LIVE! 1 soldier missing after avalanche hit army post in Kargil

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Sat, 19 March 2016

1 soldier missing after avalanche hit army post in Kargil

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23:35 PM Modi wishes Men in Blue after win over Pak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes team India after their six wickets win over Pakistan at Eden Gardens in 2016 World T20.

"Congratulations Team India for the amazing victory," tweeted the PM.

Title favourites India maintained their stranglehold over arch-rivals Pakistan in ICC events with a comprehensive six-wicket victory to keep their World T20 campaign alive riding on Virat Kohli's classy unbeaten 55.

23:28

Expanding his presence on social media, Pope Francis is now on photo sharing service, Instagram.

On the eve of the launch, a Vatican communications official, Monsignor Dario Vigano, told Vatican Radio that the pope believes images can reveal many things. Vigano also said that the Instagram account will allow people to share the pope's "gestures of tenderness and mercy."

The pope's account will use the name @Franciscus, his name in Latin.

Image: The Pope/Instagram

22:34 1 soldier missing after avalanche hit army post in Kargil

Two soldiers who were on surveillance duty in Kargil, J&K were washed away in the avalanche. One soldier was rescued while search and rescue operation was on for the other. The avalanche was triggered by mild earthquake that hit the army post located at an altitude of 17500 feet.

Representative image

Manithaneya Makkal Katchi on Saturday joined the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam-led front to fight the May 16 assembly election in Tamil Nadu which already has the Congress and Indian Union Muslim League on board.

"We fought 2014 Parliamentary polls only as part of the DMK front, now for the Assembly election too we will be part of the same front," MMK chief M H Jawahirullah told reporters after meeting DMK treasurer M K Stalin at his residence.

He also wanted parties like the DMDK and G K Vasan-led Tamil Manila Congress to join the DMK front.

The MMK opened its account in the assembly with two seats in 2011 after aligning with the AIADMK. It however, switched to the DMK front for the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and drew a blank.

An IIT alumnus, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar says a public life was something he never anticipated and he was pushed into the river of politics from behind but managed to "swim successfully".

He used disarming sense of humour in his address to future technocrats while inaugurating IIT Roorkee's 'Cognizance 2016' on Friday, often having the students in splits.

"When I came here, I was given this two-page prepared speech but then I thought since we are talking of 'Make in India', so I would have my own speech. So, guess I'll go my way, the IIT way, and talk directly the students," he said, to a loud cheer, as he spoke extempore.

Amid the debate on intolerance and nationalism, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday advised the students to collaborate with various "decision-makers" to make the world free of inequality and intolerance.

"The youth of today has a bright vision for the future. They want a world free of poverty, unemployment, inequality and intolerance. The students should join hands with various decision-makers in public and private sectors in discovering and realising this beautiful dream," Singh said.

"Students are integral part of societal fabric. They must understand the importance of relationship between themselves as individuals and society....main occupation of students is studying. But this does not give them the liberty to isolate themselves from the happenings of the world surrounding them."

He was speaking on 'Creating Role of Students in Future of India' at `Bapu Gujarat Knowledge Village', educational institution run by senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela in Gandhinagar district.

In a new turn in the slogan row, the oppostion Congress in Maharashtra on Saturday claimed that it did not support the motion for suspension of All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Waris Pathan from the assembly for not chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and alleged that the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena are using the issue to deflect attention from key issues.

In a virtual u-turn, leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress said that the motion, adopted early this week, was moved without hearing the opposition out.

"The resolution was moved by the Treasury benches and it was passed without hearing the Opposition out. Congress has never supported the resolution at any given point of time. Our stand from the beginning is that one should be allowed to speak whatever he wants to. But if it is insulting to the nation, the person should apologise," he added.

"The BJP and the Shiv Sena wanted to milk the issue for political benefits to deflect public attention from issues like drought and farmer suicides. Congress will never support this kind of politics," Vikhe-Patil said.

To popularise AYUSH system of medicine across the world, the ministry will enter into an agreement with World Health Organisation and a partnership with United States for research in AYUSH medicines for treatment of cancer.

"AYUSH is a very important sector and it should be propagated worldwide. To popularise AYUSH system of medicine across the world, the AYUSH Ministry is entering into an agreement with the WHO. MoUs have already been signed with several countries for bilateral cooperation in the field of traditional medicine.

"In view of the suggestions received, the National Health Policy would be reviewed in the next six months to incorporate this aspect of propagation of AYUSH. India is also entering into a very important partnership with the United States for research in AYUSH for treatment of cancer," AYUSH minister Shripad Yesso Naik said.

A day after his release from Tihar jail where he was lodged in a sedition case, Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid on Friday presented a paper at the Young Scholar's Conference at the university.

The Centre for Historical Studies was to organise its annual Young Scholars' Conference on February 18-20, however, the meet was postponed following the sequence of events that unfolded in the JNU after the controversial February 9 event.

Khalid, who is pursuing his PhD at the same department, presented a paper titled "Changing village authority in the Adivasi Hinterland: State, Community and Contingencies of Rule in Singhbhum (1830-1893)".

Khalid, a former member of the now-defunct, pro-Maoist Democratic Students Union, has been listed as one of the organisers of the event on campus against hanging of Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

"Umar presented a paper and Anirban will have to start writing the last bit of his PhD. Because this is what we do in the JNU..We study and we struggle. We fight in the streets brave your water canons, and come back to debate mode of production (as fiercely)," a student said.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus has infected at least 116 people, including an infant who was born with a severe brain development disorder, in the US, according to a leading American public health institute.

"During January 1, 2015February 26, 2016, a total of 116 residents of 33 US states and the District of Columbia had laboratory evidence of recent Zika virus infection based on testing performed at CDC," the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said in its latest report.

The CDC said among those who tested positive was an infant. "Cases include one congenital infection and 115 persons who reported recent travel to areas with active Zika virus transmission or sexual contact with such a traveler."

"One case occurred in a full-term infant born with severe congenital microcephaly, whose mother had Zika virus disease in Brazil during the first trimester of pregnancy. Among the remaining 115 patients (including the infant's mother), 24 had illness onset in 2015 and 91 in 2016," the report said.

According to sources, the Uttarakhand governor has asked Chief Minister Harish Rawat to prove majority in the state assembly by March 28, PTI reported on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the BJP said it has a majority in the Uttarakhand Assembly and should be invited to form a government as the incumbent Congress dispensation was reduced to a minority.

The crisis erupted in the state after Nine Congress MLAs, known to be loyalists of former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, rebelled against the government and supported the BJP's claim to form a new government in the state.

19:04 JUST IN: Pak beat India by 2 runs via D/L

In a rain curtailed match, Pakistan beat Indian by 2 runs in women's World T20 via D/L method in the Group B match at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi

19:00 Ban on film shootings at Golden Temple complex

Movie makers will now not be allowed to shoot at Golden Temple complex as Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, which manages the shrine, has imposed a ban on shooting of commercial films there.

"We have imposed a complete ban on shooting of commercial films at Golden Temple complex," SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar said.

However, he said shooting of only religious movie and documentary would be allowed.

He said that the decision was taken to prevent any "disturbance" at the religious place.

"The shooting of films usually creates disturbance at the Golden Temple complex and devotees who come here in large numbers to pay obeisance also face problems. That is why we decided to ban film shooting," Makkar said.

Aamir Khan's 'Rang De Basanti' and Shah Rukh Khan's 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jori' are among several Bollywood movies which were shot at the Golden Temple complex.

A few scenes of "Sarbjit", a biopic on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, were also shot at Golden Temple last month.

A criminal complaint was filed on Friday in a Delhi court seeking registration of FIR against All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi for alleged offences of sedition and causing enmity between different classes.

The complaint was filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Munish Markan and it would come up for hearing on March 22.

It alleged that on March 13, Owaisi had voluntarily said "even if somebody puts a knife at me, I will not say 'Bharat Mata ki jai' and his expression showed "disaffection and includes disloyalty and all feeling of enmity".

The complaint, filed by Swaraj Janata Party's national president Brijesh Chand Shukla, sought a direction to the SHO of Karawal Nagar police station to lodge an FIR against Owaisi for the alleged offences under sections 124A (sedition) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race etc) of the IPC.

Victims of the November jihadist attacks in Paris and their relatives have expressed relief over the arrest of top fugitive Salah Abdeslam, saying they were glad he was captured alive to face justice, AFP reported.

"There can be a real trial with someone who was clearly involved in the attacks," said Georges Salines, head of one of the victims' groups that formed after the November 13 attacks that claimed 130 lives and injured hundreds.

Salines is a doctor whose daughter was killed at the Bataclan concert hall along with 89 others attending a concert by the US group Eagles of Death Metal.

"We're glad (Abdeslam) didn't go... to Syria to be killed by an American drone," said Aurelia Gilbert, an employee of the Bataclan and a member of Salines's group 13 Novembre: Fraternite et Verite (November 13: Fraternity and Truth).

"We are a democracy and there will be a trial," she said.

The jihadist rampage targeted a string of restaurants and cafes as well as the Bataclan and the national Stade de France.

17:53

JUST IN: Bangladesh's bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed have been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect after an independent assessment found their bowling actions to be illegal.

17:38 US has become 'third world country': Trump

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has said the US has now become a "third world country" as compared to infrastructures in Dubai and China, and promised that things would change once he is elected the American president.

"We have become a third world country, folks!," Trump, 69, told his supporters at an election rally at Sal Lake City in Utah, which goes to presidential primary elections on Tuesday.

"If you go to places like Dubai, China, you look at the roads, at the rail roads, they have the bullet trains that go 100s of miles an hour. And if you go to New York, they're like 100 years ago," he said.

Trump said that the US under him would knock out the ISIS and rebuild the country.

"When it comes to trade, we are going to start being smart, because our country is poor. We are going to make American so great again. It is not great now. We need education to that," he said.

Around 125 children were taken ill today after consuming mid-day meal at a primary school in Belhari, the police said.

The children ate a meal of puri, chole and kheer following which they started vomiting and had loose motions. They were rushed to the district hospital, K Balaji, District Magistrate-Incharge said.

All the children are stated to be out of danger, Balaji said, adding, a four-member team has been constituted to probe the incident. Meanwhile, Rakesh Singh, Basic Shiksha Adhikari said prima facie there was something wrong with the 'puri' served to the children. Four teachers have been suspended, while services of five others including two cooks have been terminated, the BSA added.

A Chinese journalist linked to an anonymous letter calling for President Xi Jinping's resignation has gone missing while on his way to Hong Kong, according to his lawyer and family.

Nobody has been able to contact Beijing-based columnist Jia Jia, 30, since Tuesday night when he was set to board his flight from the airport here, his lawyer Yan Xin was quoted as saying by the BBC. Jia's wife has also reported him missing.

The journalist is said to have warned an editor friend over publishing an anonymous letter calling for Xi's resignation. The letter appeared on a state-linked site but was swiftly taken down, said the BBC which also carried the letter on its website.

It is unclear who authored the letter, which had the byline "loyal Communist Party supporters". Jia had reportedly insisted he had no connection to the letter.

17:11 Rahul meets Radha Soami sect head at Beas

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today met Radha Soami sect chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon at his residence at Beas, a move which has evoked interest as the party prepares to take on Punjab's ruling SAD-BJP combine in the 2017 assembly poll.

Rahul spent nearly two hours with Dhillon. During his visit to Beas, no party leader accompanied Rahul. SPG personnel accompanying the leader were also asked to stay out of the dera premises, party sources said. Rahul had come to Amritsar yesterday to see a documentary on drug addicts, 'Faded Glory'.

He reached Beas, last evening and spent the night there. The Congress vice president met Dhillon in the morning and thereafter he attended a one-hour 'satsang' (religious discourse). Later, he went to the residence of Dhillon and held discussion on various issues over breakfast.

The meeting assumes significance in view of the assembly poll in Punjab where Congress is eyeing to wrest power from the SAD-BJP combine after 10 years.

17:00 Tiger shot dead in Tamil Nadu

A tiger, which had killed a worker and triggered panic among the locals in Devarsholai in Tamil Nadu for more than a week, was shot dead today.

Three teams drawn from forest and police departments and Special Task Force were on the job to catch the tiger, which had deep cuts on its leg and abdomen, after it killed the worker from Jharkhand on March 11.

The department had installed 10 cameras and six cages at strategic locations to capture the tiger's movements and trap it. The forces, numbering nearly 150 were monitoring round the clock its movement.

As the Special Task Force noticed the movement of the the carnivore, some of them fired at it resulting in its death this afternoon, the police said.

Security forces have arrested a militant of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit from central Kashmir's Budgam district, police said today.

Abdul Hamid Nath, a militant of Hizb, was apprehended from Ratsuna village in Beerwah area of the district by a joint party of police, army and CRPF last night, a police official said.

He said one AK rifle, two magazines, 84 rounds and a hand grenade were seized from his possession.

The ACJM court in Dhakrani on Saturday rejected the bail plea of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ganesh Joshi, who is presently in jail for allegedly injuring a police horse.

Joshi was on Friday sent to judicial custody for 14 days.Meanwhile, the ruling Congress in Uttarakhand and the BJP exchanged verbal volleys over Joshi's arrest.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Friday asserted that there was no 'political conspiracy' behind Joshi's arrest.

Russian investigators probing the crash of a Dubai airliner in southern Russia that killed all 62 people on board have found one of the plane's flight recorders.

The Boeing 737-800 operated by FlyDubai was carrying 55 passengers, most of them Russian, and seven crew members of various nationalities when it crashed on Saturday in the city of Rostov-on-Don while trying to land in strong winds.

Russia's emergencies ministry said there were no survivors. Four children were among those killed, FlyDubai said.

Vladimir Markin, the spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, said experts have found the cockpit conversation recorder and are continuing the search for another one which records parameters of the flight.

A 32-year-old man, who was arrested in a theft case, died in custody following which 14 police officers were suspended and a magisterial probe ordered into the incident.

While the police claimed that the deceased Zeeshan fell ill due to a suicide attempt and subsequently died, his relatives alleged that he was beaten to death and pelted stones at the police station. "The accused, Zeeshan, a resident of Keshigao, was arrested after he was suspected to be involved in a theft case on Wednesday.

He was rushed to hospital after he fell ill due to a suicide attempt, but later succumbed," SP Pushpanjali Singh said.

He said a case has also been registered on the basis of statements by the victim's relatives against the Special Operation Group team, which had arrested Zeeshan, an inspector and three other police officials. 14 police officers including an inspector who were present during the incident were also suspended.

At least four people have been killed and two others wounded after a massive explosion rocked a crowded shopping street in the Turkish city of Istanbul, according to media reports.

According to Turkey's Dogan news agency, ambulances rushed to the scene of the blast, which took place on Istiklal Caddesi street in Istanbul on Friday.

Amid the ongoing controversy over AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', former Jammu and Kashmir Chief MinisterOmar Abdullah on Saturday said that one must not be asked for a certificate to prove his or her nationalism.

"I am what I am; I don't have to prove this to anyone. Neither do I need a certificate from someone. I will never raise any slogans to prove anyone or for anyone's happiness. I am saying I've no problem with the slogan of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' but why are you asking for a certificate to prove nationalism?" Abdullah told the media.

14:59 Supriya Sule meets Bhujbal in jail

NCP MP and party chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule today met former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal at Arthur Road jail here. Bhujbal was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a Special Court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in Mumbai on Thursday.

Asked by mediapersons, waiting outside the jail, about her meeting with Bhujbal, Sule just said "Happy Holi" and left. The senior NCP leader was arrested late on Monday by the Enforcement Directorate which is probing money laundering and other cases against him.

He was produced before a court here which sent him to juidicial custody at Arthur Road Central Jail where his nephew Samir Bhujbal is also lodged since his arrest on February 1 in related cases.

Ex-Delhi university lecturer SAR Gilani, arrested under sedition charges in connection with the Press Club event in New Delhi has been granted bail.

More details are awaited.

14:17 2 Indians among dead in Russian plane crash

Two Indians are among sixty-two people killed after a Dubai airliner crashed and caught fire early today while landing in strong winds in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

The names of the Indians in the list put out by Russian authorities are: Anju Kathirvel Aiyappan and Mohan Shyam, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. "Our mission is checking with the local university and Indian nationals for confirmation," he said.

Flydubai Boeing 737 was making its second attempt to land in bad weather when it missed the runway, erupting in a huge fireball as it crashed and leaving debris scattered across a wide area.

There were 55 passengers and seven crew members on board at the time of the crash. Russian investigators confirmed that all 62 people on board were killed. Other passengers killed the accident include: 44 Russians, 8 Ukrainian and one from Uzbekistan.

JUST IN: 2 Indians are among the dead in plane crash in southern Russia, Flydubai airlines has said. More details are awaited.

The Delhi police today opposed the bail plea of ex-Delhi University lecturer S A R Gilani, arrested under sedition charges in connection with a Press Club event here, saying the event was "an attack on the soul of India" and it was "contempt of court."

Additional Sessions Judge reserved the order for today itself after the arguments in which Gilani's counsel said that there were no evidences against him that he raised the alleged anti-Indian slogans, adding that criticising Supreme Court judgement was not contempt of court. "Kashmir is an integral part of the nation. But they were celebrating the persons, Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, who were convicted by Supreme Court. They were terming them as martyrs which was affecting the people and it was contempt of court. "If he had not liked the SC judgement, he could have thought in his mind and within the four walls of the his house.

But he had assembled people for the meeting in the heart of the Capital for that purpose which was an attack on the soul of India," police said while opposing the bail plea.

Gilani's counsel, however, sought bail for him, claiming that as per the FIR itself, the people raising slogans there were stopped by office bearers of the Press Club of India and asked to leave the venue to which they agreed to.

13:22

Special prayers are being offered throughout the country ahead of the World T20 clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata this evening.

The students in Lucknow's Vedic Pathshala chanted special hymns and prayed for the Indian team's victory. The kids here appeared quite excited as they have been given special permission to watch today's match.

"This match between India and Pakistan is very special for the nation. Team India works hard and we also pray for its victory," said the priest."We are praying for India's victory. The match has always been a clash between the two teams and in most of the cases, India has won. So, even today we are praying for India's win," said one of the students.

Image for representation only

12:49 Rajni to meet Namo

Movie supernova Rajnikanth will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Boss Amit Shah in New Delhi early next week.

Rajnikanth is in the capital to shoot the sequel of Robot, directed by Shankar, with Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, who plays the villain in the film.

A part of Lodhi Road in Delhi has been taken over by the film crew.

Expressing confidence of forming the next government in Uttarakhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said that it was ready for fresh polls as Chief Minister Harish Rawat has no majority in the state, adding that it would now wait for Governor K K Paul's reply on the concerned matter.

"Thirty-five MLAs have come to Delhi who will meet the BJP president today. Also, they will go to the President (Pranab Mukherjee) if needed. We have told the Governor that we have the majority and asked him to allow us to form the government there. The Governor said that he would ask for a report from the government and consider the matter. We are ready for election... We will wait for the Governor's reply," Vijayvargiya told ANI.

He also alleged that the government in Uttarakhand has fallen due to Congress' internal rift.

US President Barack Obama has congratulated Belgium and France over the arrest of top Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, saying the "significant arrest" was the result of hard work and close cooperation between law enforcement authorities.

"President Obama spoke by phone today with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and French President Francois Hollande to congratulate them on the arrest in Brussels today of Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in the November 13, 2015 ISIL terrorist attacks in Paris, France," the White House said yesterday.

Obama commended the work of Belgian security services and noted that this significant arrest was the result of hard work and close cooperation between Belgian and French law enforcement authorities, the White House said.

"The President reiterated that the US stands together with Belgium and France in our shared struggle against the scourge of terrorism and once again pledged the full cooperation and support of the US in these efforts, reaffirming our shared commitment to degrading and destroying ISIL," it said.

Minutes after the Paris attack, US officials were in close touch with national security and law enforcement officials in France and Belgium as they take steps to try to protect their country, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters during his daily news conference.

China today issued a yellow alert for smog as the pollution choked most regions in the country's north with no signs of abating. This morning, PM 2.5 density - particulate matter with size equal to or less than 2.5 micron and the main gauge to identify pollutant particles in the air -- in most parts of Beijing ranged between 260 and 400 micrograms per cubic meter, far above the safety standards set by the WHO, the National Meteorological Centre said in a statement.

Other regions such as Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Shaanxi provinces will also be shrouded by heavy smog today before a cold front gradually disperses the pollution, the NMC forecast said, adding that heavy rain will continue in the south.

The statement reminded people to pay more regard to safety on the roads, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. On December 7 last year, Beijing issued the first-ever red alert as the city of over 22 million people faced the worst ever smog, forcing authorities to shut down schools and putting restrictions on factories and traffic.

10:52 White House slams Trump for riot remarks

The White House today slammed Donald Trump for his threat of "riots" if he is denied the Republican presidential nomination, asserting that there can be no political justification for violence.

It also disagreed with Trump being a "popular" candidate, arguing that Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton has received more votes than him and many Republicans have not voted for the real estate tycoon. "We would call on everyone to refrain from violence. And there's no political justification, no political dispute among citizens that would justify an act of violence. There's no denying that," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.

"That said, I don't think I would use the word 'popularity' when describing Trump. I think there are a significant number of Republicans, even people in his own party, who say that they would not vote for him. I noted that it was even the Wall Street Journal editorial board who observed that Secretary Clinton has got a million more votes than Trump has," he said.

The 'Make in India' vision is a priority for defence procurement but "operational readiness" is the military's primary task as "we don't want people to look at us with big eyes", Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said.

"We need adequate equipment and that cannot change. Make in India is in its place, our military preparedness is paramount," he said speaking at a panel discussion on Make in India initiative in the defence sector on the opening day of the three-day technical festival '" Cognizance 2016 '" of IIT Roorkee yesterday.

"I would like to make it clear...Make in India is our priority for defence procurement...but the first priority cannot be forgotten, the primary task of our military, which is operational readiness...in view of our neighbours...so that no one can look at us with big eyes," he said.

There have been calls for stepping up the country's defence preparedness after the terror attack on the Pathankot Air base and in Gudsaspur.

Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul's late son and former CEO of Caparo Group Angad Paul has been posthumously honoured with Editor's Special Award by a UK-based business association.

Lord Paul's grandson Arush Paul received the award at the Asian Business Awards organised by Ramniklal Solanki, CBE, Editor in Chief of Asian Media and Marketing Group, from British lawmaker Seema Malhotra in the presence of a distinguished gathering including Indian High Commissioner to the UK Navtej Sarna.

Reading out the citation, Malhotra said, "Angad Paul was one of the rising stars of the business world and had been a winner previously at these awards. He took control of the family business at the age of 32 and it was his drive and passion which saw the company grow on an international scale in the UK, US and India.

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to provide jobs to acid attack women victims on priority in the state.

Earlier, the acid attack survivors were felicitated and provided with financial assistance in Lucknow on the occasion of International Women's Day.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav honoured around 40 survivors with the Rani Laxmi Bai award at his official residence.

Other women achievers and change makers were also felicitated on the occasion and a special eating joint ''Cafe Sheroes'' was also inaugurated in the city. In addition, Asha Jyoti Centres in 11 districts and 181 helpline was also launched along with the rescue vans associated with the centres.

09:36 BJP National Executive meeting to begin today

The Bharatiya Janata Party National Executive and officer bearers meeting will begin in New Delhi on Saturday, as the two-day meeting will discuss current political situation in the country and take stock of organisational issues besides fine-tuning party's strategy for the ensuing Assembly elections in five states.

Party President Amit Shah will inaugurate the meeting where two resolutions related to political and the General Budget will be adopted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the concluding session on Sunday. It will be the first National Executive after Amit Shah took over as President for the second term.

As part of efforts to spread the message of energy conservation, New Delhi will join a billion people in over six cities across the globe to observe the Earth Hour today.

It will be observed by switching off electrical appliances between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm.

As the Earth Hour coincides with the India-Pakistan match in ongoing T20 World Cup, power Distribution Company BSES urged Delhiites to cheer for India while observing the Earth Hour.

09:24

And here is Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik's sand sculpture, wishing luck to Team India for match against Pakistan in the World Cup T20.

08:42 Alaska hit by 6.8-magnitude earthquake: USGS

A strong and shallow 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit off Alaska, US experts said. The quake occurred at 5:35 pm Anchorage time yesterday and was located at a depth of 10 kilometers some 45 miles south of Atka, Alaska, according to the US Geological Survey.

Picture for representation only

08:30 55 dead in passenger jet plane crash in Russia

JUST IN: A UAE plane has crash landed in Southern Russia, killing over 61 people. Euronews reported the flight is said to have come from Dubai and to have crashed on its second attempt to land.

Russian news station RT has published dramatic CCTV imagery of an explosion which appears to have happened close to a main road.

Image: A CCTV grab of the moment when the plane crash landed.

08:14

"The plane with 55 passengers and four or five crew on board, coming from Dubai, crashed as came into land at the airport in Rostov-on-Don,' Marina Kostioukova, spokesman for the local emergencies ministry, was quoted by The Straits Times as saying.

05:41 Woman in paramilitary uniform held near Pathankot cantonment

A woman was on Friday arrested after she was found roaming in paramilitary force uniform near the cantonment area in Pathankot, police said.

The woman, identified as Raminder Kaur, was roaming near the Tank Chowk here wearing force uniform following which army personnel detained her and handed her over to the police, Pathankot SSP R K Bakshi said.

A case has been registered against the woman under Sections 171 (misuse of uniform), 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

Police also recovered logos of Punjab Police and the Border Security Force while frisking her, he said.

The woman claimed that she was 25 years old but police suspect her to be more than 45 years, Bakshi said, adding 'we are verifying her antecedents'.

The woman will also undergo a medical examination on Saturday to find out if she is suffering from any mental illness, he added.

03:34 We won't produce a Hitler, says RSS chief

In an apparent rejoinder to the criticism that Hindu nationalism is akin to fascism, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh supremo Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said India was bound to become a great country, but, in the process, no Hitler would arise.

Speaking at the inauguration of a Vaidik School in Dehu, the birthplace of Saint Tukaram, 35 km from Pune, Bhagwat said, "India is among the few ancient nations of the world and as we are ancient, we are like elder brother to the rest of the world. With the rich legacy of spirituality and guidance of great saints, we will achieve the status of world leader."

"India is bound to become a big and great nation. However, in this process of becoming big, no Hitler will be born," he said.

"Buddha will be born, Shankaracharya will be born and saints will be born," he said.

"We have all the resources and what we need is devoted people and society to achieve the greatness," the RSS chief said.

"In the past, our people went as far as Siberia and Mexico, but we never usurped their land forcefully. Instead, we spread knowledge in the form of yoga, ayurveda, mathematics and science," he said.

02:51 Uttarakhand MLAs arrive in Delhi

JUST IN: Nine rebel Congress MLAs and 26 Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs of the Uttarakhand assembly have arrived in New Delhi.

After their arrival at the national capital, former CM and rebel Congress MLA Vijay Bahuguna said that this (Harish Rawat) government was involved in massive corruption and taking Uttarakhand on the path of destruction.

United States President Barack Obama telephoned French President Francois Hollande and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel to congratulate them for the arrest of top Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, officials said today.

"Obama called Hollande to congratulate him for the intervention," the French presidency was quoted by AFP as saying, hours after Abdeslam was arrested in Brussels.

'Congratulations from the President of the United States. Belgium and France stand united in the fight against terrorism,' Michel said on his official twitter account, adding a picture of himself on the phone, standing beside the French president.

A charted flight carrying 35 Uttarakhand MLAs -- including rebel Congress MLAs -- has taken off for Delhi from Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport just now.

While talking to media at the airport, former chief minister and Congress MLA Vijay Bahuguna said he is surprised why CM Harish Rawat has not resigned till now on moral grounds.

"We met the governor and convinced him that this government is in a minority and he should dismiss it," Bahuguna said.

Hours after his release from Tihar jail in a sedition case, Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid on Friday said he has no regrets of being jailed and was rather proud of being booked under the said charges.

"We have no regrets of being jailed in this particular case. We are in fact proud of the fact that we have been booked under sedition, a law under which activists like Arundhati Roy and Binayak Sen were booked," Khalid said.

"Our names have been added to the list of those who have been jailed for raising their voices," he told a gathering at the varsity.

In a 35-minute speech, Umar said, "I am not ashamed that I was in jail. Criminals are those who are in power, those in jail are the ones who raise their voice."

"I also don't think that freedom of expression is in danger. It only belongs to those in power. People like (Pravin) Togadia and Yogi Adityanath have all the freedom of expression," he said.

Umar claimed that he was being labelled a terrorist because of Islam, which, he said, he did not practise.

"I never followed Islam but I was called Islamist terrorist. It was not just my trial but entire Muslim community's trial. But I want to ask what if I was practicing Muslim? What if I came from Azamgarh and wore a skull cap? That will be enough to give me a terrorist certificate," he said.

Khalid, who was welcomed at the gathering by JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and his 6-year-old sister Sara, said, "Those who are raising concerns about wastage of taxpayers' money, we want to tell them we are not going to go back to studies now that we are back from jail. By jailing us you have given bigger responsibilities on our shoulders and we will fulfil that by fighting."

Trouble mounted for the Harish Rawat government in Uttarakhand as 35 MLAs of his party and the Bharatiya Janata Party are leaving for Delhi tonight to discuss the crisis with top leadership.

Earlier, nine Congress MLAs, known to be loyalists of former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, rebelled against the state government and supported the BJP's claim to form a new government in the state.

"Rawat should immediately resign on moral grounds," said Bahuguna as he prepared to meet Governor K K Paul with his colleagues.

Rawat, meanwhile, said that the government was in majority and there was no threat to his chair.

"Everything was normal in the house, all that ruckus happened after adjournment of the house. If the Opposition has any doubt over our majority, it should give no confidence motion. We'll prove our majority on the floor," Rawat said.

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