Economist Dr Rajiv Kumar was tonight named as the new vice chairman of NITI Aayog, five days after the incumbent Arvind Panagariya announced that he would quit to return to academics.

The government also appointed Dr Vinod Paul, a pediatrician at the AIIMS, as a member of the NITI Aayog, an official spokesman said.

Kumar, who holds a DPhil in economics from Oxford and a PhD from Lucknow University, is a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

Earlier, he was Secretary General of the FICCI and had also served as Director and Chief Executive of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).

He was a member of the National Security Advisory Board between 2006 and 2008.

He has also served as the chief economist of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and held senior positions in the the Asian Development Bank, the Indian Ministry of Industries, and the Ministry of Finance.

Kumar is also a member of boards of several international and national institutions, including the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Riyadh, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and Asia in Jakarta, the State Bank of India, and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

Paul has done substantial work in public health. The appointment for the post of NITI Aayog Vice Chairman was necessitated as the incumbent Panagariya on August 1 had announced that he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University.

Panagariya, an Indian-American, had joined as the Niti Aayog in January 2015.  -- PTI

The Enforcement Directorate today moved a Delhi court seeking quizzing of jailed INX media director Indrani Mukerjea in a money laundering case against her and others including Karti Chidambaram, son of former minister P Chidambaram.

The ED, in its application moved before special judge Sunil Rana, has sought the issuance of production warrant against Mukerjea, currently facing trial in Mumbai in connection with the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora.

The central probe agency has told the court, which may hear the plea on August 8, that Mukerjea, currently lodged in a Mumbai jail, was required to be questioned in connection with the money laundering case.

A lawyer associated with the money laundering matter said that the ED has registered the case against Karti Chidambaram, INX media and its directors, Peter and Indrani and others, after taking cognisance of a recent CBI FIR against them. -- PTI

Vice President-elect M Venkaiah Naidu tweets:

'With all humility, express gratitude to every MP who supported my candidature cutting across party lines.'

'I promise to uphold the Constitution and the high standards set by my esteemed predecessor.'

Earlier, he told PTI, "I am very humbled. I am also thankful to the prime minister and all party leaders for their support."

"I will seek to utilise the vice presidential institution to strengthen the hands of the President and uphold the dignity of the Upper House," Naidu said. -- PTI, ANI

IMAGE: Union Minister Piyush Goyal congratulates Vice President-elect M Venkaiah Naidu at his residence in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: ANI

The United States has informed the United Nations that it will withdraw from the historic 2015 Paris climate agreement but would still take part in negotiations to protect its own interests.

The formal notification to the UN comes two months after President Donald Trump announced his intention to leave the accord, fulfilling a longtime campaign promise and rejecting appeals from other world leaders to stay in the deal.

But according to the terms of the pact, the US cannot fully withdraw until November 4, 2020, which would be a day after the next presidential election is held in the United States.

This means the next US president can still rejoin the agreement.

Reacting to the US' notification, UN chief Antonio Guterres urged it to re-engage with the 2015 Paris climate agreement. -- PTI

First reactions on Venkaiah Naidu's victory in vice presidential election.

"I congratulate Venkaiah Naidu garu on his victory. I wish him all the best for his new office," said opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

"I thank those who voted for me. I was expecting handsome performance by united vote of opposition parties and I'm more than satisfied," Gandhi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, 'Congratulations to Venkaiah Naidu Garu on being elected India's Vice President. My best wishes for a fruitful & motivating tenure.'

'I am confident Venkaiah Naidu will serve nation as a diligent and dedicated Vice President, committed to the the goal of nation building,' the PM tweeted.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "Opposition will never compromise on ideology whether we face defeat or victory. Thank all those who voted against NDA."  -- ANI

IMAGE: Gopalkrishna Gandhi, with opposition leaders Sitaram Yechury and Ghulam Nabi Azad, addresses the media after the result of vice presidential poll was announced. Photograph: ANI

Out of 760 valid votes, Venkaiah Naidu got 516 votes and United Progressive Alliance's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi got 244 votes.

JUST IN: National Democratic Alliance candidate Venkaiah Naidu has won the vice presidential election defeating opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

The latest counting figures indicated that he got 516 votes out of  the 771 votes polled.

More details awaited. -- ANI

He may have not heard of Rakhi, but the women and girls of a remote Muslim-dominated village 'symbolically' named by an NGO after United States President Donald Trump will send him 1,001 sacred threads on the Hindu festival that celebrates the brother-sister bond.

The gesture by the residents of Marora village in the backward Mewat region represents the 'wish of the people that ties are further strengthened between India and the US', says the NGO which has adopted the village.

The village had come into limelight after Sulabh International Social Service Organisation (SISSO) chief Bindeshwar Pathak had announced to name it 'Trump's village'.

The district administration had later said the move to rename the village was 'illegal', forcing the organisation members to remove boards mentioning the new name.

They said signage boards and banners carrying the new name of the village and image of Trump had been removed by the organisation.

The village, with a population of 1,800 people, lies under Punhana Tehshil, some 60 km from Gurgaon.

"The NGO has been conducting many welfare programs for women and girls in the village," Monica Jain, vice president of the NGO, said.

"These students have made 1001 rakhis with photos of Donald Trump and 501 rakhis for Narendra Modi. Women and girls of the village consider them their elder brothers," she said.

The consignment of rakhis was sent yesterday through cargo so that it reached the US president on Raksha Bandhan on August 7.

The villagers are also sending invitations to the two leaders to visit the village. Widows of the village have also expressed a desire to meet Modi on Raksha Bandhan at his residence in the national capital and tie rakhis.

"I have made 150 rakhis within three days for 'Trump bhaiyaa'. I also written in a letter to be sent to the White House that the girls of your village want you to visit it with PM Modi," said 15-year-old Rekha Rani, a resident of the village.

Sulabh had recently constructed 95 toilets in Marora to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship program to make every village in the country open defecation free.

The village has 140 houses and only 45 of them were equipped with toilet facility. Sulabh constructed the remaining 95 toilets, Jain said.  -- PTI

The last batch of 89 pilgrims today left for the cave shrine of Amarnath from Jammu to join the annual yatra which entered its last phase, officials said.

The shrine is located at an altitude of 3,880-metre in south Kashmir Himalayas.

"All the 89 pilgrims present at the Bhagwati camp left in four vehicles amid tight security arrangements around 2.45 am. They crossed the Jawahar Tunnel -- the gateway to Kashmir -- along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway around forenoon," the officials said.

The final batch included 15 women and 37 seers, they said.

While 56 of them have preferred the traditional 42-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, 33 others will join the yatra through the shorter 16-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, they said.

The yatra entered its final phase after 'Chhari Mubarak' (the holy mace of Lord Shiva), being carried by a group of seers, including its custodian Mahant Deepindra Giri, joined the yatra at Pahalgam on Thursday.

After special prayers and other rituals, the saffron- robed holy mace was taken to Chandanwari yesterday and will reach the holy cave for final prayers on August 7 after night halts en route to Sheshnag and Panjtarni, marking the conclusion of the 40-day yatra on the occasion of 'Raksha Bandhan'.

The yatra which began on June 29 from the twin routes recorded a footfall of 2,58,414 pilgrims who paid their obeisance at the naturally formed ice-shivlingam till last evening.  -- PTI

The voting for Vice Presidential Election has ended.

Total 771 out of 785 votes polled,

98.21 per cent poll percentage recorded.

Counting will begin at 6 pm. -- ANI

Nearly 97 per cent of the members of Parliament exercised their franchise till 3 pm in the vice presidential poll in New Delhi today.

Assistant Returning Officer Mukul Pandey told reporters that 96.94 per cent (761 out of 785) members eligible to cast vote have exercised their franchise till 3 pm.

NDA's M Venkaiah Naidu is pitted against opposition candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

The strength of the electoral college comprising both elected and nominated MPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha is 790.

Naidu today said he is now a 'non-party man' and exuded confidence in getting support from MPs casting their vote.

"There is no my party or your party. Now I am a non-party man. Majority of political parties in India are supporting my candidature. I am confident that they will all vote in the election," he told reporters.

Naidu said he is known to all his MPs in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

"That is why I am not campaigning also or canvassing also. I have written a polite letter to everybody. The response is very good. People are appreciative of my letter. I am confident they will all support me," he said.

"I don't want to make any comments against anybody. I am not contesting against any body. I am contesting for the vice-president of India nominated by a number of political parties. My contest is not against any individual or any party," Naidu said.

He said it is better to avoid talking of politics on this election as this was not a party election but for the 'august post of vice-president of India'.

Naidu, who is a Rajya Sabha member, also cast his vote.

The opposition's candidate Gandhi said the most important issue before the country is of social cohesion and growing intolerance.

"There is a growing intolerance amongst people. And it is not their own intolerance because our people are a very tolerant people. Our people do not want any friction. They want to live in peace and harmony," he said.  -- PTI

Vice Presidential election: 96.94 per cent polling till 3 pm, says Assistant Returning Officer Mukul Pandey.

Bharatiya Janata Party worker Jayesh Darji was on Saturday detained by police in Dhanera for attacking Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's convoy on Friday.

Rahul's car was attacked on Friday when he was on his way to the helipad after visiting the flood-hit areas in Gujarat's Dhanera.

Earlier in the day, the Congress workers staged protests across the nation against the attack.

Rahul, however, urged party workers to call off their protests and divert their energies in helping the flood affected people in Gujarat.

'Respect the sentiments of Congress workers in #Gujarat protesting against admin not filing an FIR against the stone pelting. But I urge them to divert their energy in helping the people affected by floods in the state (sic),' he said in a tweet.

Rahul blamed the BJP for the attack and said, 'In yesterday's incident, BJP workers threw a stone at me which hit my personal security officer (PSO). This is Prime Minister Modi and BJP-RSS's way of politics. What can I say?' Rahul told media. -- ANI

One person has been arrested in connection with attack on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's car in Dhanera town of Gujarat, Banaskantha Superintendent of Police said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Congress held nationwide protests against the attack on Saturday.

The Congress vice president said the attack on his convoy was carried out by the BJP and RSS workers and this was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the BJP's way of politics. -- PTI

More than 90 per cent votes in the vice presidential election had been cast by 1 pm, the assistant returning officer said today.

According to Mukul Pandey, the assistant returning officer of the vice presidential polls, 713 of 785 electors had voted by 1 pm, recording 90.83 per cent voting.

"Earlier in the morning, the first hour recorded a sizeable turnout of MPs waiting to cast their vote," Pandey said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and M Venkaiah Naidu, the National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential nominee and a Rajya Sabha member, as well as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, a Lok Sabha member, were among the first to cast their ballot.

In fact, the prime minister was standing in queue even before the voting hall opened at 10 am.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, his party MPs Jyotiraditya Scindia, Deepender Singh Hooda and Sushmita Dev also voted to elect the next vice president.

The Opposition has fielded Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the post. MPs are using special pens for marking their choice in the election which will conclude at 5 pm.

The counting of votes will commence after polling and the results will be declared by 7 pm, Election Commission officials said.

The electoral college which elects the vice president, who is also the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, consists of elected and nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Congress president Sonia Gandhi casts her vote in vice presidential election at Parliament house in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: ANI

The fourth episode of Game of Thrones season seven has landed online ahead of its Sunday premiere.

The leak comes just days after HBO suffered a major cyberattack.

However, according to a spokesperson from HBO, the leak was related to one of HBO's distribution partners, Star India, and had no relation to the hack, Los Angeles Times reported.

"This confirms the compromise of episode 4 of 'Game of Thrones' Season 7, earlier this afternoon. We take this breach very seriously and have immediately initiated forensic investigations at our and the technology partner's end to swiftly determine the cause.

"This is a grave issue and we are taking appropriate legal remedial action," a statement from a Star India representative told the newspaper.

The news of hack first broke out on Tuesday when the hackers reportedly released a handful of unaired episodes of HBO shows, as well as other internal data, online.

The network has acknowledged the hack, but has not yet given out any details about the types of files hackers were able to obtain.  -- PTI

Rajya Sabha MP Rekha and Lok Sabha MP Dimple Yadav after casting their vote for vice presidential election at Parliament. -- ANI

Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar votes in vice presidential election at Parliament house in New Delhi.

"Not only here but whenever voting takes place, every citizen should vote," he said. -- ANI

The Congress on Saturday staged protests across the nation over attack on party vice president Rahul Gandhi's convoy in Gujarat on Friday.

The Congress workers staged protests in Gujarat's Ahmedabad , Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal and Maharashtra's capital Mumbai.

In Gatkopar, the Mumbai Youth Congress workers threw flowers inside Bharatiya Janata Party office and shouted slogan against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

Rahul's car was attacked on Friday when he was on his way to the helipad after visiting the flood-hit areas in Gujarat.

After Rahul's car was attacked, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that 'BJP goons pelted heavy stones at Rahul's car' when he was on his way to the helipad after meeting flood victims at Gujarat's Dhanera.

Condemning the incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that a senior officer has been appointed to investigate into the incident and assured that a strict action will be taken against the guilty.

'I condemn the unfortunate attack on Rahul Gandhi's convoy. I have instructed officers to take strict action against those responsible. Govt has appointed Add DG rank officer to investigate in detail&will tk strict action agnst those found responsible (sic),' Rupani tweeted. -- ANI

IMAGE: Protesting Congress members being detained in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI

Gujarat Congress MLAs who are staying at a Bengaluru resort meet Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala at Raj Bhavan on Saturday.

Senior Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil said Vajubhai has been a member of Gujarat assembly and he knows everyone.

"All 44 MLAs met him individually," Gohil said.

Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party, the MLAs said it wanted to 'break them'.

"We want to go back as soon as possible, nothing planned yet. A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow," Gohil said.

"All MLAs are very happy, they have met the governor," Karnataka minister D K Shivakumar, who is managing the MLAs at the resort said. -- ANI

IMAGE: Gujarat Congress MLAs at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Bengaluru on Saturday. Photograph: ANI

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on way to cast his vote in the vice-presidential poll.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote.

From left, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, opposition vice-presidential nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and others at Parliament house in New Delhi during the voting process for the vice-presidential election.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani votes in vice presidential polls.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today said the attack on his convoy in Gujarat was carried out by people from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Gandhi yesterday faced protests in flood-hit Gujarat where alleged BJP supporters hurled a cement brick at his car and showed him black flags, forcing him to cut short his address at a gathering and leave in a huff.

"Attack on me was carried out by the BJP RSS people. This is their, and PM Modi's, way of politics," he said.

"It is done by their people so why would they condemn it," he said.

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad also condemned the attack on Gandhi, saying that it was a 'pre-planned conspiracy'.

"It is a murderous attack by the BJP, RSS," Azad said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote in the vice presidential election in New Delhi.

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