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Wed, 28 September 2016
Ukraine rebels deny downing MH17, reject probe findings
Timeline Refresh
23:34 Ukraine rebels deny downing MH17, reject probe findings
A top pro-Russian separatist commander in eastern Ukraine today denied Dutch findings blaming the downing of Flight MH17 on a Russian missile fired from rebel-held territory.
"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.
A criminal inquiry in the Netherlands found today that the missile that shot the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 out of the sky was snuck out of and back into Russia.
The investigators also confirmed that the missile that slammed into the plane was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of the separatists at the time.
But the Dutch-led investigation did not directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK missile and its transporter system-- and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.
"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told AFP.
A criminal inquiry in the Netherlands found today that the missile that shot the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 out of the sky was snuck out of and back into Russia.
The investigators also confirmed that the missile that slammed into the plane was fired from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of the separatists at the time.
But the Dutch-led investigation did not directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK missile and its transporter system-- and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.
23:04 Separatists extend Kashmir shutdown call by one more week
Seeking to keep the pot boiling, separatists on Wednesday extended by one more week the shutdown in Kashmir which has already paralysed normal life in the valley over the last past 82 days.
'From 6 pm Thursday evening, march one and all from the entire Jammu and Kashmir towards the Lal Chowk, Srinagar,' said a statement issued by the separatists who are spearheading the ongoing unrest in the valley.
Kashmir has been in the grip of an unrest since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.
As many as 82 persons including two cops have died while several thousand others have been injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces over the past 82 days.
'From 6 pm Thursday evening, march one and all from the entire Jammu and Kashmir towards the Lal Chowk, Srinagar,' said a statement issued by the separatists who are spearheading the ongoing unrest in the valley.
Kashmir has been in the grip of an unrest since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.
As many as 82 persons including two cops have died while several thousand others have been injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces over the past 82 days.
22:27 No more janata darshan in future: Akhilesh
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today announced there will be no 'Janata darshan', a platform where he used to hear grievances of people, in future.
'There will be no Janta Darshan from today onwards,' the Chief Minister's Office announced through its Twitter handle.
Though no reasons have been cited, sources said the decision has been taken in view of approaching assembly elections and possible engagements of the chief minister in political events.
Janata Darshan (meet-the-people) was started when party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav became the chief minister of the state for the first time.
During the programme, the CM met the people, heard their grievances and directed officials concerned to take action. The practice was, however, discontinued when the Bahujan Samaj Party was in power and Mayawati was the chief minister.
The doors of the UP chief minister's residence, 5, Kalidas Marg, were again opened on April 18, 2012 to let in people who visited the state capital for redress of their problems.
It was a radical departure from the five-year stint of Mayawati in 2007-2012 when there was no direct interaction of the CM with the people.
Akhilesh Yadav, who had promised a more responsive chief minister's office, had deviated from Mayawati's tradition and opened the door of his residence for people.
'There will be no Janta Darshan from today onwards,' the Chief Minister's Office announced through its Twitter handle.
Though no reasons have been cited, sources said the decision has been taken in view of approaching assembly elections and possible engagements of the chief minister in political events.
Janata Darshan (meet-the-people) was started when party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav became the chief minister of the state for the first time.
During the programme, the CM met the people, heard their grievances and directed officials concerned to take action. The practice was, however, discontinued when the Bahujan Samaj Party was in power and Mayawati was the chief minister.
The doors of the UP chief minister's residence, 5, Kalidas Marg, were again opened on April 18, 2012 to let in people who visited the state capital for redress of their problems.
It was a radical departure from the five-year stint of Mayawati in 2007-2012 when there was no direct interaction of the CM with the people.
Akhilesh Yadav, who had promised a more responsive chief minister's office, had deviated from Mayawati's tradition and opened the door of his residence for people.
22:09 Hundreds of tourists missing after volcano erupts on Indonesian island
Indonesian authorities are searching for several hundred tourists after Mount Barujari on Lombok island spewed a massive column of ash into the atmosphere.
More than 1,100 others have been evacuated, the countrys disaster agency said on Wednesday.
The volcano, also known as the Child of Rinjani because it sits within the Mount Rinjani caldera, erupted without warning on Tuesday afternoon, delaying flights from airports in Lombok and nearby Bali.
The ash column reached 2,000 metres.
A Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said nearly 400 foreign and local tourists had been registered since Sunday to climb the mountain, leaving from the Sembalun monitoring post, about 11km from the crater.
Read more HERE
22:03 Historic defeat for Obama; Senate overrides his veto on 9/11 bill
The United States Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of legislation allowing lawsuits against foreign sponsors of terrorism, setting up an almost certain and historic defeat for the White House on the bill.
The House is expected to follow suit within hours, making it the first veto of Obamas presidency that has been overturned by Congress.
Obama vetoed the legislation Friday because he said the bill -- known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA -- would infringe on the president's ability to conduct foreign policy. It was the 12th veto of his presidency.
But after an intense, lengthy push by 9/11 survivors and families of victims who want to sue Saudi Arabia based on claims the country played a role in the 2001 terror attack, even Obamas Democratic allies on Capitol Hill voted to override his veto.
"In our polarized politics of today, this is pretty much close to a miraculous occurrence," said Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas. Democrats and Republicans in both cambers have agreed, he said, that the bill "gives the victims of the terrorist attack on our own soil an opportunity to seek the justice they deserve.".
21:59
Just In: Senate has enough votes to override US President Barack Obama's veto of 9/11 bill allowing families to sue Saudi Arabia, vote is continuing.
21:53 India to take relook at Pak's MFN status tomorrow
In the backdrop of Uri attack, India will tomorrow take a relook at the Most Favoured Nation status granted to Pakistan including options like withdrawing it or filing a case in WTO against them.
The decision to review the MFN by Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes in the wake of the Uri attack over which India is weighing options to respond.
The meeting, according to sources, may deliberate upon the option of dragging Pakistan in the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism for not according similar status to India.
India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that. The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for this.
Under MFN, a WTO member country is obliged to treat other trading nation in a non-discriminatory manner, especially with regard to customs duty and other levies.
According to experts, withdrawal of the MFN status by India is likely to hurt Pakistani industries as it might stop flow of raw materials at competitive prices.
In 2015-16, India's exports to Pakistan stood at USD 2.17 billion, while imports were USD 441 million. As per the WTO rules, India can roll back the MFN status from Pakistan.
21:04 Iran fires mortar shells into Pak's Balochistan
Iran border guards today fired three mortar shells into Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, triggering panic among the local population.
"Mortar shells fired by Iranian border guards landed in the district of Panjgoor," a provincial government official said.
Two of the shells landed near Frontier Corps check-post, while the third landed at Killi Karim Dad, the Dawn quoted the official as saying.
No property or human loss was reported in the shelling.
Locals panicked as a result of the attack, and Frontier Corps personnel reached the site to initiate investigations. Security forces tightened security at the border after the incident.
Pakistan shares a 900-kilometre porous border with Iran and the two countries in 2014 decided to boost intelligence coordination to wipe out terrorists from the border region.
20:40 Govt preparing forces in Kashmir for 'harsh winter' ahead
Apprehending protracted unrest in Kashmir Valley, the Centre has started preparation for providing winter logistics to central paramilitary forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.
The home ministry has already approached the Army and supplying agencies to provide winter boots, socks, jackets, snow gloves and other warm clothing which would be required by around 70,000 paramilitary forces deployed in the state.
A top Home Ministry official is personally monitoring the procurement process and trying to ensure that all required items are delivered before the onset of the "harsh winter" ahead.
"We are really worried about the boys on the ground. We have to get all winter logistics well before the time as Kashmir is expected to have a harsh winter," a senior official said.
20:38 Blackberry to stop designing its own phones
Canadian handset maker Blackberry has announced it will stop designing its smartphones in-house and instead focus on software and security products.
Once an iconic business phone, BlackBerry lost out to Google's Android and Apple's iOS-based smartphones. The move is expected to help the company reduce its capital burn.
"The company plans to end all internal hardware development and will outsource that function to partners. This allows us to reduce capital requirements and enhance return on invested capital," BlackBerry Executive Chairman and CEO John Chen said.
However, he did not comment on any future releases of BlackBerry handsets.
The Waterloo-headquartered firm said its software revenue has more than doubled year-on-year in the second quarter and delivered the highest gross margin in the company's history.
It added that the company had around 3,000 enterprise customer wins in the quarter.
"We are reaching an inflection point with our strategy. Our financial foundation is strong, and our pivot to software is taking hold," Chen said.
20:11 SAARC Summit has to be postponed, says India
India today said the SAARC Summit in Islamabad has to be postponed as it and three other countries have pulled out of the meet.
However, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said a formal announcement to this effect will be made by Nepal, the current Chair of the SAARC.
The current rule is that if any one head of State or Government decides not to participate in the SAARC Summit, it has to be postponed. All eight Heads of SAARC countries must be present for the Summit, Swarup said, adding if any one country decides not to participate, the Summit has to be postponed.
"In the current case, not just India but Bangladesh Bhutan and Afghanistan have also written to current Chair of SAARC, Nepal that they are unable to participate in the SAARC Summit, which means there is no option but to postpone it," the Spokesperson said.
20:10 MH17 probe 'biased', Moscow 'disappointed': foreign ministry
Moscow today described as "biased" and "politically motivated" the Dutch-led inquiry into the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, which concluded the plane was shot down by a missile brought from Russian territory.
"Russia is disappointed that the situation around the investigation of the Boeing catastrophe is not changing," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement, adding: "The conclusions... confirm that the investigation is biased and politically motivated."
20:08 Colors apologises to Tannishtha over jokes on skin tone
After actress Tannishtha Chatterjee slammed comedy TV show for making fun of her skin tone, the channel has apologised to her, saying it has taken up the matter with the creative team of the show.
As a part of the promotions for her recently released film "Parched", Tannishtha along with director Leena Yadav and co-star Radhika Apte went to show "Comedy Nights Bachao".
The actress, in a lengthy Facebook post, wrote about her frustration with the way her dark skin tone was targeted by the comics on the show.
"To my utmost horror, I soon realised that the only quality they found worth roasting about in me was my skin tone. It began with 'aap ko jamun bahut pasand hoga zaroor! Kitna jamun khaya aapne bachpan se?' And went on in that direction," she wrote.
Replying to her Facebook post, Colors wrote that it has always addressed pertinent social issues and was sad that she had a traumatic experience on the show.
"It is rather unfortunate that what you had expected to be a fun and novel experience turned out to be traumatic for you on the sets of 'Comedy Nights Bachao'.
"...It was never our intention, nor a practice for us or the makers of the show to offend anyone at all with the jokes. We have taken this up seriously with the creative team and the production house to ensure that the show is produced in line with the vision of the channel. Please accept our apologies for any hurt that was unwittingly caused," the post undersigned by the channel's spokesperson read.
19:14 $5.5 million paid as kickbacks in Embraer deal to a middleman, claims CBI
The CBI achieved its first breakthrough in Embraer deal.
According to reports to USD 5.5 million (Rs 36 crore) were paid by M/S Embraer to a middleman based abroad.
CBI is now conducting with foreign law enforcement agencies to ascertain the details of payment.
19:09 No bail for youth who threw shoe at Rahul
A local court today rejected the bail plea of the youth who hurled a shoe at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi during a road show here.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Ranveer Singh turned down the bail of Hariom Mishra, who threw the missile at Rahul during his road show on September 26.
25-year-old Mishra was immediately nabbed by police and taken to custody for questioning even as the shoe missed Rahul narrowly.
Later, Rahul had targeted BJP and its ideological mentor RSS over the incident and said he was not afraid of such things.
19:07 Swiss army helicopter crashes in Alps: ministry
A Swiss army helicopter crashed today in a high mountain pass in the Alps, the defence ministry announced on Twitter, saying there were probably injuries.
The accident happened around midday in the remote Gotthard Pass in the Tessin region near a hospice that stands at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 feet).
Emergency services have arrived at the scene, with the number of people travelling in the helicopter unknown.
That accident was the latest in a string of crashes to befall the Swiss air force.
18:30 Katju booked for sedition for comments on Bihar
As the row over his remarks on Bihar raged on, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has been booked on sedition charge follow ng a complaint by a JD-U MLC againt his online post that Kashmir should be offered to Pakistan on the condition that it takes Bihar too.
Another complaint was also filed today in the district court against Katju, who hit back at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his critical remarks and churned out more taunting posts.
Katju has been booked under 124-A (sedition) and other sections of IPC, according to SHO of Shashtrinagar police station Birendra Prasad rpt Prasad.
JD-U MLC and its state spokesman Neeraj Kumar had last evening lodged a complaint in the police station here against Katju seeking his prosecution for alleged sedition .
Meanwhile, lawyer, Arvind Kumar, filed a petition in the court of Patna Chief Judicial Magistrate Om Prakash against Katju.
18:09 Presidential debate: Trump-Clinton showdown breaks TV record
A record 84 million viewers in the US watched the fiery face-off between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during their first presidential debate, breaking a previous record set 36 years ago.
The presidential debate between Democratic nominee Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump yesterday was watched by 84 million people on US TV networks.
The previous record for a presidential debate viewership was 80.6 million between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican rival Ronald Reagan in 1980.
The viewing figures only count those who watched the debate on the 13 US TV channels that carried it live, meaning the true figure may be much higher, media reports said.
Millions are also thought to have watched worldwide through online live streams or in bars and at parties.
The data provider Nielsen said that viewers stayed tuned through the 98-minute debate held at Hofstra University in Hempstead.
18:01 Uri attack: NIA gets 10-day custody of 2 infiltrators arrested by army
National Investigation Agency has gotten a 10-day custody of the two PoK residents allegedly involved in Uri Attack.
The NIA took over the custody of the two men identified as Ahasan Kursheed alias DC, a resident of Khaliana Kalan, and Faisal Hussain Awan, a resident of Pottha Jahangir -- both in PoK. The NIA will produce them before a designated court soon, official sources said.
The two were arrested by the BSF and the Army in a joint operation at 'Angoor Post' at Gavalata village in Uri last Saturday when they were trying to infiltrate into India.
With both being residents of PoK, Army authorities interrogated them on whether they had any knowledge about the Uri attack in which 18 soldiers were killed.
17:49 Muslim 'clock boy' Ahmed Mohamed's dad files defamation suit against media
The father of Ahmed Mohamed, the teenager arrested in the US last year when he brought a homemade clock to school, has filed a defamation suit against media outlets and commentators for fanning Islamophobia.
Mohamed Mohamed filed the lawsuit against multiple media outlets and conservative political commentators, including TV host Glenn Beck and his television network, TheBlaze. He also sued FOX Television Stations and Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.
Mohamed sued on behalf of himself and his 14-year-old son, arguing that commentators and media outlets were responsible for libelous statements after his son's arrest in 2015, The Dallas Morning News reported.
"The Mohamed family are peaceful Muslims who have been falsely accused of being terrorists and engaging in a jihad," the suit states.
"The correction must also be made that the arrest and suspension of Ahmed Mohamed was not a stunt and it was not pre-planned, staged or engineered by anyone, including (his father)," it said.
17:45 Dengue: Two more deaths, toll rises to 21
Two more deaths due to dengue, including that of young boy, have been reported in Delhi, which took to 21 the number of fatalities due to the
vector-borne disease in the national capital.
The total number of dengue cases in Delhi has gone up to to 1,692 with 921 of them being reported this month, according to a municipal report.
Both the deaths occurred recently, one at Safdarjung Hospital and the other at Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital.
"A young boy from Delhi died due to dengue at our hospital on Friday," Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital A K Rai said.
Authorities at LNJP today also confirmed the death at the hospital, saying, "a person recently died of dengue here."
This is the third dengue death at LNJP Hospital, the biggest hospital under the Delhi government.
17:44 In another shooting, cops in California kill black man acting erratically
Police in a California city fatally shot a black man who had been acting erratically, prompting protesters to quickly gather and accuse officers of an unjustified killing.
The shooting yesterday in El Cajon, 24 kilometres east of San Diego, was the latest in a string of killings of black men by police that have fueled outrage across America.
Two police officers encountered the unidentified man, who was in his 30s, behind a restaurant after receiving reports of someone "not acting like himself" and walking in traffic, El Cajon police said in a statement.
The man, who was pacing back and forth, refused officers' orders to take his hand out of his pocket, police said.
According to the police account, at one point, as the officers tried to talk to the man, he "rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance."
Police Chief Jeff Davis did not say what the object was, but told a news
conference that no firearm was recovered.
17:15 MH17 shot down by missile brought in from Russia
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed over eastern Ukraine by a BUK missile brought into a pro-Russian area of eastern Ukraine by Russia, the head of the Dutch National Detective Force, Wilbert Paulissen said Wednesday.
The statement was made at a press conference in Rotterdam for the release of a report by the Joint Investigation Team, a Dutch-led group of prosecutors gathering evidence for a potential criminal trial.
The findings are the first released by the group, comprised of prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, in its criminal investigation into the downing of Flight MH17.
The Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board, including 196 Dutch citizens.
Read full story HERE.
17:13 Pak to go ahead with SAARC summit despite boycott by members
Unfazed by India and three other SAARC member nations deciding not to participate in the grouping's summit here, Pakistan today said it will go ahead and host the event in November.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan will host the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November, Radio Pakistan reported today.
Zakaria was quoted as saying that it was learnt from the Indian External Affairs Ministry's tweet that India is not going to participate in the SAARC Summit, a decision he called "unfortunate".
"While we have not received any official communication in this regard, the Indian announcement is unfortunate," he said.
The spokesperson also said Pakistan is committed to regional peace and will continue working for the broader interest of the people of the region, according to the report.
17:05 Five arrested in Europe on suspicion of forming Islamic State cell
Police have arrested five suspected members of an Islamic State cell in Spain, Belgium and Germany that spread propaganda for the group online, the Spanish interior ministry said today.
Two suspects were arrested in Barcelona in northeastern Spain, one in Spain's North African territory of Melilla, one in Brussels and another in Wuppertal, in Germany, it said in a statement.
The suspects included one Moroccan national and four Spaniards.
The group used social media, mainly a Facebook page called "Islam in Spanish" -- run by the suspects arrested in Belgium and Germany -- to promote Islamist extremism, the statement said.
17:02 Committing suicide because of CBI harassment: Bansal's note
Just in: NDTV reports that corruption-accused bureaucrat BK Bansal in his suicide note alleges harassment by the CBI. Says wife and daughter were 'tortured' by women officers. The note names a CBI DIG and two women officers and said they tortured his wife and daughter. The note also said he was committing suicide because of CBI harassment.
Ex-Director General Corporate Affairs and his son Yogesh on Tuesday committed suicide at their residence in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar, two months after Bansal's wife and daughter allegedly committed suicide.
Bansal (60) and Yogesh (30) were founded hanging in their flat by their maid, and had also left a suicide note, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Rishipal Singh said.
Ex-Director General Corporate Affairs and his son Yogesh on Tuesday committed suicide at their residence in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar, two months after Bansal's wife and daughter allegedly committed suicide.
Bansal (60) and Yogesh (30) were founded hanging in their flat by their maid, and had also left a suicide note, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Rishipal Singh said.
16:54 German police shoot dead knife-wielding refugee
German police shot dead a knife-wielding Iraqi in a refugee shelter who was attacking a Pakistani he suspected of having sexually abused his young daughter, police said today.
The 29-year-old Iraqi died after being hit by several police bullets late Tuesday in the asylum seekers' shelter in the central Berlin district of Moabit. Police were called to the shelter after the 27-year-old Pakistani man allegedly sexually abused an eight-year-old girl in a nearby park, BZ daily reported.
When police detained the suspect and led him away in handcuffs, the girl's father lunged at him with a knife, yelling "you won't survive this," according to witnesses.
He was cut down by several police bullets and died hours later in hospital. The alleged sexual attacker remained uninjured. The girl and her mother were undergoing counselling. Police did not immediately release the personal details of those involved.
The 29-year-old Iraqi died after being hit by several police bullets late Tuesday in the asylum seekers' shelter in the central Berlin district of Moabit. Police were called to the shelter after the 27-year-old Pakistani man allegedly sexually abused an eight-year-old girl in a nearby park, BZ daily reported.
When police detained the suspect and led him away in handcuffs, the girl's father lunged at him with a knife, yelling "you won't survive this," according to witnesses.
He was cut down by several police bullets and died hours later in hospital. The alleged sexual attacker remained uninjured. The girl and her mother were undergoing counselling. Police did not immediately release the personal details of those involved.
16:41
No decision yet on postponing SAARC Summit: Nepal Govt
16:28
President Pranab Mukherjee at the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand today.
16:19 Subrata Roy's parole extended till October 24
The Supreme Court extends Sahara chief Subrata Roy's bail till to October 24 and directs him to pay Rs 200 crore.
The court extends the interim parole of Roy till October 24th and asked him to deposit Rs 200 crore within that time and asked Roy's lawyer to give a road map on how will they pay the approximately Rs 12,000 crore to SEBI.
The apex court earlier on September 23 ordered that Roy should be taken into custody till October 3, but in a reprieve stayed his arrest till September 30.
Roy had been out on parole since May after serving a two-year term in Delhi's Tihar Jail to hold the last rites of his mother, who passed away after a prolonged illness.
In one of the last hearings, his bail was extended till September 16 on the condition that the Sahara Group deposit Rs 300 crores with the apex court.
The apex court had asked Sahara India to reveal the source of the Rs 18,000 crore it had claimed to have paid back to the investors.
The court extends the interim parole of Roy till October 24th and asked him to deposit Rs 200 crore within that time and asked Roy's lawyer to give a road map on how will they pay the approximately Rs 12,000 crore to SEBI.
The apex court earlier on September 23 ordered that Roy should be taken into custody till October 3, but in a reprieve stayed his arrest till September 30.
Roy had been out on parole since May after serving a two-year term in Delhi's Tihar Jail to hold the last rites of his mother, who passed away after a prolonged illness.
In one of the last hearings, his bail was extended till September 16 on the condition that the Sahara Group deposit Rs 300 crores with the apex court.
The apex court had asked Sahara India to reveal the source of the Rs 18,000 crore it had claimed to have paid back to the investors.
16:10 SAARC summit likely to be cancelled
Just in: SAARC summit cancelled, says India Today citing diplomatic sources.
To bring you up to speed, Nepal, which currently chairs the SAARC, has sought a new new venue for the annual summit in November after a number of members have decided to boycott the meeting in Islamabad.
As chair of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), Nepal has asked for the forthcoming summit to be moved out of Pakistan in a bid to salvage the 19th summit.
SAARC functions on the principle of consensus. If one country pulls out of the summit, then it gets cancelled. In the past as well, SAARC summits have been cancelled on account of tension between India and Pakistan.
In a high-level meeting called by Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda in Kathmandu, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the SAARC project can be salvaged.
Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have backed India as the four nations have already announced that they will not participate in the SAARC summit in Islamabad on account of Pakistan's role in fomenting terror in the region.
To bring you up to speed, Nepal, which currently chairs the SAARC, has sought a new new venue for the annual summit in November after a number of members have decided to boycott the meeting in Islamabad.
As chair of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), Nepal has asked for the forthcoming summit to be moved out of Pakistan in a bid to salvage the 19th summit.
SAARC functions on the principle of consensus. If one country pulls out of the summit, then it gets cancelled. In the past as well, SAARC summits have been cancelled on account of tension between India and Pakistan.
In a high-level meeting called by Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda in Kathmandu, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the SAARC project can be salvaged.
Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have backed India as the four nations have already announced that they will not participate in the SAARC summit in Islamabad on account of Pakistan's role in fomenting terror in the region.
15:42 SC allows Italian marine accused of killing Indian fishermen to stay home
Just in: The Supreme Court allows marine Massimiliano Latorre (pictured alongside, person on the right), accused of killing Indian fishermen, to remain in Italy till jurisdiction issue is decided. Latorre had file a plea with tyhe Apex court seeking parity to stay in Italy like his associate Salvatore Girone.
The SC has directed the Centre to submit reports every three months on the progress of jurisdiction case at the international tribunal.
Latorre and Girone are facing trial in India for allegedly killing two fishermen off the coast of Kerala on February 2012.
Latorre's grant of stay in Italy is coming to end on September 30, and he has sought an extension on the basis of parity with Girone, who is already in Italy on health grounds.
Latorre had earlier told the apex court that he preferred to remain at home till a final decision is made on which country has the jurisdiction to try him and Girone for the 2012 murder of two Kerala fishermen.
Italy had last week made a fresh plea in the apex court for modification of bail conditions of Latorre to enable him to stay in Italy till an international tribunal decides which country has the right to try the case. The court had then posted the matter for hearing on September 28.
The SC has directed the Centre to submit reports every three months on the progress of jurisdiction case at the international tribunal.
Latorre and Girone are facing trial in India for allegedly killing two fishermen off the coast of Kerala on February 2012.
Latorre's grant of stay in Italy is coming to end on September 30, and he has sought an extension on the basis of parity with Girone, who is already in Italy on health grounds.
Latorre had earlier told the apex court that he preferred to remain at home till a final decision is made on which country has the jurisdiction to try him and Girone for the 2012 murder of two Kerala fishermen.
Italy had last week made a fresh plea in the apex court for modification of bail conditions of Latorre to enable him to stay in Italy till an international tribunal decides which country has the right to try the case. The court had then posted the matter for hearing on September 28.
15:08
Mohammad Shahabuddin bail cancellation matter: Hearing in SC deferred for tomorrow.
15:07 Nepal wants new venue for SAARC
In further embarrassment for Pakistan, Nepal, which currently chairs the SAARC, has sought a new new venue for the annual summit in November after a number of members have decided to boycott the meeting in Islamabad.
As chair of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), Nepal has asked for the forthcoming summit to be moved out of Pakistan in a bid to salvage the 19th summit.
SAARC functions on the principle of consensus. If one country pulls out of the summit, then it gets cancelled. In the past as well, SAARC summits have been cancelled on account of tension between India and Pakistan.
In a high-level meeting called by Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda in Kathmandu, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the SAARC project can be salvaged.
Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have backed India as the four nations have already announced that they will not participate in the SAARC summit in Islamabad on account of Pakistan's role in fomenting terror in the region.
As chair of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), Nepal has asked for the forthcoming summit to be moved out of Pakistan in a bid to salvage the 19th summit.
SAARC functions on the principle of consensus. If one country pulls out of the summit, then it gets cancelled. In the past as well, SAARC summits have been cancelled on account of tension between India and Pakistan.
In a high-level meeting called by Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda in Kathmandu, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the SAARC project can be salvaged.
Afghanistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have backed India as the four nations have already announced that they will not participate in the SAARC summit in Islamabad on account of Pakistan's role in fomenting terror in the region.
14:55 A breach of faith
Should an elected Prime Minister have spoken of purification? Read the Telegraph editorial.
14:34
Home Minister Rajnath Singh scheduled to visit Leh, Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) on October 3 and 4, 2016.
14:32
This morning's cartoon by Benjamin Schwartz in the New Yorker.
14:23 Union Cabinet approves ratification of Paris Agreement
Union Cabinet approves ratification of Paris Agreement, says Union minister Prakash Javadekar.
This follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on Sunday that India would ratify the Paris climate deal on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Paris Agreement asks both rich and poor countries to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is melting glaciers, raising sea levels and shifting rainfall patterns. It requires governments to present national plans to reduce emissions to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
This follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on Sunday that India would ratify the Paris climate deal on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Addressing delegates at the BJPs national council meeting in Kozhikode, Modi said that, on Mahatma Gandhis birth anniversary, India will ratify the decisions reached at the Conference of Parties (CoP) in Paris.
He explained that it was appropriate to make the announcement at a party
forum because it was of a similar line of preservation of natural
resources that had been articulated by Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS)
president Deen Dayal Upadhyay during the inception of the party.
The Paris Agreement asks both rich and poor countries to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is melting glaciers, raising sea levels and shifting rainfall patterns. It requires governments to present national plans to reduce emissions to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
14:14 Now, VHP wants Pak singer Shafqat Ali's Bengaluru event cancelled
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has opposed Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali's Bengaluru event on September 30. The VHP says the Pakistani singer's performance is an insult to martyrs.
The VHP has written a letter to the Bengaluru police to cancel the show of the Mitwa singer, as hosting him would be mean disrespecting the jawaans killed in the Uri attacks.
The letter (written in Kannada) read like this, "On September 18, the Pakistan terrorists attacked our soldiers , we are out to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state. In this context, a Pakistani singer performing in the country, it is an insult to our brace soldiers and their families. We request that this anti-national show is cancelled and kindly consider our appeal. If not, we will fight against them."
This comes straight after Raj Thackeray's MNS gave Fawad Khan and other Pakistani artistes a 48-hour warning to leave the country or face the consequences.
The VHP has written a letter to the Bengaluru police to cancel the show of the Mitwa singer, as hosting him would be mean disrespecting the jawaans killed in the Uri attacks.
The letter (written in Kannada) read like this, "On September 18, the Pakistan terrorists attacked our soldiers , we are out to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state. In this context, a Pakistani singer performing in the country, it is an insult to our brace soldiers and their families. We request that this anti-national show is cancelled and kindly consider our appeal. If not, we will fight against them."
This comes straight after Raj Thackeray's MNS gave Fawad Khan and other Pakistani artistes a 48-hour warning to leave the country or face the consequences.
13:51 Why dominant castes want 'backward' status
With the Patidar protests in Gujarat and the Gujjars in Rajasthan, the demand of traditionally dominant castes demanding quotas in government jobs is on the rise. While many of these castes are ahead in the social space, ground surveys have found that several members of the dominant castes are in economic conditions quite similar to that of peer communities with the advantage of quotas. Akshat Kaushal and Mayank Mishra report. Read
13:35 Indian hatred for dark skin comes from caste bias
"Why does skin tone still lend itself to jokes? How is it funny to call someone dark? I don't get it. In the India of 2016, I still have to be apologetic about my skin tone? What is this white-skin hangover? Where does all our pride as a nation go away when it comes to the acceptance that most of us have a darker skin tone? Once I was asked, " Your surname is Chatterjee? Oh you are Brahmin' What is your mothers surname? Maitra! Oh'. She is Brahmin too'' And then indirectly he hinted how is my skin tone still dark?"
Parched actress Tannishtha Chatterjee on how and why Indians hate dark skin. Read
Parched actress Tannishtha Chatterjee on how and why Indians hate dark skin. Read
13:29
JUST IN: Magnitude 5 earthquake strikes Greek coast 34 km south west of Kalamata: USGS
13:10 Was holding back, didn't want to embarrass Clinton, says Trump post debate
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump has claimed that he was "holding back and did not want to do anything to embarrass her (Hillary Clinton)" during the first presidential debate at Hofstra University Monday night in Hempstead, New York.
Speaking at the gathering of about 7, 500 people after the first presidential debate, Trump insisted that every poll showed him winning the debates, reports the Guardian.
He, however, cited only internet surveys to prove this; every scientific poll taken in the aftermath of the debate showed a majority of viewers believing Clinton had won.
Trump's unhappiness with coverage of his widely panned performance showed as three times in the course of the rally, the Republican nominee called out "the corrupt corporate media" and gestured towards his supporters to turn towards the press pen.
In one instance, he even shouted "go to hell".
During the course of the rally, the republican nominee constantly revisited different moments in the debate and told of how, before taking the stage, he took a deep breath and pretended as if he was talking to his family.
13:02 Pranab prays at Kedarnath shrine
President Pranab Mukherjee today paid obeisance at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand on the second day of his three-day visit to the hill state.
Accompanied by Governor K K Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the President spent about an hour at the temple offering prayers and taking a round of it, Sri Badrinath-Sri Kedarnath Mandir Samiti CEO V D Singh said.
The President also took stock of the reconstruction work carried out at Kedarnath which bore the brunt of the June 2013 calamity.
It was the President's first visit to the centuries-old shrine after assuming office. Two of his proposed visits to the temple in the past were cancelled due to bad weather conditions.
12:32
Just In: Union Cabinet approves shutting down of Hindustan Cables Ltd.
12:23 'Saamna' cartoonist apologises for hurting Maratha sentiments
A day after the office of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna was stoned over a cartoon it carried alluding to the ongoing Maratha rallies, the cartoonist today expressed regret over his work.
"The sentiments of Maratha community were hurt by my cartoon. But, there was never an intention to hurt anybody. Yet, I express regret if sentiments were hurt unintentionally," cartoonist Shrinivas Prabhudesai said in a statement carried on the front page of Saamna.
"The controversy over the cartoon was unnecessary. I am an artist and not a political cartoonist. In a busy life, my intention is to put a smile on people's face and thus I make cartoons," he stated.
He, however, alleged that the issue was politicised and the Sena and Saamna were unnecessarily dragged into the controversy.
The cartoon had come at a time when the Maratha community has been organising rallies all around the state to express outrage over the rape and murder of a girl from the community at Kopardi and press their various demands including quota in education and job.
The rallies have evoked huge response, compelling all political parties to take note the grievances of the community, a dominant force in the state.
11:56 Only in Tamil Nadu! A poster condemning Jayalalithaa's fever
Tamil Nadu is no stranger to the culture of poster wars, but this is the first time a poster condemning a fever has sprung up in the state. The ire is directed, not at a person, but the fever that has hospitalised Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa.
Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital, Chennai, last week with "fever and dehydration" and has been under observation since then.
The poster with the images of Jayalalithaa, her mentor, MG Ramachandran and another man (probably the person who put up the poster) invokes the Gods to cure the CM.
The poster, loosely translated, reads:
Stone-hearted fever,
Do not touch our goddess Amma,
Don't touch her,
Don't touch her,
O daughter of the Gods!
With God's blessings,'
Rise once again with courage.
-- Issued by Amma's bhakt Nellai A Suresh.
Yesterday, the CM convened an hour-long meeting with the senior officials in her room on Tuesday evening on the interim directions issued by the Supreme Court on the Cauvery issue.
Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital, Chennai, last week with "fever and dehydration" and has been under observation since then.
The poster with the images of Jayalalithaa, her mentor, MG Ramachandran and another man (probably the person who put up the poster) invokes the Gods to cure the CM.
The poster, loosely translated, reads:
Stone-hearted fever,
Do not touch our goddess Amma,
Don't touch her,
Don't touch her,
O daughter of the Gods!
With God's blessings,'
Rise once again with courage.
-- Issued by Amma's bhakt Nellai A Suresh.
Yesterday, the CM convened an hour-long meeting with the senior officials in her room on Tuesday evening on the interim directions issued by the Supreme Court on the Cauvery issue.
11:32 Lodha panel moves SC to oust BCCI bosses
The Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha panel has moved the Supreme Court seeking the removal of the BCCI top brass including president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Sirke for non-compliance of court orders. The panel has sought an urgent hearing in the matter and wants the BCCI bosses punished for non-compliance of its report.
The Lodha panel seeks the replacement of the BCCI top brass by cricket administrators. "If BCCI thinks they are law unto themselves, they are
wrong," the SC said and asked BCCI to comply with its orders.
The judicial panel, in its meeting on Monday, had deliberated and discussed about the manner in which the BCCI has flouted the timelines issued by it from time to time. The panel today filed its status report before the apex court seeking appropriate directions against the cricket body.
Image: BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke (left), with board President Anurag Thakur.
Also read:Why BCCI boss Thakur is angry with former chief selector Patil
The Lodha panel seeks the replacement of the BCCI top brass by cricket administrators. "If BCCI thinks they are law unto themselves, they are
wrong," the SC said and asked BCCI to comply with its orders.
The judicial panel, in its meeting on Monday, had deliberated and discussed about the manner in which the BCCI has flouted the timelines issued by it from time to time. The panel today filed its status report before the apex court seeking appropriate directions against the cricket body.
Image: BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke (left), with board President Anurag Thakur.
Also read:Why BCCI boss Thakur is angry with former chief selector Patil
11:20
Just in: Lodha panel moves SC seeking removal of BCCI top brass including Anurag Thakur for non-compliance of SC orders.
11:19 Race to White House is real, not reality TV: Clinton
Taking a dig at her Republican rival Donald Trump, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said the race to the White House is real business and not "reality TV".
"This is not reality TV. This is real. It's as real as it gets. So we're going to get the economy working for everybody, not just those at the top," Clinton, 68, said yesterday.
"We're going to keep America safe, provide strong, steady leadership, and we are going to bring our country together across the divides that have pitted Americans against each other," she told her supporters in North Carolina.
In her speech, a confident Clinton alleged that Trump during the debate said he would not honour the commitment the country has made with its friends and allies.
"Words matter. And last night it sounded like he was basically telling our treaty allies in Asia, 'Hey, we're not sure we're going to be there for you even though we have a mutual defense treaty'," she said. "People start to doubt America's word, America's intention. I felt like I had to jump in and say, 'I just want to be clear. We will honour our treaties. We will support our allies and our partners," she asserted.
Clinton faced Trump in the first of the series of three presidential debates yesterday.
"We have two different visions here. I believe we are stronger together. That is at the core of what I've done over my years in advocacy and public service," she said.
"I believe that America is already great, and it is our responsibility to make it even greater. I believe that as we make our economy work for everyone, we also need to keep our country safe, and we need to provide strong, steady leadership in the world with our allies and our partners," she added.
Noting that she has already voiced her views on a range of national security and foreign policy issues, Clinton said she had a plan for defeating and destroying the ISIS. "What we hear from my opponent is dangerously incoherent. It's unclear exactly what he is saying," Clinton said.
She said Trump made it very clear that he had not prepared for the debate. "At one point he was kind of digging me for spending time off the campaign trail to get prepared. But just trying to keep track of everything he says took a lot of time and effort. And I said, 'Yeah. You know what? I did prepare. And I'll tell you something else I prepared for. I prepared to be president of the US and I think that's good," she said amidst an applause from the audience.
Clinton alleged that it was very well possible that Trump has not paid any taxes. "He (Trump) actually bragged about gaming the system to get out of paying his fair share of taxes. In fact, I think there's a strong probability he hasn't paid federal taxes a lot of years," she said.
"This is not reality TV. This is real. It's as real as it gets. So we're going to get the economy working for everybody, not just those at the top," Clinton, 68, said yesterday.
"We're going to keep America safe, provide strong, steady leadership, and we are going to bring our country together across the divides that have pitted Americans against each other," she told her supporters in North Carolina.
In her speech, a confident Clinton alleged that Trump during the debate said he would not honour the commitment the country has made with its friends and allies.
"Words matter. And last night it sounded like he was basically telling our treaty allies in Asia, 'Hey, we're not sure we're going to be there for you even though we have a mutual defense treaty'," she said. "People start to doubt America's word, America's intention. I felt like I had to jump in and say, 'I just want to be clear. We will honour our treaties. We will support our allies and our partners," she asserted.
Clinton faced Trump in the first of the series of three presidential debates yesterday.
"We have two different visions here. I believe we are stronger together. That is at the core of what I've done over my years in advocacy and public service," she said.
"I believe that America is already great, and it is our responsibility to make it even greater. I believe that as we make our economy work for everyone, we also need to keep our country safe, and we need to provide strong, steady leadership in the world with our allies and our partners," she added.
Noting that she has already voiced her views on a range of national security and foreign policy issues, Clinton said she had a plan for defeating and destroying the ISIS. "What we hear from my opponent is dangerously incoherent. It's unclear exactly what he is saying," Clinton said.
She said Trump made it very clear that he had not prepared for the debate. "At one point he was kind of digging me for spending time off the campaign trail to get prepared. But just trying to keep track of everything he says took a lot of time and effort. And I said, 'Yeah. You know what? I did prepare. And I'll tell you something else I prepared for. I prepared to be president of the US and I think that's good," she said amidst an applause from the audience.
Clinton alleged that it was very well possible that Trump has not paid any taxes. "He (Trump) actually bragged about gaming the system to get out of paying his fair share of taxes. In fact, I think there's a strong probability he hasn't paid federal taxes a lot of years," she said.
11:11 Pranab Mukherjee in Dehradun
President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the renovated 'Rashtrapati Ashiana' of Dehradun on 27 September. He will also stay in the building for the entire duration of his visit to Uttarakhand from September 27 to 29, 2016. The Rashtrapati Ashiana, built originally as bungalow of the Commandant of the President's Bodyguard is being revived by the President after long years of disuse. KR Narayanan was the last President who stayed here in March 1998.
Image: President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Ashiana. The government's love for white-towel-backed chairs endures.
Image: President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Ashiana. The government's love for white-towel-backed chairs endures.
10:55 Whodunit
A truck rams into the boundary wall of the headquarter of 32nd battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. The driver and cleaner have been held and are being questioned.
10:47 The tiger who understands only Tamil
White tiger moved from Chennai to Udaipur understands only Tamil, leaving zookeepers in a fix. Officials said either the big cat would have to be taught commands in Mewari or the caretakers would have to speak its language. Read more
10:38 Pak artists' ban: Govt should decide who works in India, says Saif
Actor Saif Ali Khan has said the Indian film industry is open to talent across the border but it is for the government to decide who will be allowed to work here.
Saif becomes the latest Indian celebrity to speak out on the demand of ban on Pakistani artistes in India by MNS. In the wake of Uri attack, last week the party threatened Pakistani artistes like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan to leave India, saying otherwise the shooting of their films would be stalled.
"This (cross cultural exchange) should definitely be encouraged. The industry is open to world talent, especially from across the border. But the government has to decide these things.
"We are artistes and we will talk about love and peace. But the government has to take such decisions about law and who to allow to work here and who isn't," the 46-year-old actor said at the GQ Men of the year awards last evening in Mumbai.
Bollywood stars like Karan Johar, Hansal Mehta, Anurag Kashyap, Varun Dhawan and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra have earlier expressed their views on the demand of boycott of Pakstani artistes in India.
Saif becomes the latest Indian celebrity to speak out on the demand of ban on Pakistani artistes in India by MNS. In the wake of Uri attack, last week the party threatened Pakistani artistes like Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan to leave India, saying otherwise the shooting of their films would be stalled.
"This (cross cultural exchange) should definitely be encouraged. The industry is open to world talent, especially from across the border. But the government has to decide these things.
"We are artistes and we will talk about love and peace. But the government has to take such decisions about law and who to allow to work here and who isn't," the 46-year-old actor said at the GQ Men of the year awards last evening in Mumbai.
Bollywood stars like Karan Johar, Hansal Mehta, Anurag Kashyap, Varun Dhawan and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra have earlier expressed their views on the demand of boycott of Pakstani artistes in India.
10:30 Pak can't take India's restraint granted for long: US media
Pakistan cannot take India's policy of strategic restraint for granted for too long and if Islamabad rejects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's offer of cooperation, it will become part of a case for making the country a "pariah nation", a US daily has claimed.
"Modi is practicing restraint for now, but Islamabad can't rely on that continuing. Modi's offer of cooperation, if rejected, will become part of a case for making Pakistan even more of a pariah nation than it already is," The Wall Street Journal said in an opinion piece yesterday.
"If the (Pakistani) military continues to send arms and fighters across the border, the Indian Prime Minister will have a strong justification to take action," it warned.
The Wall Street Journal said India has always enjoyed the moral high ground on the terrorism issue, but past Congress and BJP governments lacked the courage to assert it forthrightly. That led to a policy of "strategic restraint", which meant that Pakistan would never be held accountable for its terrorist proxies, no matter how heinous their attacks, it noted.
Praising Modi for deciding against taking any military action, the daily said even as he walked back threats of military action, he replaced them with a pledge to isolate Pakistan internationally if the military doesn't stop supporting terrorist groups. He is considering the cancellation of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, which protects Pakistan's rights to the Indus River's water.
He could also withdraw most-favoured-nation trading status, granted in 1996, that Pakistan has never reciprocated, the daily said. In an op-ed published in Foreign Affairs, Sameer Lalwani, Deputy Director of the Stimson Center's South Asia program, said in the wake of the Uri attack, the understandable anger and frustration of Indian policymakers and strategies is building momentum for major military action.
"But the arguments for such action are highly debatable, if not incorrect. A major militarised response might satisfy a desire for revenge, but it is not clear that it would serve the Indian government's political, credibility, prestige, or coercive interests," Lalwani said.
"Modi is practicing restraint for now, but Islamabad can't rely on that continuing. Modi's offer of cooperation, if rejected, will become part of a case for making Pakistan even more of a pariah nation than it already is," The Wall Street Journal said in an opinion piece yesterday.
"If the (Pakistani) military continues to send arms and fighters across the border, the Indian Prime Minister will have a strong justification to take action," it warned.
The Wall Street Journal said India has always enjoyed the moral high ground on the terrorism issue, but past Congress and BJP governments lacked the courage to assert it forthrightly. That led to a policy of "strategic restraint", which meant that Pakistan would never be held accountable for its terrorist proxies, no matter how heinous their attacks, it noted.
Praising Modi for deciding against taking any military action, the daily said even as he walked back threats of military action, he replaced them with a pledge to isolate Pakistan internationally if the military doesn't stop supporting terrorist groups. He is considering the cancellation of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, which protects Pakistan's rights to the Indus River's water.
He could also withdraw most-favoured-nation trading status, granted in 1996, that Pakistan has never reciprocated, the daily said. In an op-ed published in Foreign Affairs, Sameer Lalwani, Deputy Director of the Stimson Center's South Asia program, said in the wake of the Uri attack, the understandable anger and frustration of Indian policymakers and strategies is building momentum for major military action.
"But the arguments for such action are highly debatable, if not incorrect. A major militarised response might satisfy a desire for revenge, but it is not clear that it would serve the Indian government's political, credibility, prestige, or coercive interests," Lalwani said.
10:25 A young population is a gift if it is also an educated one
The demographic dividend that India expects for over 30 years is predicated on the youthful age of the population. Their youthful energy and hunger to be better off will make them productive and accelerate economic growth. They can move from agriculture to more skilled jobs in manufacturing and services mostly away from rural areas. To do these jobs, the workforce must become better educated and with appropriate new skills. Read more
10:06 Why Marathas are angry over the film Sairat
"The rapists -- four in number and all belonging to the Dalit community -- had stalked the schoolgirl and raped her in the most heinous manner.
"Newspapers from the district had reported the gory details: flesh from all over her body including her genitals were torn. Some reported that she had been chained too. Her hair had been pulled out, her hands were broken and dislocated from the shoulders, her teeth had been broken. She was strangled to death after the rape.
"The vociferous protests in Ahmednagar saw Marathas voicing their anger against the Dalit community. The brutality of the attack shocked the state and galvanised the Marathas into action. Maratha women attacked the rape accused when they were brought to the Ahmednagar court. Had they not been whisked off by the police, the mob would have lynched them. The police have now requested the court to conduct the trial in the jail."
Haima Deshpande on the Maratha-Dalit divide. Read it the report here.
"Newspapers from the district had reported the gory details: flesh from all over her body including her genitals were torn. Some reported that she had been chained too. Her hair had been pulled out, her hands were broken and dislocated from the shoulders, her teeth had been broken. She was strangled to death after the rape.
"The vociferous protests in Ahmednagar saw Marathas voicing their anger against the Dalit community. The brutality of the attack shocked the state and galvanised the Marathas into action. Maratha women attacked the rape accused when they were brought to the Ahmednagar court. Had they not been whisked off by the police, the mob would have lynched them. The police have now requested the court to conduct the trial in the jail."
Haima Deshpande on the Maratha-Dalit divide. Read it the report here.
10:00 US attributes India ratification of climate change to PM Modi
The White House today lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that India would ratify the Paris agreement on climate change on October 2, saying this is another example of his courageous leadership.
"We welcome the actions from the Indian government. It is just another example of the courageous leadership that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this issue. And that's to his credit," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.
"He (Modi) recognises how important it is for India to be a leader in the international community on this issue. And he's making good on that priority, and he deserves a lot of credit for that.
"And I know that the President, when he met with Prime Minister Modi earlier this month in Laos, had an opportunity to thank him for his leadership on this issue," Earnest said.
The US President Barack Obama met the Prime Minister in Laos early this month on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit. India's ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change is expected to bring the agreement closer to be being enforced.
"We welcome the actions from the Indian government. It is just another example of the courageous leadership that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this issue. And that's to his credit," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.
"He (Modi) recognises how important it is for India to be a leader in the international community on this issue. And he's making good on that priority, and he deserves a lot of credit for that.
"And I know that the President, when he met with Prime Minister Modi earlier this month in Laos, had an opportunity to thank him for his leadership on this issue," Earnest said.
The US President Barack Obama met the Prime Minister in Laos early this month on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit. India's ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change is expected to bring the agreement closer to be being enforced.
09:49
@diptakirti Just to prove that not only God exists but he also has a sense of humour, Lata Mangeshkar and Tanmay Bhat share a birthday today.
09:35
Also read: India-Pakistan ties head for dangerous low over Kashmir.
09:31 Why Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan have pulled out of SAARC
As India announces Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Pakistan
for the regional SAARC summit in November, three other members -
Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan - have also decided to pull out of
the meet.
In it's communication to the current chair of SAARC or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Bangladesh has said: "Growing interference in internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created environment not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.
"Bangladesh remains steadfast in its commitment to regional co-operation but believes these can only go frwd in more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."
Bhutan also opted out of the summit saying it, "expresses concern over the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which seriously compromises the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November. Bhutan shares the concerns of some of SAARC countries on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism. Bhutan joins other SAARC countries in conveying its inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."
Afghanistan has cited similar reasons for pulling out of the summit, which means the summit cannot take place even if one country withdraws.
The Indian government has blamed "cross-border terror attacks" for creating an environment that is "not conducive" for the meeting of the eight-nation group.
In it's communication to the current chair of SAARC or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Bangladesh has said: "Growing interference in internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created environment not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.
"Bangladesh remains steadfast in its commitment to regional co-operation but believes these can only go frwd in more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."
Bhutan also opted out of the summit saying it, "expresses concern over the recent escalation of terrorism in the region, which seriously compromises the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November. Bhutan shares the concerns of some of SAARC countries on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism. Bhutan joins other SAARC countries in conveying its inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances."
Afghanistan has cited similar reasons for pulling out of the summit, which means the summit cannot take place even if one country withdraws.
The Indian government has blamed "cross-border terror attacks" for creating an environment that is "not conducive" for the meeting of the eight-nation group.
09:05 Obama names first ambassador to Cuba in five decades
The United States has tapped Jeffrey DeLaurentis, America's top diplomat in Havana, to become the first official ambassador to Cuba in five decades.
"The appointment of an ambassador is a common sense step forward toward a more normal and productive relationship between our two countries," Obama said in a statement.
Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced a thaw in relations in December 2014.
Since then, Washington and Havana have taken once-unthinkable steps to mend ties after more than half a century of enmity.
President Obama has visit Cuba and relaxed portions of the US embargo imposed since 1962.
Flights have resumed and cruise ships can now sail from Miami to Havana.
US companies like Airbnb and Netflix now operate in Cuba and American hotel group Starwood recently opened a Sheraton in Havana.
08:53 Playboy features first Muslim woman in hijab
Playboy magazine, once famous for bunnies and soft porn, for the first time is featuring a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, in a spread that is drawing both praise and criticism.
American journalist Noor Tagouri appears in the magazine's October "Renegades" edition, a series that focuses on men and women "who risked it all -- even their lives -- to do what they love."
The 22-year-old journalist who works as a reporter for Newsy, a video news network, is featured wearing a black leather jacket, jeans, sneakers and a hijab, or headscarf, in the publication that describes her as "a badass activist."
Tagouri, who is of Libyan descent and whose goal is to become the first "hijabi" anchor on commercial United States television, says that her struggles as a Muslim woman growing up in the United States have helped her move ahead in her career.
08:41 Resolve differences through diplomacy: US to India, Pakistan
The United States has asked India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through diplomacy and not through violence.
"We have continued to encourage India and Pakistan to find ways to resolve their differences, not through violence, but through diplomacy," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.
"We have condemned violence, particularly terrorist attacks," he said.
He was responding to a question on India's decision not to attend the SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November citing continuous cross border terrorism by Pakistan against India.
The State Department too refrained to make any comment on India's decision in this regard and said it is for the New Delhi to comment.
"I would refer you to the Government of India to comment on their decision not to attend this meeting," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said.
"What we have said it many times from the podium -- is we want to see closer and normalisation of relationship between India and Pakistan," he told reporters at his daily news conference.
"It would benefit the region. We want to see de-escalation in the political discourse between the two countries and greater communication and coordination between them," Toner said.
08:25 Jim Yong Kim re-appointed as World Bank President
Jim Yong Kim has been re-appointed for a second five-year term as World Bank president, beginning July 1, next year, the bank announced.
"Humbled to have the honour of serving a second term as the head of this great institution. I would focus on building a more inclusive world free of poverty," Kim said in a statement.
He said the starting point for his work when he joined the bank in 2012 was the setting of two ambitious new goals for the institution: to end extreme poverty by 2030, and to promote shared prosperity by boosting the income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population in every developing country.
"In order to deliver these goals, the bank had to accelerate, become bolder and more agile, and reposition itself. We did this so that we could increase support for countries and deliver better results more quickly.
"I believe we are well on the way to achieve these important aims," he said.
08:05 Former Israeli PM Shimon Peres dies at 93
Former Israeli Prime Minister and President Shimon Peres has died aged 93, media reports say.
He suffered a stroke two weeks ago and his condition improved before a sudden deterioration on Tuesday.
Peres, who was one of the last of a generation of Israeli politicians present at the new nation's birth in 1948, served twice as the country's prime minister and once as president.
He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier.
04:36 Facebook to appeal German order on WhatsApp data
Facebook said it would appeal against an order by a German privacy regulator on Tuesday to stop collecting and storing data of German users of its messaging app WhatsApp and to delete all data that has already been forwarded to it.
The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information said Facebook was infringing data protection law and had not obtained effective approval from WhatsApp's 35 million users in Germany.
"After the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook two years ago, both parties have publicly assured that data will not be shared between them," commissioner Johannes Caspar said in a statement.
Facebook, the world's biggest social network, bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock in an effort to reach a younger audience.
"The fact that this is now happening is not only a misleading of their users and the public, but also constitutes an infringement of national data protection law," Caspar added.Facebook has its German headquarters in Hamburg and therefore falls under Caspar's jurisdiction.
"We will appeal this order and we will work with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concerns," it said.
The data watchdog said Facebook and WhatsApp were independent companies that should process their users' data based on their own terms and conditions and data privacy policies.
EU and US regulators have said they would scrutinise changes to privacy settings that WhatsApp made in August.
The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information said Facebook was infringing data protection law and had not obtained effective approval from WhatsApp's 35 million users in Germany.
"After the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook two years ago, both parties have publicly assured that data will not be shared between them," commissioner Johannes Caspar said in a statement.
Facebook, the world's biggest social network, bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock in an effort to reach a younger audience.
"The fact that this is now happening is not only a misleading of their users and the public, but also constitutes an infringement of national data protection law," Caspar added.Facebook has its German headquarters in Hamburg and therefore falls under Caspar's jurisdiction.
"We will appeal this order and we will work with the Hamburg DPA in an effort to address their questions and resolve any concerns," it said.
The data watchdog said Facebook and WhatsApp were independent companies that should process their users' data based on their own terms and conditions and data privacy policies.
EU and US regulators have said they would scrutinise changes to privacy settings that WhatsApp made in August.
03:05 Elon Musk promises 'fun' trip to Mars colony
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk today unveiled his plans for establishing a human colony on Mars, using a massive rocket and a fleet of spaceships to achieve a self-sustaining population on the Red Planet this century.
Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara, Musk showed a futuristic video depicting his ideas for an interplanetary transport system based on re-usable rockets, a propellant farm on Mars and 1,000 spaceships on orbit, carrying about 100 people each.
The spacecraft would have a restaurant, cabins, zero-gravity games and movies.
"It has to be fun or exciting. It can't feel cramped or boring," he said.
The first flight would be expensive but the aim is 'making this affordable to almost anyone who wants to go,' by dropping the price of a ticket over time to $100,000, Musk said.
Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara, Musk showed a futuristic video depicting his ideas for an interplanetary transport system based on re-usable rockets, a propellant farm on Mars and 1,000 spaceships on orbit, carrying about 100 people each.
The spacecraft would have a restaurant, cabins, zero-gravity games and movies.
"It has to be fun or exciting. It can't feel cramped or boring," he said.
The first flight would be expensive but the aim is 'making this affordable to almost anyone who wants to go,' by dropping the price of a ticket over time to $100,000, Musk said.
02:06 Password breach could have ripple effects well beyond Yahoo
Information security experts are worried that Yahoo's massive password breach may result in usage of the data to open locks up and down the web. While its unknown to what extent the stolen data has been or will be circulating, giant breaches can send ripples of insecurity across the internet.
Data breaches on the scale of Yahoo are the security equivalent of ecological disasters, said Matt Blaze, a security researcher who directs the Distributed Systems Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, in a message posted to Twitter.
A big worry is a cybercriminal technique known as 'credential stuffing', which works by throwing leaked username and password combinations at a series of websites in an effort to break in, a bit like a thief finding a ring of keys in an apartment lobby and trying them, one after the other, in every door in the building. Software makes the trial-and-error process practically instantaneous.
The first hint that something was wrong at Yahoo came when Motherboard journalist Joseph Cox started receiving supposed samples of credentials hacked from the company in early July.
Several weeks later, a cybercriminal using the handle 'Peace' came forward with 5,000 samples and the startling claim to be selling 200 million more, the Associated Press reported.
Data breaches on the scale of Yahoo are the security equivalent of ecological disasters, said Matt Blaze, a security researcher who directs the Distributed Systems Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, in a message posted to Twitter.
A big worry is a cybercriminal technique known as 'credential stuffing', which works by throwing leaked username and password combinations at a series of websites in an effort to break in, a bit like a thief finding a ring of keys in an apartment lobby and trying them, one after the other, in every door in the building. Software makes the trial-and-error process practically instantaneous.
The first hint that something was wrong at Yahoo came when Motherboard journalist Joseph Cox started receiving supposed samples of credentials hacked from the company in early July.
Several weeks later, a cybercriminal using the handle 'Peace' came forward with 5,000 samples and the startling claim to be selling 200 million more, the Associated Press reported.
01:18 New York bomb suspect apparently acted alone: FBI
The suspect in the bombing this month in New York's Chelsea neighborhood appears to have acted on his own, with no connection to an extremist movement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday.
"We see so far no indication of a larger cell or the threat of related attacks," FBI director James Comey testified at a Senate committee hearing.
The suspect in the September 17 bombing that left 31 people wounded, Ahmad Khan Rahami, was arrested two days after the attack.
US prosecutors, in a 13-page indictment on September 20, slapped him with four charges, including use of weapons of mass destruction.
In addition to the New York attack, he is charged with a pipe bombing, also on September 17, in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and planting several other bombs.
A naturalised US citizen born in Afghanistan, Rahami made several trips in recent years to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The terror charges came after the FBI admitted it had investigated Rahami for terrorism in 2014 following a complaint from his father, but found no link to radicalisation or extremist sympathies.
Comey said the FBI is seeing a slight slowdown in new US terror investigation cases, but some 1,000 probes are currently ongoing.
"We see so far no indication of a larger cell or the threat of related attacks," FBI director James Comey testified at a Senate committee hearing.
The suspect in the September 17 bombing that left 31 people wounded, Ahmad Khan Rahami, was arrested two days after the attack.
US prosecutors, in a 13-page indictment on September 20, slapped him with four charges, including use of weapons of mass destruction.
In addition to the New York attack, he is charged with a pipe bombing, also on September 17, in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and planting several other bombs.
A naturalised US citizen born in Afghanistan, Rahami made several trips in recent years to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The terror charges came after the FBI admitted it had investigated Rahami for terrorism in 2014 following a complaint from his father, but found no link to radicalisation or extremist sympathies.
Comey said the FBI is seeing a slight slowdown in new US terror investigation cases, but some 1,000 probes are currently ongoing.
00:29 Worlds first baby born from 3-parent technique: report
The world's first baby has been born from three parents, thanks to a controversial new technique employed by American scientists to include DNA from three parents in the embryo, a report said.
The baby boy was born five months ago in Mexico to Jordanian parents, and is healthy and doing well, said the report in New Scientist magazine, described as an 'exclusive', AFP reported.
The boy's mother carried genes for a disorder known as Leigh Syndrome, a fatal nervous system disorder which she had passed on to her two previous children who both died of the disease. She had also suffered four miscarriages.
The woman, whose identity was withheld by New Scientist, and her husband sought the help of John Zhang, a doctor from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City to have a baby that would be genetically related to them but would not carry the inherited disease.
The United States has not approved any three-parent method for fertility purposes, so Zhang went to Mexico where he was quoted by New Scientist as saying 'there are no rules'.
Since the mother carried the genes for the disease in her mitochondria, or DNA that is passed down from the maternal side, Zhang used her nuclear DNA and combined it with mitochondria from an egg donor, in a technique known as spindle nuclear transfer.
'He removed the nucleus from one of the mother's eggs and inserted it into a donor egg that had had its own nucleus removed. The resulting egg -- with nuclear DNA from the mother and mitochondrial DNA from a donor -- was then fertilised with the father's sperm,' said the report.
Image for representation only.
The baby boy was born five months ago in Mexico to Jordanian parents, and is healthy and doing well, said the report in New Scientist magazine, described as an 'exclusive', AFP reported.
The boy's mother carried genes for a disorder known as Leigh Syndrome, a fatal nervous system disorder which she had passed on to her two previous children who both died of the disease. She had also suffered four miscarriages.
The woman, whose identity was withheld by New Scientist, and her husband sought the help of John Zhang, a doctor from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City to have a baby that would be genetically related to them but would not carry the inherited disease.
The United States has not approved any three-parent method for fertility purposes, so Zhang went to Mexico where he was quoted by New Scientist as saying 'there are no rules'.
Since the mother carried the genes for the disease in her mitochondria, or DNA that is passed down from the maternal side, Zhang used her nuclear DNA and combined it with mitochondria from an egg donor, in a technique known as spindle nuclear transfer.
'He removed the nucleus from one of the mother's eggs and inserted it into a donor egg that had had its own nucleus removed. The resulting egg -- with nuclear DNA from the mother and mitochondrial DNA from a donor -- was then fertilised with the father's sperm,' said the report.
Image for representation only.
00:22 Top headlines at this hour
India, 3 other countries not to attend SAARC summit
Sena mouthpiece's office attacked over cartoon
Semblence of peace in Kashmir; Valley remains curfew-free
Pathankot: High alert after input on armed men in army fatigue
Will approach UN if India violates Indus Water Treaty, says Pakistan
Read yesterday's live commentary HERE
Sena mouthpiece's office attacked over cartoon
Semblence of peace in Kashmir; Valley remains curfew-free
Pathankot: High alert after input on armed men in army fatigue
Will approach UN if India violates Indus Water Treaty, says Pakistan
Read yesterday's live commentary HERE
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