LIVE! Airlines to pay heavy compensation for flight cancellation

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Sun, 17 July 2016

Airlines to pay heavy compensation for flight cancellation

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22:43 Airlines to pay heavy compensation for flight cancellation

Cancelling a flight or denying boarding to a flier is going to cost heavily to domestic airlines as the new guidelines by the aviation regulator DGCA provides for massive compensation in such cases.

As per the revised compensation norms, which are effective from August 1, an airline will have to pay up to Rs 10,000 to a flier in the case of cancelling/delaying a flight beyond two hours, while the compensation for not allowing a passenger to board the flight stands at up to Rs 20,000. As of now airlines offer a meagre amount of up to Rs 4,000 for both denied boarding and cancelling a flight.

The revised compensation has been arrived at after extensive consultations with all stakeholders including the airlines. Fliers body, Air Passengers Association of India founder and president D Sudhakara Reddy, however, has said that the new norms leave certain grey areas which need to be addressed.

Image for representation only

22:43 Pakistan thrash England by 75 runs at Lord's

Pakistan has thrashed England by 75 runs at Lord's and has gained a 1-0 series lead.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said government would help a Kalyan-based family in arranging for cremating bodies of its three members killed in a road accident in Long Island in the US.

IT professional Chandan Gavai, 38, and his parents -- Archana Gavai, 60, and Kamalnayan Gavai, 74 -- were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit head-on by a truck on July 4.

Chandan's 32-year-old wife suffered life-threatening burns and is in comma. The couple's 11-month-old son survived the crash and is under treatment. The Gavai family members in India were finding it difficult to bring back the bodies for cremation due to high expenses involved. Yesterday, Swaraj had promised to help the family after she came to know of their difficulty.

Swaraj today said India's Consulate General in New York has suggested the family to cremate Chandan's parents in New York. She said as per US laws, Chandan's body cannot be cremated as his wife is in coma and unable to give consent.

Swaraj said the Consulate General suggested the family that Chandan's mortal remains be buried as his wife Manisha alone can give consent for his cremation.

The BJP's Parliamentary party executive committee meeting has been scheduled tomorrow at 6 pm in Parliament library. NDA leaders are meeting after that at the same place at 7 pm.

BJP president Amit Shah is expected to also attend.

Three police officers are feared dead after a shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish Kip Holden told CNN on Sunday.

"There is still an active scene. They are investigating. Right now we are trying to get our arms around everything. It's just been one thing after another,' Holden said.

Authorities in Louisiana told the Associated Press more than one officer has been shot.

Read this story here

19:33 Assam flood situation remains serious, 1 dies

One person died after being swept away in swirling flood waters which has submerged homes and fields in seven Assam districts and affected the lives of nearly 1.77 lakh people in the state.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority, one person died at Narayanpur in Lakhimpur district being swept away in swirling flood waters.

An ASDMA spokesman said today nearly 1.77 lakh people are reeling under flood in 267 villages across Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Golaghat, Morigaon, Dhemaji, Biswanath and Sivasagar districts.

At present, Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Nematighat in Jorhat, Dikhow at Sivasagar town and Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, the spokesman said. Authorities are running 25 relief camps in three districts, where 4,736 people are sheltered. Over 13,300 hectares of crop land are under water in the state.

19:32 Tiger killed in territorial fight near Pench

A young tiger was killed in a suspected territorial fight with another feline at Karmajhiri forest range in core area of Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) near here, officials said today.

"The patrol party found the tiger dead at Karmajhiri range and passed on the information to us last evening," PTR Field Deputy Director KK Gurwani told PTI. He said the tiger appeared about 3-4 years old and might have died two days back.

"We found the traces of another tiger nearby and also the remains of two cheetals (spotted deer) around preyed by it," the officer said. Quoting the postmortem report, Pench Assistant Conservator of Forests K S Sengar said, "A rib of the tiger was found broken and injuries mark were present on its neck and other places. Besides, the striped animal's lungs were found to be dysfunctional."

Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh Sheila Dikshit today narrowly escaped with minor injuries after a makeshift platform on an open mini-truck collapsed during a roadshow in Lucknow.

The 78-year-old Congress veteran lost her balance after the plank she was standing on gave way when the cavalcade was on its way to the party headquartes on Mall Avenue from the Amausi airport.

Dikshit was extended a helping hand by other leaders present there and later shifted to a car, a senior party functionary said.

This was her first visit to the state capital after Congress declared her as its chief ministerial candidate for the crucial 2017 polls, considered a do-or-die battle for the party.

18:37 Mild tremors felt in Amritsar

Mild tremors were felt and at a few adjoining areas in Punjab today, officials said. The tremors were felt at 5:24 pm. However, there was no immediate report of loss of life or property, they said.

In the backdrop of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his LJP counterpart Ram Vilas Paswan trading charges over alleged spurt in crime in Bihar, the former today thanked the Union Minister for liking one of his tweets.

"Thank u Paswan Ji for endorsing my stand that Bihar is outperforming so called developed states ruled by BJP," he tweeted. Paswan had reportedly liked Prasad's yesterday's tweet praising the Grand Alliance government, in which his party is a partner, for registering a 15.6 per cent growth rate and outperforming the "so-called developed states" being ruled by 'mangalraj wale'.

Prasad used 'mangalraj wale' apparently to refer to BJP. "Tathakathik Vikshit Rajyon ko buri tarah pachharta hua Bihar 15.6 per cent vikas dar ke sath desh ka awwal rajya! Kahan hain mangalraj wale (as compared to so-called famous states, Bihar has registered a 15.6 per cent growth...)," the RJD supremo had tweeted.

Leading Ayurvedic FMCG firm Dabur has tied up with DRDO to promote sustainable cultivation of high-altitude medicinal plants in Ladakh.

Dabur India has signed a pact with DRDO's unit Defense Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh, under which both organisations will educate farmers and help enhance livelihood opportunities in the cold desert area.

DIHAR Director Bhuvanesh Kumar said: "The first step towards the goal of implementing conservation & environmental development benefits in Leh-Ladakh will be a baseline survey of the area for cultivation of highly endangered medicinal plant species.

" Dabur India Head - Healthcare Research Dr JLN Sastry said: "We are pleased to be the initiator of this developmental programme, which will not only help in growing and cultivating high altitude medicinal plants to prepare Ayurvedic medicines but also provide an alternative source of income to the farmers living in the often neglected high altitude mountain areas."

18:09 Four Amarnath pilgrims dead; toll rises to 15

Four Amarnath pilgrims died due to cardiac arrest en route to the cave shrine in Kashmir Himalayas over the past three days, taking the death toll in this year's pilgrimage to 15, officials said here today. Rajinder Singh, a 35-year-old pilgrim from Punjab, died due to cardiac arrest at Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district, a police official said.

He said R C Bose, 58, from West Bengal also died due to heart attack at Baltal base camp. Mohan Lal (65), hailing from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, died due to cardiac arrest at the cave shrine while 50-year-old

Govind Prasad from Rajasthan died at Domel along the Baltal cave axis, the official said. With these deaths, the toll in this year's pilgrimage, which started on July 2, has risen to 15.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said political parties have spoken in one voice over the developments in Kashmir and asserted that it has sent the right message and benefitted the country.

Modi made these remarks at an all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning tomorrow, official sources said.

"Various parties have given statements on Kashmir events which benefitted the country. This has sent a right message and I thank all the parties for the same," he said while complimenting them for speaking in "one voice", according to an official statement.

"We represent both the people and the parties and there is a need to keep national interests above anything else," the Prime Minister said.

Donald Trump is at the centre of attack in a new advertisement by the rival Hillary Clinton campaign that invites adults to imagine what a child might be learning from the Republican presumptive nominee's provocative rhetoric.

Soft, inviting piano tones are set against a pink sunset and a neighbourhood at dusk, before the 70-year-old real estate tycoon's voice interrupts the tranquil scene. "I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks," Trump is heard telling a crowd. More of his acidic comments are played, while the screen is filled with close-ups of children gazing at television sets, seemingly soaking up every R-rated remark, the New York Times said in a report.

"Our children are watching," a text card warns after two young children watch on television Trump appearing to mock a reporter with a disability. At the end, Clinton is shown delivering a speech on children, closing with: "We need to make sure that they can be proud of us."

The ad paints Trump as "unpresidential and unfit for office, in the eyes of both children and, the ad assumes, their voting parents (who, one could argue, might not be too happy with the Clinton campaign's rebroadcasting of the messages to children watching television)," the NYT report said.

16:41 City birds tend to be angrier than rural ones!

Birds that live in suburban areas tend to be angrier, and show more aggression than their rural counterparts, according to a new study that sheds light on the effects of human population expansion on wildlife.

"A possible reason for this is that these birds have less space but better resources to defend," said Scott Davies, a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech. "Living near humans provides better food and shelter, but it also means more competition for these limited resources," he said.

Researchers measured territorial aggression in 35 urban and 38 rural male song sparrows at three rural and three urban sites in the US last year. They played a recording of a male song sparrow and observed how the territory-holding birds responded to a simulated intrusion from a neighbour.

Campus birds showed a higher level of aggression: they approached and remained near the speaker, flapped their wings furiously, engaged in loud singing and then began to produce 'soft song' - a term that researchers use to describe the quiet, garbled noise that a bird makes, which is predictive of an impending attack.

16:35 File ITRs before July 31 deadline: I-T dept

With less than a fortnight left to file the annual ITRs by individuals and other category of taxpayers, the Income Tax department has suggested assessees to opt for e-filing of their returns for a hassle-free processing of the annual returns filing exercise.

By this time last year, you may have had already electronically filed your Income Tax Return. This is a gentle reminder for you to file your Income Tax Return for Assessment Year 2016-17. E-filing is simple, easy and convenient as you would have experienced in last year.

"You are requested to login to incometaxindiaefiling. gov.in and download the free return preparation software with a host of new features to help you in preparing the Income Tax return and submit your return," an advisory sent by the department to the taxpayers said. The department has suggested the taxpayers to opt for e-filing of their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) and enjoy a hassle-free processing of the annual returns filing exercise. The new ITRs have been notified early this year and taxpayers can e-file thier ITRs till July 31, for those whose accounts are not liable for audit.

U2 frontman, Bono, was rescued from a restaurant by cops during Bastille Day terror attack in France. The 56-year-old legendary singer, was spotted enjoying a meal in a nearby restaurant at the time of the tragedy in the French city, reported Mirror.

"Suddenly I saw people running, without shouting. By reflex I grabbed the arm of Christian Estrosi, the former Nice Mayor, who was sitting close to Bono," said Anne-Laure Rubi, the owner of the upmarket restaurant, which is a famous celeb nightspot.

As the attack on the Promenade des Anglais became clear, the Irish rocker was eventually rescued by armed officers who led him to the nearby Massena square.

"It took around half an hour for the police to get us out and Like everybody else, Bono had to put his hands on his head, and was told to remain calm," said a diner.

The government has rushed 20 additional companies of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force to Kashmir valley.

The Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr rejoined on tenth anniversary celebration of Cirque du Soleil's Beatles-themed show, "Love".

The show was a hit collaboration between the French- Canadian circus troupe and The Four Brothers who changed the entire music era after their rock n roll and pop compositions hit the floors in early 60s, reported Variety. "Thank you all for being here," said McCartney, 74, who was accompanied by his wife, Nancy Shevell.

The two surviving members were also tagged along with the band's frontman John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono as well as several other family members and friends.

McCartney and Starr joined the cast onstage at the end of the event to thank them, McCartney said, "This fantastic show just gets better and better." The music director of the show Giles Martin shared the stage with McCartney and Starr and recalled his father, George Martin.

15:00 Turkey rounds up more coup officers

The US has warned Turkey against "public insinuations" of American involvement in a failed military coup, saying such claims are "utterly false and harmful" to their relations.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was speaking after Turkey's labour minister suggested the US was behind the coup.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to extradite US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.Mr Erdogan has accused him of being behind the plot, which Mr Gulen denies.

Read this story here

Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel, who walked out of jail on Friday, left for Udaipur in Rajasthan early on Sunday morning, in accordance with the Gujarat high court's condition while granting him bail that he will have to stay out of the state for next six months.

The 22-year-old leader will stay at a house owned by former Congress member of legislative assembly and local Patel leader Pushkarlal Patel in Udaipur for the period.

According to Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader and Hardik's close aide Dinesh Bambhaniya, the Patel quota agitation spearhead started his journey for Udaipur from his native place Viramgam at around 7:30 am on Sunday.

Schools and colleges in the Valley, which were scheduled to reopen tomorrow, will now open on July 25 as the Jammu and Kashmir government today extended summer vacations by a week in view of the prevailing situation.

The Valley has been witnessing protests after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani. "We have decided to extend the summer vacations in the schools and colleges of the Valley by one week," Education Minister Naeem Akhtar told PTI. He said the decision to extend the vacations was taken in view of the ongoing law and order problems in the Valley.

Schools and colleges in the Valley were scheduled to reopen tomorrow after a 17-day summer vacation. If the situation returns to normal, the institutions will reopen on July 25.

Violent protests have rocked Kashmir since July 9 following the death of Wani and two of his associates in an encounter with security forces a day earlier.

14:39 Mother kills teenager in Nagpur for honour

In a suspected case of 'honour killing', a 45-year-old woman allegedly murdered her 19-year- old unmarried daughter at their house here after she found that she was pregnant.

Muktabai came to know that her daughter, a school dropout, is having an affair with a boy from the same locality in Wadi area and was three-months pregnant, Nagpur Police said in a statement. She asked the girl to abort but she refused to do so. Fearing that her pregnancy would harm the reputation of the family, Muktabai decided to kill her, it said.

Muktabai strangulated her daughter with a 'dupatta' at their house around two days ago. The accused allegedly tried to destroy the evidence by attempting to cremate her body with the support of other family members, the release said.

Police said some unidentified persons from the locality informed them that the girl had died under suspicious circumstances.

13:53 The man Turkey believes orchestrated the coup

Fethullah Gulen's movement has been feared by some for its ability to mobilize considerable resources and for its influence among decision-makers.

Even as chaos rocked Turkey on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly called Fethullah Gulen, a high-profile cleric living in exile in Pennsylvania, US, as the orchestrator of the coup."Now I am addressing those in Pennsylvania.

The betrayal you have shown to this nation and to this community, that is enough. If you have the courage, come back to your country. If you can. You will not have the means to turn this country into a mess from where you are," Erdogan said while addressing his supporters in Istanbul.

Read this article here

13:52 Earthquake of 4.7 magnitude hits Gujarat

An earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale hit Surat district in south Gujarat this morning, though no casualty or damage was reported, an official said.

The earthquake, which occurred at 9:24 am today, had its epicentre at Bhada village under Kamrej taluka of Surat district, nearly 24 kms north-west of Surat, he said.

"An aftershock of 2.8 magnitude was also felt at 11:23 AM with its epicentre at some 25 kms south-south east of Bhavnagar city in Saurashtra," said A Satish, senior geologist, Institute of Seismological Research, Gandhinagar.

Tremors were felt in parts of Surat district and in Bhavnagar, Amreli, Palitana, Savarkundla, Adajan, among other places, officials said. "The tremors were felt across single fault line stretching from Surat to Bhavnagar," Satish said.

Arvind Kejriwal took questions directly from people across the country on Sunday in the first edition of his 'Talk to AK' show, a Q and A session that began with a long monologue on his Aam Aadmi Party's achievements in Delhi.

The phone line for the session was jammed for some time as questions poured in for the Delhi chief minister, who is prepping to widen his base beyond the capital with elections in states like Punjab, Gujarat and Goa.

The first question came 50 minutes into the show, uncensored. "On one hand you say (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji is not letting you work, yet you put up ads worth crores to publicise what you are doing in Delhi?"

Taking his critics head-on, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has challenged them to show how inflation is "very low" before accusing him of "being behind the curve" in his focus on containing price rise than on growth and debunked such criticism as mere 'dialogues'.

Rajan, who has often been seen as being critical of the government and its policies, also said there is "lot of frustration" about the pace of economic recovery, but attributed it to the two successive droughts, weak global economy and external shocks like Brexit.

Given these constraints, performance of Indian economy has been "quite creditable" and prospects of good monsoon as well as structural reforms and macroeconomic stability will accelerate the growth going forward, he added.

On GDP growth figures, the outgoing governor said he has refrained from "thumping on the table" to put a number on GDP growth, adding people sometimes get "overly fixated with a particular growth number", though figures like 7.6 per cent and 8 per cent are within the same range.

Brother of Pakistani social media celebrity and model Qandeel Baloch was arrested by the police on Sunday, reported Pakistan Today.

Muhammad Waseem is accused of strangling his sister to death at her residence in Multan on Saturday.

The police announced Waseem's arrest at a press conference in which Waseem confessed that he had murdered his sister for putting up 'controversial' pictures and videos on social media.

Three indigenously-developed 155 mm 'Dhanush' artillery guns have been handed over to the Indian Army by the Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory.

"Three 155 mm howitzers (Dhanush) have been handed over to the army recently for user's trial," GCF's Joint General Manager and PRO Sanjay Shrivastava told PTI today.

GCF is an ordnance factory, which received its first order of 500 transport carts in 1905. "Another consignment of three guns is being readied and these howitzers too will be delivered to the army shortly," Shrivastava said.

The gun, a towed howitzer with a strike range of 38 km, has been developed by Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata, after going through the design and voluminous documents running into over 12,000 pages which were delivered to India under the first phase of Transfer of Technology as part of the Bofors gun deal in the late 80s, another official said.

The army had demanded the six howitzers following successful summer and winter trials of the artillery gun.

The main accused in the spurious liquor tragedy has been arrested even as the death toll from the alcohol poisoning climbed to 21 on Sunday.

The main accused Sripal was arrested from Nayagaon area on Saturday night, Superintendent of Police Ajay Shankar Rai said.

It is not often you get to spend a Saturday evening with Amit Shah. Although he lives in an imposing Lutyens bungalow at the heart of the national capital, the BJP president has no affection for the networks of political, bureaucratic and cultural power that thread their way through the city.

Does he feel like an outsider in New Delhi? "Why would I? It's in India.' His residence is functional and lightly decorated: statues of Ganesha, a metal figurine of a cow suckling a calf.

Shah sits cross-legged on an orthotic armchair, its arms draped with navy blue towels, matching portraits of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Chanakya hanging behind him. Are they his heroes?

Read this story here

Four Tamil Nadu fishermen suffered minor injuries when they were attacked allegedly by Sri Lankan naval personnel off Katchathivu islet.

The naval personnel took away their cellphones and GPS equipment and also damaged nets of 10 other boats, P Sesuraja, Fishermen's Association leader said.

The fishermen, part of a group of 3,000 who had put out to sea from here last night, returned without any catch after the navy officers threatened them against fishing in the island nation's territorial waters, he said.

Acting deputy vice chancellor of a private university has been arrested here along with two others for sheltering militants who carried out Bangladesh's worst terror attack at a cafe in which 22 people were killed by suspected Islamic State militants.

"North South University's acting pro-VC Gias Uddin Ahsan was arrested yesterday for renting out a flat to the attackers of Holey Artisan Bakery," said Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Ahsan is the dean of NSU's School of Health and Life Sciences, according to the private university's website. Ahsan's nephew Alam Chowdhury and Mahbubur Rahman Tuhin, the manager of a house in Bashundhara Residential Area were also arrested. He said five militants who carried out the attack on the cafe on July 1 had taken shelter in the flat owned by Ahsan.

The police official said the other associates of the attackers fled the flat after the attack. Several cartons were seized from the flat.

Police suspect the cartons were used to keep the grenades used in the attack that left at least 20 hostages, including an Indian, and two policemen dead. Security forces killed six persons in the raid at the cafe to free hostages.

Delhi Chief Minister on his debut Talk to AK programme highlights his government's objectives and aims. Speaking on the event, he said, "I have given interviews to the media from time to time, but I often find questions of the people are different from the media.

"For the last one year there is an AAP government in Delhi. We have always said there is no dearth of money in politics, there is a dearth of intent. Our last 1.5 years have proven this right.

"We are saving a lot of money in government programmes. The work of Rs 100 is being completed in Rs 60-70."

The 400-year-old city of Hyderabad is linked in popular mind for its signature biryani as much as it is with the exquisitely constructed Charminar monument.

The biriyani may have become a local landmark, but that doesn't stop people from asking, "Where did it come to India from and when?"

The lazy "scholars" are quick to opine that it was the genius of Indian people who transformed the "Cinderella of Central Asian pilaff" into the sparkling biryani, but it is difficult to buy this "thesis".

Read more HERE

China wants to see more discussions on India's membership at the NSG, but hasn't opposed it, as many believe, says Beijing's envoy to India Charge D'Affaires Liu Jinsong.

He said, "China has never stated that it opposes the membership of any country to the NSG. Of course, we have never stated our support to any country, ever. The issue is about the way of the entry of new members, the procedure that they will follow. The entry, in NSG, by non-NPT signatories.

"We attach great importance to the NPT as the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime. I believe our Indian friends can understand China's position on this point. India's membership in the NSG is not a low-hanging fruit. So, we need further discussion by parties concerned. China stands with India's wish to develop nuclear energy to put a cap on carbon emissions and to seek development. However, we believe that this issue calls for in-depth discussion by all parties. So, on this issue, our principle is abiding by the rules and finally finding a way out."

Read the full interview HERE

Signalling that India-Pakistan relations continue to remain mired in a quagmire, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced after a cabinet meeting that Pakistan will observe July 19 as a "black day" to protest India's "atrocities" in Kashmir.

Mian Nawaz Sharif forgets that while the Kashmiris who are part of India are ruled by a duly elected representative government, those who reside in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir are ruled from Islamabad, with the concurrence of General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, Rawalpindi.

He also forgets that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have no rights and that the Baloch peoples quest for freedom has been suppressed by the military jackboot ever since independence from the British.

Read more HERE

Self-exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey's president has accused of orchestrating a failed coup denied any responsibility and called for an international probe and said that he would accept the findings.

He said it was possible that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan actually plotted the coup himself as an excuse for payback against his political enemies. "There is a slight chance, there is a possibility that it could be a staged coup," Gulen was quoted as saying, adding, "It could be meant for court accusations and associations."

10:24 Uttarakhand on high alert after heavy rains

Heavy rains, which began on Friday, lashed most parts of Uttarakhand throughout Saturday throwing daily life out of gear. The state Met office said that the rain activity will continue at least till Sunday evening and issued an alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places.

Haldwani in Nainital district received the highest rainfall in the state (100 mm) during the last 24-hours, closely followed by Mussoorie which witnessed 96 mm rain. Srinagar in Pauri district and Someshwar in Almora district received 88 mm rain each. The state capital Dehradun, which had been experiencing incessant showers since Friday, recorded 74.8 mm rainfall.

The rains also triggered recurring landslides which blocked National Highways leading to the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines. The Rishikesh-Badrinath highway (NH 58) was blocked at Lambagad and Kanchan Gana in Chamoli district while the Rishikesh-Kedarnath (NH 109) highway was blocked between Sonprayag and Gaurikund.

Pilgrims going to Badrinath were temporarily stopped at different places in Chamoli district due to road blockades.

The rains also led to a rise in the water level of major rivers in Uttarakhand including Ganga at Haridwar, sparking fear of floods in the low-lying areas of the state.

Image: The Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway blocked.

10:18

JUST IN: Earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hits Japan's eastern Honshu.

09:50 Does Kashmir need a military response or a political one?

Every time the Valley explodes, experts emerge to pronounce in ponderous tones that we need to find a 'political solution' instead of just a military one.

Read full column HERE

"People may call me a terrorist. If fighting in the path of Allah is terrorism, yes I am a terrorist (sic)," reads a message sent by one of the missing Kerala youngsters to his family.

Mohammad Marwan is among 15 youths from the state who are suspected to have joined the so-called Islamic State. The message was sent via the Telegram app in the last week of June. Though the youth claims that he sent the message from territory under the terror group's control in West Asia, intelligence agencies have not yet confirmed whether the youth is actually there.

In the message, Marwan promises he will come back after he "finishes work with IS to help the persecuted Muslims in Kashmir, Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar".

Quoting the Quran, Marwan said, "Allah will ask what I was doing when the community was being persecuted'. "Didn't the Prophet taught (sic) us that the entire ummah is like one body? It is my religious duty to fight for the protection of the community,' he added.

The government has called for an all party meeting today, to seek the support of opposition parties in the passage of pending legislations during the Monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on Monday. The session will have 20 working days and conclude on August 20. A total of 25 bills, including the crucial GST Bill are expected to come up for passing and consideration during the session.

Pema Khandu will be sworn-in as the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh in Itanagar at 12 pm today. Khandu staked claim to power on the basis of support of 45 party MLAs along with two Independents in yesterday's floor test where he replaced Nabam Tuki.

Khandu will be the youngest chief minister of India among all incumbents.

Khandu, 36, the eldest son of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu who passed away while in office on May 20, 2011 in a helicopter crash, is a graduate from the prestigious Hindu College under Delhi University.

Declaring his government firmly in control, a defiant Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded the United States arrest or extradite an exiled Islamic cleric he blames for a coup attempt that ended with nearly 200 people dead.

The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, suggested that overthrow and assassination attempts have been staged in the past though he did not directly accuse Erdogan of deliberately plunging Turkey into chaos.

The upheaval exposes deep discontent within the military ranks. But less than 24 hours after a night of violence, questions remained about who was behind it and why they decided to act now. The ramifications of the coup attempt on the political system of a NATO ally and partner in the US fight against Islamic State also remain unclear.

"I call on the United States and President Barack Obama ... (to) either arrest Fethullah Gulen or return him to Turkey," the Turkish president said. "If we are strategic partners or model partners, do what is necessary."

08:12

JUST IN: Nine die in separate incidents across Uttarakhand after heavy rainfall. Ganga river is flowing above danger mark in Haridwar

08:09 After PM's Mann ki Baat, now Kejriwal brings you 'Talk to AK'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold an interactive session, titled 'Talk to AK', today where people from across the country can ask him questions over the phone, through text messages and social media.

The move, intended to reach out to people across the country, comes at a time when Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party is gearing up for assembly elections in a number of states including Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.

Kejriwal will hold an hour-long live session today at 11 am and take questions through Twitter, Facebook, phone calls and text messages. The government has made arrangements at Delhi Secretariat from where the Delhi CM will interact with people.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has made more changes to the government, removing another key supporter of predecessor David Cameron from ministerial ranks.

Downing Street says arts minister Ed Vaizey, a friend of Cameron, has left the government. Ros Altmann, Cameron's minister for pensions, has also been dismissed.

The government shuffle is in its fourth day today as May fills out junior ministerial ranks.

May has made dramatic changes, placing leading proponents of a British exit from the European Union in charge of foreign affairs, international trade and EU negotiations.

All the same, May has signaled she's in no rush to start exit talks. She said yesterday she would not launch formal negotiations until there is a "UK approach" involving Scotland, which strongly backed remaining in the bloc.

Many international flights to Turkey were cancelled today despite efforts by the Ankara authorities to get life back to normal following an abortive

coup attempt.

The US government said it had suspended all flights to Turkey, and banned all airlines from flying to the United States from Turkey due to uncertainty after yesterday's failed coup.

Turkish authorities were seeking today to resume business as usual and Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport -- shut down by the plotters -- was gradually reopening.

But international carriers were preferring to wait and see before resuming a normal service.

Along with their US counterparts, Russian airlines have suspended flights to Turkey although they were repatriating vacationers back home.

LeT chief Hafiz Saeed today demanded Pakistan government to immediately suspend foreign and trade relations with India in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

"We don't need potato and onion trade with India," he told a press conference at JuD headquarters in Chauburji here.

"Pakistan should call its ambassador back from India and expel its from Islamabad," the Lashkar-e-Taiba founder said, claiming Pakistan is an advocate of Kashmiris and this gesture will give Kashmiris a boost.

Saeed, on whose head the US has put a bounty of USD 10 million, also said "screening of Indian movies in Pakistan should be banned forthwith as these are hurting the sentiments of people of Pakistan in the wake of killings in Kashmir".

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