LIVE! Trump accuses NYT of foiling US attempt to kill Baghdadi

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Sat, 22 July 2017

Trump accuses NYT of foiling US attempt to kill Baghdadi

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21:00 Trump accuses NYT of foiling US attempt to kill Baghdadi

US President Donald Trump today accused The New York Times of "foiling" American attempt to kill the self-proclaimed leader of Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"The Failing New York Times foiled US attempt to kill the single most wanted terrorist, Al-Baghdadi. Their sick agenda over National Security," Trump tweeted.

The president, however, did not give any other details in support of his claim.

Earlier, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims the elusive IS leader was killed in a Russian air strike in war-torn Syria.

Trump also lashed out another major US daily The Washington Post in other tweet.

"A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against AG Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey's, must stop!" Trump said seeking an end to these leaks.

Amidst fears that Pakistans Supreme Court will ask Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down for corruption in the Panama Papers leaks case, the ruling PML-N party is understood to be finalising names for a replacement.

The premier chaired a high-profile meeting of party leaders on Friday and Saturday, ending with a decision that Nawaz would not tender his resignation.

Earlier this week, PML-N announced it would accede to the Supreme Courts orders, fuelling speculation that the party prepared for a change at the top. PML-N leaders also argued on Friday and Saturday that if Nawaz Sharif steps down, it will give him more time to focus on the 2018 general elections.

Shahbaz Sharif Nawazs younger brother and chief minister of Punjab province is favourite for the job. He seems to have escaped indictment in the joint investigation team report and is being reinforced as an all-important player of the Sharif family.

Radio Jockey Malishka Mendonsa, facing the ire of the Shiv Sena for her music video mocking 'ill-preparedness' for monsoon of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, is receiving support from various

sections of the society.

Over 100 activists of the Watchdog Foundation, an NGO working on civic issues, today assembled at Marol in suburban Andheri and expressed support to Mendonsa while highlighting the potholes issue in the city. Various bodies like 'Save Our Land', 'The Bombay East Association', besides many activists, joined the gathering.

Hashtags like 'Mumbai with Malishka, I support RJ Malishka' and 'Pothole rap' continued to trend on the social-networking website.

For its part, the BMC has clarified that the notice sent to the RJ's Bandra home was a part of their routine inspection process and that the civic body doesn't believe in revengeful acts.

After the video, 'Mumbai tula BMC var bharosa nahi ka'(Mumbai, don't you trust BMC?) was released, Sena corporators had demanded that the BMC file a defamation suit against Mendonsa and the local FM channel for allegedly making fun of the civic body.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said those who allegedly threatened Malayalam author K P Ramanunni and asked him to convert to Islam should be arrested.

Criminals who wrote the letter shoulld [be] arrested, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha member said.

Ramanunni on Friday lodged a police complaint regarding an anonymous threat letter warning him that his right arm and left leg would be chopped off if he did not convert to Islam within six months.

The letter was sent to Ramanunnis residence at Kozhikode in Kerala six days ago.

The writer said though there was no indication as to who was behind the letter, it was understood that it was posted from Manjeri in Malappuram district.

19:20

JUST IN: Congress makes former Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde general secretary incharge of party affairs in Himachal Pradesh, replacing Ambika Soni

18:57 Ram temple should be constructed in legal manner: Shah

BJP President Amit Shah today said his party wants the Ram temple in Ayodhya to be constructed in a legal manner after mutual dialogue.

"The party's stand is clear and mentioned in the last four Lok Sabha election manifestos. The temple should be constructed in a legal manner and there should be mutual dialogue," he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah on Saturday defended External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and said that the search operation of 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul is underway and the Centre is not misleading the nation.

"The search is underway to locate 39 missing Indians in Iraq's Mosul. The government is not misleading the nation," he said.

The BJP has organised Akhil Bharatiya Pravas Yojana - Shah's 110-day visit to all states in the nation - with an aim to take "party's ideology to booth," he said.

Shah also asserted that India has become the fastest growing economy in the world, due to the saffron party's decisive and the transparent ideology.

Iraq's Ambassador to India Fakhri-H-Al-Issa on July 20 had said that he has no information regarding the 39 Indians, who were abducted by the Isalmic State even as EAM Swaraj said that they were last located in a prison in Badush.

"I don't want to say anything. I have no information. Sometimes no news is good news. They might be in Badush prison," Issa said.

Sushma met families of 39 Indians who are missing in Iraq since 2014 on July 16.

Sushma had assured, "Once fighting stops in Badush and the area is cleared, we can probably find out about the whereabouts of the missing nationals."

Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel today said he had no immediate plans to enter electoral politics and will continue to focus on raising issues related to his community and the agriculture sector.

Maintaining that he would take a call on fighting elections at appropriate time, Patel made it clear that he had no plans to forge an alliance with former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela, who quit the Congress yesterday.

"Right now, I have no plans to contest elections. I neither have any political intentions, nor do I represent any party. I am just fighting for the cause of society and the farm sector," Patel said.

The 24-year-old leader, however, said he would take a call on entering electoral politics at the "appropriate time".

A chauffeur was arrested on Saturday after a German woman accused him of masturbating in front of her in an upscale New Delhi neighbourhood, police said.

Police arrested 32-year-old Tarun Kumar from Haryana after the doctorate scholar accused him of masturbating while she was walking her dog in a public park on Friday afternoon.

The 33-year-old woman, who is studying at a premier Delhi university, chased after accused before taking pictures of his car as he fled the scene.

The woman provided us pictures of the registration number of the car and we tracked the owner before swooping in on the accused, Anil Kumar, investigating officer with Delhi police said.

RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi will no more be able to drive straight to their aircraft at Patna airport as the central government has withdrawn tarmac access for their vehicle, according to officials.

"Previous order (allowing access) was for Patna airport only, which has been withdrawn," said an official at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The move comes after the ministry of civil aviation wrote a letter to the BCAS informing that it had decided to revoke permission granted in 2009 allowing Lalu Yadav and his wife's vehicle to drive up to the tarmac.

"It has now been decided that the permission accorded to Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav and Smt Rabri Devi vide the AVSEC order No 13/2009 dated 1/08/2009 maybe withdrawn forthwith," says the letter dated July 21. The letter asks BCAS to take "immediate action to issue necessary instructions" to ensure implementation of the ministry's decision.

"Previous order (allowing access) was for Patna airport only, which has been withdrawn," said an official at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

16:30 Dravid won't tour with senior team: Vinod Rai

Former India captain Rahul Dravid "will not be available" for the senior Indian team's overseas tours owing to his commitments with the India A and Under-19 sides, the Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai

said today.

While Rai admitted that they are trying to sort out Zaheer Khan's contract issues as he is still associated with IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils, CEO Rahul Johri informed that the former speedster is likely to be available for India's tour of South Africa.

"Dravid's contract issues are all sorted. He has two-year full-time contract (India A and U19). He has said that he is not available for tours abroad (senior team). He does not want to hang around," Rai said.

Rai also admitted that in case of Zaheer Khan, they are "struggling" to create a template in which his IPL contract can be balanced with his consultancy role.

16:17

JUST IN: Kerala Congress MLA M Vincent booked on charges of rape, stalking & abetment of suicide of a 51-year-old woman, has been arrested by the police

16:14 Chhota Rajan's sharp shooter Khan Mubarak arrested

Khan Mubarak, sharp shooter of underworld don Chhota Rajan, was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on Saturday in Lucknow.

Mubarak was arrested after specific information about his plan to conduct loot. A large cache of arms and ammunitions is also recovered from him.

"They were planning to conduct loot, but due to timely information, we were able to stop him," Deputy Inspector General of Police Special Task Force Manoj Tiwary said.

The police official said that Mubarak has a criminal history with charges of extortion cases, and illegal land dealings.

"He has a long criminal history. He is involved in many loot and extortion cases as well. He is involved in real estate property business and was also into mining business. Recently, he was in constant touch with Abu Salem," Tiwary said.

Tiwary said Mubarak was attempting to grow his influence in Lucknow and was gradually establishing his own gang.

Mubarak is brother of Zafar Supari Khan, who is considered an enemy of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Zafar Supari Khan used to provide shooters to Chhota Rajan gang. Mubarak used to oversee shooters' network of Rajan's gang.

Chhota Rajan, once a close aide of fugitive terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to India to face trial in over 70 cases of killing, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai. The 55-year old gangster was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25, 2015, and deported to India.

The families of the 39 Indians missing in Iraq are likely to come to Delhi in next few days and demand answers from the Narendra Modi government, Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management committee chief Manjit Singh GK says.

Singh has organized meetings between the external affairs ministry and the families in the past few years.

Singh says the Indian government must question authorities in Iraq and find the exact whereabouts of its missing nationals.

"The government must talk to Iraqi authorities and now their minister is arriving in India on 24 July, so the government should step up pressure over this issue," Singh added.

15:08

JUST IN: BCCI to give cash reward of Rs 50 lakh to each player of Women's Cricket team for their performance in ICC Women's World Cup 2017.

15:01 Let China, US mind their own business: Mufti on third-party intervention

A day after National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said India should approach third parties like the US and China to mediate in the Kashmir issue, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said those two foreign nations should "mind their own business".

"Let China and America mind their own business. If you want to have talks, then keep America, Turkistan, and English-tan out," she said.

"What is the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq today? Does Farooq sahab wants same thing to happen to us?," she asked.

Farooq Abdullah had on Friday said, "For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns."

"The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. US President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," he said.

China on July 13 said it was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving relations between India and Pakistan, but the Ministry of External Affairs today rejected any external help.

A day after the country's top auditor told parliament that the army is significantly short on ammunition, sources have confirmed that supplies of critical ammo for tanks and artillery guns will start flowing in from early next month.

The army by the end of next year will likely come close to meeting its requirement for 40 days of war wastage reserves of ammunition - the ideal stockpile the Army needs to fight 40 days of an intensive war - sources have said.

The world's second-largest standing army is woefully short on ammunition and there hasn't been a remarkable change in the last few years, the Comptroller and Auditor General told parliament on Friday. The shortage dents the army's ability to sustain a war for a long period, the report said.

Sources told NDTV that several types of ammunition and fuses which are in short supply are presently at the pre-dispatch inspection stage before they are exported to India by foreign suppliers.

US President Donald Trump praising outgoing press secretary Sean Spicer lashed out against the media claiming that the latter suffered 'tremendous abuse' at the hands of the 'fake media'.

The US president said, "Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!."

Spicer was criticised by the press after his first appearance at the White House press podium where he falsely claimed that Trump saw the largest inaugural crowds in history at his inauguration the previous day.

Spicer announced Friday he would step down as press secretary after Trump named Anthony Scaramucci as his new White House communications director.

Trump reportedly asked Spicer to stay on as press secretary after he hired Scaramucci, but Spicer declined the offer.

Spicer has served as interim communications director since Mike Dubke resigned from the post in May.

Scaramucci will formally take office on August 15.

Banning VIPs from using beacon lights on their vehicles is not enough as Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants his party MPs to shun even the mindset of "lal-batti".

Modi government had banned the use of beacon lights from May 1 this year on all vehicles, except emergency vehicles, aiming to end the "VVIP culture".

The PM's message was meant to signal that lawmakers should maintain humility and be accessible for their electorate. The Prime Minister and the BJP leadership are striving to repeat the historic win in UP in the 2014 general elections when the party along with its allies had own 73 of 80 seats in the state. PM asked MPs to spend maximum time among the people and keep working for their welfare.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing for a meeting of NSAs from BRICS countries may be key to ease tensions between India and China over the military standoff in Dokalam, a Chinese analyst said.

Doval is scheduled to visit China for the meeting on July 27-28.

The meeting is hosted by his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi. It is part of a series of meetings of officials from BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - ahead of this year's summit of the five-member bloc of emerging countries in Xiamen city in September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the summit.

Ma Jiali, a research fellow at the China Reform Forum thinktank, said Doval's visit may be key and would serve as an opportunity to ease India-China tensions.

His comments came in a piece in The Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party media group, which generally reflects the views of the ruling party, today. The tabloid has unleashed a barrage of anti-India rhetoric in recent weeks amid tensions between the two countries.

Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks accusing the BJP-led NDA government of attempting to "strangulate reality" like the Nazi regime.

Earlier in the day, Rahul had likened PM Narendra Modi to Hitler and said the government was trying to "paint a lie" over India while oppressing the poor and marginalised.

"Hitler, once wrote: Keep a firm grasp on reality, so you can strangle it at any time. This is what is happening today - strangulation of reality... BJP wants to paint a lie over India so that they can return it to an age of kings and no questions, where people were humiliated by power, where people's voices were crushed, where the poor and weak were trampled upon," Rahul had said at the 'Quest for equity' event in Bengaluru.

He claimed that PM Modi was like a dictatorial emperor whose advisors were too afraid to voice their objections.

Reacting sharply to the Gandhi scion's barbed remarks, BJP's Smriti Irani was quick to remind Rahul of his own party's track record.

"You (Rahul Gandhi) are 42 years late on this one. No prizes for guessing who was inspired by Hitler, imposed the emergency and trampled over democracy," Irani said in an overt dig at former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's declaration of Emergency in 1975.

Two women have enlisted as the first female candidates seeking to join the US Navy's special operations teams.

One of the candidates, a midshipman, will train with other potential officers this summer in hopes of becoming the first female Navy SEAL.

The other candidate is training for the Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman program, or SWCC.

These women have already made history, but they still face a long road ahead of training and tests before they officially make the cut, reports the CNN.

Women weren't allowed to serve in combat roles, including special operation forces such as the SEALs and SWCC, until January 2016. But there were no female applicants in the 18 months since that historic change until now.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is in Delhi to attend a dinner hosted by PM Narendra Modi for outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, will meet Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today.

The conversation between Kumar and Rahul Gandhi comes at a time their coalition in Bihar, the Mahagatbandhan, is in serious trouble amid corruption charges against ally Lalu Yadav and his family, including son Tejashwi who is Deputy chief minister.

Nitish Kumar, who will attend PM Modi's dinner as the president of his party Janata Dal-United, had earlier confirmed that he will attend President-elect Ram Nath Kovind's oath ceremony on Tuesday in a separate trip to the capital and will also pack in a long overdue meeting with Rahul Gandhi.

11:33

JUST IN: 6 policemen were injured in a scuffle with army personnel in J&K's Ganderbal after argument at a checkpoint

11:16 Baghdadi still alive: US defence secretary

United States Defence Secretary James Mattis said he believes Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive, shooting down claims he was killed inan air strike.

"I think Baghdadi's alive... And I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him," Mattis said.

"But, we're going after him. We assume he's alive," he told reporters.

Last month, the Russian military claimed it had struck a meeting of Baghdadi on May 28 near Raqqa, Syria, in which Baghdadi was possibly killed.

Multiple other reports in recent weeks have suggested that Baghdadi was killed in Iraq or Syria. Since making his public appearance as 'caliph' in 2014, he has not been seen.

Pentagon officials have said that Baghdadi no longer is involved in the Islamic State's day-to-day operations.

Mattis, however, said Baghdadi still has a role to play in the outfit.

Responding to other questions on Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said the policy review is not complete yet. -- PTI

A total of 2,371 police and court cases related to illegal sex-determination are going on in the country as on March this year, over 50 per cent of them in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

The government informed the Lok Sabha that 1,762 machines for pre-natal sex determination have been sealed and seized for violations of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.

Citing Quarterly Progress Reports March 2017 submitted by stated and UTs, Health Minister J P Nadda said 2,371 court cases have been filed by District Appropriate Authorities under the Act.

Of the total ongoing court cases, 27.5 per cent (652) have been filed in Rajasthan alone followed by 24.12 per cent in Maharashtra (572). 416 convictions have been secured so far, Nadda said, adding medical licences of 114 doctors have been either suspended or cancelled following conviction.

He also said the government is rendering financial support under the National Health Mission to strengthen the implementation structures in all the states. During 2016-17, Rs 1,229.82 lakhs have been approved for setting up dedicated PNDT cells, capacity building of appropriate authorities. -- PTI

10:34 Kovind's swearing-in at 12.15 pm on Tuesday

The swearing-in of President-elect Ram Nath Kovind will take place at 12.15 pm on Tuesday.

Astrologers of Kovind have just indicated the time to Omita Paul, secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee.

Senior journalist and a fellow of Observer's Research Foundation Ashok Malik has been appointed as the press secretary to the President by the Union cabinet.

Chairman Public Enterprises Selection Board Sanjay Kothari has been appointed secretary to the new President and Bharat Lal, an Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer, was appointed as the Joint Secretary to the President.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointments on Friday for a period of two years.

A journalist for 20 years, Malik is a columnist for several leading Indian and international publications including Times of India, Hindustan Times and Yale Global Online.

Previously, he served as a consulting editor to the Pioneer and Tehelka.

Malik joined the ORF in 2015 and presently heads its 'Neighbourhood Regional Studies Initiative', which focuses on Indian domestic politics and foreign/trade policy.

In 2011, Malik co-authored a paper, India's New World: Civil Society in the Making of Foreign Policy, published by the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney.

It showcased the influence of Indian business, news media and overseas communities on the Ministry of External Affairs.

In 2012, he published a book India: Spirit of Enterprise which focuses on the growth of India's leading private sector industries since 1991, and its role in the Indian economy.

In the same year, he was a member on the bilateral Task Force on Perceptions commissioned by the Australia India Institute, University of Melbourne, to assess and make recommendations on the relationship between Australia and India.

In June 2013, he was named to the Australia India Institute-ORF Chair for Indo-Pacific Studies.

His work in this capacity focused on the bilateral relationship between the two countries as well as emergent challenges related to maritime and energy security, and new institutional architecture, in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian government awarded him Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2016. -- PTI, ANI

09:31 Lankan navy arrests eight TN fishermen

Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were today arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters, a senior fisheries official said.

This is the fifth such incident this month.

The fishermen from Nagapattinam district were arrested for fishing off Neduntheevu near the Sri Lankan coast and have been taken to Kangesanthurai port, Nagapattinam joint fisheries director Amala Xavier said.

On Monday, four fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested for allegedly fishing off Neduntheevu.

On July 13, seven fishermen from Mandapam near here were held off Neduntheevu and taken to Kangesanthurai port, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in finding a permanent solution to the recurring mid-sea arrests.

"Such continuing incidents of arrests of fishermen were a deliberate attempt by Sri Lanka to derail India's efforts to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue," he had said in a letter dated July 13.

The state government has maintained that retrieval of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, was the 'only solution' to the vexed fishermen's issue. -- PTI

An Army jawan was killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army which opened fire on Friday on Indian posts along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, after a day's lull.

Eleven persons, including 9 soldiers, were killed and 18 people injured in 18 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this month.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Sunderbani sector at around 1805 hours (6.05 pm) today (Friday). The Army retaliated strongly and effectively", a defence spokesman said.

In the exchange, Rifleman Jayadrath Singh, hailing from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpuir district, was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, he said.

The soldier is survived by his wife. -- PTI

Criticising the Modi government, an editorial in the New York Times said there has been an 'alarming rise' in mob attacks in India since he took office and 'virulent intolerance' has been unleashed under his leadership, threatening the foundation of the secular nation.

'Narendra Modi's landslide victory as prime minister of India in 2014 was borne on his promises to unleash his country's economic potential and build a bright future while he played down the Hindu nationalist roots of his Bharatiya Janata Party,' the editorial titled India's Turn Toward Intolerance said.

The Prime Minister's Office did not offer any comment when its attention was drawn to the editorial by PTI for a response.

The editorial noted that under Modi's leadership 'growth has slowed, jobs have not materialised, and what has actually been unleashed is virulent intolerance that threatens the foundation of the secular nation envisioned by its founders'.

It added that since Modi took office, there has been an 'alarming rise' in mob attacks against people accused of eating beef or abusing cows and most of those killed have been Muslims.

The editorial also referred to India's film censor board's decision regarding a documentary on Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen.

The board ruled that the documentary cannot be screened unless the director cuts the words 'cow', 'Hindu India', 'Hindutva view of India' and 'Gujarat', where Modi was the chief minister at the time of anti-Muslim riots in 2002.

'This might seem like merely a farcical move by Hindu fanatics, if it were not so in line with much else that is happening in Modi's India, and if the implications for India's democracy weren't so chilling. But this is where Modi has brought the nation as it prepares to celebrate 70 years of independence on August 15,' it said. -- PTI

00:03 Top headlines at this hour

Fake Chinese-made parts supplied for indigenised Bofors guns: CBI

Navy lacks institutional framework to deal with safety: CAG

US blocks $350mn military aid to Pakistan

Vaghela quits Congress, says no plan to join BJP

Spicer resigns as White House press secretary

Teen killed as security forces fire at stone-pelters

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