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Sun, 04 September 2016
Obama predicts voters will say 'no' to Trump in November

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22:12   Obama predicts voters will say 'no' to Trump in November
US President Barack Obama said that American voters will say 'no' to Donald Trump in the November election.

Trump has embraced a hard-line policy against illegal immigration but has said he favours the legal entry of immigrants with job skills needed in US industry.

Still, Obama blasted the Republican presidential nominee for promoting  'intolerance' and government policies 'that are contrary to our values, banning certain classes of people because of who they are or what they look like, what faith they practice.'

"We have to be pretty hard about saying no to that," the US president said. 'And I think that America will do that this time as well."

Trump last year advocated a total ban on Muslims entering the United States, in reaction to a series of deadly Islamist terror attacks around the world.

Since then he has amended that proposal to focus on nation-specific immigration bans on terror-rife countries where it's impossible to vet incoming people.
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21:27   Caught in a sex sting, British MP Keith Vaz slams newspaper
Britain's Labour MP Keith Vaz has hit back at allegations that he met two male prostitutes by saying he was a victim of a 'deeply disturbing' newspaper sting.

The 59-year-old was forced to quit his esteemed role as the chair of the Home Affairs Committee after footage emerged which appeared to show him paying for sex.

Vaz, a married father-of-two, was reportedly caught on camera boasting about having unprotected sex when talking to the men, believed to be Poles.

He said he was outraged by the story and told the BBC in a statement: 'It is deeply disturbing that a national newspaper should have paid individuals to have acted in this way.

'I have referred these allegations to my solicitor, Mark Stephens of Howard Kennedy, who will consider them carefully and advise me accordingly.' 
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20:52  
JUST IN: Police foil a protest march in Rainawari (Srinagar). Two local journalists got injured while covering the march.
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20:19   Complaint against AAP's Ashutosh for comparing Nehru to Sandeep Kumar
A complaint was filed at Mumbai's Sakinaka police station against AAP leader Ashutosh for "insulting" people of the country by referring to icons like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru while defending tainted party minister Sandeep Kumar who has been booked for rape.
The complainant Akhilesh Tiwari stated that Ashutosh has insulted entire citizens of country by comparing Kumar with Nehru and Gandhi, and demanded registration of FIR against the Aam Aadmi Party leader.

A senior police officer, attached to Versova police station said, "We have received a complaint, but no case has been registered yet. The matter is being looked into."

In his blog written for a TV channel, Ashutosh had referred to the alleged affairs of Nehru and Gandhi while seeking to defend Kumar.

Kumar was sacked as minister after an "objectionable" CD, in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman, surfaced.
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20:04   2 more Indians infected with Zika in Singapore
Two more Indians have been infected with Zika virus in Singapore, taking the total number of Indian nationals tested positive for the mosquito-borne disease in the city-state to 15, health officials said today. 

As Singapore grapples with rising number of the mosquito-borne disease, Indian high commission said they are in regular contact with Singapore health ministry which has confirmed 26 new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus as of yesterday noon, bringing the total cases to 215.

Authorities are continuing with their efforts to bring the population of Aedes mosquitoes under control in affected areas. 

With the two new cases, total number of Indians infected with Zika virus reached 15 in Singapore, officials said.
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19:36   Indian sport can grow only if we invest time and expertise: Bindra's parting shot
Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra, India's lone individual Olympic gold medallist, today officially announced his retirement from shooting, saying,"It is time to move on and hand over the baton to the younger generation".

After ruling the shooting range for more than a decade, Bindra, who will soon turn 34, hads set his sights on his new business venture.
    
"I am trying to earn a living. I am involved in business, trying to earn a living, put food on the plate. Well I am interested in sport but sport you know is not going to give me much money. I am involved in certain things, which is to do with fitness, doing something on the medical side, and I am also trying to do something on high performance side of sports," Bindra said.
    
At the end of his illustrious career, Bindra was asked about his vision for Indian sports.
    
"I would like Indian sport to grow and I think that can be only possible if we are able to invest in grassroots and set up programmes and systems for people to come in and join sport. That requires investment, that requires expertise, it also requires a lot of patience, and it also requires will," Bindra said.
    
He added: "Because when you start to invest in grassroots it's not something you are going to get payback or returns immediately. You might get a return in 10 to 20 years, so you need to have that ability to persist. I thing that is the only way we could develop as a country and we could at one point of time win double digit Olympic medals
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18:53   Newly discovered fish named after Obama; its his second!
Scientists have named a small maroon and gold fish species after the US PresidentBarack Obama which was discovered 300 feet deep in the waters of Kure Atoll in the Pacific ocean. 

The fish, of the genus Tosanoides, was named in honour of Obama for his commitment to protecting nature through the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, researchers said.

It was discovered in June this year during a research trip to Kure, the world's northernmost atoll.

This is not the first fish to be named after Obama. A species of darters found only in the Duck River and the Buffalo River in US was named Etheostoma obama in 2012.
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18:39  
JUST IN: Aam Aadmi Party announces Gurpreet Ghuggi as new Punjab convener
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18:16   Vatican chose Mumbai graphic designer's art for Mother Teresa's canonisation
The Vatican chose Mumbai based Karen Vaswanis smiling mother design as the official logo for use worldwide for the canonisation of Mother Teresa. 

This logo will be used for all official communication in the media about the Canonisation as well as on official merchandise like T-shirts, caps, bags and assorted products memorializing the event.

"I think it was the expression on Mother Teresas face that made the difference. Everyone loved the smile on her face, which exudes a warm motherly feeling, she said about her design. 
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17:50   Separatists Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Geelani refuse to meet all-party delegation
All Parties Hurriyat Conference head Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani refused to meet members of the all-party delegation meet who are in Srinagar to resolve the Kashmir issue. 

Kashmir has been facing violence and curfew ever since the murder of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8. 

While Farooq was arrested near Srinagar on Frida and taken to Cheshma Shahi that has been turned into a sub-jail, Geelani has been under house arrest several times during the 58 days of curfew. 

Some members of the all-party delegation said they were ready to meet separatists in order to find a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir crisis. 

Earlier, Geelani had said that he would boycott the all-party delegation. 

Calling for the boycott, Geelani asked the delegation to have a special session of Parliament and accept the disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir to pave the way for holding referendum.

The delegation is coming to Kashmir after passing a resolution that J&K is an integral part of India. We suggest to all stakeholders to refrain from engaging in this meaningless exercise, said Geelani.
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16:57   Modi hails Mother Teresa's sainthood
Hours after Mother Teresa was proclaimed Saint Teresa of Calcutta by Pope Francis in a service at Vatican City, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the process and tweeted, "Sainthood of Mother Teresa is a memorable and proud moment."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently in Huangzhou, China attending the G20 meet where he raised the issue of terrorism and said that countries should not only intensify their efforts to fight terror but also isolate those who support it. 
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16:45  
JUST IN: Sitaram Yechury, D Raja and Yousuf Tarigami of the all party delegation on Kashmir, to meet separatist leaders in Srinagar this evening.
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16:23   All-party delegations have lost credibility: Omar Abdullah
Former Jammu and Kashmir ChiefMinister Omar Abdullah today met the all-party delegation led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here and said such efforts have lost credibility as there has hardly been anyfollow-up after similar visits in the past.

During his hour-long interaction with the delegation,Omar recalled the previous all-party delegation visits since 1990 to Kashmir and said that "unfortunately when things cool down, there is no progress on the issue". He said the MPs who have come here this time face a mammoth task in their hands to revive faith in this process.

Omar also spoke of "continuous failure of the state government and its dilly dallying tactics".

"Mehbooba Mufti should decide whether she wants to be the chief minister or Leader of Opposition. In the morning she says one thing and does a complete about turn by evening. She wants that Hurriyat should be talked to but in the evening she puts them under arrest," he said.

Omar said such all-party delegations have lost credibility because there was no follow up after their visits in the past.
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16:02   Vadodara man killed in cow attack
In a freak incident, a stray cow attacked and killed a motorcycle-borne man in Vadodara this morning, the second such case in the city in less than a week. 

The deceased was identified as Shoal M Thakor, 29, who was on his way to a friend's house on a motorcycle when the incident occurred. "The man was passing through a road near the CNG petrol pump in the Race Course area when the cow came charging at him. As it hit the man, one of the horns of the animal pierced through his chest and he started bleeding. 

"He was rushed to SSG Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries," municipal corporator of the area Rajesh Iyre said.
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15:43   Jesus Christ statue vandalised in Mumbai
A statue of Jesus Christ was vandalised by unknown persons in Mumbai's Juhu Tara area on Sunday afternoon even as the world celebrated Mother Teresa's canonisation. 

On Sunday, bestowing sainthood on Mother Teresa, Pope Francis said, "For the honour of the Blessed Trinity... we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Kolkata to be a Saint and we enroll her among the Saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church."
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15:14  
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the Indian delegation at Mother Teresa's canonisation ceremony at St Peter's Square in Vatican
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15:04   A toy train ride to honour Mother Teresa
Even as the solemn canonisation ceremony was underway in faraway Rome, members of the Darjeeling branch of the Lay Missionaries of Charity today took an 8-km ride on the iconic Darjeeling toy train to retrace the trip Mother Teresa took on September 10, 1946. 

"We wished to experience what Mother Teresa must have felt during that time of September 10, 1946 when she got the 'call within the call' during her trip from the plains (NJP-Siliguri) to Darjeeling and her life's course changed forever," Father Peter Lingdam, LMC's Darjeeling Branch Director said. 

"Today's ride in the toy train is symbolic. Maybe some of us will also be enlightened like her," Father Lingdam said. On September 10, 1946, during her journey to Darjeeling in the toy train the Mother received the "call within the call" within her soul and the course of her life was decided, the Father said. 

Lay Missionaries of Charity is an International Association of 'lay persons' (married and single) adhering to the Spirit of the Missionaries of Charity.
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14:38  
That's nuns from the Missionaries of Charity watching a live telecast of the canonisation of Mother Teresa from Rome, at The Mother House in Kolkata.
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14:29  
The relic of Mother Teresa '" 'I Thirst'
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14:15   Pope Francis declares Mother Teresa a saint
It's official. Pope Francis has declared Mother Teresa as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Thousands have gathered at St Peter's Square in Vatican City to attend the service that bestows sainthood on Mother Teresa. 

Many Indians are present at the ceremony, including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 
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14:12  
For those who don't know, here's the method that a candidate is made a saint.

-- Graphic: Reuben NV/Rediff.com 

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14:09   Road named after Mother Teresa in Bhubaneswar
An important road in Bhubaneswar was today named after Mother Teresa coinciding with her canonisation ceremony at the Vatican.

Dedicating the road linking Satya Nagar and Cuttack-Puri highway in her memory, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said henceforth the pathway wuld be known as 'Saint Mother Teresa Road'.

"I pay my heartfelt tributes to Mother Teresa on her cannonisation as Saint Mother Teresa. She arrived in India in 1929 and made this country her home to serve the poor, the deceased and the destitute," Patnaik said.

"It is time for all of us to take a leaf from her book of compassion and service and work for the poor and distressed. Let's work for the dignity of every human being and the people around us," he said.

The decision to name the road after Mother Teresa was taken at the request of the Odisha Catholic Bishops Council Chairman Archbishop John Barwa.

In Odisha, the Missionaries of Charity, the organisation created by Mother Teresa, has 18 homes.

She had first visited Bhubaneswar in 1974 and met the then Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy and Governor Akbar Ali Khan. Since then she visited Odisha several times.
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14:05  
Here is another view of the ceremony currently underway at St Peter's Square, Vatican City. Pope Francis will soon declare her Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
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14:00   Thousands throng St Peter's Square as Mother Teresa's sainthood ceremony begins
Thousands of followers of Mother Teresa have congregated at St Peter's Square in Vatican City as Pope Francis begins the ceremony to bestow sainthood on Mother Teresa. 

Today, Mother Teresa will be conferred sainthood. 
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13:48   Pope to offer lunch in the spirit of Mother Teresa
Pope Francis will offer Neapolitan pizza to 1,500 people which will be served Sunday afternoon in the atrium of the Paul VI Hall following the canonisation of Mother Teresa.

Invitees are the poor and needy, especially from the houses of the Sisters of Mother Teresa. They come from all over Italy including Milan, Bologna, Florence, Naples and all the houses in Rome.

The lunch guests travelled at night in coaches to attend the lunch which will be served by around 250 Sisters of Mother Teresa, 50 Brothers of the congregation for men and other volunteers.

Those attending the lunch have also been invited to attend the Canonization Mass.
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13:07   Obama says shouldn't 'overcrank' significance of Hangzhou airport row
US President Barack Obama said on Sunday his talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a day earlier had been "extremely productive" and that the significance of a row between US and Chinese officials at the airport upon his arrival shouldn't be overblown.

"I wouldn't overcrank the significance" of tensions at the airport, Obama told a news conference in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, where global leaders are convening for a G20 summit.

Obama's last scheduled trip to China before leaving office got off to an awkward start soon after Air Force One landed in Hangzhou when a Chinese security official blocked National Security Adviser Susan Rice on the tarmac and yelled at another US official trying to help journalists get closer to Obama.
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12:54  
Mother Teresa's canonization: Visuals from Vatican square where ceremony will commence.
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12:49   'If Mufti was serious about talks, she should have released Hurriyat leaders'
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should have released the Hurriyat leaders if she was serious about talks but she "was not clear in her own head" about the way forward, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has said after she invited the separatists to meet the all-party delegation.

"As CM she arrests them (separatists) and as @jkpdp president she invites them to talk and then we wonder why Kashmir burns!!!!

"When the CM of J-K isn't clear in her own head about the way forward how do we expect her government to react and act as a cohesive unit?" Omar said in a series of tweets. 

Mehbooba, in her capacity as PDP president, yesterday, wrote letters to top separatist leaders seeking their cooperation in the peaceful resolution of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir by engaging with the all-party delegation that
arrived in Srinagar today.

However, Omar, the former chief minister, said instead of releasing the letter to the media, Mehbooba should have released the separatists who are under detention.

"Instead of releasing her letter to the press @MehboobaMufti should have released the detained Hurriyat leaders if she was serious about talks," the National Congress working president said.

He said even as some of the separatist leaders were in jail, the chief minister asked them to suggest time and place to meet the delegation.

"Mirwaiz (Umar Farooq) is in a government sub-jail, Yasin (Malik) is in central jail, others are spread in various prisons and she asks them to suggest the time & place!!!" Omar said.

Taking a jibe, the former chief minister said Mehbooba should instead furnish a list of the jails where the separatists were lodged and notify the visiting hours to the delegation to allow them to meet the separatists.
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12:30   Sonia hails canonisation of Mother Teresa
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today hailed the canonisation of Mother Teresa saying it was a recognition of her service to the poorest of poor, the dying and destitute.

Describing the life of Mother Teresa as "an epitome of grace, compassion and love", Gandhi said that "her saintly life will forever inspire humanity to commit to the cause of those who have no voice, no community, no home, no care and no love."

Wishing the Missionaries of Charity great success, she stressed that every Indian took great pride in the life, work and sainthood of Mother Teresa and shall be always grateful for her service.
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12:15   Hizbul chief vows to turn Kashmir into graveyard for armed forces
As all-party meet reach Kashmir to attempt bring peace to the valley, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin has said he will turn entire Kashmir into a "graveyard' for Indian armed forces. 

In an interview with the Times of India, Salahuddin, disregarding the all-party meet, said talks would be futile and the only answer to the issue of Kashmir was militancy.

The Kashmiri leadership, people and mujahideen should know there is no formal, peaceful way."

Salahuddin has warned of his might, threatening to take the entire region into [militancys] fold. He also said that the militancy movement took a sharp turn after the Hizbul militant Burhan Wani was killed on July 8
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11:47   Sindhu, Malik likely to be new faces of Swachh Bharat Mission
Rio Olympics medalists P V Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, besides olympian Dipa Karmakar are likely to be the new faces of Swachh Bharat Mission for creating awareness about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative.

"We are very keen to involve both Olympic medal winners Sakshi Malik and P V Sindhu along with gymnast Dipa Karmakar, in Swachh Bharat Mission. The stories about role of hygeine and sanitation in their sucess will be great booster for this mission," Secretary, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Parameswaran Iyer said.

He said these sportstars can inspire many women, especially in rural areas.

"We will approach the sports ministry for involving these Olympians," he said.

Modi had nominated 27 prominent personalities from various walks of life for promoting his pet programme.

The list includes Amitabh Bachchan, Ramdev, Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Ambani, among others.
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11:00   The process of sainthood

The canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta on Sunday will be the culmination of a process - sometimes called "the saint-making machine" - that is long, complex, expensive, opaque and often contentious.

The Catholic Church posthumously confers sainthood on people considered so holy during their lives that they are now believed to be with God and can intercede with him to perform miracles. Such is the status of the nun acclaimed for her work in Kolkata.

See the graphic (left) to know the process of sainthood
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10:54   Kashmir: Violence rages even as all-party panel arrives
Even as the all-party delegation arrived in Srinagar on Sunday, violence continues unabated in the Valley even as curfew-like restrictions continued.

Protesters on Sunday set the under-construction building of the mini secretariat in Shopian on fire.

A youth was on Saturday killed in clashes between protesters and security forces in Qazigund area of South Kashmir taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest to 71 even as curfew continued in parts of Srinagar in view of the separatists call for occupying Lal Chowk and Airport Road in Srinagar.

The separatists have extended the shutdown programme till September 8.

Two police personnel are among those killed while several thousand others have been injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in the Valley since Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8.

Photograph: Umar Ganie
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10:39   All-party delegation arrives in Kashmir
An all-party delegation led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has left for Kashmir on Sunday to hold talks with representatives of all political parties and other stakeholders to ensure return of normalcy to the Valley.

At least 28 parliamentarians and senior government officials will be part of the delegation that will be in the state for two days. The delegation will also meet Governor and chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Ahead of the visit, political parties on Saturday pitched for holding dialogue with "all stakeholders", including Hurriyat and banning the use of pellet guns by security forces.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti too has called for engaging all sections of the society, including Hurriyat Conference, in a credible and meaningful political dialogue for resolution of the problems in the Valley.

The chief minister said it is perhaps for the first time that the Kashmir issue has been, during the past two months, discussed in so many forums and at so many levels, including Parliament and at all-party meetings, where judicious views were put across by all shades of the country's political opinion on how to end the stalemate.
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10:29  
Mother Teresa's canonisation: A statue of Mother Teresa unveiled at Seashore St Anthony's Shrine in Chennai.

Photograph: ANI Photo
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10:22  
Mother Teresa's canonisation: Special prayers being offered at Sacred Heart Church, Bengaluru.

Photograph: ANI Photo
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10:14   UP: Dalit couple bashed up for refusing to work in fields
A Dalit couple was allegedly assaulted by some land owners when they refused to do manual labour in their sugarcane fields in Pipalhera village in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Raju was beaten up by Inam Singh and three of his family members yesterday when he refused to work in their sugarcane fields. His wife Mantesh was also beaten up and misbehaved with when she tried to rescue her husband, police said.

Meanwhile, members of Dalits community gheraoed Khatoli police station and protested over the incident. 

A complaint has been filed and police is investigating the case.

In another incident, two Dalits Rajbir and Vipin Kumar were injured in an alleged attack by people belonging to another caste at Sherpur village under Purkazi police station in the district. A complaint has been filed with the police after irate people protested over the incident.
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10:08  
Procession taken out in Allahabad celebrating Mother Teresa's canonization.

Photograph: ANI
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10:04  
Saint Teresa: Special mass held at Immaculate conception Church in Panaji, Goa.

Photograph: ANI
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09:38   Mother Teresa to be declared saint today
Mother Teresa will be declared a saint by Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church in a canonisation ceremony in Vatican City on Sunday.

From India, a 12-member central delegation led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and two state government-level delegations from Delhi and West Bengal, led by Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, respectively, will be in attendance during the function.

A group of around 40-50 nuns from different parts of the country will be present at the ceremony led by Missionaries of Charity Superior General Sister Mary Prema. 

Besides Archbishop of Kolkata Thomas D'Souza, about 45 bishops from all over India are now in Vatican.

Earlier in March, Pope Francis had announced that Mother Teresa would be made a saint in a canonisation ceremony on September 4 on the eve of her 19th death anniversary.

Teresa worked with the poor in Kolkata for nearly four decades, having initially come to eastern India as a missionary teacher with Ireland's Loreto order. Born to Kosovar Albanian parents in what is now Macedonia in 1910, Teresa died in 1997.

By then she was a household name around the world and also a citizen of India. 

Photograph: Mamata Banerjee/Twitter
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09:31   Modi calls on BRICS to help developing nations
Asserting that BRICS as a group is an influential voice in international discourse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that it is a shared responsibility of the group to shape an internal agenda in such a manner that developing nations achieve their objectives.

Prime Minister Modi made the remarks as the BRICS leaders held meeting on the sidelines of G20 Summit, which is scheduled to take place on September 4-5 in Hangzhou City of China.

"We, as BRICS are an influential voice in international discourse. It is, therefore, our shared responsibility to shape the international agenda. Our shared responsibility is to shape international agenda in such a manner that helps developing nations achieve their objectives," Prime Minister Modi said.

He added that as the chair of BRICS, building responsive, inclusive and collective solutions is theme we've chosen which mirrors central priorities at the G20 Summit. 

Prime Minister Modi insisted on deepening ties with the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation countries.

"We have taken BRICS out of capitals to involve people from all walks of life. It'll be an opportunity to deepen our ties and with BIMSTEC countries," he said. 

BIMSTEC is an international organisation comprising of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

He also welcomed all the BRICS leaders to the BRICS Summit which is going to take place later this year in Goa.

The 8th BRICS summit is scheduled to be held in Goa on October 15 and 16.

Photograph: Vikas Swarup/MEA/Twitter
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08:57   Dirty water: NGT summons Delhi Environment Secy
The National Green Tribunal has taken exception to non-submission of status report on quality of water supplied to households in the national capital by the Delhi government despite repeated directions.

Noting that not even a single report has been filed till date, the bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar summoned the Environment Secretary of Delhi government with the report on the next date of hearing -- September 9. 

"Vide our judgment dated December 10, 2015, orders dated May 31, 2016 and July 27, 2016 we had granted last opportunity for filing the report, no report has been filed till date. We direct Secretary, Environment, NCT of Delhi to be present in person with complete records of the Committee proceedings on September 9, 2016," the bench said.

The appalling picture of water supply in the capital had last year prompted the tribunal to seek the response of the city government in the matter. 

The green panel had taken suo moto cognisance of a newspaper report, which had revealed that the "stinking and dirty" water flowing through water supply lines and the borewells were pumping out contaminated water. 

Later, it had constituted a committee comprising Secretary Environment and representatives from Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Delhi Jal Board, Central Pollution Control Board and all municipal corporations and asked them to submit a complete and comprehensive report.
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08:43   Mamata tweets photos of Vatican monuments
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a week-long visit to Rome and Germany to attend Mother Teresa's canonisation ceremony and meet potential investors, has tweeted photographs of the Vatican gearing up for the Canonisation ceremony.

She is leading one of three Indian delegations attending the ceremony -- all of whom are housed at the Gran Melia hotel at Vatican city.

according to a telegraph report, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Mamata flew in on the same flight from Dubai to Rome. Although there was a courtesy meeting between them in Dubai, Indian diplomats have been struggling to get Mamata to join Sushma in the front row for tomorrow's big event.

Prior to her departure, Mamata had tweeted: "At the invitation of Missionaries of Charity, I am leaving for the holy Vatican City to participate in the canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa. Mother was the mother of humanity. Her love for the ailing, the needy and the entire humanity was unbounded."

"Bengal is more proud as Mother lived and worked here and showered us with her abundant love and care. It is indeed a moment of great pride and honour. Bless us Mother, so that we can continue to serve the people," Banerjee said.
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08:19   Modi meets Xi ahead of G20 summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hangzhou amid differences between the two countries over a raft of issues, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. 

The meeting was held on Sunday morning on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit at the Hangzhou West Lake State Guest House. 

"First engagement in Hangzhou is a meeting with the host. PM @narendramodi meets President Xi Jinping," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

The meeting between the two leaders comes in the backdrop of contentious issues, including listing of Pakistan-based terrorist organisations in the UN, China stalling India's membership at the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group and $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The two leaders had last met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in June in Tashkent and are again set to meet in Goa next month on the sidelines of BRICS summit.

China too has been concerned over the close ties of India with the US and the recently signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement which will give the militaries of both countries access to each other's facilities for supplies and repairs.
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00:27   Libya pro-govt forces attack last IS bastion in Sirte
Forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Accord said they launched a new attack on Saturday on diehards of the Islamic State group in the coastal city of Sirte, AFP has reported.
Backed by weeks of United States air strikes, the pro-GNA forces have recaptured nearly all of what had been the jihadists' main stronghold in North Africa.
The city's fall would be a huge setback to IS's efforts to expand its self-proclaimed "caliphate" beyond Syria and Iraq where the jihadists have also suffered losses. 
"The fighting has begun. We are attacking the last Daesh positions in district three" where the jihadists are cornered, a GNA fighter told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

The GNA forces media centre confirmed on Facebook that the new push had begun to retake Sirte, located 450 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli.
"Our forces are advancing inside the areas where Daesh is, in district three, and so far have taken control of" two banks and a hotel, the media centre said.
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00:05   More Turkish tanks enter Syria in new front: State media
Turkey on Saturday sent more tanks into the northern Syrian village of al-Rai to fight Islamic State extremists, opening a new front after its intervention last month against the group, state media reported.
The tanks crossed into the village from Elbeyli in the Turkish province of Kilis to provide military support to Syrian opposition fighters after ridding northern villages of extremists in its "Euphrates Shield" operation launched on August 24, state-run Anadolu news agency said.
At least 20 tanks, five armoured personnel carriers, trucks and other armoured vehicles crossed the border after noon, Dogan news agency said.
Turkish Firtina howitzers fired on IS targets as the fresh armoured contingent advanced, Dogan said.
In the last few months, al-Rai has repeatedly changed hands between rebels and IS.
This is Ankara's most ambitious operation during the five-and-a-half-year Syria conflict, backed by the tanks as well as war planes and special forces providing support to rebels.
The goal is to remove IS from its border and to halt the westward advance of the Kurdish People's Protection Militia.

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