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Sun, 24 July 2016
Pokemon Go takes over town near North Korean border
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20:48 Pokemon Go takes over town near North Korean border
Smartphones raised, brows furrowed, Pokemon Go zombies in a world of their own have taken over the streets of Sokcho -- and the game isn't even available in this country yet.
The seaside city of Sokcho in South Korea is 35 kilometers away from the DMZ or demilitarized zone which splits North and South Korea.
This is the only area in South Korea you can play the augmented reality game that has swept the world, largely thanks to a technical loophole.
This northeastern tip of South Korea lies just outside the index grids the game's developers use to geographically block the country.
Thousands of South Koreans are making the pilgrimage here to play. Special Pokemon Go buses leave Seoul daily and the seats sell out in advance.
Park Yeon-joon says he was fed up with watching friends from the United States post their Pokemon achievements on Facebook so when he found out he could play three and a half hours away from Seoul, he didn't hesitate.
Read more HERE.
19:47 Russia Olympics: No blanket ban on athletes IOC president confirms
JUST IN: The International Olympic Committee will not issue a blanket ban on Russian athletes hoping to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games and will instead leave the issue up to individual sporting federations, the IOC confirmed in a statement Sunday.
19:25 Nepal Prime Minister Oli resigns ahead of no-trust motion
Opting to not face a no-trust motion against him in Parliament, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Sunday submitted his resignation pushing the country into political uncertainty.
He tendered his resignation to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari at the President's Office here, officials said.
Nepal's Parliament on Friday began discussing the no-trust motion after three bills related to the annual budget were rejected by a majority vote.
The development was a big blow to the Oli government, which was reduced to a minority after key alliance partner, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) withdrew support earlier this month.
19:09 Do not intervene in SCS dispute: China tells Japan
China asked Japan to restrain itself from interfering in the South China Sea dispute on Sunday, saying Tokyo should instead consider its "shameful history" before accusing it of expansionist behaviour in the strategic region.
China took exception to Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida's remarks that he would discuss the dispute over territorial claims with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Kishida had said he would talk about the maritime dispute if he gets a chance to meet Wang during the series of foreign ministers' meeting involving ASEAN and other Asian countries.
China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said that the arbitration by a UN-backed international panel based in The Hague was "illegal and invalid" from beginning to the end.
China has rejected the ruling by The Permanent Court of Arbitratioon on a case brought before it by The Philippines after years of negotiations between the two countries.
18:09 Venus' clouds may unveil underlying secrets
Venus' thick cloud layers may offer insight into the topography of the planet's surface below, rather than acting as a barrier to our observations,
scientists have shown for the first time.
An extreme greenhouse effect on Venus heats its surface to temperatures as high as 450 degrees Celsius.
A 20-km-thick layer sits between 50 and 70 km above the surface of Venus and is far colder than below, with typical temperatures of about minus 70 degrees Celsius similar to temperatures found at the cloud-tops of Earth.
The upper cloud layer also hosts more extreme weather, with winds that blow hundreds of times faster than those on the surface (and faster than Venus itself rotates, a phenomenon dubbed 'super-rotation').
While these clouds have traditionally blocked our view of Venus' surface, they may actually hold the key to exploring some of the planet's secrets, researchers said.
18:01 Avoid using pellet guns, Rajnath Singh tells security forces on Kashmir visit
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has urged the youth of Kashmir not to engage in stone-pelting and also asked security forces to refrain from using pellet guns against protesters.
Rajnath also took a strong stand against Pakistan's role in the ongoing tensions in the Kashmir Valley, asking Islamabad to desist encouraging Kashmiri youth from taking up arms.
"We do not need the involvement of any third party to address the situation in Kashmir+ ," said Rajnath Singh, at the end of a two-day visit to the troubled Valley.
He also sought to allay tensions, saying, "As far as the Centre is concerned, we are clear that we don't not want a relationship with Kashmir that is based on necessities. We want a relationship that is based on emotional bonds," he said.
"I would like to tell our neighbouring country, you yourself are affected by terrorism. You had to storm the Lal Masjid to kill the terrorists. But on the other hand, you appeal to Kashmiri youth to take up arms," he said.
"They are not pak (pure) when it comes to Kashmir," Rajnath added.
He said all steps were being taken to ensure a return to normalcy in Kashmir. "I urge the youth of Kashmir not to engage in stone-pelting and also ask the security forces to refrain from using pellet guns against protestors as far as possible," he said.
"I have spoken with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and assured her that any injured persons who are unable to get proper medical treatment here can be sent to Delhi for treatment. We will ensure they are treated at AIIMS," he said.
16:40 Army pays tribute to Naik Anup Thapa
Army today paid tribute to the valour and martyrdom of Naik Anup Thapa who made the supreme sacrifice while successfully foiling an infiltration bid by the terrorists in Kupwara yesterday.
In a solemn ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantt in Srinagar, Lt Gen Satish Dua, the Chinar Corps Commander and all ranks of Chinar Corps paid homage the patriot.
The brave soldier was part of his unit's Specialist Operational Team that intercepted a group of terrorists which was attempting to infiltrate from across the line of control.
In the ensuing exchange of fire, Naik Anup sustained a gun shot wound but unmindful of his injuries, he continued to engage the terrorists till they fled back.
He was given first aid at the encounter site itself and thereafter evacuated but unfortunately, the braveheart succumbed to his injuries.
The mortal remains of the martyr, who is survived by wife Nutan Thapa and young sons aged 10 and 3 years, will be taken to his native village Dattakali Mandir, Dehradun today.
15:36 Hyderabad: 2 killed, several injured in building collapse at Film Nagar
At least two people died in the Film Nagar area of Hyderabad on Sunday when a building collapsed.
Another 10 people are have been injured in the collapse, and five-six of them are currently being treated in hospital.
The local police said that the building was undergoing some transformation, with something extra being built above the two storeys that already existed, when it collapsed.
They also said at least three people are trapped under the debris of the collapsed building. Rescue operations are under way at the spot, the police sources said.
Visuals from the spot show fire service and civil defence personnel aiding in the rescue work.
Image for representation only.
14:28 Chinese farmer finds 2000-year-old relic, gets highest reward
A 47-year-old Chinese farmer, who found a 2,000-year-old musical instrument, has been rewarded with USD 3330, the highest monetary reward ever given to a person for voluntarily handing over cultural relics.
Zhang Zhilin, who hails from central China's Hunan Province, found a hollow object about 30 centimetres long and weighing 1 kilogramme which resembled a spade with decorations of dots and braid patterns.
"Historical artifacts were unearthed in my town in the 1950s and 1990s. Villagers believed I'd come across another treasure," Zhang said.
He also remembered how his father found a similar object 20 years ago.
14:20 The first Justice League trailer is here, and it actually looks great
At Comic-Con, director Zack Snyder debuted the first trailer for his upcoming film Justice League, and here's the shocker: it actually looks fantastic.
The trailer starts with Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne, hunting down Aquaman, presumably putting together the team of warriors that Warner Bros. hopes will be its answer to The Avengers.
From there, nearly all the big names get a moment to shine, including Cyborg, Wonder Woman, and The Flash. (Superman himself seems to be missing, for reasons as-of-yet unknown.)
Watch the full trailer that has taken the social media by storm HERE.
14:16 AN-32: IAF lodges missing complaint with TN police
After 48 hours of frantic search involving assets drawn from Airforce, Navy and Coast Guard, airforce authorities have lodged a formal complaint with Tamil Nadu police over the missing AN-32 aircraft.
"We have received a complaint that Air Force's AN-32 transport aircraft has gone missing," a senior police official said today.
"The complaint was lodged last night with Selaiyur police," he said.
"The complaint says that 29 personnel on board AN-32 and the aircraft have gone missing. Among the missing personnel is one person from Tamil Nadu," the official told PTI.
13:36 Two new 'worlds' discovered beyond Neptune
Scientists have discovered two small 'worlds' far outside the orbit of Neptune in the deepest survey ever conducted to search out distant solar system objects.
The new objects are located beyond the Kuiper Belt, which is a region of small icy objects just beyond Neptune, of which Pluto is a member.
They have the third and fourth most-distant perihelia, which is when an object has its closest approach distance to the Sun, of any known solar system objects.
In addition, the orbital motions of these objects are in resonance with Neptune's orbit, which was somewhat unexpected.
Their orbital paths imply that these worlds either have interacted with Neptune in the past or are continuing to do so despite their great distances from the ice giant planet.
This latest discovery is based on observations made with the Subaru Telescope in Hawai'i and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory telescope in Chile.
13:22 Author Mahasweta Devi's still critical, under observation
Social activist and writer Mahasweta Devi continues to be in a critical condition, a doctor said, stressing the nonagenarian litterateur is responding to treatment.
"Neurologically she is doing better but she still requires dialysis," a doctor told the media.
The 90-year-old Ramon Magsaysay awardee suffers from various ailments and was put on non-invasive ventilation earlier in July after her condition worsened.
The writer, who was honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 1996, has been undergoing treatment at a hospital here for about two months now.
13:04 Muslim woman told to remove hijab for job application in NZ
A 25-year-old Muslim girl in New Zealand was left embarrassed after she applied for a job at a jewellery shop and was told it was a "waste of time" unless she removed her hijab.
Mona Alfadli, who applied for a job as a sales assistant at Steward Dawsons in Auckland, was told by a prospective manager 'not to bother applying' because of her headscarf.
"I felt embarrassed as it took a lot of courage to walk into the shop and speak to the manager regarding a job, especially since I was afraid of the rejection," Alfadli said.
Alfadli, who lives in Avondale, has been looking for a job after completing her diploma in applied computer system engineering.
12:26 Policeman injured in attack dies, toll in Kashmir unrest 46
A policeman, injured in the attack on a police station in Kulgam district on July 15, today succumbed at a hospital here, taking the death toll in
the ongoing unrest in Kashmir to 46.
Constable Mudasir Ahmad became the second policeman to die in the violent clashes that erupted in the Valley following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8.
On July 15, a mob pelted stones at police station Yaripora in Kulgam. During the stone pelting, suspected militants hurled a grenade at the police station, resulting in injuries to six cops including Ahmad.
12:25 World's most sensitive detector fails to find dark matter
The world's most sensitive dark matter detector has failed to yield any trace of the elusive substance thought to account for more than four-fifths of the mass of the universe, even after 20 months of operation.
The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter experiment, which operates beneath a mile of rock at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in the Black Hills of South Dakota, has completed its silent search for the missing matter of the universe.
LUX's sensitivity far exceeded the goals for the project, scientists said, but yielded no trace of a dark matter particle.
12:16 10 killed as suicide bomber attacks security checkpoint in northern Baghdad
JUST IN: A suicide bomber attacked a security checkpoint in northern Baghdad, killing at least 10 people.
This attack follows the Islamic State's twin explosions on Saturday that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 80 people and wounding 231 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital.
More details awaited.
Image for representation only.
12:03 UN chief condemns 'despicable' Afghan attack
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the world body's strong condemnation of the terror attack on a peaceful demonstration in Afghanistan, describing it as a "despicable crime" while calling for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the assault.
At least 80 people were killed and 231 wounded in twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, an attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group.
According to a statement issued by his office, Ban called for those responsible for the attack to be brought to justice.
"The Secretary-General condemns...terrorist attack in Kabul. This despicable crime targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights," the statement said.
The powerful UN Security Council also issued a statement, condemning "in the strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack yesterday.
11:47 Kaine makes debut as Clinton running mate
Making an impressive debut on the campaign trail, Democratic vice presidential candidate Senator Tim Kaine today accused Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump of wrecking lives "wherever he goes" and asked Americans not to let it happen with them.
Kaine, the junior Senator from Virginia, on Friday was selected by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as her running mate.
"From Atlantic City to his so-called university, he leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes. We can't afford to let him do the same thing to our country," 58-year-old Kaine told a cheering crowd in Miami, Florida in his maiden speech as Clinton's running mate.
The two would be formally accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this week.
11:26 India-born Muslim cop security in-charge of Hindu temple in US
A Mumbai-born Muslim police officer is the security in-charge of the largest Hindu temple in the Indianapolis city of US, setting an example of inter-faith cooperation and social harmony at a time when religious intolerance rhetoric is on the rise due to the election cycle.
An eight-degree black-belt in Taekwondo and a kick boxing champion, Lt Javed Khan from the local police department is director of security at the Hindu temple in Indianapolis.
For hundreds of visitors thronging the temple daily, in particularly over the weekend, Khan, who was born in Mumbai and raised in Lonavla, Pune, is now considered a part and parcel of the Hindu temple.
"My message is this; we are all one. We are all the children of God. There is only one God and then there are different forms and names, we choose to worship," Khan told PTI in a phone interview from Indianapolis.
"We are Indians. Half my family is Hindu. I do not believe in Hindu-Muslim thing," he said.
"I am just doing my duty. I am not doing anything special or extraordinary," Khan said when asked for an interview.
Khan settled in Indiana in 2001, a year after he migrated to the United States. He had been coming to the US since 1986 for participating in various martial arts championship.
Khan said it all started a few years ago, when he married his daughter to a Telugu boy at this Hindu temple, after which he started knowing people at the temple.
11:00
JUST IN: AAP lawmaker Amanatullah Khan detained for allegedly threatening a woman
10:57 Rio-bound wrestler Narsingh Yadav fails dope test
Narsingh Yadav, Rio Olympics-bound wrestler in the 74 kg category, has failed a dope test, says the National Anti-Doping Agency director general.
The National Anti-Doping Agency conducted a random dope test on Yadav on July 5 at the Sports Authority of India's regional centre in Sonepat. The report of his 'A' sample test came out positive. Later, he was called for his 'B' sample test, which also returned positive.
Narsingh Yadav had to fight a lengthy legal battle with two-time Olympics medallist Sushil Kumar, also in the same category, to get the chance to compete for India at the Olympics.
10:00
JUST IN: BJP suspends MLC Tunna Pandey, who was arrested for allegedly molesting a girl onboard a train.
09:46 Norway's Breivik, the inspiration behind Munich attack?
German police said there was an "obvious" link between the actions of a teen gunman who killed nine people in a rampage in Munich, and those of Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.
Breivik had killed 77 people, exactly five years before the Munich attack and was the worst violence to strike Norway since World War II.
In a raid on his family apartment in an affluent suburb of Munich, police discovered extremist material linked to mass shootings, including the attack by Anders Behring Breivik.
Additionally German newspaper Bild.de reported that his classmates said he had even used an image of Breivik as his profile picture on the social media network WhatsApp.
09:19
JUST IN: Kashmir unrest: Home Minister Rajnath Singh to meet leaders of political parties in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir today
09:18 'Arrested Mumbai youth converted 800 to Islam'
Rizwan Khan, who was arrested from Kalyan on Saturday, and Arshid Qureshi, held from Navi Mumbai earlier in the week, had reportedly facilitated the conversion of around 800 people across the country, including many in Mumbai, ATS officials said.
Both are connected to controversial televangelist Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation, officials said. Several documents and marriage certificates had been seized from Khan, which indicate that he and Qureshi had converted over 800 Christians and Hindus to Islam, officials said.
08:57 India expels three Chinese scribes for un-journalistic activities
India has expelled three journalists of the Chinese official news agency, Xinhua, by refusing to renew their visas to work in the country, a move that could worsen the already strained relations between the two countries.
The three journalists have been ordered to leave India by July 31. Journalists Wu Qiang and Lu Tang head Xinhua's bureau in New Delhi and Mumbai respectively. The third, She Yonggang, is a reporter based in Mumbai.
No official reason was given for the Indian government's decision, but sources said the three had come under the "adverse attention of security agencies" for allegedly indulging in activities beyond their journalistic brief.
08:50 Bihar BJP lawmaker arrested for misbehaving with woman on train
A Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Bihar was arrested on Sunday morning for allegedly misbehaving with a woman on a train on Saturday night.
The woman in her complaint alleged that not only did Tunnaji Pandey misbehave with her, but also abused her. The incident occurred on board the Poorvanchal Express, near Sarai Railway station.
Pandey boarded the train from Durgapur and had to get down at Hajipur, while the woman was going to Gorakhpur. According to reports, Pandey will be produced before the magistrate on Sunday.
00:11 Clinton introduces VP pick Tim Kaine as antithesis of Trump
Hillary Clinton showed off her freshly picked running mate Tim Kaine Saturday and praised him as the antithesis of the Republican presidential ticket led by Donald Trump.
At a rally in Miami, Clinton reeled off the Virginia senator's career achievements, including his work decades ago as a civil rights lawyer and time spent with missionaries in Central America, to depict him as a man dedicated to social justice."
Senator Tim Kaine is everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not," Clinton said to a roar of approval from the crowd."
He is qualified to step into this job and lead on day one," she added, praising his work as governor of the key swing state of Virginia and his record of shepherding it through hard financial times.
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