LIVE! Will not quit Samajwadi Party, says Akhilesh

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Sun, 23 October 2016

Will not quit Samajwadi Party, says Akhilesh

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21:22 No appeal by PM for using only India-made goods on Diwali: Officials

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made no appeal asking people to use only India-made crackers, decorative materials and sweets during Diwali, senior government officials said today, terming as "not authentic" the messages circulating in this regard.

"No such appeal has been made by the PM," said the officials said in the wake of some commercial establishments displaying a "purported" letter of Modi.

"Any such letter or appeal showing the PM's photograph or carrying his signature, is not authentic," they said.

Sometime back, the PMO had tweeted, "Few appeals with PMs signature are circulated on social media. Such documents are not authentic."

The officials said the Prime Minister has been a strong votary of Indian products and has often promoted the use of Khadi on various occasions but "no specific appeal related to the festive occasion of Diwali has been made by him."

The PM's "purported" message had even misled Pudducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi who had shared it on her twitter handle only to "regret" it later.

"Am informed that this is not our PM's message. I regret the post. However personally I prefer my own home grown products. Proud Indian...," she had clarified on twitter later.

Pakistan Rangers once again violated the ceasefire along the International Border at RS Pura sector in Jammu district today as they fired from small arms targeting the Indian posts.

"A few rounds were fired from the Pakistani side this evening which hit the mound near the border," a BSF spokesman said.

He said there was no retaliatory firing from the BSF which was keeping a "strict vigil" along the border.

On Friday night, Pakistan Rangers had targeted the border hamlets and border outposts with mortar shells and had opened fire from automatic weapons along the IB at RS Pura sector.

Seven Pakistan Rangers personnel and a terrorist were killed and three others seriously injured in a befitting retaliatory action by the BSF as the Pakistani troops had targeted six sectors in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was today re-elected unopposed as the ruling Awami League's president, asked cadres to reach out to the people to ensure that the party is returned to power for a third successive term.

Addressing the party's National Council, she said, "Awami League must come back to power to take the nation forward towards its goal of becoming a poverty-free nation."

The Awami League came to power in December 2008 polls and returned to power in the January 2014 polls for a second successive term.

Hasina, 69, began addressing the councillors' session by stressing on the next national elections.

"The polls are coming... For a third win, we need to reach out to the people and tell them about the development done during our tenure," she said. "We need to make the people realise that Awami League in power would ensure socio-economic development," she said.

Hasina said she wants "honesty" among party activists. "As long as I am alive, I want to elect a leader to strengthen the party," she said. But that evoked a negative reaction from the councillors who said "No, no".

Hasina, who has been heading the Awami League since 1981, had said recently that she would be "happy" to retire given the opportunity and if the party manages to find a new leader. Awami leaders, however, insist that there's no alternative to Hasina, bdnews24.com reported.

19:38 Poll-bound UP to get 9 more trains shortly

Ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Railways, which has already introduced about 57 trains in the last two and half years in the state crucial for the BJP-led government, geared up to introduce nine more new trains including the first Humsafar service by November-end this year.

Besides, 142 special trains originating and terminating in the political sensitive state and 550 specials passing through UP are being pressed into service to clear extra rush due to various festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhat in the current fiscal.

However, a senior Railway Ministry official said "The new trains are pressed into service catering to the demand of the people and railways does not differentiate between states."

The much hyped fully AC-3 Humsafar Express for Gorakhpur will be the first among 10 Humsafar trains proposed for various states to be flagged off by railways next month in the election-bound state.

Humsafar AC-3 coaches, specially designed with enhanced aesthetics interior and a new exterior colour scheme, are also equipped with CCTV system, fire detection and prevention system and integrated Braille displays among other facilities.

Train service between Ballia-Anand Vihar, Gorakhpur-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Gorakhpur-Panvel, Gorakhpur-Bandra Terminus, Gorakhpur-Badshahnagar Intercity, Ghazipur-Kolkata, Jaunpur-Bandra Terminus, Deendayalu-Antyodaya Express between Mughalsarai-Nizamuddin via Mathura are slated to be launched in the coming days in UP.

19:35 Dhoni fifth Indian to complete 9000 ODI runs

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today became the fifth Indian and third wicket-keeper to complete 9000 runs in One-Day Internationals.

Dhoni achieved the feat during the third ODI against New Zealand in Mohali today.

He joined an elite club of Indian cricketers, who have scored more than 9000 runs. The top four in the club are Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs), Sourav Ganguly (11,363), Rahul Dravid (10,889) and Mohammad Azharuddin (9378).

He is also the third wicket-keeper to cross the 9000-run mark after Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (14234) and Australian Adam Gilchrist (9619).

Dhoni is well past his prime but the World Cup winning skipper would still go down as one of the greats of the game. His last international century, an unbeaten 139, came here in an ODI against Australia, albeit in a losing cause.

JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadeesh Kumar took to Twitter on Sunday to complain that the students protesting over a missing student had once again 'blockaded' his residence.

In a series of tweets, he said: "You can see the blockade to my JNU residence by agitating students. This will not take us anywhere."

"If any agitating Students have any information that could help trace Najeeb, please share it with Admin. This will help solve the problem."

"By holding a huge gathering and shouting slogans in front of JNU VC residence, can Najeeb be found? We are doing our best to trace him."

"Despite JNUTA distancing itself from agitational mode of students, some teachers are part of huge gathering of students at my residence!"

"First these agitating students have tried to physically confine me in JNU Admin building. Now they are trying at my residence. Repeated appeals to cooperate and not agitate have fallen on deaf ears of student agitators. This is unfortunate. Tracing Najeeb is the job of Police. I will meet Police Commissioner tomorrow. Please stop this and come forward to find Najeeb."

However, JNU students union general secretary Satarupa Chakraborty refuted the vice chancellor's charges.

She said on Twitter, "Dear VC, we are not confining you or blocking your residence. We kindly request you to hear the wailing voices of your students."

Najeeb Ahmad, a first year MSc Biotechnology student, has been missing since October 15, allegedly after an altercation with ABVP members the previous night.

Ramgopal Yadav, who was on Sunday expelled from the Samajwadi Party for six years, wrote a letter to party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav soon after. Here's what he said:

"Mulayam Singh Yadav is not just my elder brother but also my 'guru' in politics, currently is surrounded by evil powers."

"Whether I am in SP or not I will continue to extend my support to Akhilesh Yadav till he becomes CM."

"It is not a crime to meet leaders from any other political party in a democracy."

"Not sad that I have been expelled from the party but I am hurt because of the allegations that have been levelled against me."

The full text of the letter can be read by clicking on the image (left).

18:59 Will not quit Samajwadi Party, says Akhilesh

Notwithstanding his face-off with his father and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has made it clear that he will not leave the party, according to a senior minister.

"I will remain in the party and will keep strengthening it," senior minister Rajendra Chaudhary quoted Akhilesh as having told the meeting of SP legislature party at his residence.

The chief minister also said he would participate in all programmes of the party and participate in the silver jubiliee celebrations of SP on November 5, Chaudhary said in a press release.

At the same time, he said, he would go ahead with his 'rath yatra' that begins on November 3.

Chaudhary's press release assumed significance as speculation is rife that SP was on the verge of split and a new party named National Samajwadi Party or Pragatisheel

Samajwadi Party with motorcycle as its symbol could be launched by the chief minister, who could also skip the November 5 party event.

India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-2 in a high-profile clash of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey in Kuantan, Malaysia. Tap for more

Ramandeep, Rupinder Pal Singh and Pardeep Mor scored for India.

This was the second win of the tournament for India. They now move up to top of the points table with seven points from three matches.

India made a strong comeback after going 1-2 down in the third quarter, but two back-to-back goals from Rupinder Pal Singh and Ramandeep Singh helped them clinch three points.

Today's fixture was the 166th international match between the two countries.

India had won the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy in 2011 by defeating Pakistan in the final. Pakistan reversed the result in the title encounter the following year.

Pakistan retained the title by defeating Japan in the final in 2013, when India sent their under-21 team and finished fifth

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying he "brokered deal" with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena instead of enforcing law and order, amid the row around the release of Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".

"What a sorry state of affairs! CM brokers deal and buys patriotism for 5 crores! After Home minister had promised peaceful passage for #ADHM," Azmi, 66, posted on Twitter.

"Sangh Parivar speaks in different voices most blatant expression is CM MHRSTA brokering deal with MNS instead of enforcing law and order for ADHM release."

Further slamming MNS, Azmi said that the party of noone to decide people's patriotism.

"MNS will decide whether I am patriotic or not? I bow to the Indian Constitution, Raj Thackeray does not. Whose patriotism needs questioning?"

"CM Fadnavis shows scant respect for Home Minister's assurance of safe passage for #ADHM. BJP better haul him up and demand explanation."

Fishermen were today asked by the IMD to be cautions while venturing into sea along the Odisha coast in view of a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, with the system likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm.

A depression over east-central Bay of Bengal moved east-north-eastwards, intensified into a deep depression today and lay centered over east-central Bay of Bengal, about 950 km east-southeast of Gopalpur, the MeT Department said.

The system is most likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm in 24 hours and move north-eastwards to reach close to north Myanmar coast shortly.

Thereafter, it will recurve initially north-northwestwards skirting Myanmar coast and then north-westwards towards the of north-west Bay of Bengal, it said.

While sporadic rainfall may occur in 11 districts in the central and north Odisha on October 26 and 27, weather elsewhere in the state would be generally dry during the next 24 hours, but the sky would be cloudy, Director of the Meteorological Centre here, Sarat Chandra Sahu said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan's continuous support to cross border terrorism with the top leadership of Bahrain and seek their cooperation in tackling international terrorism during his three-day visit to the Gulf country beginning today.

Singh, who left for Manama today, will meet Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa and will discuss with them various bilateral issues.

Pakistan's continuous support to cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be raised by the Home Minister in his meetings with the top leadership of Bahrain.

Singh is also likely to tell them that India cannot take at face any of the assurances that Pakistan provides in regard to stopping terrorism.

In a statement before his departure, Singh said India and Bahrain are working together to further strengthen security and counter terrorism cooperation between the two countries. The home minister said India and Bahrain enjoy excellent bilateral relations characterised by broad-based political, economic and cultural contacts.

The government on Sunday said it is planning to further relax the visa regime "shortly" to attract more tourists and businesses to the country.

"We plan to further liberalise our visa regime for tourism, business as well as other areas shortly," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said at the valedictory session of the Global Investors Meet in Indore.

She said visa was one of the areas of concern for foreigners and Indians living abroad.

The minister said the government has already taken steps to address these concerns.

In November 2014, government launched the e-visa scheme for over 100 countries. It was extended to 37 more countries this year, taking the total number to 150.

"With the launch of the e-visa scheme, tourist arrivals in India has steadily increased," she said, adding the 25 million strong Indian diaspora, comprising NRIs and PIOs, are a significant force for promoting India's interests abroad.

Ram Gopal Yadav expelled from the Samajwadi Party and general secretary position for 6 years, Shivpal Singh Yadav, who was on Sunday booted from the Akhilesh Yadav Cabinet, informed.

Addressing media persons in Lucknow, Shivpal said: "He is involved with corrupt people, Ram Gopal has always misused name of Netaji; had raised this issue at various party fora."

"Ram Gopal Yadav is trying to malign the party, Akhilesh is not understanding it."

"They have created a group of goons who trouble people and create every kind of nuisance in the state. He (Ram Gopal) has been conspiring against me, he has been involved with BJP to save his son," Shivpal said.

Earlier today, Ram Gopal, the party's general secretary, declared that being with Akhilesh means being with the winning side.

"Those who oppose Akhilesh won't be able to show their faces in the legislative assembly. Where Akhilesh is, victory follows," Ram Gopal said in a letter released to party workers.

Ram Gopal also asked party workers to strengthen Akhilesh's hand, especially ahead of the November 3 rath yatra called by the UP CM

Amid growing strain in India-Pakistan ties, the government is planning to fast-track four projects in Indus river basin to increase irrigation area in Jammu and Kashmir by nearly 2.05 lakh acres, weeks after India decided to "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per Indus Water Treaty.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last month chaired a meeting to review the 56-year-old IWT in the aftermath of the Uri attack, asserting that "blood and water cannot flow together."

Of these four projects, three -- Tral Irrigation Project in Pulwama, Prakachik Khows Canal in Kargil and restoration and modernisation of main Ravi Canal in Jammu's Sambha and Kathua -- are expected to be completed by this fiscal. The fourth project of Rajpora Lift Irrigation is planned to be completed by December 2019.

While the first three projects will help irrigate around 1.45 lakh acres of land. The Rajpora Lift Irrigation is expected to help irrigat around 59,305 acres of land.

All these works are expected to cost Rs 117 crore for which money will be raised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

"Until now, as per the J&K records, seven lakh acres of land is irrigated in the state. This is a very small number. So, the government is trying to complete work on these projects to increase the size of total irrigated area in the state," sources said.

The sources said technically India can irrigate up to 13 lakh acres of land in Jammu and Kashmir. This target, they said, can be achieved when optimum storage capacity is achieved in the state.

"The projects are being developed well within rights of India and in no way will affect flow of water to Pakistan," they said.

15:49

Shivpal Yadav after being sacked from Akhilesh ministry:

"Not worried about being sacked, it is an attempt by some people to weaken the SP leadership."

"Will fight UP Assembly polls under the leadership of Mulayam Singh Yadav."

15:34 Navy says goodbye to INS Viraat

INS Viraat, the world's oldest aircraft carrier, was accorded a grand send-off from the port city in Kochi on Sunday, after over five decades of its service to the Navy.

The ship, which underwent a decommissioning refit, is being towed back by three tugs to Mumbai for the decommissioning ceremony, a Navy official said.

The final journey of the carrier began with Navy officials led by the Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Nadkarni bidding farewell to the carrier at

Ernakulam Wharf of Cochin Port Trust on Sunday morning.

Viraat is expected to be decommissioned by end of this year, after 55 years of service, including 27 years with the Royal Navy (British Navy).

The Navy has agreed to hand over INS Viraat to Andhra Pradesh government after its decommissioning.

The AP government had shown a keen interest in getting INS Viraat, the oldest aircraft carrier operated by Indian Navy, to berth in Vizag for promotion of tourism after its decommissioning.

Uttar Pradesh, which is set to witness game-changer elections, and four other states will go to polls simultaneously, most likely in February-March next, commencing shortly after the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1.

While it will be a single-day polling in Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur, Uttar Pradesh is likely to have as many as seven phases, sources in the Election Commission said.

The BJP, which had swept the Lok Sabha elections more than two years ago, winning 70 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, is seeking to make a comeback by wresting power after 15 years from the ruling SP. The BSP is expected to give a stiff challenge to both of them.

In Punjab, after two successive terms, the ruling SAD-BJP combine is facing a tough battle from Congress on the one hand and a fledgeling AAP on the other.

Uttarakhand, where the ruling Congress staged a sensational comeback this year following a legal battle, is fighting anti-incumbency and facing challenge from the BJP.

Goa, where the ruling BJP is seeking a fresh term, is pitted against Congress and AAP. In Manipur, the Congress is seeking to retain power.

As a matter of abundant precaution, the government approached the Commission for clearing its proposal to present the Union Budget in Lok Sabha on February one and avoid criticism of violating the model code of conduct that will come into force the day elections are announced.

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani says it is wrong to demand a proof of someone's patriotism.

Director Karan Johar recently made a video appeal to those protesting the release of his directorial venture because it has Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. He said he was a patriot and wouldn't cast Pakistani artistes in future.

Raj Thackeray-led MNS had threatened to stall the movie's release on October 28.

While Nihalani didn't make any direct reference to Johar, when asked about the demand for a ban on Pakistani artistes, he said this environment was created by some, who wanted to gain mileage and no one needs to reiterate his or her patriotism.

"Not only Pakistani actors, there should be no import or export. Even the films we send are via Dubai. Our films are illegally exported there...

"This environment was created by certain people to gain mileage. In this, our film association body IMPPA was also there whose committee members don't make films but to gain mileage they said 'we will ban Pakistani actors'.

"The exhibitor association said 'we will ban too'. I believe nobody is required to give a certificate of their patriotism. Every citizen of this country is patriotic. Nobody needs to give any certificate or fight. People who ask for it are wrong," he said.

12:54

Meanwhile, Shivpal Yadav is at Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's residence after being sacked by Akhilesh Yadav earlier in the day.

12:53 My family wanted me to be an engineer: Aamir Khan

Superstar Aamir Khan entertained the fans as a young, curious engineer in "3 Idiots" but this wouldn't have been possible, had he listened to his parents, who wanted him to pursue engineering.

Aamir, son of director Tahir Hussain and nephew of filmmaker Nasir Husain, has revealed that despite being a film family, his folks were against the idea of him joining Bollywood as they found it volatile.

"At that time almost everyone felt, film industry was not a good place to be. My own family, Nasir sahab (Nasir Hussain) and papa jaan were telling me, 'No. Don't go in films'. Both filmmakers were telling me not to go in films.

"Chacha jaan (Nasir), abba and ammi felt it was such a volatile profession," the 51-year-old said during a panel discussion at the 18th Jio MAMI Mumbai International Film Festival.

Aamir said his family wanted him to do something, which was more "stable".

"One minute you are up there, one minute you are not. There is no certainty or security. They wanted us to be more stable in life, to go into a profession which is more stable. Engineer, doctor, charted accountant.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit his Lok Sabha constituency tomorrow where he is set to launch a number of ambitious projects including a 1500-km-long gas pipeline costing Rs 51,000 crore and doubling of railway tracks on a busy route.

On his eighth visit here since becoming Prime Minister, Modi will launch "Urja Ganga", the gas pipeline project which promises to provide piped cooking gas to residents of Varanasi within two years and, in another year thereafter, cater to millions of people in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

Modi is also scheduled to flag off projects like doubling of railway tracks on the busy Allahabad-Varanasi section and expansion of the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) here besides laying foundation stone for a fully air-conditioned perishable cargo centre.

He will also release a stamp dedicated to the ancient temple town, which is believed to be among the oldest surviving ones in the world.

Besides, he will lay the foundation stone for widening of a road passing through the city's crowded Cantonment area.

12:07

Om Prakash Singh, Narad Rai, and Shadab Fatima are the three other ministers who have been sacked by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav

11:57 1 dead, 3 injured after explosions rock Japanese city

One person was killed and three others were injured Sunday after at least two explosions rocked a Japanese city, authorities said.

Broadcaster NHK reported that blasts took place at two locations in Utsunomiya. One of the locations was in a parking lot near a city park.

Helicopter footage showed two burned-out cars side-by-side in a parking lot. It was not immediately clear what connection they had to the incident.

The broadcaster reported that a camera at its station picked up the sound of three explosions at approximately 11:30 a.m. Sunday (10:30 p.m. ET Saturday). The explosions occurred in a span of approximately one minute and 15 seconds.

A man who was in the park at the time of the blasts told NHK that he heard a loud noise and smelled gunpowder. The witness added that he saw three people on the ground.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav drops uncle Shivpal, 3 others ministers from cabinet, NDTV reports.

The political rift between Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party state unit chief Shivpal Singh Yadav seemed to have widened further on Saturday with former not attending a party meeting despite being invited by the latter.

Akhilesh skipped a meeting of district SP chiefs convened in the state capital on Friday and Saturday and chose to meet them at the chief minister's residence separately.

Shivpal Singh Yadav had called meeting of the party's executive committee and invited the chief minister.

There has been a political tussle between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav over various issues in the party.

Also, there has been differences between Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav on party issues. The state goes to assembly polls early next year.

An 18-year-old Muslim girl who is fighting a battle against triple talaq has urged PM Narendra Modi to take immediate steps to bring uniform civil code to curb traditions which she says have "destroyed" generations of Muslim women.

At 16, Arshiya was married off to a rich vegetable trader, Mohammad Kazim Bagwan. But hardly two years later, he discontinued the relationship by writing `talaq' thrice on a paper. He is not ready to accept her saying he has "no place" for her in his heart. She was asked to leave his home with an eight-month-old child.

"I urge our PM to help women like me and stop this tradition of triple talaq which has destroyed lives of innumerable women," Arshiya, who hails from Baramati, said.

Read the full story HERE

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said that terrorism will not end with surgical strikes.

Owaisi said that army is to be lauded for the surgical strikes but one such attack is not enough to put an end to terrorism. He said that terror attacks are continuously happening even after the surgical strikes.

Owaisi said that India is not learning anything from the terror attacks that keep happening in the country. "Nothing was done after 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Nothing can happen by just making new laws as such laws are only used wrongly and the investigating teams also don't work properly," he said.

Taking a jibe at the BJP government, he said, "The government is only trying to save 2008 Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Prachi."

The highest French civil distinction, Chevalier de la Lgion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) was conferred on Biocon Chairperson and MD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.

The award was conferred by French Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler on behalf of the President of the French Republic.

The honour comes in recognition of her outstanding contribution and dedication to the Biosciences and innovative research in this field. It is also for her achievements in biotechnology and commitment to providing affordable, quality healthcare globally.

Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata, has expressed concern over the alleged growing intolerance in the country, dubbing it "a curse we are seeing of late".

"I think everybody knows where the intolerance is coming from, what it is. Like many thousands, millions of Indians, one wants to see a country without intolerance," Tata said.

Minutes before, he had spoken against the alleged growing intolerance in his address at the 119th foundation day function of Scindia School here, endorsing Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia's views on the issue.

"The Maharaja (Jyotiraditya) talked about intolerance. It is a curse we are seeing of late," the eminent industrialist said in his address.

"We want to live in an environment where we love our fellow men. We don't shoot them, we don't kill them. We don't hold them hostages but give a bit of ourselves and we give and take," Tata added.

AT&T and Time Warner have agreed to an $85 billion deal -- one of the biggest media tie-ups ever.

The move, announced on Saturday evening, will help AT&T expand beyond wireless and Internet service into programming. Time Warner is the parent of CNN, TNT, HBO, the Warner Bros. studio, and other channels and websites.

AT&T (T, Tech30), which dates back to the invention of the telephone in 1876, is one of the country's largest providers of wireless phone and Internet service. It also recently acquired the DirecTV satellite TV business.

The deal will be subject to a review by government regulators that could take more than a year to complete.

AT&T will pay $107.50 a share -- a big premium over where Time Warner stock was trading last week. Including Time Warner's debt, the deal's value is $109 billion.

On a conference call with the media, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said the two companies have been in talks since August. The two met in New York for a "periodic check-in ... and the more we talked, the more the deal fell in place," Bewkes said.

"We have a very common view of the world," Stephenson added. "This thing just had what we called gravity. We started negotiating terms very quickly."

Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav has written a letter to his party workers, warning them against creating resistance for UP CM Akhilesh Yadav.

The letter comes hours ahead of Akhilesh's meeting his MLAs and MLCs, where he is likely to announce launch of a separate party.

Coming out in strong support of Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal said, "Any one protesting against Akhilesh will not set foot inside assembly, as victory follows Akhilesh."

He also said that Akhilesh will defeat all those who dare to stand against him.

Riding on the popular sentiment in favour of the armed forces ever since the Director General of Military Operations announced the surgical strikes along the Line of Control last month, the Prime Ministers Office has launched a campaign asking people to reach out to them for Diwali. The #Sandesh2Soldiers campaign will be spearheaded by Narendra Modi himself, a senior source at the PMO said.

Holistic campaign will be launched to urge and invite people to send letters and messages to the armed forces, confirmed the source. The idea, according to sources, came from Modi earlier this week, to explore how we can make sure that citizens write to soldiers and convey their emotions and gratitude. It will focus on the need to involve the entire population in the cause and increase public interaction with the armed forces.

The 360-degree campaign includes a four-minute video featuring Modi, that the PMO hopes will make waves across social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The video, which was released on Saturday, opens with a child writing a letter to an unknown soldier. In the video, Modi asks people to send greetings to the armed forces, who spend their lives for our happy and peaceful lives trying to defend the country.

According to sources, Modi will read out some of the messages sent by people during his Mann ki Baat address. Doordarshan and All India Radio will also have special programmes for the campaign, which will be endorsed by many celebrities too, said the source.

Apart from letters, people can send their messages to the soldiers through the Narendra Modi mobile app, MyGov app, and through radio.

This is not the first time that Modi is focussing on the armed forces. He spent his last two Diwalis as the Prime Minister with the Army. Moreover, senior women ministers from his cabinet spent Raksha Bandhan with soldiers.

Flying Delhi to San Francisco over the Pacific Ocean instead of the Atlantic, as it had done till last week, has earned Air India the record of operating the world's longest nonstop flight.

The Pacific route is almost 1,400 km longer than the Atlantic one, and the flight covered 15,300 kilometres in 14.5 hours. Despite the route being longer, the flight took almost two hours less thanks to tailwinds -- winds that blow in the same direction as an aircraft and thus make it go faster.

At 13,900 km, the Atlantic route of AI's Delhi-SFO nonstop flight made it the world's second-longest after Emirates' Dubai-Auckland (14,120km). Now, AI's Pacific route will remain the world's longest nonstop for two years, till Singapore Airlines launches the mother of all direct flights -- Singapore-New York -- that will cover 16,500 km in 19 hours.

Another woman has accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct and alleged that she was offered $10,000 to come to his hotel room, threatening the Republican presidential nominee already fragile campaign, less than a month before the election day.

A resident of Los Angeles, Jessica Drake, an adult film actress, said that she met Trump 10 years ago at a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, California. She was then invited to his suite after which she went there along with some her women friends.

Drake, 42, alleged that Trump grabbed her and two other unidentified women tightly and kissed them without their "permission". She was later offered $10,000 for coming to his room. Later, an unknown person called on Trump's behalf, inviting her to come back to his room alone, which she refused.

Eleven woman have so far accused Trump of sexual misconduct since the leak of 2005 video in which he is seen making lewd remarks about woman, prompting a rare apology from the Republican presidential candidate.

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