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Wed, 16 March 2016
Maneka's PFA seeks expulsion of MLA for attacking horse
Timeline Refresh
23:46 Maneka's PFA seeks expulsion of MLA for attacking horse
People for Animal, an organisation headed by Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, on Wednesday demanded expulsion of Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi for attacking a horse in Uttarakhand's capital Dehradun, which caused multiple fractures on the horse's hind leg.
Reacting to the video showing Joshi hitting the horse, PFA demanded that action be taken against him, and said he had brought a bad name to the party.
Gandhi said she planned to request the higher-ups in the party to take action against him.The horse was mercilessly beaten during a protest against Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Monday for 'misuse' of funds.
Reacting to the video showing Joshi hitting the horse, PFA demanded that action be taken against him, and said he had brought a bad name to the party.
Gandhi said she planned to request the higher-ups in the party to take action against him.The horse was mercilessly beaten during a protest against Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Monday for 'misuse' of funds.
22:56 CBI to probe Jiram valley attack
The Chhattisgarh government today ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the 2013 Jiram valley attack by Naxals in which some prominent Congress leaders from the state were killed.
In reply to a discussion on Budget demand proposals of his department in the legislative assembly, acting Home Minister Ajay Chandrakar made the announcement.
The BJP government was serious about tackling the 'menace of Naxalism'.
Security forces were doing their job while development works were being carried out in the Naxal-affected regions, the minister said.
Speaking about the Jiram valley incident, the minister said it wasn't just Congress or the families of Nand KumarPatel and Mahendra Karma who lost their near and dear ones, but the ruling party leaders too lost their good friends.
The Bharatiya Janata Party members were deeply pained on losing leaders like Patel and Karma in the Jiram attack, he added.
Thirty-one people, including state Congress chief Nandkumar Patel, his son Dinesh, former Union minister Vidayacharan Shukla, former leader of opposition Mahendra Karma and former MLA Uday Mudliyar were killed.
The Centre had roped in NIA for the probe. The state government had also constituted a judicial commission.
In reply to a discussion on Budget demand proposals of his department in the legislative assembly, acting Home Minister Ajay Chandrakar made the announcement.
The BJP government was serious about tackling the 'menace of Naxalism'.
Security forces were doing their job while development works were being carried out in the Naxal-affected regions, the minister said.
Speaking about the Jiram valley incident, the minister said it wasn't just Congress or the families of Nand KumarPatel and Mahendra Karma who lost their near and dear ones, but the ruling party leaders too lost their good friends.
The Bharatiya Janata Party members were deeply pained on losing leaders like Patel and Karma in the Jiram attack, he added.
Thirty-one people, including state Congress chief Nandkumar Patel, his son Dinesh, former Union minister Vidayacharan Shukla, former leader of opposition Mahendra Karma and former MLA Uday Mudliyar were killed.
The Centre had roped in NIA for the probe. The state government had also constituted a judicial commission.
22:05 Complaint against Owaisi for refusing to say 'Bharat Mata ki jai'
A private complaint was today filed in a Hyderabad court seeking direction to police to register a case against AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi over his speech wherein he said he would not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' even if a "knife is put to my throat".
Petitioner Sai Kumar Goud, a businessman, filed a complaint in the court of 20th Metropolitan Magistrate at Malkajgiri alleging that Owaisi's speech was defamatory, and sought direction to the police for registration of an FIR under IPC section 153 A (promoting enmity between different
groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) and to further investigate the matter.
21:57 Trump warns of possible riots if he doesn't get White House nod
Donald Trump warned today that "riots" could break out if he is denied the Republican presidential nomination despite having won most of the party's
primary and caucus elections.
"We're way ahead of everybody. I don't think you can say that we don't get it automatically," Trump told CNN the morning after his latest round of election victories, in the states of Illinois, North Carolina and Florida.
"I think you would have riots," he said. "You know, I'm representing many, many millions of people."
Trump, who has never held elected office, has dominated the 2016 presidential campaign thus far with his bombastic style and his unexpectedly strong popularity with masses of American voters.
21:45 Bomb scare on Air India flight at Bangkok Airport, passengers evacuated
Two bomb threat calls were received by Delhi call centre when AI 332 Delhi-Bangkok flight was 1.15 hrs away from Bangkok.
All passengers on board on Air India flight have been evacuated at the Bangkok airport after a bomb scare, reports news agency ANI.
Air India flight 332 traveled from Delhi to Bangkok.
The aircraft landed safely at the airport.
More details are awaited.
21:31 LS rejects RS recommendations, passes Aadhar Bill
Rejecting Rajya Sabha's five amendments and opposition's appeal not to make "haste", the Lok Sabha today passed the legislation that aims at better targeting of subsidies through the Aadhar unique identity number within hours of the Upper Housing returning it.
Just moments before it was adjourned for more than a month-long recess for scrutiny of budget, the Lok Sabha adopted the the Aadhar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other subsidies, benefits and services) Bill, 2016, by a voice vote after rejecting the recommendations for five amendments made by the Upper House earlier in the evening.
Armed with the Speaker's that it was a money bill, the government rushed it through the Rajya Sabha, which cannot amend it but only make recommendations for amendment to the Lok Sabha.
21:28 Group of JNU teachers release report, says Afzal event could have been avoided
A group of 10 JNU teachers has released a 400-page document prepared last year detailing past controversial events on the campus, suggesting that the flashpoint Afzal Guru event and its fallout could have been
avoided had the varsity administration acted on it.
The teachers, who are opposing the teachers' association for their support to students accused of sedition in connection with the Afzal Guru event last month, claimed today that the report was shared with the Varsity administration.
"It is a matter of serious concern that some JNU academics masquerading as liberals and feminists have engaged in nefarious and anti-national activities of maligning India publicly through their statements, lectures and
extra-academic activties of their NGOs which receive liberal funding from hostile agencies," the report alleged.
21:05 Belgium holds terror alert at 2nd highest level after shootout
Prime Minister Charles Michel today said the country's terror alert would stay at the second-highest level, a day after a deadly police raid linked
to November's Paris attacks.
Michel told a press conference that the OCAM national crisis centre "maintains its level three alert level, which means a threat is possible and likely".
Brussels was locked down and the alert level raised to the highest of four shortly after the jihadist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, but it was lowered back to three a few days later.
"I want to insist on the fact that the level three is not an ordinary level," Michel said.
"We have warned for some time that level three was likely to last for some time," he added.
20:57 'Merrick Garland was born in the land of Lincoln' says President Obama
"He was born and raised in the Land of Lincoln...in my home state of Illinois," President Obama said while introducing Chief Judge Merrick Garland, whom the President has nominated as a judge to the US Supreme Court.
"Merrick graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law, and the early years of his legal career bear all the...marks of excellence," the President added.
Merrick graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law, and the early years of his legal career bear all the...marks of excellence," Obama added.
"He walked away from a comfortable and lucrative law practice to return to public service," he said.
Merrick accepted a low-level job as a federal prosecutor in President George H W Bush's administration," the President added.
"He quickly made a name for himself, going after corrupt politicians and violent criminals,"the President said.
"He earned overwhelming bipartisan praise from senators and legal experts alike," he added.
20:38 Merrick Garland nominated as US Supreme Court judge
Federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland was nominated to the US Supreme Court on Wednesday by President Barack Obama.
Garland is a 19 year veteran of the DC Circuit -- a court that is widely viewed as the second-most powerful in the nation -- Garland graduated with high honours from Harvard Law School
Garland, 63, is the chief judge for the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. An appointee of former US president Bill Clinton, Garland is a graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law School.
As a Justice Department lawyer he supervised the investigations in the Unabomber case as well as the Oklahoma City bombing.
He would replace conservative, Justice Antonin Scalia, who died unexpectedly last month, leaving behind a bitter election-year fight over the future of the court.
At age 63, Garland is also the oldest person nominated to the Supreme Court since President Nixon named Justice Lewis Powell in 1971.
20:14 EU vows 'no blanket returns' of migrants to Turkey
The EU denied today that its planned deal to return all migrants who land in Greece to Turkey would break international law, saying there would be no mass expulsions.
European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans also said there would be no "free ride" for Turkey under the deal and that Ankara would need to take agreed steps to win visa-free travel for Turks to the EU.
"There can be no blanket returns," Timmermans told a press conference on the eve of a summit at which Brussels and Ankara hope to seal the agreement.
19:43
Indian-American legal luminary Sri Srinivasan is among the two persons zeroed in on by United States President Barack Obama for the post of Supreme Court judge.
While Garland has been the chief judge of the Washington appeals court since 1997, Srinivasan was appointed to the DC Court of Appeals in 2013.
19:31 Jundal seeks to make Headley's wife, friend co-accused in 26/11 case
The lawyer of Abu Jundal, an alleged key plotter of 2008 Mumbai terror attack, today filed an application before the sessions court here seeking to make Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley's wife Shazia and his friend Tahawwur Hussain Rana accused in the case.
The court has granted pardon to Headley, who is currently in prison in the US, and allowed him to depose in 26/11 terror attack trial as an approver for the prosecution.
"We have moved an application seeking to make both of them accused as Headley, in his deposition, had said that both knew about the attack before November 26, 2008. Headley also said he even got congratulatory message from Shazia (after the attack)," said Jundal's lawyer Khan Abdul Wahab.
The application is likely to be heard tomorrow. Headley concluded his week-long deposition through video-link on February 13. He is likely to be cross-examined by Khan from March 22.
19:12 My suspension is a murder of democracy, says AIMIM MLA
AIMIM MLAs Imtiaz Jaleel and Waris Pathan meet Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. Pathan was today suspended from this session of the Maharashtra assembly for refusing to say Bharat Mata ki Jai. Both Pathan and Jaleel both refused to say the slogan. Pathan said, "My suspension is the murder of democracy. I will say Hindustan Zindabad not Bharat Mata ki Jai. I want justice, the Speaker should reconsider his decision."
Other AIMIM MLAs also met Fadnavis.
Pathan added, "I love my country, I was born here and I will die here. I can never ever dream of insulting my country. Don't judge anyone's love for the country by just one slogan. Jai Hind Jai Bharat Jai Maharashtra."
Pic: Waris Pathan with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi
Other AIMIM MLAs also met Fadnavis.
Pathan added, "I love my country, I was born here and I will die here. I can never ever dream of insulting my country. Don't judge anyone's love for the country by just one slogan. Jai Hind Jai Bharat Jai Maharashtra."
Pic: Waris Pathan with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi
18:56
Petrol prices increased by Rs 3:07 per litre in Delhi.
18:39 You have been insinuating there was a relationship... Hrithik's legal notice to Kangs
"Since quite sometime you (Kangana) have been insinuating and trying to create an image within the film industry through print and social media and in public at large that there was some relationship between our client (Hrithik) and you," the notice sent by Hrithik's advocate Deepesh Mehta on February 26 said.
"Our client states that it is needless to mention that there was no relationship between him and you. You are trying to propagate a false idea and thereby gain publicity with ulterior motives and malafide intentions," Hrithik's four-page notice claimed.
Kangana's legal notice says: "It is pertinent to record that your client throughout supported my client and fully involved her. He also did not make any attempt to block her. There is no communication from him to my client objecting to an emails. This proves that he received the emails with his participation and consent," her notice said.
After days of sparring, actors Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut have taken their battle to courts, each slapping on the other legal notices making nasty allegations. 42-year-old Hrithik, who was the first to send the legal notice to his "Krrish 3" co-star, has demanded that Kangana apologise in a press conference and clear the air about their alleged affair which he firmly refutes.
A defiant Kangana, 28, said she was not a "dim-witted" teenager and refused to apologise. She instead shot off a counter-notice to Hrithik warning him to take back his notice or face a criminal case.
"Our client states that it is needless to mention that there was no relationship between him and you. You are trying to propagate a false idea and thereby gain publicity with ulterior motives and malafide intentions," Hrithik's four-page notice claimed.
Kangana's legal notice says: "It is pertinent to record that your client throughout supported my client and fully involved her. He also did not make any attempt to block her. There is no communication from him to my client objecting to an emails. This proves that he received the emails with his participation and consent," her notice said.
After days of sparring, actors Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut have taken their battle to courts, each slapping on the other legal notices making nasty allegations. 42-year-old Hrithik, who was the first to send the legal notice to his "Krrish 3" co-star, has demanded that Kangana apologise in a press conference and clear the air about their alleged affair which he firmly refutes.
A defiant Kangana, 28, said she was not a "dim-witted" teenager and refused to apologise. She instead shot off a counter-notice to Hrithik warning him to take back his notice or face a criminal case.
18:09 Dear Kanhaiya Kumar, .... Regards, Kiran Nagarkar
The renowned author feels compelled to write to 'the most admired' -- as well as the most reviled -- PhD student in the world. Read
18:04 Rawat refuses to withdraw case against 'horse-attack' BJP MLA
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today refused to withdraw a case against BJP MLA from Mussoorie Ganesh Joshi for allegedly attacking a horse during a protest by the party saying the state government will not interfere in police's work.
Responding to a demand by BJP members during Zero Hour in the state Assembly to withdraw the case lodged against Joshi in connection with the incident, Rawat said police had lost a well trained bodyguard with injuries to the horse which had long been in police deployment in the state.
Responding to a demand by BJP members during Zero Hour in the state Assembly to withdraw the case lodged against Joshi in connection with the incident, Rawat said police had lost a well trained bodyguard with injuries to the horse which had long been in police deployment in the state.
17:55
Former Delhi University professor SAR Geelani arrested on sedition charge files fresh bail application in Patiala House Sessions Court. Earlier, metropolitan magistrate had rejected Geelani's bail plea.
17:48 Suspended AIMIM MLA to approach Maharashtra CM
AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan to approach Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis over his suspension from the Assembly. Pathan was suspended for refusing to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai in the House.
17:20 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's family pictures found in Gumnami Baba's box
The Netaji mystery gets curiouser and curiouser.
On Tuesday, old photographs of Netaji Subhas Bose's family were found among the belongings of Faizabad's Gumnami Baba, who many believe was Netaji living incognito. The photographs were in a box belonging to Baba and were retrieved from the Faizabad district treasury in Uttar Pradesh, where they had been stored all these years.
Among the photos is a family portrait and one of Netaji's parents, Jankinath Bose and Prabhawati Bose. The identities of the people in the photos were confirmed by Shakti Singh, the owner of Ram Bhawan where Gumnami Baba spent the final years of his life, from 1982 to 1985.
Read more
On Tuesday, old photographs of Netaji Subhas Bose's family were found among the belongings of Faizabad's Gumnami Baba, who many believe was Netaji living incognito. The photographs were in a box belonging to Baba and were retrieved from the Faizabad district treasury in Uttar Pradesh, where they had been stored all these years.
Among the photos is a family portrait and one of Netaji's parents, Jankinath Bose and Prabhawati Bose. The identities of the people in the photos were confirmed by Shakti Singh, the owner of Ram Bhawan where Gumnami Baba spent the final years of his life, from 1982 to 1985.
Read more
16:58 AIMIM leader suspended from Maha assembly for not saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'
Just in: Uproar in Maharashtra assembly after BJP's Ram Kadam asks AIMIM leader Waris Pathan to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in the backdrop of the party chief Asaduddin Owaisi's challenge to the RSS that he will never say Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Pathan has now been suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for this session after he did refused to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.
This afternoon, Waris Pathan reacted to Javed Akhtar's parliament speech denouncing Owaisi (without actually naming him). Pathan said, "By commenting on the cap worn by Owaisi sahab, Javed Akhtar sahab has insulted Muslims of not only India but the world. Javed sahab says 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' then let him, we won't. We will say Hindustan Zindabad and Jai Hind."
Akhtar told Parliament yesterday, "There is one man who thinks that he is a national leader, but in reality he is only a leader in an area in the city of Hyderabad, in one of India's states."
The leader, Akhtar said, claims he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai because it is not demanded in the Constitution. "The Constitution also does not ask him to wear a sherwani and a cap... I condemn his statements on all fronts," said Akhtar, a nominated member of Rajya Sabha who will be retiring later this year.
Pic: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
This afternoon, Waris Pathan reacted to Javed Akhtar's parliament speech denouncing Owaisi (without actually naming him). Pathan said, "By commenting on the cap worn by Owaisi sahab, Javed Akhtar sahab has insulted Muslims of not only India but the world. Javed sahab says 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' then let him, we won't. We will say Hindustan Zindabad and Jai Hind."
Akhtar told Parliament yesterday, "There is one man who thinks that he is a national leader, but in reality he is only a leader in an area in the city of Hyderabad, in one of India's states."
The leader, Akhtar said, claims he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai because it is not demanded in the Constitution. "The Constitution also does not ask him to wear a sherwani and a cap... I condemn his statements on all fronts," said Akhtar, a nominated member of Rajya Sabha who will be retiring later this year.
Pic: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
16:47
Nistula Hebbar @nistula This is, reportedly, a picture of @narendramodi being measured out for his wax statue at Madame Tussaud's
16:42 Sushma to meet Sartaj Aziz today
Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj arrives in Pokhara and is received by Nepal Deputy PM Kamal Thapa. She will meet her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz today.
16:38 Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan dies
Eminent Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan, one of the best-known players of the instrument after the legendary Bismillah Khan, passed away here today following prolonged illness. Suffering from kidney related problems, he was hospitalised for the past few days and breathed his last this morning, family members said. He was 77 and is survived by his five sons, five daughters and a number of grandchildren. Representing the Benaras school of Shehnai music, he was felicitated with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2009 for his contribution to Hindustani instrumental music.
16:35 RSS bats for dialogue with Pak, calls separatists 'silly'
The Centre should not give into "provocation" and continue its engagement with Pakistan, the RSS today said and ridiculed the separatists who have been invited by Pakistan for 'Pakistan Day' function at its High Commission in Delhi.
"They (separatists) don't want us to be friendly with that country (Pakistan). We want good relations with our neighbours. We should continue on our aims and objectives rather than bothering about such silly people," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) Prant Sang Chalak, Jammu and Kashmir, Brig Suchet Singh said today.
"Such a provocation by inviting them should not matter. We should continue with the dialogue (Pakistan) and in a positive manner," he said Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and Asiya Andrabi among others have been invited by Pakistan to attend 'Pakistan Day' function at its High Commission in Delhi on March 23.
"They (separatists) don't want us to be friendly with that country (Pakistan). We want good relations with our neighbours. We should continue on our aims and objectives rather than bothering about such silly people," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) Prant Sang Chalak, Jammu and Kashmir, Brig Suchet Singh said today.
"Such a provocation by inviting them should not matter. We should continue with the dialogue (Pakistan) and in a positive manner," he said Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and Asiya Andrabi among others have been invited by Pakistan to attend 'Pakistan Day' function at its High Commission in Delhi on March 23.
16:29 PM Modi to soon have his wax statue at Madame Tussauds
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the ranks of prominent global leaders at Madame Tussauds in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok next month, the world famous wax museum announced.
Describing him as a "hugely important figure in world politics", the museum said the Indian PM had given the museum's team of artists and experts a sitting at his residence in New Delhi earlier this year.
The wax figures at each of the museum's locations around Europe and Asia will be dressed in Modi's "signature kurta" in cream with a jacket and he will be featured in a traditional pose "making a namaste gesture".
16:16 Pakistan court lifts travel ban on Musharraf
In a relief to Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's Supreme Court today rejected the government's plea to continue a travel ban on the former military ruler who is facing trial in a number of cases, including for high treason.
The court ruled that there was no legal bar on foreign travel by 72-year-old Musharraf unless he is stopped by the federal government.
The court rejected the appeal by the government against a decision by the Sindh High Court which had also ruled that the former president can leave the country.
Musharraf's lawyer Farogh Naseem told media that the government had illegally stopped Musharraf from going abroad.
"As per verdict of Supreme Court, there is no bar on Musharraf to go abroad," he said.
However, he also added that government has authority to stop anyone leaving the country by placing the name on the Exit Control List (ECL).
The issue of Musharraf's foreign travel arose when the government launched a high treason case against him in 2013 for suspending the constitution in 2007.
16:10 Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan dies
Eminent Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan, one of the best-known players of the instrument after the legendary Bismillah Khan, passed away in Kolkata following prolonged illness. He was 77.
Suffering from kidney related problems, he was hospitalised for the past few days and breathed his last on Wednesday morning, family members said.
He is survived by his five sons, five daughters and a number of grandchildren.
Representing the Benaras school of Shehnai music, he was felicitated with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2009 for his contribution to Hindustani instrumental music.
He hailed from a family of renowned Shehnai exponents from Benaras and was known for his innovative style and mastery over the classical and semi-classical and folk music repertoire.
Khan had performed in several countries including Belgium, Russia, Switzerland, France, Tunisia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hongkong and the Philippines.
15:58 India eyes doubling missile production to 100 per month
India is looking to double missile production to 100 per month, a senior defence official said in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Distinguished scientist and Defence Research and Development Laboratory Director K Jayaraman said Bharat Dynamics Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, is currently producing 50-60 indigenously-developed Akash missile per month.
Hyderabad-based DRDL is a multi-disciplinary missile system laboratory with thrust on design, development and flight evaluation of various types of missile systems for armed forces.
"...the Government is insisting that we (BDL, which is the lead integrator of missiles in the country) should increase production capacity rate to 100 per month," he said at a public session on 'Telangana Moving Forward Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship' by CII.
Stressing the need for industry participation to step up production, Jayaraman said it has been recommended to the government to identify a "large industry" which can be lead integrator of missiles and 50-60 medium-scaled industries on the sub-systems front.
15:41 Only 25% water left in dams in Maharashtra!
"There is only 25 per cent water left in dams across Maharashtra, while in Marathwada region there is barely 5 per cent water left. In such a scenario, nobody can be allowed to waste water. Every drop has to be saved."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today appealed people to have a dry Holi festival and save water in view of its shortage across the state even as directives have been issued to civic bodies to keep swimming pools shut till the commencement of monsoon.
"We can play dry Holi. Use less water. I do not say don't play Holi. I appeal that everyone in the state celebrate the festival as dry Holi," Fadnavis said at a water awareness programme in Mantralaya. On the occasion, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan told reporters that all municipal corporations in the state have been directed to shut down swimming pools in their respective limits till the onset of the monsoon.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today appealed people to have a dry Holi festival and save water in view of its shortage across the state even as directives have been issued to civic bodies to keep swimming pools shut till the commencement of monsoon.
"We can play dry Holi. Use less water. I do not say don't play Holi. I appeal that everyone in the state celebrate the festival as dry Holi," Fadnavis said at a water awareness programme in Mantralaya. On the occasion, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan told reporters that all municipal corporations in the state have been directed to shut down swimming pools in their respective limits till the onset of the monsoon.
15:29 Javed Akhtar has insulted Muslims all over the world: AIMIM
AIMIM reacts to Rajya Sabha MP Javed Akhtar's speech in parliament on free speech and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi's challenge to the RSS that he will never say Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
"By commenting on the cap worn by Owaisi sahab, Javed Akhtar sahab has insulted Muslims of not only India but world, says Waris Pathan, AIMIM. "Javed sahab says 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' then let him, we won't. We will say Hindustan Zindabad and Jai Hind," adds Pathan.
Akhtar took on Owaisi without naming him and said, "There is one man who thinks that he is a national leader, but in reality he is only a leader in an area in the city of Hyderabad, in one of India's states."
The leader, Akhtar said, claims he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai because it is not demanded in the Constitution. "The Constitution also does not ask him to wear a sherwani and a cap... I condemn his statements on all fronts," said Akhtar, a nominated member of Rajya Sabha who will be retiring later this year.
"By commenting on the cap worn by Owaisi sahab, Javed Akhtar sahab has insulted Muslims of not only India but world, says Waris Pathan, AIMIM. "Javed sahab says 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' then let him, we won't. We will say Hindustan Zindabad and Jai Hind," adds Pathan.
Akhtar took on Owaisi without naming him and said, "There is one man who thinks that he is a national leader, but in reality he is only a leader in an area in the city of Hyderabad, in one of India's states."
The leader, Akhtar said, claims he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai because it is not demanded in the Constitution. "The Constitution also does not ask him to wear a sherwani and a cap... I condemn his statements on all fronts," said Akhtar, a nominated member of Rajya Sabha who will be retiring later this year.
15:13 Trinamool 'sting' to be examined by MPs headed by LK Advani
For Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party, a scandal centred on video of senior leaders -- many of them parliamentarians -- accepting money, reportedly in exchange for extending favours to a firm, took on new dimensions today with Parliament deciding to investigate the footage.
Derek O'Brien, an MP from the Trinamool Congress, said the footage is doctored, and that Parliament should look at whether it got "foreign funding" from Dubai - he said records show the news site that uploaded the footage made several calls to Dubai before it broke the story on Monday. Read more
Derek O'Brien, an MP from the Trinamool Congress, said the footage is doctored, and that Parliament should look at whether it got "foreign funding" from Dubai - he said records show the news site that uploaded the footage made several calls to Dubai before it broke the story on Monday. Read more
14:50 Pakistan's top court lifts travel ban on former military ruler Musharraf
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the government to lift a ban on travel by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, paving the way for him to leave the country while awaiting trial for treason, among other charges.
The departure of Musharraf, who has faced a battery of court cases since returning home from exile in 2013, would remove a source of friction between the powerful army and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Musharraf, who ousted Sharif in a bloodless coup in 1999, ruled Pakistan until 2008, when he stepped down in the face of mass protests. His lawyers have said he is in poor health.
The departure of Musharraf, who has faced a battery of court cases since returning home from exile in 2013, would remove a source of friction between the powerful army and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Musharraf, who ousted Sharif in a bloodless coup in 1999, ruled Pakistan until 2008, when he stepped down in the face of mass protests. His lawyers have said he is in poor health.
14:44 Kabbadi player shot dead in Rohtak
A national-level kabaddi player was shot dead just a few yards from his house by two men in Haryana's Rohtak district. The murder which took place yesterday was caught on CCTV installed near the player - Sukhvinder Singh's house.
Sukhvinder was walking home from practice on Tuesday afternoon when two assailants on scooter shot him twice in the chest. The attackers then pumped a third bullet in his head when he fell down on the road.
"He was returning home when two people came on a two-wheeler and shot him just a few yards away from the house. By the time we reached the spot, he was already dead," Sukhvinder's father Chander Singh said. The killers were seen fleeing from the crime scene immediately.
In December 2015, another kabbadi player Deepak Kumar alias Deepak Pehalwan was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne men. Deepak remained unattended on the road for half an hour until his brother arrived at the spot. He was taken to PGIMS Rohtak but died during preliminary treatment.
Sukhvinder was walking home from practice on Tuesday afternoon when two assailants on scooter shot him twice in the chest. The attackers then pumped a third bullet in his head when he fell down on the road.
"He was returning home when two people came on a two-wheeler and shot him just a few yards away from the house. By the time we reached the spot, he was already dead," Sukhvinder's father Chander Singh said. The killers were seen fleeing from the crime scene immediately.
In December 2015, another kabbadi player Deepak Kumar alias Deepak Pehalwan was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne men. Deepak remained unattended on the road for half an hour until his brother arrived at the spot. He was taken to PGIMS Rohtak but died during preliminary treatment.
14:40 Boko Haram attack kills 22 in Nigeria mosque
A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomb attack has killed at least 22 Muslim worshippers at a mosque in Maiduguri in north-east Nigeria, reports the Independent.
14:31 Biometric details can't be shared even with consent: Jaitley
Jaitley says biometric details can't be shared even with consent. Data can only be shared in case of national security. Core of this (UID) bill is that government money is being spent to ensure money reaches the right person and therefore the government insists on a person's identity. Just because a unlegislated executive govt action is challenged before court, Parliament doesn't lose its right to legislate.
14:21 Privacy is NOT an absolute right, Jaitley tells Parliament
Aadhar Bill being discussed in the Rajya Sabha. Finance minister Arun Jaitley tells the house: If you criticize me, it is your freedom of speech. If I criticize you it is my intolerance? Privacy is not an absolute right. We need identity to ensure target is delivered. Unique ID is essential for subsidies. What the information (UID) will be used for, what will be the purpose of the info, that was absent in the UPA legislation. The present law is completely different in that it borrows UPA's idea (UID), but the privacy law is much more tightened.
The government on March 11 had passed the Aadhaar bill in the Lok Sabha, despite vociferous protests from the opposition parties, who didnt want it passed as a 'money bill'.
The government on March 11 had passed the Aadhaar bill in the Lok Sabha, despite vociferous protests from the opposition parties, who didnt want it passed as a 'money bill'.
13:56 Poll special trains may be a possibility
The government today did not rule out the possibility of running 'election special' trains on the line of festival specials which are introduced to cater to peak season demand on certain routes. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha told the Lok Sabha that running of such trains is "demand driven." "We will keep in mind the suggestion of the member," he said responding to a supplementary.
13:51
EAM Sushma Swaraj leaves for the 37th SAARC Foreign ministerial-level meeting in Pokhara, Nepal.
13:51 Hypocrisy on free speech
A valid argument can be made about the Indian establishment's instinctive use and misuse of colonial era laws like sedition, but not if it is partisan. For it is disingenuous to claim, as some have, that somehow it is only now that the government is clamping down on free speech. Have we forgotten so quickly the 2012 arrests of a cartoonist for sedition and college students for `offensive' social media posts? Read more
13:25 JNU students Umar, Anirban to stay in jail
JNU'students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya's bail plea will now be heard on March 18. Both the students are in jail on charges of sedition. They had filed an application for bail yesterday when their custody was extended by 14 days. The court heard the matter through video conferencing.
On February 25, Umar and Anirban were remanded in police custody after the hearing at the South Campus police station near JNU.
The police station was turned into a makeshift courtroom on the Delhi high court's order to "maintain confidentiality'.
Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya's counsel told the court that the Delhi Government's report suggested that the video was tampered with. "There were outsiders at the venue as well. People shouting slogans haven't been identified as yet. The perception amongst media and society that these people did something wrong is a matter of opinion not a matter of law.
On March 1, the court had sent Umar and Anirban to judicial custody. Umar's lawyer Jawahar Raja, who filed the bail plea, said no purpose will be served by keeping his client in custody.
On February 25, Umar and Anirban were remanded in police custody after the hearing at the South Campus police station near JNU.
The police station was turned into a makeshift courtroom on the Delhi high court's order to "maintain confidentiality'.
Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya's counsel told the court that the Delhi Government's report suggested that the video was tampered with. "There were outsiders at the venue as well. People shouting slogans haven't been identified as yet. The perception amongst media and society that these people did something wrong is a matter of opinion not a matter of law.
On March 1, the court had sent Umar and Anirban to judicial custody. Umar's lawyer Jawahar Raja, who filed the bail plea, said no purpose will be served by keeping his client in custody.
13:09
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju favours comprehensive review of sedition law by Law Commission in the Rajya Sabha.
13:00 Oscars sorry for 'tone deaf' portrayal of Asians at Academy Awards
Oscar organisers have apologised for what a group of actors and filmmakers of Asian descent called the "tone-deaf' portrayal of Asians during this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The Academy, which has pledged to double its numbers of women and minority members by 2020, on Tuesday said that it "regrets that any aspect of the Oscar telecast was offensive. Read more
12:27 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans raised by outsiders: JNU report
Provocative slogans including 'Bharat ko ragda do ragda'(India should be stamped out) and 'Pakistan Zindabad' were raised at controversial JNU event by a group of masked outsiders, a high-level inquiry committee of the varsity has said.
However, the report said video footages of the February 9 event does not show anyone raising the slogan "Bharat Ki Barbadi tak jung rahegi" (Fight will go on till India is ruined) but claimed that eyewitnesses have confirmed shouting of such slogans in their deposition.
There was no mention in the report of controversial slogan "Bharat ke tukde tukde kar do" (India should be cut to pieces), having been raised.
The report prepared by a five-member panel headed by Rakesh Bhatnagar, a professor at the varsity, it was "unfortunate" that the students allowed outsiders to be present and make provocative slogans. It said holding of the event despite cancellation of permission was an act which amounts to "wilful defiance".
The panel has also noted lapses on part of the university's security unit, saying it did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting slogans and stop them from leaving the campus. The committee has stated that though JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been charged with sedition in connection with the event, reached the venue late but he had objected to the decision of authorities regarding cancellation of permission.
However, the report said video footages of the February 9 event does not show anyone raising the slogan "Bharat Ki Barbadi tak jung rahegi" (Fight will go on till India is ruined) but claimed that eyewitnesses have confirmed shouting of such slogans in their deposition.
There was no mention in the report of controversial slogan "Bharat ke tukde tukde kar do" (India should be cut to pieces), having been raised.
The report prepared by a five-member panel headed by Rakesh Bhatnagar, a professor at the varsity, it was "unfortunate" that the students allowed outsiders to be present and make provocative slogans. It said holding of the event despite cancellation of permission was an act which amounts to "wilful defiance".
The panel has also noted lapses on part of the university's security unit, saying it did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting slogans and stop them from leaving the campus. The committee has stated that though JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been charged with sedition in connection with the event, reached the venue late but he had objected to the decision of authorities regarding cancellation of permission.
12:06 No water for swimming pools, no rain dance for Holi, says Maha govt
The Maharashtra government has decided not to provide water to swimming pools in the state due to water scarcity. The government also decided not to provide water for "rain dances" on Holi for the same reason.
Maharashtra is facing one of its most severe droughts in recent times. Many districts in the state are bearing the brunt of drinking water shortage and the government aims to use its existing resources carefully to avoid water crisis.
Maharashtra is facing one of its most severe droughts in recent times. Many districts in the state are bearing the brunt of drinking water shortage and the government aims to use its existing resources carefully to avoid water crisis.
11:59 Indian Town Prays for a Son on Supreme Court
A bare-chested priest sat cross-legged in the temple of this farming village on a recent morning and recited all 1,008 names of Vishnu, the Hindu god, in the hope of soon receiving good news from the White House.
A junior priest sprinkled the idol, known as Balaji, with shredded tulsi leaves and rose-water. The subject of their prayers was Sri Srinivasan, an Indian-born judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia who is rumored to be a top contender for President Obama to nominate to the Supreme Court.
Read more
Pic: Sri Srinvasan with Gursharan Kaur, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh's wife.
A junior priest sprinkled the idol, known as Balaji, with shredded tulsi leaves and rose-water. The subject of their prayers was Sri Srinivasan, an Indian-born judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia who is rumored to be a top contender for President Obama to nominate to the Supreme Court.
Read more
Pic: Sri Srinvasan with Gursharan Kaur, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh's wife.
11:54 Inter-caste marriages on the rise despite odds
The number of inter-caste marriages has gone up over the last two decades with more girls getting educated and getting better exposure. Read more
11:53
Samajwadi RS MP Jaya Bachchan's will soon trend on Twitter: The lady said today, "There is going to be another partition in country, not by foreigners but by our own people on basis of religion and caste."
11:50 An omlette for Mr Roshan
Crave Hrithik's hot bod? This is what he eats for breakfast. The superstar tweeted a before and after pic of his meal saying, "Diet? Here. Breakfast of champions( not really) n I didn't touch d toast! makes up 4 last nites kitkat! #Prague"
Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut have been at loggerheads ever since their alleged relationship went kaput. The Krrish 3 co-stars were apparently dating each other but their affair did not last long and the two parted ways on a bitter note. More goss here.
Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut have been at loggerheads ever since their alleged relationship went kaput. The Krrish 3 co-stars were apparently dating each other but their affair did not last long and the two parted ways on a bitter note. More goss here.
11:43
Just in: Hearing on bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya begins in Patiala House court.
11:42 TV anchor commits suicide
A TV anchor committed suicide in Secunderabad in the early morning hours. The cause is being ascertained. Police have registered a case under section 174 of CRPC.
11:31
Uproar in Rajya Sabha; CPM demands probe into the alleged sting showing TMC leaders accepting cash for favours.
11:29 Kashmiri students allegedly beaten at Rajasthan university over beef rumours
Four Kashmiri students were allegedly beaten at a private university in Rajasthan over rumours that they were cooking beef in their hostel room, reports NDTV. The incident allegedly took place on Monday at the Mewar University in Chittorgarh, about five hours from state capital Jaipur.
The police were called in to stop the attack on the four young men. Some Hindu activists reportedly also reached the campus and raised slogans.
The police said the situation was controlled before it could escalate. The meat being cooked has been sent for forensic tests, said a police officer. "We have students from all over the country...from 23 states. It is like a mini India. Sometimes, these small scuffles happen because people are from different socio-cultural backgrounds," University media liaison officer Harish Gurnani told the Indian Express newspaper.
Yesterday, home ministry sources clarified that its advisory had been misinterpreted after a report said that colleges in Kolkata have been asked to collate profiles of all students from Jammu and Kashmir. An advisory seen by NDTV that was sent in February to state governments says "There is perception among the people of Jammu and Kashmir that their wards are being treated with suspicion and hostility" at colleges.
Officials said that because families had complained that students have trouble finding housing, for example, they asked states to "ensure the protection of students from J&K".
The advisory also asks for the "utmost care and sensitivity" in handling Kashmiri students. Reacting to the news report, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah had accused the Centre of making Kashmiri students "insecure" by "singling them out for profiling" by security agencies across India.
Last year, attacks over beef rumours, including the mob killing of a man in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri, were cited as examples of "rising intolerance" in India, and the government's failure to check it.
Pic: The Mewar university in Chittorgarh.
The police were called in to stop the attack on the four young men. Some Hindu activists reportedly also reached the campus and raised slogans.
The police said the situation was controlled before it could escalate. The meat being cooked has been sent for forensic tests, said a police officer. "We have students from all over the country...from 23 states. It is like a mini India. Sometimes, these small scuffles happen because people are from different socio-cultural backgrounds," University media liaison officer Harish Gurnani told the Indian Express newspaper.
Yesterday, home ministry sources clarified that its advisory had been misinterpreted after a report said that colleges in Kolkata have been asked to collate profiles of all students from Jammu and Kashmir. An advisory seen by NDTV that was sent in February to state governments says "There is perception among the people of Jammu and Kashmir that their wards are being treated with suspicion and hostility" at colleges.
Officials said that because families had complained that students have trouble finding housing, for example, they asked states to "ensure the protection of students from J&K".
The advisory also asks for the "utmost care and sensitivity" in handling Kashmiri students. Reacting to the news report, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah had accused the Centre of making Kashmiri students "insecure" by "singling them out for profiling" by security agencies across India.
Last year, attacks over beef rumours, including the mob killing of a man in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri, were cited as examples of "rising intolerance" in India, and the government's failure to check it.
Pic: The Mewar university in Chittorgarh.
11:16 Just a 'Hello', 'Hi' at foreign secy meet
Indian and Pakistani foreign secretaries, S Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary came face-to-face publicly for the first time since their planned meeting in January was cancelled, but it was just for an exchange of pleasantries at the dinner hosted by the Nepali foreign secretary at the five-star Pokhara Grande hotel.
11:04 31-year-old PIO held in US for stealing computers worth $30K
Notch up one more for PIOs making news of the unsavoury variety!
A former Syracuse University student, Dhawal K Gandhi, 31, was arrested last week for stealing 22 computers worth $30,000 after breaking into a campus lab in February, the New York Daily News has reported, quoting the Post-Standard of Syracuse.
'Gandhi entered the computer lab in Link Hall after 10 pm on Feb 19. He cut the cable lock cords that secured the Nexlink desktop computers to their desks and ran out with the goods, police said,' the NY Daily News said.
The homeless Gandhi is reported to have told the police that he sold some of the computers and accessories on Craigslist and eBay.
Read more about the report here.
10:30
India-Pakistan Foreign Secretaries meeting only after Special Investigation Team visit and Pathankot probe progress: Sources
10:18 North Korea court sentences US student to 15 years hard labour
North Korea's supreme court sentenced American student Otto Warmbier to 15 years of hard labour for crimes against the state, China's Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.
Warmbier, a University of Virginia student, was detained by the North in January for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan from his hotel in Pyongyang and had confessed to crimes against the state, North Korean media said previously.
10:14 Bus blast kills 15 government employees in Peshawar
At least fifteen people were killed when a bomb exploded on a bus carrying government officials in the northwest Pakistani frontier city of Peshawar on Wednesday, officials said.
The attack took place on a main road after the bus picked up government employees from areas surrounding Peshawar and was transporting them to work in the city.
"It's premature to comment about the nature of the blast but it appears that explosives were planted inside the bus," senior police official Mohammad Kashif said. "There were 40-50 people on the bus."
10:09
TV Anchor commits suicide in Secunderabad: Police have registered case under section 174 of CRPC.
10:05 It is illegal to post 'irresponsible' pictures of storms online, Dubai authorities say
It is illegal to post pictures of storms online, authorities in the United Arab Emirates have warned.
Posting negative images or rumours about the recent flooding could be punished under the country's cybercrime laws, the interior ministry said.
Damaging the country's reputation online is punishable imprisonment and a fine of up to 1m Emirati Dirhams (189,500), the International Business Times reported.
Officials said people were "spreading rumours" and behaving "irresponsibly" on social media.
Heavy rain storms hit the gulf state earlier this week, flooding roads and causing flights to be cancelled.
Many have shared pictures of flooded roads and cars submerged in water.
09:35 HC to hear plea seeking cancellation of Kanhaiya's bail today
The Delhi high court will today hear a plea seeking cancellation of interim bail granted to JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested in a sedition case, on the grounds that his speech subsequent to his release was "anti-national" and thus he violated the bail conditions.
The petition, to be heard by Justice Pratibha Rani, alleged that "the speech and slogans given/raised by Respondent No. 2 (Kanhaiya) and his associates was nothing but challenging the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and, therefore, clear violation of the conditions of the interim bail as same was nothing but the continuity of anti-national activities, lowering the reputation of entire country and its citizens in the entire world."
The petitioner, Prashant Kumar Umrao, has further alleged in his plea that Kanhaiya has "continued his anti-national activities on each and every day" as he made allegations in public that the Indian Armed Forces rape women in Kashmir.
He has claimed that the court while granting six-month interim bail to the student leader had clarified that JNU faculty would ensure that Kanhaiya's thoughts and energy would be channelized in a constructive manner.
In this regard, the petitioner has alleged that even some of the faculty members of JNU "have indulged in anti-national activities with more force".
The high court on March 2 while granting bail to Kanhaiya had said that he will "not participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national".
09:23 Will the US Supreme Court get its first Asian American justice?
President Barack Obama could reveal his pick for the US Supreme Court as early as Wednesday, a source close to the selection process told Reuters on Tuesday.
According to the source, Obama is choosing between Judge Sri Srinivasan and Judge Merrick Garland.
The group of advisers assisting Obama in vetting the candidates wrapped up its work Tuesday, Reuters reported.
If the report is true, it could make it very difficult for Republicans to hold true to their pledge to hold no confirmation hearings for the pick.
Both candidates are highly respected by judicial experts and carry strong bipartisan appeal.
Srinivasan gained national prominence in 2009 after representing former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling to the Supreme Court, and was later confirmed to United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2013 in a 97-0 vote.
When his nomination was before the Senate, Srinivasan received letters of support from solicitors general in both the Clinton and Bush administrations.
When his nomination was before the Senate, Srinivasan received letters of support from solicitors general in both the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Read more about Sri Srinivasan, HERE
09:10 JNU case: HC to hear Umar and Anirban's bail plea today
A session court in Delhi will today hear the bail pleas of JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested in a sedition case in which JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar is also an accused.
Both students who were arrested after they had surrendered on the night of February 23, had filed their applications before the Patiala House Courts registry.
The police had arrested the duo for allegedly organising a controversial event at JNU on February 9 where anti-India slogans were alleged to have been raised. The plea was moved on the ground that both the accused are not required for any custodial interrogation as they are in judicial custody.
The application said that no purpose will be served by keeping them in the custody.
Earlier on February 25, Umar and Anirban were remanded to police custody after hearing at South Campus Police Station near JNU which was turned into a makeshift courtroom following an order of the Delhi High Court to "maintain confidentiality" during their remand proceedings.
The court later on March 1, had sent Umar and Anirban to judicial custody. The duo had returned to the JNU campus on February 29 after going missing since February 12.
09:00 15 days after strike began, govt to meet jewellers on excise duty
The Union government will today meet jewellery associations who have been on a pan-India strike for 15 days against the proposed 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery
The Centre has already asserted that the levy will not be rolled back.
"Even as we are incurring losses, we will continue the strike till the government completely rolls back the 1 per cent excise duty. As an alternate we have suggested the government to either marginally hike the Customs duty or to impose an one time bullet tax," All-India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) Chairman Sreedhar G V said.
The excise duty will encourage 'inspector raj' as the department officials will harass the jewellers unless there is an amendment in the law itself, he said.
"One piece of jewellery consists of many parts made by different people and artisans. To keep records of each and every part of the single jewellery will be cumbersome and require additional manpower and infrastructure, which is difficult for many jewellers to manage," Sreedhar said.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the budget proposed 1 per cent excise duty on jewellery without input credit, or 12.5 per cent with input tax credit, on jewellery, excluding silver other than studded with diamonds and some other precious stones.
The Finance Ministry later clarified only jewellers with turnover of more than Rs 12 crore will be liable to pay 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery items.
08:16 Super Tuesday 2.0: Hillary, Trump score big wins
Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and John Kasich scored major victories Tuesday that significantly reshaped the presidential race while a big loss in Florida prompted Marco Rubio to drop his White House bid.
Clinton took big strides toward the Democratic nomination by winning Florida and North Carolina. And in a crucial victory, she stopped Bernie Sanders in his tracks in the industrial Midwest by taking Ohio.
The Republican Party, meanwhile, veered closer to a historic contested convention after Kasich, the Ohio governor, held his own state and deprived Trump of its 66 delegates. That makes it more difficult for the billionaire to reach the 1,237 delegates he needs to capture the GOP prize.
Trump did, however, prevail in the biggest contest of the night, taking all off Florida's 99 delegates. That resounding win helped force Rubio out of the race after failing to win his own state and to unite the Republican establishment against Trump. The real estate tycoon also won primaries in Illinois and North Carolina.
"This was a great evening," he said. "This was an amazing evening."
08:09 Rubio suspends US presidential campaign after Florida loss
US senator Marco Rubio has dropped out of the presidential race after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Republican front runner Donald Trump in his home state of Florida.
Trump scored a massive win Florida, which he termed as his second home, by gaining the support of 45.5 per cent of the votes counted, while Rubio was a distant second with 27.1 percent of the votes.
Rubio, who had so far won primaries in Minnesota, Puerto Rico and Washington DC and had 163 delegates, was banking heavily on a win in Florida. But Trump's victory margin of more than 400,000 put curtains down on his presidential ambition.
The 44-year-old was endorsed by maximum number of party leaders, governors, senators and Congressmen. Indian American leaders Bobby Jindal, the former Governor or Louisiana and Nikki Kaley the Governor of South Carolina were among prominent GOP leaders to endorse Rubio.
08:08 John Kasich, Clinton win Ohio primary
Governor John Kasich has won Republican presidential primary in his home state of Ohio while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has padded her lead over rival Bernie Sanders by securing the Democratic primary, a US media report has said.
With the win in Ohio, Kasich has registered his first one in the presidential campaign. It also helped him to earn all the 66 delegates at stake from the State taking his total to 129 delegates which keeps him at the fourth spot in the GOP's race to the White House behind front runner Donald Trump (568), Ted Cruz (370) and Rubio (163) who has now opted out of the race.
Kasich exuded confidence that he would be able to garner through 1237 delegates required to win presidential nomination of the Republican party.
This would be known only in the weeks to come. However, his Ohio win did put a speed breaker to the impressive winning streak of Trump who have bagged other States, including crucial Florida.
On the Democratic side, Clinton defeated her rival Senator Bernie Sanders with nearly 30 percent margin.
04:06 RSS members to don new uniform from Vijaya Dashami
Members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will start wearing brown trousers from Vijaya Dashami this year.
RSS Sanghchalak (Konkan region) Satish Modh said the Sangh members would start wearing trousers in place of Khaki shorts from Vijaya Dashami, which falls in October this year.
Khaki shorts, the trademark RSS dress for 91 years, are on their way out and making way for brown trousers as part of the organisation's landmark endeavour to 'move with the times'.
Even though other parts of the uniform have been changed from time to time, khaki shorts remained in vogue till now.
The decision to phase out khaki shorts was taken at Rajasthan's Nagaur during the annual meeting of Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of the RSS.
RSS Sanghchalak (Konkan region) Satish Modh said the Sangh members would start wearing trousers in place of Khaki shorts from Vijaya Dashami, which falls in October this year.
Khaki shorts, the trademark RSS dress for 91 years, are on their way out and making way for brown trousers as part of the organisation's landmark endeavour to 'move with the times'.
Even though other parts of the uniform have been changed from time to time, khaki shorts remained in vogue till now.
The decision to phase out khaki shorts was taken at Rajasthan's Nagaur during the annual meeting of Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of the RSS.
04:00 Ecuador army plane crash kills all 22 aboard
An Ecuadoran army plane crashed in the Amazon rainforest, killing all 22 people on board, President Rafael Correa has said.
"There are no survivors," Correa wrote on Twitter, several minutes after first posting news of the crash.
He said the plane was carrying 19 paratroopers, two pilots and a mechanic.: AFP
"There are no survivors," Correa wrote on Twitter, several minutes after first posting news of the crash.
He said the plane was carrying 19 paratroopers, two pilots and a mechanic.: AFP
03:01 India, Pak foreign secys exchange courtesies at SAARC dinner
Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Tuesday exchanged courtesies at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation dinner in Nepal.
This was the first time the two have met since the Pathankot airbase attacks in January, which derailed bilateral ties between the two nations.
Earlier, they had a boat ride together.
The two exchanged courtesies at the function, which was held in the run up to the SAARC meeting for foreign ministers, which begins on March 17.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to meet Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan prime minister's adviser on foreign affairs in Pokhara, where the SAARC meeting will take place.
This was the first time the two have met since the Pathankot airbase attacks in January, which derailed bilateral ties between the two nations.
Earlier, they had a boat ride together.
The two exchanged courtesies at the function, which was held in the run up to the SAARC meeting for foreign ministers, which begins on March 17.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to meet Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan prime minister's adviser on foreign affairs in Pokhara, where the SAARC meeting will take place.
02:18 Paris attack suspect killed in gunfight with police in Brussels
Police shot dead one suspect on Tuesday during a major Belgian-French anti-terror operation in Brussels linked to the Paris attacks, after gunmen opened fire and wounded four officers.
The dead person had not been identified but prosecutors said it was not Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in the November Paris massacre which killed 130 people, and who fled to Brussels after the attacks.
Armed police came under fire as they carried out a search on a property in the forest suburb in the south of the Belgian capital, sparking a series of gun battles in which one suspect was killed, prosecutors said.
Three Belgian police officers were wounded by gunfire during the initial search of the property, while a fourth was hit by gunfire during the huge police mobilisation afterwards. AFP
The dead person had not been identified but prosecutors said it was not Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in the November Paris massacre which killed 130 people, and who fled to Brussels after the attacks.
Armed police came under fire as they carried out a search on a property in the forest suburb in the south of the Belgian capital, sparking a series of gun battles in which one suspect was killed, prosecutors said.
Three Belgian police officers were wounded by gunfire during the initial search of the property, while a fourth was hit by gunfire during the huge police mobilisation afterwards. AFP
01:19 AI aircraft suffers tyre burst at Mumbai airport, a few passengers hurt
An Air India aircraft with over 150 passengers on board suffered a tyre burst while taxiing after it landed at Mumbai airport from Nagpur.
AI630 arrived from Nagpur when one of the tyres of Airbus-A320 burst during taxiing.
The aircraft was taken to a taxiway where passengers were evacuated with the help of emergency chutes, an AI spokesperson said.
Some passengers suffered injuries while they were being evacuated through the emergency chute, airport sources said.
The incident took place at around 10 pm on Tuesday, the spokesperson said adding the aircraft was taken to a taxiway after the tyre burst where passengers were evacuated.
The spokesperson, however, said that no injury to any passenger was reported.
The flight operation from the main runway at Mumbai airport was shut due the incident, the sources said.
AI630 arrived from Nagpur when one of the tyres of Airbus-A320 burst during taxiing.
The aircraft was taken to a taxiway where passengers were evacuated with the help of emergency chutes, an AI spokesperson said.
Some passengers suffered injuries while they were being evacuated through the emergency chute, airport sources said.
The incident took place at around 10 pm on Tuesday, the spokesperson said adding the aircraft was taken to a taxiway after the tyre burst where passengers were evacuated.
The spokesperson, however, said that no injury to any passenger was reported.
The flight operation from the main runway at Mumbai airport was shut due the incident, the sources said.
00:35 Congress wants legal action over 'Pak Zindabad' slogans at Sri Sri event
Congress today demanded that legal action be initiated over the reported cries of 'Pakistan Zindabad' at World Culture Festival here in the presence of several Union ministers.
Congress spokesman Pramod Tewari said legal action should be taken over the issue as was done in the case of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
He claimed the party has audio-video footage which show cries of 'Pakistan Zindabad' at the event, organised by the Art of Living Foundation.
Reacting to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi's remarks that he would not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Tewari took a dig at him and said he was seeking to help the Bharatiya Janata Party play politics of communal polarisation.
"What is wrong in hailing the motherland? Khan Abdual Gaffar Khan had hailed it as also Maulana Azad," he said.
Congress spokesman Pramod Tewari said legal action should be taken over the issue as was done in the case of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
He claimed the party has audio-video footage which show cries of 'Pakistan Zindabad' at the event, organised by the Art of Living Foundation.
Reacting to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi's remarks that he would not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Tewari took a dig at him and said he was seeking to help the Bharatiya Janata Party play politics of communal polarisation.
"What is wrong in hailing the motherland? Khan Abdual Gaffar Khan had hailed it as also Maulana Azad," he said.
00:05 65 dead as Saudi-led warplanes bomb Yemeni market
Saudi-led warplanes today launched two air-strikes on a busy market in a northern Yemeni region controlled by Shiite Houthi rebels, killing and wounding dozens of people, witnesses said.
The state-run news agency SABA, which is controlled by the Houthis, said at least 65 people were killed and 55 wounded.
A nearby hospital received dozens of wounded people, but no bodies, perhaps because families buried them.
Three witnesses described a scene of carnage, with dozens wounded or killed, but had no precise figures.
The market in the city of Mastaba, in Hajja province, serves tens of thousands of people and was struck during a busy time.
Witnesses said there were no military targets nearby.
A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis on behalf of the internationally recognised government for a year now.
Doctors Without Borders spokeswoman Malak Shaher told The Associated Press that at least 40 of the wounded were transferred to a nearby hospital, three of whom were in critical condition.
The Houthis' TV network al-Masirah showed graphic footage of dead children and charred bodies next to sacks of flour and twisted metal. Witnesses said houses, shops and restaurants were also damaged, while cars caught on fire.
The state-run news agency SABA, which is controlled by the Houthis, said at least 65 people were killed and 55 wounded.
A nearby hospital received dozens of wounded people, but no bodies, perhaps because families buried them.
Three witnesses described a scene of carnage, with dozens wounded or killed, but had no precise figures.
The market in the city of Mastaba, in Hajja province, serves tens of thousands of people and was struck during a busy time.
Witnesses said there were no military targets nearby.
A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the Houthis on behalf of the internationally recognised government for a year now.
Doctors Without Borders spokeswoman Malak Shaher told The Associated Press that at least 40 of the wounded were transferred to a nearby hospital, three of whom were in critical condition.
The Houthis' TV network al-Masirah showed graphic footage of dead children and charred bodies next to sacks of flour and twisted metal. Witnesses said houses, shops and restaurants were also damaged, while cars caught on fire.
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