".

His 12-volume, 2.6-million-word report on the war on Iraq 13 years ago comes over seven years after the inquiry was ordered by then prime minister Gordon Brown. About 180 British soldiers were killed in the Iraq war from 2003 to 2009. Delivering a crushing verdict on Blair who was prime minister when the UK decided to go to war alongside the US to unseat Hussein as president of Iraq, Chilcot said, "When the potential for military action arises, the government should not commit to a firm political objective before it is clear it can be achieved. Regular reassessment is essential.

"The UK's relationship with the US has proved strong enough over time to bear the weight of honest disagreement. It does not require unconditional support where our interests or judgments differ," it said.

A day after the Women and Child Ministry stepped in to protect women from online trolls and asked National Commission for Women to monitor such cases, NCW Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam raised strong objections and asked how could one police the net.

"You can't police the net. It is an open space, it is like a galaxy almost. There are billions of twitter accounts and no organisation can keep an eye on twitter. It is not physically possible for anybody to say we are following everybody's twitter...

"The problem with cyber crime is also that it is a very specialised crime. It can be dealt with by experts. Only the police can actually take action on this", Kumaramangalam said.

However, the day after Maneka Gandhi announced that victims of online abuse and troll could file a complaint by sending her an e-mail at gandhim@nic.in, her inbox was swamped with several grievances.

The ministry introduced #IamTrolledHelp so women could raise an alarm on Twitter apart from e-mailing complaints. The hashtag was one of the top twitter trends through most of the day.

Smriti Irani, who today assumed charge as the Textiles Minister, took to a popular Hindi song to answer questions on being shifted from the HRD Ministry, where her tenure was marred by controversies.

Asked if the move was to give her more time to focus on next year's assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, she quoted a line from a popular Hindi song: "Kuchh toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehna" (people are bound to say things because it is their job to say something).

Irani, who had a successful stint as a TV actress, plunged into politics and fought unsuccessfully against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

In a move that surprised many in the political circles, Irani was assigned the HRD portfolio after the BJP-led NDA came to power in May 2014.

A 27-year-old Indian, accused of groping six people, most of them girls, at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park in the US state of Florida has been arrested, police said today.

Aman Bhatia, was in the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon andas the waves crashed over, one of the six victims said shefelt his hands touching her body.

Another victim says she was in the wave pool when Bhatia grabbed her waist from behind. She was able to break loose from his grasp, but he grabbed her again, WFTV.com reported.

One woman told Orange County Sheriff's deputies that on July 3, she was in the wave pool with her children. As the waves crashed, she said Bhatia ran his hands over her stomach and breasts, deputies said.

Another teen told deputies she was in the wave pool with her friends when Bhatia grabbed her buttocks. Once she got out of the pool, the teen said she saw Bhatia touch one of her friends when a wave crashed into them.

According to the arrest affidavit, several adults and a lifeguard confronted Bhatia and then deputies arrived.

The group then complained about the incident. In all, six people reported similar incidents involving Bhatia, deputies said.

16:50 Iraq war was not last resort: UK inquiry

The UK's decision to invade Iraq in 2003 was not used as a "last resort", an inquiry into the war today said.

The UK did not exhaust all peaceful options before joining the invasion of Iraq, John Chilcot, the chairman of the official inquiry into the war, said on its release.

He also said judgements about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction "were presented with a certainty that was not justified" and post-war planning was "wholly inadequate". His 12-volume report on the Iraq War comes more than seven years after the inquiry began.

Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after a court in Barcelona found him guilty of three counts of tax fraud, a statement from the court said on Wednesday.

The court also sentenced Messi's father, Jorge, to 21 months in prison for the same charges. The sentence can be appealed through the Spanish supreme court, the statement added.

However, under Spanish law a prison sentence under two years can be served under probation, meaning Messi and his father are unlikely to go to jail.

China said today that the Dalai Lama should "give up" attempts to divide the country and asked him to come back on the "right track" as the Tibetan spiritual leader turned 81 today.

"Dalai Lama has been engaging separates activities," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media conference here reacting to Dalai Lama's comments advocating "middle path" policy of providing more autonomy to Tibet as a solution to the Tibetan issue.

"We hope that the Dalai Lama can give up his attempt to divide China and it is never too late for him to come back to the right track," Hong said.

The Chinese government, which in the past held talks with the Dalai Lama representatives views the autonomy demand as a ploy for separation. Chinese officials in the recent past have said that the Dalai Lama's demand to unify all the Tibetan prefectures with the Tibetan Autonomous Region and provide greater autonomy is unacceptable to Beijing. There were no talks between the two sides in the last few years.

16:00 Hafiz Saeed leads Eid prayers in Lahore

JuD chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed today led Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in the city where he sought to whip up hysteria, saying the US and India are signing agreements against Pakistan and there are preparations for a "big war".

Addressing a large gathering at the Gaddafi Stadium, the Lashkar-e-Taiba founder called for unity among Muslim community "to fail the design of infidels". He said international players are conspiring against Pakistan's nuclear programme.

"The United States and India are signing agreements against Pakistan and there has been a preparation of a big war", he said, alleging "drones are parked at Indian airports and our rulers are engaged in a fight with opposition." Saeed, on whose head the US has put a bounty of $10 million, termed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia's growing distance with the US as a "blessing in disguise".

"It is a blessing in disguise that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are getting distanced from America. This will lay foundation of the Islamic Union which is the need of the hour for the Islamic world," he said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said that the Indian Embassy in Libya has secured the release of Regi Joseph, an IT engineer from Kerala, who was abducted in Libya in March.Swaraj in a series of tweets confirmed the developments."

The Indian embassy in Libya has secured the release of Regi Joseph - an Indian national from Kerala. He was abducted in March this year," she tweeted.

She expressed gratitude to India's Ambassdor in Libya, Azar A H Khan, for his efforts in securing the release."This has been possible with the efforts of Azar A H Khan, our ambassdor in Libya," she said.

Asserting that the recent Cabinet shuffling was done keeping the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls in mind and not to fix the errors of the Centre, JNU Student Union President Kanhaiya Kumar on Wednesday called on the newly appointed Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar not to follow in the steps of his predecessor -- Smriti Irani.

Continuing his long-drawn attack on Irani, who was appointed as the new Union Textile Minister, Kanhaiya stated that simply shifting her to another Ministry, does not absolve her from her crimes.

"Our simple question is this: How can you ensure justice by simply transferring one minister to another ministry? By making her the textile minister, her role as the education minister, especially in the Rohith Vemula case, does not lessen her crime. Those who suffered because of her influence be it in the FTII case, Hyderabad University or JNU, have not received justice yet," he said.

14:07 Pistorius sentenced to 6 years in prison

The judge has imposed a 6-year term to Pistorius.

The judge moves on to her conclusion. "No sentence will please everyone, she says. Nothing will bring back the deceased," she says.

The Guardian: Pistorius has already spent time in prison, the judge says.The court heard evidence that he struggled as an inmate. But she does not accept that he was "vilified' or treated badly by prison officials.

But on reports that he was aggressive to prison staff, Masipa says'quick-tempered does not necessarily mean he is a violent person.

13:57

The defence wants a non-custodial sentence, the judge says.

They cited workshops on anger management as proof he had been rehabilitated. But deterrence and retribution are just as important, she says.

13:57 Judge begins reading out Oscar Pistorius' sentence for murdering girlfriend

AP reports that a judge in South African has said she has taken into consideration mitigating factors as she started reading out Oscar Pistorius' sentence for murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa began with the background to her decision of Pistorius' sentence.

The double-amputee Olympian faces a possible 15-year jail term for shooting Steenkamp in 2013.

13:53

Pistorius's lawyers have argued he should not return to jail because of his anxiety and depression. Court proceedings three weeks ago saw Pistorius hobble across the courtroom to demonstrate his physical vulnerability.

Steenkamp's family have said Pistorius should pay for the crime and prosecutor Gerrie Nel has argued that he should be given a lengthy jail term as he failed to show any remorse for the murder.

13:43 Cabinet reshuffling useless until incompetent ministers are removed: Congress

Calling it a 'good step' on removal of Smriti Irani from the HRD Ministry in the big Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday, The Congress on Wednesday said shifting ministers from one position to another is of no use until they are removed.

"No one was happy with the way Smriti Irani worked. The Rohit Vemula case, JNU issue...these kind of issues were raised when she was in the position, I believe that it was not good for any HRD ministry. She is removed and it is a good thing," Congress leader P.L. Punia told ANI .

"The ministers are merely working as propaganda. What is the importance of shifting ministers from one position to another? It would have been a fair reshuffle if somebody would have been removed but that was not been done. And shifting from one ministry to other is of no use," he added.

In the brutal murder case of software engineer S.Swathi, the prime accused Ramkumar's bail plea hearing has been adjourned by the Chennai high court to July 15th.An advocate has filed a bail petition for Ramkumar claiming that police had foisted the case against him.

While the bail petition claimed that police personnel caused the injuries on Ramkumar's neck, the advocate Krishnamurthy, who filed the petition said he was yet to speak to Ramkumar, on behalf of whom he filed the bail petition.

In his bail application filed before the principal district sessions court, Ramkumar claimed that he did not kill Swathi, nor did he attempt to slit his throat and alleged that some persons who accompanied the police during his arrest had assaulted him with a blade and then made up the suicide story.

India, Pakistan border guards exchanged sweets at border on the occasion of Eid-ul-fitr at Attari-Wagah border.

The exchange is an old and traditional gesture, and is aimed to show goodwill.

A day after the expansion and reshuffle of the Narendra Modi Cabinet, ally Shiv Sena today took potshots at the BJP saying that it is difficult these days to find people of the same calibre as those who had served in the ministries of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Miffed at being ignored in the ministry expansion, Sena had yesterday said it was 'hurt' at the way the exercise was carried out and questioned the Prime Minister's "selection criterion".

"(Narendra) Modi is the lone face of this government. Compared to this, the ministries of Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru had some excellent members like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivan Ram, Yashwantrao Chavan and Shankarrao Chavan," Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"The HRD ministry got its name only because of P V Narasimha Rao. The world got to know that India has a Finance Minister who works, only because of Manmohan Singh. People of the calibre in the cabinets of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi cannot be found today. In such a scenario, Modi has no option but to take complete responsibility of his Cabinet," it said.

The government is confident of getting the much-delayed GST Bill passed in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, beginning later this month, new Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar said today.

Gangwar, who was yesterday shifted from the Textile Ministry to the all-important Finance Ministry, assumed charge today along with Arjun Ram Meghwal, who has also been made a Minister of State in the Finance Ministry. Before assuming charge, both of them met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The two took charge in the presence of Jaitley and senior ministry officials, including Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das. Talking to reporters soon after, Gangwar said there was no real opposition by any political party to the Goods and Services Bill outside Parliament.

"The entire world... is looking at how India will act. I feel GST will certainly be passed by Parliament in the Monsoon session," he said. The session is scheduled to begin on July 18. "The world is following India's growth story," said Gangwar, who had also served as a minister in the previous NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 1999 to 2004.

Asked about Congress' opposition to GST, he said, "No party opposes GST outside Parliament. All parties are for GST, but they put some hurdle or the other (in Parliament). I think all parties (will support) in getting GST passed in the monsoon session."

12:19 CRPF head constable shoots self in Kishtwar

A 40-year-old CRPF head constable today allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident was reported from the company base location of CRPF at police lines in Kishtwar district of Jammu region when Head Constable Akashdeep allegedly shot himself with his INSAS rifle.

"Senior CRPF and state police officials have reached the spot and a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to go into the incident and ascertain the reasons why the trooper took the extreme step," a senior official said.

Akashdeep hailed from Gurdaspur district of Punjab and belonged to the 52nd battalion of the paramilitary force deployed in the state.

12:04 Court to hear Dadri lynching case today

A court in Noida will today hear the petition seeking registration of an FIR against the family members of Mohammad Akhlaq, who was lynched nine months ago on suspicion that his family stored and ate beef at their house.

The police had earlier filed its report in the court stating that 'no FIR' on charges of cow slaughter and animal cruelty had been lodged against Akhlaq's family.

The petitioner had urged the court to direct the police to register an FIR against Akhlaq's family members on charges of cow slaughter and animal cruelty.The petition claims that two villagers from Bisada namely Ranvir and Jatan, saw Akhlaq and his son Danish beat up a calf on September 29 last year.

Hundreds of people today held a vigil at UC Berkeley campus in California to remember Indian student Tarishi Jain who was killed along with 22 others in the gruesome Dhaka terror attack.

Jain's friends from her dorm, classes and campus groups of UC Berkeley remembered her as a young woman who was sweet, generous, altruistic and intelligent.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nick Dirks and several of Jain's friends spoke next to an enlarged photograph of the smiling Jain, a large bouquet of white flowers and Indian, American, and Bangladeshi flags.

"We have lost a precious member of our community, and we are so much the poorer because of it," Dirk said.

Her friends and teachers appealed to the crowd to remember her for all her accomplishments and friendships, not for her brutal death.

There seems to be no respite from the major floods in Assam, as the Brahmaputra and its a few tributaries are maintaining a rising trend in a few places.According to reports, over 88,000 people have been affected in seven districts.

Flood water also affected over 6 thousand hectare of crop land and the district administration has set up seven relief camps in worst hit Lakhimpur district and relief materials are being distributed.Nearly 100 villages have been inundated.

Flood water also submerged 1 thousand 500 hectares of crop land. Apart from flood, erosion also took serious turn in many districts.Boats have been pressed into services at Morigaon district to rescue marooned people.

Newly-appointed Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javdekar on Wednesday morning held an interaction with the media. Here's what he said:

* We will focus on quality of education; I will work on improving quality of education in our country

* Education gives meaning to life, it is the essence of life. Education is the tool of change

* I will take charge tomorrow, then meet PM and make a road-map for education.

* If we want to build a modern India, we have to revolutionise our education.

* We will build upon the good initiatives taken up by Smriti (Irani).

* Education is not a BJP subject, it touches everyone's lives. I will consult everyone.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a four-nation tour to Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya today in a visit, which is aimed at shoring up economic ties, firm up maritime security and counter balance China's growing influence in the resource-rich continent.

On the first leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will reach Maputo, the capital Mozambique tomorrow morning.

He will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Mozambique in 34 years.

10:44

News 18 reports: Protest against Pandit and Sainik colonies in Srinagar; protestors raise Pakistan & ISIS flags.

10:23 AAP leader Ashish Khetan booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments

NDTV reports: AAP leader Ashish Khetan booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

The case was registered by the Amritsar Police after a complaint was lodged against Khetan for equating the youth manifesto of the party with Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib.

On Tuesday, Khetan had apologised for the act, saying he had no intentions of hurting anyones sentiments and promised to change the manifesto cover which had a picture of the AAP symbol, the broom, on the photo of the Golden Temple.

The case has been registered under section 295-A (hurting religious sentiments) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the local civil lines police station.

09:43

ANI reports: Kashmiri reparatists Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik have been placed under house arrest

09:41 Feel free to contact me: PM Modi to ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised accessibility to newly-appointed ministers of state , even as he emphasised the need for them to quickly familiarize themselves with their new assignments.

"Please feel free to contact me whenever you need to," Modi told the new ministers, a statement meant to assuage the perennial grouse of junior ministers that they don't get to meet the PM because of the intervening layer of Cabinet ministers.

The PM also emphasized the importance of MOSs, saying he saw them playing an important role in his government.

However, Modi also said the ministers should lose no time in learning the requirements of their jobs, saying that after becoming PM, he focused for four months on learning about the requirements of his new role.

He said the ministers should avoid being feted and, instead, prepare for the forthcoming Parliament session. "Felicitations can be put on hold until after August 15," the PM is learnt to have told the new members of the ministerial team.

Disgraced Paralympian Oscar Pistorius will learn today how long he will spend in jail when a judge sentences him for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp three years ago.

Pistorius was freed from prison in the South African capital Pretoria last October after serving one year of a five-year term for culpable homicide -- the equivalent of manslaughter.

But an appeals court upgraded the conviction to murder, which has a mandatory sentence of 15 years.

Due to his time already spent in jail and mitigating factors such as his disability, he could be given a lesser term.

Pistorius, 29, shot Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013, claiming he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet.

Just In: Mumbai police detain Gurgaon police's Sub Inspector Pradyuman Yadav in 'fake' encounter case of gangster Sandeep Gadoli.

Reports said Gadoli, who was shot dead by the Gurgaon police in Mumbai in February, was lying in a pool of blood for nearly 20 minutes, calling for help, while a team of six Gurgaon cops was fabricating evidence to show that there was an exchange of fire

Acoording to a Times of India report -- citing an officer privy to the investigation -- a camera outside the Gurgaon criminal's room 107 on the ground floor of Hotel Airport Metro has nailed the Gurgaon police's lies.

At 11.08am on February 7, Gadoli, in a yellow Tshirt, and jeans, is seen in a scuffle with three to four Gurgaon cops. Sub-inspector Pradhuman Yadav from the Gurgaon crime branch, who was leading six policemen, is seen holding a revolver which Gadoli tries to snatch. Two other cops are seen trying to overpower Gadoli.

Within seconds, Yadav gets hold of the revolver and fires at Gadoli from behind. Immediately, Yadav's assistants too fire two rounds, which is not seen in the footage but the sound is heard. Gadoli is then seen falling on the ground, profusely bleeding. Three cops run into Gadoli's room, and there are another four rounds of gunshots heard, which are believed to have been fired as a cover-up.

Representative Image

09:23 Monsoon set to cover India, deficit wiped off

The southwest monsoon is on the verge of covering the entire country 10 days ahead of its schedule as the rains reached almost all parts of the country barring extreme west Rajasthan, around Barmer district.

The strong pick-up in showers has wiped off the shortfall which till the end of June had stood at 11 per cent of the long period average (LPA, the average rainfall for the past 50 years).

The monsoon, which usually covers the entire country by July 15, has, as on Tuesday, left only far-western parts of Rajasthan from its expanse.

The rains in the first four days of July were around 40 per cent more than normal.

Read more HERE

Underlining that India's 7.5 per cent growth rate may be "overstated", the US has said the Narendra Modi government has been "slow" to match its rhetoric in economic reforms even as it appreciated measures taken by it in areas like bureaucracy and easing FDI restrictions.

The US State Department in a report on Tuesday said the Modi government has been slow to propose other economic reforms that would match its rhetoric.

Noting that many of the reforms it did propose have struggled to pass through Parliament, the report "Investment Climate Statements for 2016" said that this has resulted in many investors retreating slightly from their once forward-leaning support of the BJP-led government.

For example, the government failed to muster sufficient political support on a land acquisition bill in Parliament -- all but ending its chance of passage in the near term -- and is still negotiating with opposition parties the details of a Goods and Services Tax Bill, which if not watered down in negotiations, could streamline India's convoluted tax structure and provide an immediate boost to GDP.

"Ostensibly, India is one of the fastest growing countries in the world, but this depressed investor sentiment suggests the approximately 7.5 per cent growth rate may be overstated, said the report produced by the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs of the State Department and US industry on IPR in 2015.

Despite progress, the Indian economy is still constrained by conflicting rules and a complex bureaucratic system that has broad discretionary powers, the report said.

"India has a decentralized federal system of government in which states possess extensive regulatory powers. Regulatory decisions governing important issues such as zoning, land-use, and the environment vary between states. Opposition from labour unions and political constituencies slows the pace of land acquisition, environmental clearances, and investment policy," it said.

09:16 Dog flung off terrace found alive in Chennai

It was a crime that shocked and infuriated everyone, a couple of youngsters flinging a dog off a five-storey terrace and filming it.

As furious animal-lovers in Chennai got together and pursued the perpetrators, who surprisingly turned out to be medical students, the dog was presumed dead.

Now it has come to light that the animal is alive, though it has lost the use of its four legs, and is currently undergoing treatment. Hopefully, she will recover fully and find a home with love.

An animal-lover said, "Even after her ill-treatment, when we found her she was wagging her tail at us.'

Such is the blind trust that humans have repeatedly proved themselves unworthy of.

Read how Chennai came together and hunted down the perpetrators, here.

Box-office superstar Salman Khan's first big release of 2016, Sultan, hits the screens today.

Sultan is expected to add more colour to the Eid festivities.

The Yash Raj Films movie will be released in 5,000 screens across the country. The film has been dubbed in Tamil and Telugu. Overseas, Sultan will be released across 1,000-plus screens, again among the widest releases from Bollywood.

Trade pundits are hopeful about the film' prospects and there are a number of things going for it. For one, Bollywood has, for the past few weeks, seen a dearth of releases that appeal across demographics. While Udta Punjab attracted controversy, it was also seen as an inclusive film. With Sultan releasing on a major holiday, analysts hope to find true festive cheer at the box office.

Suniel Wadhwa, independent distributor and box office analyst, says, "The first half of 2016 was a tough time for the box office, but the second half of 2016 will be starting with Sultan."

Read more HERE

Just In: Telangana judges call off stir, to join work today.

Around 200 judicial officers, working in various capacities in courts across the state, went on mass leave on June 28 amid the agitation against appointment of judges from Andhra Pradesh to the Telangana courts.

The Hyderabad High Court -- which is common for AP and Telangana -- had suspended 11 judges on disciplinary grounds for taking part in the agitation over allocation of judges.

"The extraordinary general body meeting of Telangana Judges Association decided to call off the mass leave protest in view of appeals made by the Chief Justice of India, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor and the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad," a judicial officer told PTI.

When asked about the demand of revocation of suspension of 11 judges, he said, "The acting Chief Justice (of High Court) will take care of it. It takes its own time ... there is a process for that."

It has been more than 13 years since British troops stormed their way through the Iraqi desert in a quest, alongside their American allies, to topple the dictator Saddam Hussein.

It has been more than seven years since the last British combat troops lowered the Union Jack and withdrew, their prime minister hailing Iraq as a "success story" as they left.

But it will not be until Wednesday that the British public gets what war critics say was owed long ago: an exhaustive account of how and why the UK government opted to join the invasion, setting off a chain of conflict that rages to this day.

The account will come in the form of a staggering 2.6 million-word report, part of an official inquiry that itself is nearly seven years old and has involved unfettered access to documents and witnesses.

Read more HERE

08:38 139th Jagannath rath yatra begins

The 139th edition of Lord Jagannath's rath yatra began in Ahmedabad today amidst tight security being pressed into service for the annual event.

As the procession will pass through some communally sensitive areas, more than 18,000 security personnel of local police and para-military forces will be deployed at strategic locations along the route.

Police said they have initiated action like preventive detention or externment against 10,000 anti-social elements to ensure a trouble-free event.

The rath yatra, having chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra, rolled out at around 7.30 am from the 400-year old Jagannath temple in Jamalpur of the walled city.

The total length of rath yatra procession stretches up to 1.5 km and covers around 15 km route before returning to the temple after an almost 11-hour journey in the walled city during which it passes through several Muslim dominated areas, such as Jamalpur, Kalupur, Delhi Chakla, Shahpur, Prem Darwaja and Dariyapur.

The rath yatra will take a break for afternoon meal in Saraspur area of the city, which is considered as the Lord's maternal home, where around five lakh devotees will take food before starting their return journey at around 1.30pm.

The 81st birthday of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is being be celebrated today at the main Tibetan temple Tsuglagkhang in Mcleodganj, Dharamshala.

He was born in Taktser in China on July 6, 1935 and is the 14th Dalai Lama.

The celebrations commenced at 8am and will include cultural presentations by TIPA (Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts), TCV schools, Indo-Tibetan friendship association and other such organisations, spokesperson of Tibetan Government Jamphel Shonu said.

Three civil servants, who have served more than 25 years in the Central Tibetan Administration by the officiating Sikyong, will be felicitated on the occasion. A book in Chinese language on the life of former Tibetan political prisoner Lobsang Tenzin will also be released by the Chief Justice Commissioner.

08:33 Kerala, J&K to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr today

Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting and holy month of Ramzan, on Wednesday.

The Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad had on Tuesday announced that Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir today following reports of sighting of the crescent.

Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed as a fasting period by Muslims world over who abstain from food and water during the period extending from 30 minutes before the sunrise to sunset.

In the rest of country though, Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated on Thursday.

"Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Thursday as the moon was not sighted on Tuesday" Imam of Delhi's Fatehpuri Masjid Mufti

Mohammad Mukarram Ahmed said.

As this lunar month was of 30 days, fasting by Muslims will automatically be over on July 7, the day on which Eid was be celebrated.

"Hence, the festival will be celebrated on Thursday," the Imam said.

The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, also announced that the Eid will be celebrated on July 7.

Earlier in the day, the Centre announced that its offices in the national capital will remain closed on Thursday in view of Eid.

Rahul Gandhi could be elevated as Congress president sooner than later.

A senior leader, who declined to be identified, said Rahul could be the party chief by September.

In May, the AICC had signaled that elevation of Rahul as Congress president was independent of the party suffering a debacle in the Assembly elections.

Only last month, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh had said that "Rahul Gandhi is de facto Congress chief but he should become de jure."

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has said the country must boost its military might, as he fends off attempts to remove him from office.

"Military power has to keep growing," Maduro yesterday said at a military parade in Caracas to mark Venezuelan independence day.

He said Venezuela was fighting an "unconventional war" -- an apparent reference to what he frequently alleges are capitalist efforts to oust him.

Venezuela is suffering a deep recession driven by falling prices for its oil exports. The crisis has sparked food shortages and deadly looting.

The political opposition blames the socialist president's economic management and is pushing for a referendum to remove him from office.

Brazil's suspended president Dilma Rousseff said she will not appear in person at a hearing today of a commission handling impeachment proceedings against her, but will defend herself in writing.

A Senate commission sits today to hear Rousseff's defense arguments before submitting its report to Senators at a full impeachment trial scheduled in August.

"My defense tomorrow will be submitted in writing and read out by my lawyer," Rousseff wrote on Twitter.

"We are considering whether I will attend a plenary session of the Senate at another time."

Rousseff was suspended from office in May after lawmakers voted to hold an impeachment trial over allegations that she fiddled government accounts.

The Senate is due to hear the commission's non-binding verdict and then vote on whether to impeach Rousseff between August 25 and 27.

UK home secretary Theresa May won the first round as the Conservative party began voting today to choose a new party leader who will go on to succeed David Cameron as the British Prime Minister.

May was the clear frontrunner in the race and bagged 165 votes in the first round, which resulted in the first elimination of a candidate with the least votes, which was former defence minister Liam Fox with just 16 votes.

Work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb, who secured just 34 votes, announced he was dropping out of the race soon after and threw his support behind May, who said she was "pleased" with today's result.

Fox also backed May, saying she would make a "wonderful" Prime Minister.

The presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump today described as "very very unfair," the FBI's recommendation to not to prosecute Hillary Clinton in the email gate scandal.

"The system is rigged. General Petraeus got in trouble for far less. Very very unfair! As usual, bad judgement," Trump said in a tweet, a few hours after the FBI Director James Comey announced that the investigating agency has concluded its investigation into the Clinton's email scandal.

Comey said the FBI would not recommend to the Department of Justice on charging former Secretary of State, who is now the presidential candidate of the Democratic party.

"FBI director said Crooked Hillary compromised our national security. No charges," Trump said in another tweet.

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