LIVE! Fresh poster issues death threat to Kanhaiya

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Fri, 11 March 2016

Fresh poster issues death threat to Kanhaiya

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23:10 Fresh poster issues death threat to Kanhaiya

A fresh poster issuing death threats to JNU student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who are facing charge of sedition, reportedly appeared here today, days after a similar poster announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh on Kumar which landed a youth in jail.

An image of the poster was circulated on WhatsApp and shared on social media with a caption claiming that a copy of it was spotted this morning at Jantar Mantar. However, a police team searched the area and said no such poster was spotted.

The poster said "to shoot the traitors of JNU is a Rashtradharm (national duty). I shall shoot Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and Kanhaiya."

The poster has the name of one Balbir Singh Bharatiya who claimed to be a social worker and has been a part of the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption. The poster also contained a phone number and a passport-size photograph of a man.

The poster condemned Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for their support to the JNU students.

Under fire over the flip-flop on Vijay Mallya's look-out circular, a red-faced CBI today admitted that the first notice seeking detention of the beleaguered businessman was issued to Bureau of Immigration because of an "inadvertent error" on its part.

The CBI is facing flak after questions were raised how the liquor baron was able to go abroad unhindered on March 2 that has triggered a political slugfest with the BJP and the Congress trading charges.

It had changed the nature of look-out notice against Mallya within one month of issuance from seeking his detention while leaving the country to that of merely providing information about his travel plans.

A CBI spokesperson today claimed Mallya was not found during searches on October 10, 2015 after which the agency wrote to BoI, saying it needs to be issued to ensure "his availability for questioning" in connection with Rs 900 crore loan default case involving IDBI bank.

She said that along with the covering letter, proforma for the circular was attached in which the column related to seeking the detention of an accused was wrongly "ticked" by a SP-level officer.

22:23 Saina crashes out of All England Championships

Saina Nehwal crashes out of the quarter finals of the All England Championships after losing against Tai Tzu Ying 15-21, 16-21.

A South African teenager has found debris which will be sent to Australia for testing as part of the investigation into the disappearance of a Malaysian Airlines plane two years ago, the South African Civil Aviation Authority said.

Liam Lotter, 18, told South Africa's East Coast radio he found the piece of debris on a beach in Mozambique while on holiday in December and his family took it back to their home in South Africa.

He said that after a suspected part of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was found in Mozambique last week his family made the connection with his find.

A metre-long chunk of metal is being tested by officials in Australia, with help from Malaysian authorities and representatives of manufacturer Boeing Co. South African authorities plan to hand over the debris found by Lotter to the same Australian team.

Pakistan`s Senate passed a bill that criminalises for the first time sexual assault against minors, child pornography and trafficking. The amendment to the penal code, which will go into force after being ratified by the president, also raises the age of criminal responsibility from seven to 10 years of age.

Under the revised legislation, sexual assaults will now be punishable by up to seven years in prison. Previously, only rape was criminalised.

Likewise, child pornography, which was previously not mentioned in the law, will be be punishable by seven years in prison and a fine of Rs 700,000.

The second tranche of 25 secret files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be released after the conclusion of Budget session of Parliament, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said. The Budget session would conclude on May 13 subject to exigencies of business.

As many as hundred secret files were made public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Netaji's 119th birth anniversary on January 23. NAI Deputy Director Sanjay Garg said National Archives is converting the second set of files into digital form for the public.

The JNU revoked the academic suspension of eight students including its students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with the controversial event at its campus to protest the hanging of Afzal Guru. The suspension was revoked after a high-level committee of the university probing the issue submitted its report to JNU authorities.

"Since the enquiry is over, their suspension has been revoked. The suspended students can now resume their classes and academic activities.

"However, it should not be seen as a clean-chit, the decision about punishment if any or for whom will be taken after the university administration has deliberated upon the recommendations of the committee," said a senior university official.

20:32

JUST IN: Srinagar Jammu National Highway closed for traffic on both ways due to landslide near Gangroo, Ramsoo and Panthal.

20:30 Sorry, but tea and coffee at Parliament canteen just more expensive

After a hike in prices of food, now you will have to shell out more for tea and coffee in the Parliament House complex with their prices hiked manifold to Rs 5 per cup from today. Earlier,it cost just Re 1 for a cup of tea offered by Tea Board but now it is Rs 5. Coffee price was earlier Rs 1.50 a cup.

PM Narendra Modi addressed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's cultural festival.

Here are the highlights:

-- We must be proud of cultural heritage of our country

-- If we keep criticising ourselves, why would the world look at us?

-- Art of Living helped spread Indian values to the world

-- Sri Sri contributed a lot to India world image

-- The World Culture Festival is like the 'Kumbh mela' of art and culture

Former rival Ben Carson backed Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, becoming the second former presidential candidate to support the billionaire businessman in the race for the White House.

Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who dropped out of the race on March 4, follows New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a former candidate who also backed Trump after earlier dropping out of the race for the party's nomination ahead of the November 8 presidential election.

19:34

JUST IN: Detention order issued against Vijay Mallya by CBI was an error by a lower level officer, says CBI.

19:24 Attack on scribes at Patiala House terrible exception: Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today termed the attack on journalists at Patiala House Courts as a "terrible exception" and decried the presence of crowds inside court premises which he said creates an "oppressive environment".

He said the courts must remain "detached" and should not be carried by issues or trends of the moment as anything on the contrary would be a threat to free speech and a fair trial.

"It was a terrible exception what happened. Normally people in the public place find media as their natural ally. The whole idea of getting the media dragged into contemporaneous controversy and then attacking it physically is absolutely unacceptable, anywhere, in courts so more particularly," he said.

The controversial three-day World Culture Festival being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living began today at the banks of Yamuna in Delhi. Responding to the criticism that the event has attracted, Sri Sri said, "Yes, this is a private party, because the entire world is my family." Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the festival.

19:10 J&K: Grenade blast in Pulwama

A powerful grenade blast in Pulwama town of south Kashmir triggered panic on Friday evening.

A senior police officer said that militants hurled a grenade at a paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force bunker in Pulwama town.

"The grenade exploded near the bunker without causing any damage," the officer said.

Security forces later searched the area.

--Mukhtar Ahmad/Rediff.com

A complaint was on Friday lodged against Jawaharlal Nehru University Students's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar in a court in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad for his alleged derogatory remarks against women and the Indian army at an event in New Delhi.

The complaint was lodged by Mayank Tiwari, who is said to be a BJP worker, in the court of chief judicial magistrate and it would come up for hearing on April 2.

Tiwari has alleged that on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8 Kanhaiya had used derogatory language against women and the Indian Army at a programme organised in the national capital.

He alleged that the JNUSU president had said "in Kashmir army men detain women and rape them."

British Prime Minister David Cameron's 81-year-old mother has lost her job after a children's centre closed as a result of massive government cuts.

Mary Cameron and her sister Clare Currie had last month signed a petition protesting against the Cameron-led government's plans to close 44 children's centres in Oxfordshire, including some in the Prime Minister's own constituency of Witney.

Mary, a retired magistrate, said she was "very sad" after West Berkshire Council confirmed it would shut the Chieveley and Area Children's Centre where she works as a volunteer on March 24.

A railway passenger can now send an SMS to 58888 if the coach requires cleaning as the public transporter on Friday launched "Clean My Coach" initiative as part of its 'Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat' campaign.

As per the scheme which is part of the rail budget 2016-17 proposals, for any cleaning in a coach, a passenger can send an SMS to 58888. Passenger's request is immediately acknowledged through SMS on mobile phone along with a code.

A message will also be sent to the on-board housekeeping staff along with details like coach number.

Housekeeping staff contacts the passenger and carries out cleaning as per demand. If the passenger is satisfied, he discloses the code through SMS and the complaint is then treated as closed.

18:14

Just In: A power generation unit at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station in Surat shut down after leakage of heavy water: Officials

17:59 Don't have babies for 4 years: Women fighter pilots advised

India's first three women fighter pilots have been advised by the Indian Air Force to restrain from motherhood for the next four years so as not to adversely impact their ongoing training process.

However, IAF sources clarified that the advisory is not legal binding and is to ensure that their training does not get affected.

The three women pilots will be commissioned into the fighter stream on June 18 this year after successful completion of the initial training. Thereafter, they would undergo advanced training for one year and would enter a fighter cockpit by June 2017.

After intense drama, Pakistan government has given green signal to its cricket team to travel to India for the ICC World T20.

Pakistan's participation was under cloud after they threatened to pull out of the tournament citing security concerns.

The PCB wanted a written assurance from the Indian government for the security of their team.

Pakistan are scheduled to face India on March 19 in Kolkata.

17:50

JUST IN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the World Culture Festival organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation in Delhi.

17:30 Cow urine sold alongside food in London stores, BBC claims

Cow urine is being sold alongside food in convenience stores in the UK despite environment experts warning against the practice, according to BBC's Asian Network.

Plastic bottles filled with cow urine, and marked "for religious purposes", were found in several London stores which also sold food, the network has claimed.

17:15 Will rain be the spoilsport for Sri Sri event?

After row over environment clearances, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival is being delayed by rain.

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department has predicted rain on Saturday and Sunday, while patchy showers are expected on Friday night.

Image: People take cover under umbrellas as it begins to pour at the World Cultural Festival

The Bombay high court on Friday sought a response from actor Aamir Khan and Star TV to a public interest litigation by an activist taking objection to the use of words 'Satyameva Jayate' for their television programme.

In his petition, activist Manoranjan Roy said the words 'Satyameva Jayate' form part of the Emblem of India and hence their use is violative under the State Emblem of India (Prohibition and Improper Use) Act and State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs in its affidavit, in response to the petition, said the use of phrase 'Satyameva Jayate' was not violative of the Act and Rules.

16:44 Over 21 lakh Indians living with HIV

More than 21 lakh people have been infected with HIV virus in India which has the third largest population of those affected by the disease, Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

"India has the third largest number of people living with HIV in the world. The other two countries having higher numbers are South Africa (68 lakh) and Nigeria (34 lakhs) - source UNAIDS estimates 2014," Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in a written reply.

He said that though about 21.17 lakh people are estimated to be living with HIV (PLHIV), yet Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) provides universal access to "comprehensive, equitable, stigma-free, quality care, support and treatment services to all people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV).

"The total number of patients with CD4 count of less than 350 is estimated as 13,45,678. Out of this, the number of people on ART is 9.25 lakh making a coverage rate of 69 per cent," Nadda said.

16:31 Mamata releases TMC's manifesto

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has released manifesto of Trinamool Congress party for upcoming assembly elections.

The polls in Bengal will be held in six phases from April 4. Votes will be counted on May 19.

Photograph: ANI

'Apple has just issued invites for its next press event on the Apple Campus in Cupertino. The event is going to happen on March 21. As usual, Apple wrote a cryptic message on its invites -- let us loop you in, reports techcrunch.com.

Rumour has it that Apple has been working on a new iPhone featuring a 4-inch display like the one in the iPhone 5s, but with an updated chip and camera, the report says. There should also be a new iteration of the iPad that works with the Apple Pencil and feature a smart connector to work with a keyboard cover, it adds, but it's too soon for the Apple Watch 2.

Read the report here.

In a hate-fuelled attack, a 66-year-old Buddhist monk was assaulted in the US with the attacker apparently mistaking him for a Muslim. Kozen Sampson, a Buddhist monk, said he was attacked during a visit to Hood River in Oregon state.

The brown robe-clad Sampson's car door was kicked into his head by a man who abused him and then fled on foot, according to the Hood River Police Department. Police described the assailant as a white male with brown hair. Investigators are probing the incident that took place on February 29 as a possible hate crime. Sampson told the New York Daily News he suffered a small cut, some memory loss and was "stunned for a minute or two" after the man attacked him on his trip to take his dogs to obedience training.

"I know that that was an angry thought that this person had, but Muslims have to deal with this every day," said Sampson. "Could you imagine living with such anger? Our hope is that we can find a way that people can release this anger and fear," he said. "It's really not about me. It's about loving kindness and taking care of all of our people," Sampson said.

Marathi will be made a compulsory subject till standard 7th in IGCSE/IB schools in Maharashtra, and history of Shivaji Maharaj will be taught in these schools, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said today.

A House resolution would be adopted to this effect and sent to the Centre, Tawde said, during question hour in the state Assembly. IGCSE is an International General Certificate of Secondary Education.

The history of Shivaji Maharaj being taught in ICSE/CBSE/IGCSE/IB schools is only limited to four lines, the minister said. Students in these schools should be taught history of Maharashtra, he said.

Henceforth, while granting NOC to these schools by the education department, Marathi would be made compulsory and "we will also stipulate that Shivaji's history be taught to these students," he said.

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the Public Interest Litigation seeking direction to use 'Bharat' instead of 'India' by the Union Government and states, saying that it was not right to bring all kinds of emotional issues to the court.

Chief Justice of India, Justice T S Thakur, while dismissing the plea, told the petitioner not to bring all kinds of emotional issues to the court in the name of public interest. Justice Thakur also said that those who want to call the nation as India will call it India, and those who want to call it Bharat will call it Bharat.

The apex court had last year in April issued notices to the central and state governments seeking their response to a PIL seeking to use 'Bharat' instead of 'India' for all 'official and unofficial purposes'. The PIL, filed by a petitioner identified as Niranjan Bhatwal, also sought to restrain the use of 'India' for governmental purposes.

15:14

JUST IN: A Delhi court has allowed BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea to summon documents of financial details of Indian National Congress for 2010-11 in the National Herald case.

15:08 More than two million people co-infected with HIV, hepatitis C

An estimated 2.3 million people living with HIV are co-infected with hepatitis C virus globally, a new study has found. Of these 2.3 million, more than half, or 1.3 million, are people who inject drugs, researchers from University of Bristol and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said.

HIV and HCV infections are major global public health problems, with overlapping modes of transmission and affected populations. Globally, there are 37 million people infected with HIV, and around 115 million people with chronic HCV infection.

The study systematically reviewed 783 medical studies from worldwide sources to build the first global estimates on the prevalence of HIV/HCV co-infection (measured by HCV antibody) as a public health problem.

'While many executives complain India's economy is stuck in a rut, a recent survey shows Indian companies still have big plans for hiring. A global survey of employers by recruitment firm ManpowerGroup showed that Indian companies are the most confident in the world right now when it comes to intentions to hire. ManpowerGroup asked nearly 59,000 employers in 42 countries -- including 5,203 in India -- about their hiring plans in the next three months and India came out on top,' writes Corrine Abrams in the Wall Street Journal's IndiaRealTime blog, here.

14:54 Avalanche warning in J&K, HP, Uttarakhand

An avalanche warning was today issued for higher areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand asking people not to venture in these areas over the next 48 hours.

An advisory was issued by the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment, part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) here. 'Medium danger' avalanche warning exists for avalanche prone areas above 3,000 metres in Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipur, Kargil, Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam, Rajauri, Doda and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the advisory said.

For Himachal Pradesh, it said 'medium danger' avalanche warning exists in areas above 3,000 metres in Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu, Chamba and Kinnaur districts. Similar warning has been issued for areas of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts in Uttarakhand.

"People are advised not to venture in avalanche prone areas over next 48 hours," the advisory said.

JUST IN: The enforcement directorate has summoned liquor baron Vijay Mallya to join the investigation in the IDBI loan fraud case.

Earlier, former CFO of defunct Kingfisher Airlines, A Raghunath, was quizzed by the ED in Mumbai in connection with the loan default case.

14:43 IED found on Srinagar bypass road, defused

A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) was today detected by security forces at Lasjan on the Panthachowk-Parimpora stretch of Srinagar bypass road, police said.

A patrol party of security forces detected a suspicious object by the roadside at Lasjan this morning and summoned the bomb disposal squad, a police official said. The bomb disposal squad carried out a controlled explosion to destroy the object, he said.

The traffic on the busy highway was suspended temporarily but restored after the bomb disposal squad finished its task, he added.

Admitting that a large scale event as World Cultural Festival organised by the Art of Living foundation could have an impact on the environment, Minister of State for Tourism Mahesh Sharma on Friday said that a solution can always be procured if such a problem crops up.

"India's strength lies in its diverse culture and we want to take that to the corners of the world which is why this event is so helpful. So, there should be no debates on it. Yes, there can be issues on the location and the impact it can have on the environment but there are always solutions to such things," Sharma told ANI.

Asserting that the event must go on in any circumstance, he said that the location of the event was a matter for the law and order to be concerned with and added that the proceedings in the case must go on uninterrupted.

14:20

Caves and tunnels have always been part of human life. We've grown more adept at shaping these underground shelters and passages over the millennia, and today we dig for hundreds of reasons. We excavate to find both literal and cultural treasures, digging mines, and unearthing archaeological discoveries.

Check out these fantastic subterranean scenes from around the world HERE.

14:15 Can Russia use nukes to fly to Mars in 45 days?

YOU DO NOT want to go to Mars. At least, not with today's engines powering the trip. A chemically propelled voyage would take 18 months, one way.

During which time any combination of boredom, radiation poisoning, and cancer will likely kill you. Suppose you make it?

Congratulations on being the first Martian to die of old age, because a return trip from the Red Planet is currently impossible without using wishful logistics like fuel harvesting.

The Russians think they can do better. Last week, their national nuclear corporation Rosatom announced it is building a nuclear engine that will reach Mars in a month and a half -- with fuel to burn for the trip home. Russia might not achieve its goal of launching a prototype by 2025.

But that has more to do with the countrys financial situation (not great) than the technical challenges of a nuclear engine.

Read this article HERE

As many as 164 ponzi companies are currently being probed by central agencies for duping customers across the country, government said today.

Cases pertaining to the 164 ponzi or chit fund companies have been assigned to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office for investigation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour and released a list of these firms against which inquiries are in progress. The minister said the government has taken a number of steps to check cases of corporate frauds and protect interests of the investors of all such ponzi schemes.

The action includes incorporating 'fraud' as a substantive offence in the Companies Act, 2013, granting statutory status to the SFIO under the law, stricter norms of corporate governance and their implementation.

"Greater application of technology for early and preliminary identification of cases involving frauds through data analysis and usage of forensic tools etc., is being promoted," Jaitley said.

Several states have framed laws to deal with ponzi scheme-related cases, besides the SEBI and SFIO too have taken action against offenders, he said.

'Harjit Sajjan has an understated way of talking about his days combatting drug gangs as a Vancouver police detective or uncovering the secrets of Taliban networks as a reserve officer during three tours of duty in Afghanistan,' writes John Geddes in the macleans.ca, in what is the most definitive account of Canada's new, and surprise, defence minister.

'While Sajjan's combat-zone and policing exploits seem to be what set him apart from most politicians, his experience with agricultural piecework may have been more definitive. "My generation, other friends I grew up with, a lot of whom are very successful now, we met berry picking,' he says. "We're the only kids that wanted a longer school year and wanted it to rain in the summertime.' Wet weather meant the vans wouldn't be coming that day to collect the pickers,' writes John Geddes, here.

Raking up the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, Pakistan has said use of the veto in Security Council prevented solving the "longstanding dispute" and "hindered" implementation of UN resolutions on the matter.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi, speaking in the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on Security Council reform on March 9, said "the use of the veto in the Security Council prevented a resolution of the longstanding dispute of Kashmir and hindered implementation of UN Resolutions on the issue".

Her remarks were made available in a press release issued by the Pakistan mission to the UN. According to UN records, Russia - a permanent member of the Security Council -- had in 1962 vetoed an Irish resolution that had urged India and Pakistan to enter negotiations for settlement of the Kashmir dispute.

Lodhi reiterated Pakistan's position on the veto, saying that it was opposed to adding new permanent members to the Council with or without a veto.

13:44 'Dear Girl From Pakistan...'

'Lyrical and intense, Delhi-based slam poet Shivani Gupta's poem, 'Dear Girl from Pakistan, is a tour de force. Starting with greetings, it dives right into one powerful verse after the other,' writes Luavut Zahid in dawn.com.

This is how the poem goes:

Dear girl from Pakistan,

I know it has taken me 69 long years

but I hope it is not too late for me to say,

Forget about what's in the news,

Tell me, how was your day?

'In the poem, she speaks to a nameless Pakistani girl, telling her that she's sorry for missed opportunities to interact and communicate. She tells the story of the buses that run empty between India and Pakistan; to the movies and songs that must run through both her heart and that of the 'girl from Pakistan',' says Luavut Zahid.

You can both see the video as well read more about it, here.

A day after Pakistan demanded an assurance from New Delhi to provide adequate security to their cricket team, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that anyone coming to India will be provided adequate security.

"Whosoever will come to India will be secured," Singh told the media here.Meanwhile, senior BCCI functionary Rajeev Shukla also said the board takes full responsibility of providing fool proof security to all the teams visiting the nation for the World T20.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan had earlier asked New Delhi to give the security assurance in writing.

"The Indian government should give public guarantee of fool proof security to the Pakistan cricket team, if not assured then the team would not be given permission to participate in the World T20," he said yesterday.

A new, revolutionary breast cancer therapy has shown "staggering' results in trials, destroying the deadly tumours in just 11 days, reports the Daily Telegraph, London.

Experts have said this is the first time that a drug for the disease has shown such a response, and termed the findings as "astonishing', the newspaper reports, and that the trial results could revolutionise the future treatment of other types of the deadly disease as well.

The therapy entirely destroyed tumours as large as 3 cm.

The newspaper quotes lead researcher, Professor Nigel Bundred, professor of surgical oncology at the University of Manchester, as saying: 'For solid tumours to disappear in 11 days is unheard of. These are mind-boggling results.'

Making it even better, the report says the combined drug therapy would cost around 1,500 (around Rs 145,000) for treatment, and in future lead to thousands of women being spared the agonising rounds of chemotherapy that follow surgery.

You can read more about this miracle therapy here.

12:50

The NGT has pulled up the ministry of water resources for not doing anything to protect the Yamuna River from pollution despite directions. it also asked the Centre and the AOL if Rs 2.5 crore grant has been released to the foundation by the culture ministry.

12:45 Madonna breaks down on stage as she dedicates song to son

Pop queen Madonna dedicated her song "Intervention" to son Rocco at the Tears of a Clown show in Melbourne, Australia.

As the mother of four sang the emotional lyrics, photos of her 15-year-old son were projected on the screen in the background, reported People magazine. "I know that love will keep us together / I know the road looks lonely / And either way my baby, we'll never be the same," Madonna, 57, crooned.

The songtress was supposed to attend the custody hearing of Rocco, in London on Thursday, but had to give it a miss due to the Australian leg of her Rebel Heart tour.

Her ex-husband Guy Ritchie, his wife Jacqui and Rocco attended the hearing.

12:41

Just In: Rs 5,050 crore proposed for recapitalisation of PSU banks.

12:31

Speculations are on that whether it was an innocent mistake, given that the person hails from a small town.

More details are awaited.

12:30 Security breach at Parliament, man enters premises without valid pass

JUST IN: According to reports coming in now, there has been a security breach at Parliament. A 25-year-old man entered the Parliament without a valid pass.

He apparently was close to the prime minister's arrival area when he was apprehended.

The NGT has taken a strong objection to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's earlier refusal to pay fine, and has said that when a person of that stature makes such statements, it hits rule of law.

The deadline to pay the Rs 5 crore fine ends at 5 pm today.

The Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir paid a day-long visit to Delhi on Tuesday, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and flew back. This was his first visit after becoming foreign minister last year in January and was primarily undertaken in the context of Modi's forthcoming visit to Saudi Arabia in the first week of April, says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar on Rediff Blogs, here.

12:03 The gods that failed

'It now lies established on sound authority that the three-day World Culture Festival set for flag-off tomorrow is a cocktail of administrative impropriety and environmental violation and transgression. A probe committee set up by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recommended that Art of Living (AOL), Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's global mainsail, be "responsible for funding the restoration plan as penalty" for the wanton manner of its trampling on the Yamuna floodplain. It estimated the cost for AOL to bear between Rs 100-120 crore.'

Sankarshan Thakur writes in The Telegraph of the gods that stand arrayed on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's side, in reality the gods that failed, here.

The Art of Living Foundation has moved an application in the NGT, saying it needs four weeks time to deposit Rs 5 cr fine and to comply with all tribunal directions.

It said that it is a charitable organisation and it is difficult to generate Rs 5 crore on a short notice. It added that the fine should be taken as restoration amount for biodiversity park, and not as penalty.

Yesterday, the NGT had made it clear to the AOL which is organising the World Culture Festival that it has time till Friday to pay the fine and law will take its own course if it fails to do so.

11:56

Meanwhile, former CFO of defunct Kingfisher Airlines, A Raghunath, is quizzed by the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai in connection with the loan default case.

11:44 Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie move to London

Hollywood's power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have moved to London with their kids Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne.

The duo settled into an eight-bedroom, USD 21,000-a-month rental at the end of last month, reported US magazine.

The couple and their kids will stay at the "beautiful,White House-style home" for at least six months, a source said.

Situated on the Thames river in the London suburb of Surrey, the mansion has an indoor pool and gym. It is just 40 minutes from friend George Clooney's home.

During their stay in the city Pitt, 52, will be busy with filming of 2017's World War Z 2 and the Goodwill Ambassador, 40, will focus on her political projects.

The ethics committee of Parliament on Friday will take up the issue of liquor baron Vijay Mallya owing Rs 9,000 crore to a consortium of banks led by the SBI.

Mallya, who is currently a member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Standing Committee on Commerce, made it to the House a second time as an 'independent' candidate from Karnataka.

Meanwhile, rubbishing claims that he had absconded from the country, liquor baron Mallya asserted that he is an international businessman, who travels from India frequently, and said that he is not an absconder.

Beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya, whose departure from India on the eve of banks moving the court against him for outstandings running into crores of rupees, has been the subject of much criticism, has been busy on Twitter putting out his views. You can read some of them here.

Among the tweets that have been viral is this one: Let media bosses not forget help, favours,accommodation that I have provided over several years which are documented. Now lies to gain TRP?

11:20

The NGT will hear on April 4 a petition challenging the environmental clearance to Amravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Former IAS officer EAS Sarma filed a petition in the NGT, seeking a direction cancelling environmental clearance.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, 26 thermal power projects with total capacity of 26,611 mw and six hydro electric projects with 3628 mw have been issued environmental approvals.

10:57

JUST IN: The SC has refused to entertain a PIL seeking quashing of case against Gujarat cops in the alleged fake encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan.

More details are awaited.

10:54 Sri Sri's event will bring glory to India: Naidu

Asserting that the World Culture Festival by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living will bring glory to India, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday that the event must not be politicised as it celebrates diversity.

"World Culture Festival by Art of Living will bring glory to India. let's not politicise this. 36000 artists participating in one event is in itself a record. Its a cultural event 2 celebrate diversity. Let's celebrate & join d festival," Naidu said in a series of tweets.

Reiterating the government's stand on the involvement of the Indian Army in the construction for the event, he added that an 'unnecessary fuss' was being created about the Army building pontoon bridges for the mega festival.

Wing Commander CK Sharma, ex-Indian Air Force officer and a prominent face of One Rank One Pension campaign has been arrested by Gurgaon police for alleged financial irregularities.

NDTV says that Sharma has been arrested for irregularities in connection with an organisation for veterans and their widows.

More details are awaited.

With more than 20,000 weddings scheduled along with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Cultural Festival and an event hosted by Radha Soami Satsang Beas, Delhi is expected to witness massive traffic jams today.

The roads identified include the Ring Road stretch in south Delhi, Noida Link Road, NH-24, areas near Akshardham, Mayur Vihar, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Asfram Chowk, Aurobindo Marg, Mahipalpur Chowk and Mehrauli-Gurgaon road -- all considered major arteries and intersections in south and east Delhi.

Read this story HERE

Titan came out with a commercial that hopes to change perceptions surrounding women and their success at the workplace. The ad, posted on Women's Day on Facebook, is already winning praise with over 2 million views!

Watch this ad if you haven't watch it already HERE

JUST IN: Jhanvi Behal,15, the student from Ludhiana who challenged JNU leader Kanhaiya Kumar for open debate, has received threats on the social media.

Jhanvi not only asked Kanhaiya to meet her whenever and wherever for an open debate on issue but at the same time, also gave him a piece of advice.

10:02 World leaders will skip the Sri Sri event

From The Telegraph: The four senior-most foreign leaders who were to attend the World Culture Festival organised by the Art of Living Foundation have pulled out of the event, embarrassing the Narendra Modi government that used Indian embassies across the world to promote the meet.

The presidents of Nepal, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and the chief executive officer of Afghanistan have withdrawn from the event after President Pranab Mukherjee cancelled his participation, officials said.

Read this story HERE

The Election Commission on Friday will issue notification for the first phase of Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal.In Assam, polling for the first phase of polls will be held on 4th of April in 65 seats.

Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on 19th of this month while 21st March is the last date of withdrawal of nominations.There would be over 12 thousands polling booths in this phase. Except Congress and AIUDF, most of the major parties have announced their candidates.Assam has a total of 1 crore 98 lakh voters.

Boats, buses, elephants and helicopters will be pressed into service to ferry men and materials during polls.In West Bengal, the notification for the Assembly elections to 18 constituencies will be issued today. All the 18 constituencies are located in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts will go for polls on 4th April.

09:47 Steven Spielberg's Harvard connection

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been chosen to deliver the Harvard University commencement speech for this year's graduating class on May 26.

The 69-year-old Oscar-winning director is giving the 365th commencement speech in the history of the college, the oldest in the United States, reported Entertainment Weekly.

"Steven Spielberg is a genre-defying filmmaker whose unparalleled creativity has fueled countless imaginations. An extraordinary storyteller, he has given voice to the silenced and brought history to life.

"Through his art, Mr Spielberg has challenged us to dream and to see the world anew, and I am very much looking forward to welcoming him back to Harvard and to honoring him during our 365th commencement exercises," Harvard President Drew Faust said in a statement.

A video paying tribute to several of Spielberg's films was also created by the university to accompany the announcement.

And from the Hindustan Times: The Indian Air Force has advised its three women trainees, who are in line to become India's first female fighter pilots, to put off motherhood for at least four years after they get commissioned into the IAF in June.

IAF vice chief Air Marshal BS Dhanoa told HT on Thursday that an advisory to avoid pregnancy was issued to the women training at an IAF facility near Hyderabad so that their training schedule was not disrupted.

You can read this story HERE

The MET department has issued warning about the thunderstorm accompanied by hailstorm at some places of the country over next three to four days.

Director General of IMD, L S Rathore said, a western disturbance is active over the North west India which will cause thunderstorm with strong winds and isolated hailstorm.IMD warning says in Bihar, Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal thunderstorm and hailstorm will occur on 13th & 14th of this month.

Met department has issued advisory to the farmers to undertake harvesting of matured crops at the earliest and postpone irrigation.They have also been advised to keep harvested produce in safer place and maintain proper drainage channels.

09:17

And from the Indian Express: The Central Public Works Department has written to Delhi Police that the stage of the World Culture Festival organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living is unsafe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with many foreign dignitaries, is set to attend the opening function on Friday evening.

In a March 9 letter to the Deputy commissioner of police in charge of the Prime Minister's security, CPWD special director general Upendra Malik listed four counts on which the supporting structure of the stage failed to meet standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

You can read this story HERE

09:00 I am international businessman, not an absconder: Mallya

Rubbishing claims that he had absconded from the country, liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Friday asserted that he is an international businessman, who travels from India frequently, and said that he is not an absconder.

"I am an international businessman. I travel to and from India frequently. I did not flee from India and neither am I an absconder. Rubbish. As an Indian MP I fully respect and will comply with the law of the land. Our judicial system is sound and respected. But no trial by media," Mallya said on twitter.

"News reports that I must declare my assets. Does that mean that Banks did not know my assets or look at my Parliamentary disclosures?" he asked. Mallya added that 'once a media witch hunt starts, it escalates into a raging fire where truth and facts are burnt to ashes'.

A day after Raj Thackeray's hate speech against immigrant workers in Mumbai, an auto-rickshaw was set on fire in the city's Andheri area on Thursday evening.

The police said the miscreants were "unidentified people" and at this point, there is no clarity on who was behind it.

"The cause of fire is a matter of investigation," said senior inspector Ramesh Sitaram Khadtare.

US senators have strongly opposed the use of taxpayers' money for military aid to Pakistan in $700 million sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to the country as they questioned Islamabad's commitment to fight terrorist organisations.

However, for their own political reasons the senators did not approve tabling of a resolution suggesting blocking of sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Even though considered to be procedural in nature, the senate by a vote of 71-24 disapproved the move to bypass the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in deciding against sale of F-16 jets to Pakistan, Congressional sources told PTI that the voting of some two-dozen influential senators reflects the strong anti-Pak sentiment prevailing at the Hill.

None of the senators, even though they voted for the motion to disallow tabling of the resolution seeking preventing sale of F-16 to Pakistan, spoke in support of Islamabad.

Pakistan Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday wished All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who suffered a heart attack in New Delhi, full and speedy recovery.

Prime Minister Sharif said, "We pray for his quick recovery and good health.

"Geelani complained of chest pain in the morning, following which he was immediately moved to nearby Max Hospital in Delhi, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, said a Hurriyat release, adding the doctors conducted several medical examinations, including ECG, and administered oxygen to him.

A locked iPhone used by one of the gunmen in last year's mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, likely holds evidence of the eventual attack, the Justice Department said in a court filing in its encryption dispute with Apple Inc, adding that the community and the public "need to know" what is on the device.

The government's filing is aimed at encouraging a federal magistrate judge to affirm her order from last month that directed Apple to help the FBI gain access to the phone used by Syed Farook, one of the two attackers in the December 2 shootings that killed 14 people.

The brief, which sets the stage for a March 22 hearing, marks a further escalation of rhetoric between the federal government and the technology company.

"There is probable cause to believe there is evidence of a terrorist attack on that phone, and our legal system gives this Court the authority to see that it can be searched pursuant to a lawful warrant," the filing states. At issue is a February 16 order directing Apple to create specialised software that can bypass auto-erase functions on the phone and enable the FBI to remotely access the phone.

Apple has challenged the order as unlawful and in violation of its constitutional rights, but the Justice Department reiterated its argument that its request is only about one phone and that it will not be unduly burdensome for the company to comply.

Security fears are on everybody's lips at the ITB travel trade fair in Berlin this year as a battered tourist industry seeks to reassure travelers and tour operators that they need not shy away from booking summer holidays for this year.

Attacks in tourist hotspots like a Tunisian beach resort and the city of Paris over the past year have rattled travelers' confidence, sending bookings for Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt plummeting and heralding a slowdown in demand for international travel.

"People have money to spend, but there's a strong negative impact from the geopolitical situation. People fear attacks," Roy Scheerder, commercial director at low cost Dutch airline Transavia, told Reuters at ITB.

Read more HERE

China will be able to project "substantial offensive military power" from artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea's disputed Spratly Islands within months, the director of US national intelligence said.

In a Feb 23 letter to John McCain, chair of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, James Clapper said Chinese land reclamation and construction work in the Spratlys had established infrastructure needed "to project military capabilities in the South China Sea beyond that which is required for point defense of its outposts."

"Based on the pace and scope of construction at these outposts, China will be able to deploy a range of offensive and defensive military capabilities and support increased PLAN and CCG presence beginning in 2016," Clapper said in the letter released this week, using acronyms for the Chinese navy and coastguard.

Read more HERE

The Pentagon said on Thursday it captured the Islamic State's chemical weapons chief in Iraq during an operation in February.

The capture of Sulayman Dawud al-Bakkar, also known as Abu Dawud, "removed a key ISIL leader from the battlefield," the Pentagon said in a statement, referring to the militant group by an acronym. He was transferred to Iraqi government custody earlier on Thursday, it said.

The Pentagon said it learned details about Islamic State's chemical weapon facilities and production, as well as the people involved, from Dawud. The information resulted in several air strikes by a U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, it added.

The US-led coalition carried out the first air strikes on Islamic State chemical weapons sites, the Pentagon said Thursday, acting on information from a captured insurgent.

The successful multiple bombings came as a result of intelligence from Sulayman Dawud al-Bakkar, also known as Abu Dawud, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said, confirming the name of the senior IS group operative said to be a chemical weapons expert for the group.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will pass three resolutions on health, education and untouchability at the annual meeting of the Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision making body of the outfit, beginning in Nagaur, Rajasthan today.

"Three resolutions will be passed in the three-day ABPS annual meeting. The first resolution will be on education sector which needs the attention of both society and the government.

"Education today has become costlier. Quality of education is also suffering due to privatisation. Therefore, combined efforts of the society and governments are needed to ensure quality education for all," Manmohan Vaidya, All India Prachar Pramukh of RSS, said at a press briefing ahead of the annual meet.

The second resolution will be on medical facilities.

Despite many innovations, Vaidya said, the facility was not available to all and again society and governments will have to think over it. The social evil of untouchability will be taken up in the third resolution.

Iranian women deputies are suing a conservative male colleague, Nader Ghazipour, after he declared in a video that parliament was no place for "donkeys and women".

Ghazipour's comments during an election campaign meeting last month have gone viral on social media.

"Parliament is not a place for foxes, donkeys and women," he proclaims before a cheering crowd in the video ahead of the February 26 polls.

If you elect women, "they (men colleagues) might do things to them and disgrace you", he said.

Ghazipour was elected in Orumiyeh, a Turkish-speaking province near the border with Turkey.

Women MPs -- along with a number of men -- have filed complaints with Iran's prosecutor general, parliament's supervision committee and house speaker Ali Larijani, a leading woman deputy, Fatemeh Rahbar, told state news agency IRNA.

"There has been an accusation against women, and Mr Ghazipour must be held responsible," she said.

Ghazipour had sent an apology through mediators, but the plaintiffs "won't withdraw their lawsuit", Rahbar said. "His words have gone public through the media and gone viral inside and outside Iran. He should come out" and explain himself.

Google is previewing the next version of its Android operating system two months ahead of schedule in an effort to get the upgraded software on more mobile devices.

The new rendition initially is being recommended only for mobile app makers and will only work on a few smartphones and tablets.

Google usually hasn't released test versions of Android until its annual developers' conference. The event begins May 18 this year.

The upgraded software, known as "Android N" for now, offers a split-screen feature so users can toggle between apps and the ability to reply directly to notifications. Those options are already on the operating system that runs Apple's iPhone.

Although Android powers most of the world's smartphones, it often takes years before consumers install upgraded versions of the software

President Barack Obama today dismissed the notion that the meteoric rise of Donald Trump is a result of his policies and said the Republican presidential front-runner's positions on immigration and other issues are not much different from those of the party's other candidates.

"I am not going to do is to validate some notion that the Republican crack-up that's been taking place is a consequence of actions that I've taken. There are thoughtful conservatives, who are troubled by this, who are troubled by the direction of their party," Obama told a White House news conference along with the visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Obama alleged that the Republican political elites and many of its information outlets -- social media, news outlets, talk radio, television stations -- have been feeding its base, for the last seven years, a notion that everything he do is to be opposed that "cooperation or compromise somehow is a betrayal."

"The tone of that politics, which I certainly have not contributed to -- I have not -- you know, I don't think that I was the one to prompt questions about my birth certificate, for example. I don't remember saying, hey, why don't you ask me about that?," he asked.

President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised today to make it easier for their respective countries to trade and invest in one another, share more information about their respective no-fly lists to prevent the flow of foreign fighters and promote clean energy as a central focus of economic growth.

Obama and Trudeau spoke during a news conference after they met in the Oval Office, and after a welcoming ceremony at which the White House rolled out the red carpet for the first official visit in nearly two decades by a Canadian prime minister, a charismatic and youthful liberal leader intent on maintaining tight ties with the United States.

"We're woven together so deeply as societies, as economies, that it's sometimes easy to forget how truly remarkable our relationship is," Obama said.

Obama said the two leaders instructed aides to make it easier for goods and people to move back and forth between the two nation's borders. Trudeau said the two leaders made clear they both want a "clean-growth economy," and earlier in the day, they announced efforts to reduce methane emissions from gas and oil production.

01:18 Top headlines at this hour:

World T20: India thrash West Indies by 45 runs in warm-up match

Student leader Kanhaiya Kumar attacked on JNU campus

Syed Ali Shah Geelani hospitalised after heart attack

ISRO successfully launches India's sixth navigation satellite into orbit

Mallya went abroad 4 times after 'Look Out' Circular

Pressure on liquor baron Mallya dials up, trademarks seized

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