LIVE! US, Russia expel diplomats over police attack in Moscow

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Sat, 09 July 2016

US, Russia expel diplomats over police attack in Moscow

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22:45 Abandoned bag triggers bomb scare at airport in Kolkata

An abandoned bag found in the domestic terminal of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport here triggered a bomb scare today. Airport officials said the bag was found abandoned near gate no. 2 of the terminal.

CISF personnel cordoned off the spot and bomb squad was informed. Bomb squad personnel opened the bang. Nothing suspicious was found in it, the officials said.

Russia says it expelled two US diplomats after the US made a similar move following an incident involving a US diplomat and a security guard in Moscow.A Russian foreign ministry statement released Saturday said the Americans were expelled in June.

The statement by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the expelled US embassy employees was declared "persona non grata' for "activities incompatible with their diplomatic status," accusing them of being CIA agents.

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BJP President Amit Shah "will" replace Anandiben Patel as the state's Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal claimed today, quoting "sources".

"Gujarat fed up of Anandiben Patel's corrupt mal-administration. Huge support for AAP. Sources- BJP will replace Anandiben wid Amit Shah (sic)," the Delhi Chief Minister, who is touring the western state, tweeted.

Kick-starting AAP's campaign for the 2017 Gujarat assembly polls by visiting the Somnath Temple, the Aam Aadmi Party chief asked the people to get rid of "hooligans" and "corrupt" persons. Addressing a gathering of farmers on the outskirts of Somnath city, he targeted the BJP governments at the Centre and the state.

US journalist Sydney Schanberg, whose reporting inspired the Oscar-winning Hollywood film, The Killing Fields, has died at the age of 82, the New York Times reports.

Schanberg worked for the Times and won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting the fall of Cambodia to the Khmer Rouge in 1975.

His colleague, Dith Pran, was unable to leave and his four-year ordeal inspired Schanberg's work.

Read this article here

The government today asked the states to ensure that TV channels which are not permitted to downlink in India are not broadcast by cable operators, a move which comes against the backdrop of controversy over Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's speeches on 'Peace TV'.

An advisory, by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to the states said there have been reports of "security threats due to TV content" aimed at inciting communal and terrorist violence. "In particular, reports are being received of such content being broadcast through private satellite TV channels, such as Peace TV , which are not permitted by this ministry for downlinking into the country...the role of your state government in this regard is crucial in preventing any broadcast or transmission of such non-permitted channels by the cable operators," the two-page advisory said.

22:00 PM Narendra Modi departs for Tanzania

And this is a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi departing for Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).

Earlier today, reliving Mahatma Gandhi's historic train journey, Modi on Saturday travelled to a railway station where the Father of the Nation was thrown out of a train compartment, an incident that proved to be a turning point in his fight against racial discrimination in South Africa.

Read it here

A 24-year-old man has been shot dead for pointing his gun at two police officers here, a day after five officers were killed and seven others injured by snipers during a protest rally against the fatal shootings of black men in the US city of Dallas.

The pair of officers were on patrol yesterday when they saw a man standing on the street, waving a gun in the air. When the cops asked the man to put the weapon down, he aimed it at them '" and the two officers opened fire.

The police have not identified the man and the officers involved in the shooting. One of the officers involved is a 10-year veteran of the Houston police department.

The other is a 13-year veteran. Both officers are under investigation. The shooting comes a day after five Dallas police officers were shot and killed during a protest against the fatal police shootings of black men, in the deadliest attacks on law enforcers in America since 9/11.

21:42 No place for criminals in party: Mulayam

With an eye on next year's Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today sent out a stern message to party rank and file, saying there was no space for "criminals" in it and advised its leaders to remain "alert about their behaviour".

"There is no alternative to socialist ideology. The image of SP is different from other parties, which is due to its character, dedication and honesty," Yadav said while addressing party leaders here.

He said "democracy and secularism have strengthened due to SP. There is no space for criminals in the party and leaders should remain alert about their behaviour." Mulayam had yesterday said some party workers were "maligning" image of the party due to their act of "plundering and hooliganism".

"Some party workers are involved in land, money, plundering and hooliganism. They are not interested in ensuring the return of SP government in 2017," the SP supremo had said.

"Such workers are maligning image of the party. What district presidents and devoted workers are doing. I have report of everyone. I have to run the party that is why I ignore but used to point it out from time to time," Mulayam said.

An IndiGo plane, carrying 180 passengers and six crew members, from Bengaluru made a precautionary landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi today due to a glitch.

All passengers and crew members landed safely, airport sources said. According to THE sources, local standby was declared for IndiGo flight 6E-106 arriving here from Bengaluru at 12:01 pm after the pilot reported a technical fault in the Airbus 320 aircraft to the Delhi ATC.

As part of the procedure, all the duty personnel and airport security ground staff were deployed to deal with any eventuality on its landing. The aircraft, however, landed safely on runway 28/10 and there was no harm to any person onboard, they said, adding local standby was withdrawn at 12:20 pm.

During local standby, all aerodrome emergency services are brought to a state of readiness.

21:24 Rajnath to visit US for security dialogue

Enhancing anti-terror ties, sharing intelligence inputs and facilitating easy travel by each other's citizens would be high on the agenda during the five- day visit of Home Minister Rajnath Singh to the US beginning July 17.

He will lead the Indian delegation at the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue to be held in Washington with the US team to be headed by Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Charles Johnson. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the other key issues to be discussed at the strategic meeting.

This senior-level exchange between India and the US will reinforce the strategic homeland security partnership and enhance operational cooperation in investigations, capacity building, and countering threats, a Home Ministry official said.

Spanish train Talgo today commenced its second phase trial from Mathura at 120 km per hour speed with senior officials from Spain and Railways on-board.

The train with nine coaches started the journey at 12.40 PM from Mathura and reached Palwal at 1.33 PM covering the 84 km distance in about 53 minutes, said a senior railway official who is part of the testing team.

The trial between Mathura and Palwal will go on for 25 days and the speed will go up to 180 kmph this time, he said. Asked about the trial results, he said "prima facie it seems to be okay. But it will be known only after the examination of the various datas being recorded during the trial journey."

Earlier, the speed was ranging between 80-115 km per hour during the first trial between Bareilly and Moradabad stations last month. Hauled by a 4,500 HP diesel engine, Talgo coaches are lightweight and designed in a way that it can run on curves without decelerating the speed.

A team of Spanish officials along with railways officials and experts from Research Designs & Standards Organisation were present onboard during the trial.

21:17 Over 150 killed in South Sudan fighting

Soldiers have taken scores of bodies to a hospital in South Sudan's capital, reports said, after gun battles broke out across the city on the eve of the country's fifth independence anniversary.

The fighting on Friday began outside the presidential compound as President Salva Kiir was meeting with first vice president and former rebel leader Riek Machar and soon spread through the city.An Al Jazeera correspondent later saw bodies of soldiers on the lawn in the compound.

Read this story HERE

A city square near where noted journalist Jyotirmoy Dey was gunned down over five years ago will be named by him.

The Brihnmumbai Municipal Corporation will formally dedicate the square named after Dey in suburban Powai on July 13, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the media fraternity in the metropolis.

Dey, known to be a fearless journalist, often wrote on Mumbai underworld's activities and gang-wars. The 56-year-old crime reporter worked with leading publications like `Mid-Day' and `Hidustan Times'. Mayor Snehal Ambekar will unveil the plaque for the "J Dey Chowk" just across the road where he was gunned down on June 11, 2011, the Mumbai Press Club said in a statement today.

The unveiling ceremony will be followed by a memorial meeting at a nearby hotel, it said.

"To mark his contribution to journalism and recognise his brand of fearless crime reporting, the Club has been successful in convincing the BMC to name the Powai Garden's D-Mart Chowk after Dey," said a senior officer-bearer.

21:01 Another BSP leader quits party

In another jolt to BSP supremo Mayawati, former MLA and Brahmin leader Ravindra Nath Tripathi today quit the party, alleging she has been "blinded by greed for money".

Tripathi alleged Mayawati has deviated from the mission of B R Ambedkar and party founder Kanshi Ram and that BSP has become "a party of mafia, goons and capitalists" where internal democracy does mot exist anymore. "She has been blinded by greed for money," he said, adding he was feeling "suffocated" in the party.

Tripathi, who was MLA from Barsathi constituency in Jaunpur, said he would soon meet his supporters to decide the future course of action. "First, I was given ticket from Bhadohi seat which was later changed to Badlapur in Jaunpur. Again, I was given ticket from Maddiyahon which was cancelled within seven days," he said, adding he was "insulted".

Earlier, two leaders -- R K Chaudhary and Leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya -- had quit the party, accusing the BSP supremo of selling tickets. Chaudhary had announced his resignation, accusing Mayawati of "auctioning" tickets to contest assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Serena Williams beat German Angelique Kerber to win the 2016 Wimbledon Championships on Saturday.

The World No 1 beat Kerber 7-5, 6-3 to win the title and equalled Steffi Graf's professional era record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

Defending champion Serena Williams won the first set 7-5 against Angelique Kerber in the women's singles final at Wimbledon, on Saturday.

The world no. 1 got the crucial break in the 12th game to take a 1-0 lead in the title clash. Germany's Kerber had earlier saved three break points in the second game of the opening set.

Security officials were sent into a tizzy today when a drunk man called up the police control room today and claimed to have planted a bomb at a popular cinema hall in Connaught Place area in the heart of the city. The call was received around 1.15 pm, following which several police teams, fire tenders and bomb disposal squads were rushed to the Odeon complex, and the premises were evacuated, a Delhi fire department official said.

"The building was thoroughly inspected. It later turned out to be a hoax call," Additional DCP (New Delhi) Romil Baniya said. Around three hours later, the caller, a 58-year-old former railway employee, was tracked down at central Delhi's Paharganj area and detained at Parliament Street police station where he is being interrogated by officials of police and intelligence agencies.

"He was in an inebriated state when he was detained. From preliminary investigation, it appears that he was drunk at the time of making the call as well. However, we can't take chances and he shall be subjected to intensive interrogation," a senior police official said.

An 11-year-old girl who helps care after her disabled mum and aunt will soon have a dream come true.

Uma Baker-Bahl, who lives off Chadwell Heath Lane, Chadwell Heath, will have the honour of flipping the coin before this year's Ladies' Singles Final at The Championships, Wimbledon.

The youngster, who hopes her favourite tennis player Serena Williams will be in the final, attends Barnardo's Indigo Young Carers, Ilford, which supports children and teenagers who look after disabled relatives.Uma said, "My mum and my aunt both have multiple sclerosis. My aunt is in a wheelchair and my mum is tired all the time, so she can't do much and we don't really go out."

Read this story HERE

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi opined there is no humour left in public life, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said he is a bit afraid to crack jokes in Delhi as they can be misinterpreted.

"I feel good to be here (in Goa). When I am in Goa, I can take the liberty of cracking jokes. In Delhi, I am a bit afraid to crack jokes because even if I joke....it can be misinterpreted and confusion can be created," Parrikar said at a function held to celebrate the golden jubilee of Goa Engineering College (GEC) in Panaji.

"They are looking (for) something controversial. Here (in Goa) we joke casually," he said apparently alluding to media in Delhi.

In the first arrest in connection with its money laundering case against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, ED today took into custody LIC agent Anand Chauhan.

Chauhan was arrested from Chandigarh under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act as he was allegedly not cooperating with the investigating officer of the case, officials said.

"Chauhan will be produced in a competent court. As he is not cooperating, his custodial interrogation is necessary," they said.

The LIC agent is a crucial entity in this case as both the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI have earlier found that Chauhan was the one who allegedly insured the said tainted funds of the CM in life insurance policies.

ED had questioned him multiple times in this case earlier.

The agency has also attached assets worth about Rs 8 crore against the chief minister earlier this year. The agency has filed a case under criminal provisions of money laundering laws after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the CBI in this regard in September last year.

Representative Image

17:02 UK rejects second referendum petition

The UK government has officially rejected a petition signed by over 4.1 million people calling for a second referendum for Britain to decide on its fate in or out of the EU, saying the people's decision must be "respected".

The petition that was the most-signed government petition since the process was introduced in 2011 and built momentum in the wake of Brexit, or Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), in the June 23 referendum.

However, in an official reply, the UK Foreign Office said this week 33 million people had had their say and "the decision must be respected".

"We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU," it said.

The petition, which was ironically set up by a Brexit supporter before the referendum was held, had called for the government to annul the results if the Remain or Leave vote won by less than 60 per cent on a turnout of less than 75 per cent.

In the wake of the Brexit vote, the petition was shared widely on social media by Remain supporters. British government petitions which reach over 100,000 signatures must be considered for debate in parliament.

17:00

CBI arrests present and ex-MDs of a PSU in a corruption case allegedly involving Rajendra Kumar, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's suspended Principal Secretary.

16:54 On Mathura run, Talgo train hits 120 km per hour speed

Spanish train Talgo today commenced its second phase trial from Mathura at 120 km per hour speed with senior officials from Spain and Railways onboard.

The train with nine coaches started the journey at 12.40 pm from Mathura and reached Palwal at 1.33 pm covering the 84km distance in about 53 minutes, said a senior railway official who is part of the testing team.

The trial between Mathura and Palwal will go on for 25 days and the speed will go up to 180 kmph this time, he said.

Asked about the trial results, he said "prima facie it seems to be okay. But it will be known only after the examination of the various datas being recorded during the trial journey."

Earlier, the speed was ranging between 80-115 km per hour during the first trial between Bareilly and Moradabad stations last month.

The train consists of two Executive Class cars, four Chair Cars, a cafeteria, a power car and a tail-end coach for staff and equipment. Shipped from Barcelona, the Talgo aluminium coaches anchored at Mumbai port on April 21.

Currently, Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express runs at an average speed of 85 km per hour while the Talgo train can maintain an average speed of 125 km per hour. Talgo envisages the journey between Delhi and Mumbai can be completed in about 12 hours as compared to 17 hours at present.

Indian women's hockey team captain Ritu Rani has been been dropped from the Rio Olympics-bound side owing to lack of performance and attitude problems.

The final squad of 16 is to be picked in three days' time but a senior member of the team management confirmed that Ritu has left the ongoing national camp in Bangalore.

"It's correct Ritu is not in the Olympic team. Her exclusion is solely on two counts -- her (poor) performance and second is her attitude," he said.

"It has been explained to her time and again that she needs to lift her performance but she couldn't do so. The camp is still going on in Bangalore. It will disperse today and tomorrow we are reaching Delhi. Ritu left the camp day before yesterday."

Under Ritu's leadership the Indian women's team qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 36 years since 1980.

The 24-year-old has been at the forefront of Indian women's hockey for more than a decade and has been the key to the midfield.

In a major setback for Vijay Mallya, who has been declared a proclaimed offender in a money laundering case, the Patiala House Court on Saturday lifted the exemption granted to him from personal appearance in a case of evading summons in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act issue.

During the hearing, the Enforcement Directorate told the court that Mallya's personal appearance was crucial for the ongoing trial.

The now defunct FERA case was registered by the ED against Mallya, in which the agency had issued summons, directing him to appear in relation to the investigation, where it was alleged that Mallya had violated the FERA regulation in connection to a transaction with Flavio Briatore of Benetton Formula Ltd based in London.

The ED had alleged that Mallya had violated the provisions of FERA in arranging funds to advertise his company's liquor products abroad.

The agency had claimed that the money was allegedly paid without prior approval from RBI in violation of FERA norms.

More than 20,000 people on Saturday attended the burial of top Hizbul commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani in south Kashmir's Tral town.

People from different parts of Pulwama district gathered at Shariefabad (Tral) to attend the burial of Wani, who was killed along with two of his associates in a gunfight with security forces in Bamdoora (Kokernag) village of Anantnag district on Friday.

The authorities, allowing the burial procedure, withdrew all security forces deployed around the ground to prevent clashes with the agitated people.

The authorities had imposed a curfew in the entire Pulwama district, but the people had come to attend Wani`s burial by defying the curfew restrictions.

Mobile internet services were suspended throughout the Valley on Saturday to prevent the spread of rumours.

Authorities also suspended mobile phone services throughout south Kashmir`s Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Kulgam districts.

13:31 Four killed during demolition drive in Meerut

Four persons were killed today after they were buried under the debris of an "illegal" multi-storey building in Meerut cantonment area as it was being demolished by civic authorities this morning, officials said.

Bungalow No 210, was demolished by the Cantonment Board authorities during an anti-encroachment drive during which a few people, who apparently were still in the building, were buried under the rubble. Four of them died while three were injured.

They have been admitted to a hospital, Meerut Division Commissioner, Alok Sinha said.

Rescue operation is underway as at least six other persons are feared trapped under the debris.

A day after alleging that slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani had no links to militancy, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday asserted that Wani had become the new 'icon' for the frustrated and disaffected community in the valley.

"Aftr many yrs I hear slogans for "Azadi" resonate from the mosque in my uptown Srinagar locality. Kashmir's disaffected got a new icon y'day. Mark my words - Burhan's ability to recruit in to militancy from the grave will far outstrip anything he could have done on social media," Omar said in a series of tweets.

Earlier, stating that National Conference Party had always maintained that a political problem needs a political solution, Omar had said that Burhan wasn't the first to pick up the gun and won't be the last.

"For all Burhan's social media activity I don't recall any militancy incident attributed to him while I was in office. Not sure after that," he tweeted.

The United States has expelled two Russian officials in retaliation over an "unprovoked" attack on its diplomat by a Russian policeman outside the US embassy in Moscow last month.

"On June 17, we expelled two Russian officials from the United States to respond to this attack," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Kirby said that on June 6, a Russian policeguard attacked an accredited US diplomat entering the US embassy compound, after the official identified himself.

"The action was unprovoked and it endangered the safety of our employee," he said.

Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said: "Attacks on American diplomats cannot be tolerated, period. Expelling Russian officials is an appropriate first step."

"But the administration must bolster efforts on a number of fronts including international broadcasting to confront Vladimir Putin's continued aggression," Royce added.

10:38 Now funding of Zakir Naik's NGO under scanner

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik Friday faced probes by the Centre that covered foreign funding of his NGO Islamic Research Foundation and the CDs of his speeches that were reported to have inspired some of the Dhaka attackers.

The move by the Centre came a day after the Maharashtra government ordered a probe into the sermons by the 50-year-old televangelist that has kicked up a storm.

The activities of the IRF came under the scanner of the Union Home Ministry amid allegations that funds from abroad received by it have been spent on political activities and inspiring people towards radical views.

A senior Home Ministry official said an investigation has been ordered into the activities of IRF, which was registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

The Home Ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used in political activities and allegations that the NGO's funds were used to induce people towards Islam and "attracting" youths towards terror, the official said.

09:42 North Korea tests submarine-launched missile

South Korean officials say North Korea test-fired what appears to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile off its eastern coast.

An official at Seoul's defense ministry on Saturday couldn't immediately confirm how far the projectile travelled and where it landed.

The testing of the North Korean submarine-launched missile comes a day after US and South Korean military officials said they are ready to deploy an advanced US missile defence system in South Korea to cope with North Korean threats.

Curfew has been imposed in large parts of Srinagar city and several areas of south Kashmir amid tension after Burhan Muzaffar Wani, a 22-year-old commander of the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in an operation on Friday.

Authorities on Saturday suspended the Amarnath Yatra from Jammu base camp for a day and mobile internet services in Kashmir Valley following the killing of the most wanted terrorist.

The internet services were suspended to check rumour mongering by anti-social elements.

Separatists including the hardline Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Asiya Andrabi, the radical chief of women's separatist outfit, had called for a Valley-wide shutdown to protest Wani's killing.

In Srinagar, restrictions have been imposed in areas falling under seven police stations which include Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, M R Gunj, Safakadal, Maisuma, Kralkhud.

All school board exams scheduled for the day have been postponed.

Train services from Baramulla in Kashmir region to Banihal town in Jammu have also been suspended.

The Supreme Court will on Saturday hear the plea of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order, refusing to quash the defamation case against him over his remark on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Gandhi's counsel had earlier argued that there are several judgements and evidence that would prove that the defamation case filed against him was frivolous.

According to reports, the Congress vice president had also turned down the Supreme Court's offer to express regret for his comment holding the RSS responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination and get the defamation case filed against him buried.

Earlier, Gandhi had also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS of trying to disrupt the plural but harmonious social fabric in Assam.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor, Arvind Kejriwal will pay a one-day visit to Gujarat today where he will officialy kickstart the party's campaign for the 2017 assembly polls in the BJP-ruled state.

Kejriwal is also scheduled to offer prayers at the Somnath Temple in adjoining Gir-Somnath district in the afternoon, following which which he will launch the party's campaign, Kanu Kalsariya, Gujarat unit leader of the party, said.

"He will then visit some villages of Junagadh, Gir-Somnath and Rajkot district to meet farmers and understand problems faced by them," he said.

Kejriwal will be accompanied by party colleague Kumar Vishwas, said Gujarat AAP media convener Harshil Nayak. As per the schedule released by the party, Kejriwal and Vishwas would arrive at Rajkot Airport by an early morning flight. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia would also join them during the visit, party sources said.

The sources said all the three leaders of AAP would come here with their family members.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who underwent an open-heart surgery in London a month back, will return to Pakistan today on a special plane.

"Prime Minister will Insha'Allah be arriving in the evening. Allah has been Kind. Indebted for your kind prayers & wishes," Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif tweeted.

The Pakistan International Airlines announced deputing a "dedicated aircraft" for London to bring the prime minister and his London camp office back to Pakistan.

The Prime Minister's wife, two sons and daughter Maryam will also return along with him.

Sharif was discharged from hospital on June 6 after he underwent an open-heart surgery on May 31. The 66-year-old PML-N leader had gone to London on May 22 for a regular medical checkup but was diagnosed with a heart complication by doctors who suggested surgery.

The Spanish government and Jewish groups have blasted a far-left party for posting an "anti-semitic" cartoon protest against US President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to the country.

The criticism comes after the Madrid branch of the United Left coalition, yesterday tweeted a cartoon depicting a thick-lipped Obama hugging an Orthodox jew wearing a kippa emblazoned with the Star of David and a wad of money bills sticking out of his pocket. Explosions surround the two men.

The caption above the cartoon reads "Invading and destroying countries to loot them," along with the hashtag #Obamagohome.

The attached message, which has been retweeted over 200 times, urges people to gather outside the US embassy in Madrid on Sunday to protest against Obama's visit.

The US and South Korea have agreed to deploy an advanced military defense system that could intercept North Korean missiles following continued weapons testing by Pyongyang in defiance of UN resolutions.

After months of talks, the two governments said they are in the final stages of recommending a location in South Korea for the system, called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, to be installed.

Yoo Jeh-seung, South Korea's Defense Policy Office head said it was a "defensive measure" to "protect alliance military forces from North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile threats."

"It will be focused solely on North Korean nuclear and missile threats and would not be directed towards any third party nations," Yoo said at a joint press conference attended by US and South Korean officials.

Last month, South Korea said Pyongyang had launched two missiles over the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, the latest in a series of UN violations.

Pakistan's celebrated philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi who dedicated his life to humanity and social services today passed away here at the age of 92 after a prolonged battle with different ailments.

His son, Faisal Edhi said that earlier in the day, Edhi was admitted to the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation and put on a ventilator after complaining of breathing problems.

"He passed away few hours ago due to kidney failure. He had been facing respiratory problems during dialysis due to his frail health," Faisal said.

The well-known and popular philanthropist who dedicated his life to humanity and social services was seen as the saviour of the poor and needy.

The main suspect in the Dallas police shootout, identified as 25-year-old Micah Johnson, was killed a blast caused by a robot-controlled explosive device. This may be the first of its kind killing of an attacker in US law enforcement history.

The shooting began near one of the busiest parts of the citys downtown, filled with hotels and restaurants.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown's description of what happened Thursday night was terse:

"We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension for it to detonate where the suspect was. Other options would have exposed our officers to grave danger," Brown said. "The suspect is deceased as a result of the detonating of the bomb."

The first "bomb robot" was developed in the early 1970s to deal with car bombs in Northern Ireland, cobbled together by retired British Army Lieutenant-Colonel 'Peter' Miller using a motorized wheelbarrow.

Read full story HERE.

01:49 25 killed in rebel shelling in Syria's Aleppo

At least 25 civilians including four children were killed and 120 others wounded today in rebel shelling of regime-held districts of Syria's Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The shelling comes as a 72-hour nationwide ceasefire -- announced by the army to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan -- is due to end at midnight.

Fighting has continued since the truce was announced on Wednesday, particularly in and around Aleppo, with deaths on both sides of the divided city.

State news agency SANA said that 20 people had been killed and a further 140 wounded in the shelling of districts in the government-controlled west, and accused the rebels of violating the ceasefire.

An AFP correspondent in the city's rebel-held east said that regime air strikes and rocket fire had also targeted opposition neighbourhoods on Friday.

The White House said today that investigators had "ruled out" any links to domestic or international terrorism in the shooting of five police officers in Dallas during a protest against police killings of black Americans.

"It is my understanding that investigators have now publicly ruled out the possibility that the individual who carried out this terrible act of violence had any sort of connections to terrorist organisations, either in the United

States or around the world," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in Warsaw.

Donald Trump loves being unpredictable -- it's a valuable card in any good negotiator's hands, he insists.

But now the presumptive Republican nominee is seemingly joking about the latest political speculation that a victory in November doesn't necessarily mean he'll take the oath of office to become president of the United States.

"I'll let you know how I feel about it after it happens," Trump told The New York Times in a story published Thursday while flashing what the newspaper described as a "mischievous smile." The paper said Trump was responding in an interview when presented with the scenario that he may win and decide not to serve.

Top American leaders today called for calm after a series of racial motivated shootings, including the deadliest killing of five police officials in Dallas, stunned the US.

Five officers were killed and another 12 injured in a shooting in Dallas last night during a peaceful protest that was organised in response of the tragic deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

The US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said an FBI investigation will be launched into the Dallas killing.

The US Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation in Louisiana and is providing assistance to local authorities in Minnesota who are leading the investigation there, she said.

"As South Africa works for the safety and economy progress of its country, it will find in India a sustainable and reliable partner," PM Modi told those present.

"Our development and business partnerships are already doing well. Together we can create new skills, enterprises and social values," PM Modi stated.

"We are active drivers of regional partnership. Together we can create new values for our friends in Africa," he added.

"We live in an age of global challenges; fight against terrorism, piracy, AIDS & Ebola are some of the key areas of our partnership," the prime minister said.

"India has started International Solar Alliance which has support of over 120 countries," he added.

"A resurgent India awaits you," PM Modi said.

00:07 Top headlines of the last hour

Top Hizbul Mujahideen commander killed in encounter

PM Modi feels 'at home' in Rainbow Nation

Snipers execute worst police killing in the US since 9/11

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