LIVE
Sun, 18 June 2017
Russia slams Trump's 'Cold War' policy on Cuba

Timeline  Refresh

image
21:11   Russia slams Trump's 'Cold War' policy on Cuba
Russia's foreign ministry said it regretted US President Donald Trump's policy reversal on Cuba, calling it reminiscent of the Cold War era.

"The new line towards Cuba announced by US President Donald Trump takes us back to already half-forgotten rhetoric in the style of the Cold War," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Trump vowed Friday to overhaul his predecessor Barack Obama's deal to restore ties with Cuba, promising instead to support the Cuban people against Raul Castro's government.

Moscow said Trump's policy changes showed that "anti-Cuban discourse is still widely in demand. This cannot but cause regret."

It said that easing of sanctions under Obama was a "well-thought-out political decision in which there were no losers except marginal Castro opponents."

Russia said it was reaffirming its "unshakable solidarity with Cuba."
image
20:43   Britain's May has '10 days to save job', Tories plan her ouster
British Prime Minister Theresa May has "10 days to save her job" as some of her party lawmakers are secretly plotting her ouster, according to UK media reports.

After her flawed decision to call a snap general election saw the Conservatives lose their narrow majority earlier this month, May has now come under fire for her lacklustre response to the Grenfell Tower fire disaster.

She has 10 days to come up with a strategy that will satisfy enough supporters of hard and soft Brexit alike or she will face a leadership challenge, a former minister told The Sunday Times.

"She is going to have to go sooner rather than later. The critical moment is June 28 and 29, when there are votes on the Queens Speech, the politician said.

"If it looks like they will be lost, you have to strike," he said.

A senior backbencher also spoke of coming under pressure to back a vote of no confidence in Mays leadership.

"Ive got serious members in my constituency texting me saying: Youve got to get rid of her quickly because every time she appears shes making the party more toxic, the MP told the newspaper.
image
20:25   No card, only hard cash for Prez nomination in digital India
Despite the Centre's push for digital payments post demonetisation, candidates who wish to be president have to pay Rs 15,000 in cash.

Under the rules, candidate have to deposit the amount with the returning officer while filing their nomination papers for the post.

A bank official sitting there would count and check the notes, sources said.

The candidate can also deposit the cash at the Reserve Bank of India, enclosing the receipt with the nomination papers.

The sources said candidates were not allowed to make payments digitally or by cheque.

So far, 15 people had filed their papers for the top constitutional post. Seven of them were disqualified because of lack of proper documents.
image
20:03   UPDATE: India win against Pakistan 7-1 in Hockey league semi-finals
India wins 7-1 against Pakistan in the FIH Hockey World League Semi-Final in London. Akashdeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Talwinder Singh scored  two goals each while Pardeep Mor was the other scorer for India.
image
19:38   Trump tweets anger over Russia probe 'witch-hunt'
US President Donald Trump has begun his day with a stream of tweets defending his record and lashing out at the investigation into Russian interference in the election.

In the tweets on Sunday, Trump wrote: "The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN agenda is doing very well despite the distraction of the Witch Hunt".

He continued by saying: "Many new jobs, high business enthusiasm massive regulation cuts, 36 new legislative bills signed, great new S.C.Justice, and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Tax Cuts in works!"

"Witch hunt' is how Trump characterises the probe into Russia's election interference and possible ties to his campaign associates.

His latest comments come after Trump appeared to confirm he is under investigation for obstruction of justice in relation to the Russian meddling probe.

The US president tweeted on Friday morning that he was "being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director".
image
19:26   CBI arrests army colonel, three others in case of bribery
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a colonel and three others of a Pune-based private company in a case of bribery. It was alleged that Colonel Shaibal Kumar had demanded a bribe of Rs 1.8 lakh from the managing director of the Pune-based company in connection with the supply of power pack rock splitters, which are used by various field formations of the army.

The CBI had registered a case against Colonel Kumar and three others including managing director Sharat Nath, director Vijay Naidu and Amit Roy, a Kolkata representative of M/sXtech Equipments Pvt Ltd, Pune under section 120 B of IPC and section 7, 12 and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of PC Act 1988 on June 17.

Colonel Shaibal Kumar is serving at the Planning and Engineering Branch of Indian Army, Eastern Command, Kolkata.
image
18:50   Rajnath Singh suffers leg fracture
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today suffered a fracture in his left leg, according to a close aide. Sixty-five-year-old Singh twisted his ankle during morning walk at his official residence, the aide said. The BJP leader was taken to the AIIMS where his leg was plastered, he said. After that, Singh returned home, the aide added.
image
18:06   Posters rooting for Advani as President don't stick for too long at BJP HQ
The political corridors these days are abuzz with speculations over who is going to be the country's next president.

Parties across spectrum are reaching out to each other to arrive at a consensus ahead of the Presidential election.

In this scenario, posters supporting Lal Krishna Advani for the post of the president have come up at some prominent locations in Delhi.

These posters were also put up outside the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party at 11, Ashoka Road. The posters, however, were torn apart and thrown outside the party office.

The posters backing L K Advani for president have been published in the name of Ashok Tanwar, who calls himself the convener of Gurjar Samaj and a farmer leader.

In these posters, L K Advani is described as the best-suited contender for the president's post. Many of these posters have been put up in and around Raisina Road in Lutyens Delhi.
image
17:37   Over 90,000 inmates to perform asanas on Intn'l Yoga Day
Around 92,000 prison inmates would participate in parallel yoga sessions in various jails in Uttar Pradesh along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thousands across the globe would be performing 'asanas' during the International Yoga Day celebrations on Jun 21.

The authorities are already holding training sessions for them.

"Nearly 92,000 inmates lodged in various jails of the state will be participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations from the jail premises itself. The main motive behind is that by undertaking regular Yoga, jail inmates will remain medically fit, and it will also inculcate a dose of positivity in their mindset," UP minister of state for jails Jai Kumar Singh Jaiki said. 

Meanwhile in Pratapgarh, at least 200 farmers are likely
to perform Yoga at the same time.
image
17:21   Modi government will roll out GST on July 1
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley briefs the media after the GST Council meet. 

Here are the highlights:

>> Govt will roll out GST on July 1, next meeting of GST
Council on June 30

>> GST Council sets tax rate on state-run lottery at 12 per cent,
govt-authorised private lottery at 18 per cent

>> GST rate of 18 per cent applicable for hotel rooms between Rs 2000 and Rs 7500; 28 percent for more expensive rooms

>> IT preparedness discussed at length, 65.6 lakh have taken
provisional registration
image
17:07   No-fly list norms likely in July first week: Govt
The norms for no-fly list to rein in unruly passengers are expected to be ready early next month, the government said today amid a parliamentarian being barred by domestic airlines for allegedly creating ruckus.
    
A revised Civil Aviation Requirement is being finalised after receiving comments from the stakeholders.
    
The civil aviation ministry has already come out with draft rules for a 'national no-fly list' of unruly passengers for all domestic carriers, under which the flying ban could extend from at least three months to an indefinite period.
  
The CAR related to the no-fly list is expected to be notified in the first week of July, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said. 
image
16:28   Thambidurai meets Governor, dismisses horse-trading charges
Senior AIADMK Amma leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai today met Governor Vidyasagar Rao, a day after opposition parties sought dismissal of the K Palaniswami government over alleged horse-trading of ruling party MLAs.
   
The visit of Thambidurai, also party propaganda secretary, assumes significance as it came at a time when the DMK is raising in a big way the issue of alleged pay-offs to MLAs, which came to fore in a 'sting' operation by a TV channel, and pressing for a fresh trust vote.
   
However, Raj Bhavan officials described the meeting as a "courtesy call."

Emerging from the meeting with the Governor, Thambidurai rubbished the allegation of horse-trading of ruling party MLAs ahead of the February 18 trust vote, saying purchasing legislators was not possible in view of the anti-defection law.
   
"No one travels by horse these days and there is no horse trading," he said.

A vote against party line violating the whip would strip the legislators of their assembly membership and hence there was no scope for bargain, the AIADMK leader asserted. 
image
16:19   Rajinikanth meets farmers, assures support for linking rivers
Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth today met a delegation of 16 farmers led by P Ayyakannu and assured them his support for their plea to interlink rivers.
     
Weeks after asking his fans to "prepare for war," hinting that he might consider joining politics, the Kabali star today told the visiting farmers that their plea to link up rivers will be represented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledged Rs one crore in this regard.
     
"Rajini told us that he will take steps to facilitate interlinking rivers, he said first (Peninsular) rivers like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Palaru, and Cauvery should be linked," Ayyakannu said after meeting the top star.
    
In 2002, Rajinikanth had famously offered Rs one crore towards interlinking Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers after a fast on the Cauvery issue.

"Rajinkanth offered to give us Rs one crore immediately towards river linking, however, we requested him to hand it over to PM Modi for a project in this connection," said the farmer leader who kicked up a storm with his recent multiple forms of protest in Delhi. 



image
15:52   Srikanth wins Indonesian Open
Srikanth Kidambi wins the Indonesian Open after defeating Japan's Kazumasa Sakai 21-11, 21-19. 

Srikanth lost the opportunity to grab a Superseries title after losing to B Sai Praneeth in the final at the Singapore Open. Ahead of the finals, Srikanth dished out a gritty performance to stun world No 1 Korean Son Wan Ho. 
image
15:35   Kerala in the grip of viral fever, 103 deaths so far
With over 100 deaths being reported since January in Kerala due to  various types of fevers, government today appealed to the people to join the government's mass sanitation drive on a war footing.
    
According to Health Department sources, as many as 103 people, including women and children, have succumbed to various types of fevers including H1N1, leptospirosis and dengue from January till date.

Of the total 103 deaths, 53 people have died of H1N1 and 13 due to dengue, the sources said. 

Stating that the government had already stepped up its sanitation drive with the support of local people, Kerala CM Vijayan said fever cases have reduced in those places where waste management and mosquito control measures have been implemented effectively.

He said the government had ensured enough stock of essential medicines and the service of doctors in all government hospitals.
image
14:57   Bhim Army hits Delhi streets, demands Chandrashekhar's release
Mobilised by the Bhim Army, a large number of Dalit youths today hit the streets of Delhi, for the second time in less than a month, protesting caste violence in Uttar Pradesh and demanding the release of Chandrashekhar Azad, the outfit's chief. 

The spirited gathering, of around 2,500 as estimated by the police, saw the presence of Chandrashekhar's mother Kamlesh Devi and Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram's sister Swarn Kaur among others.

The stretch between the Parliament Street police station and the New Delhi Municipal Council convention centre turned into a sea of blue, the colour of Dalit resistance, and pulsated with the cries of 'Jai Bheem' as protesters from UP, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab trooped in, from around 10 am.
image
14:34   Man jailed for sharing photo of London fire victim on Facebook
A 43-year-old man has been jailed in the UK for posting on Facebook a video and pictures of a victim of the massive fire that engulfed a 24-storey
residential tower in west London, killing at least 58 people.

Omega Mwaikambo posted one video and two pictures of the body bag with the man inside and then later five pictures of the victim's face and body after opening it to look inside.

He pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to two counts of sending by a public communications network an offending, indecent or obscene matter, The Telegraph reported.

Mwaikambo, who lives just yards away from the tower, had watched the blaze engulf the building throughout the night and had made cups of tea for firefighters as they battled the blaze.

However, later he saw a body bag outside his flat and took the photos on his iPad and uploaded them to Facebook.
image
14:13   Indians have 'rather few' deposits: Swiss banks
Indians have "few deposits" in Swiss banks compared to other global financial hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong, says a grouping of private bankers in Switzerland amid stepped-up efforts to check the black money menace.

Money held by Indians in Swiss banks declined to a record low of 1.2 billion franc (about Rs 8,392 crore) at the end of 2015, as per the latest available official data. However, no official data is available for money in other global hubs.

According to data from the Swiss National Bank, the funds held by Indians with banks in Switzerland fell by CHF 596.42 million to CHF 1,217.6 million at the end of 2015.

It was the lowest amount of funds held by Indians in the Swiss banks ever since the Alpine nation began making the data public in 1997 and marked the second straight year of decline.
image
13:41   Gorkhaland supporters take out silent rally; Rajnath Singh appeals for calm
As the indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha enters its seventh day in Darjeeling Hills, protests over the demand for a separate state are set to intensify with party chief Bimal Gurung asking his supporters to defy curfew and assemble at Chowk Bazaar on Sunday morning.

On Saturday, at least three activists of the GJM were killed and several persons injured as protesters clashed with police in Darjeeling Hills. A senior police officer was also injured and is said to be in a critical condition. 

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday appealed to the people in Darjeeling to remain peaceful. In a democracy like India resorting to violence would never help in finding a solution. Every issue can be resolved through mutual dialogue, he said. Singh also added that he had spoken to Mamata Banerjee this morning.
image
13:08   PM Modi, Trump likely to break ice over dinner
Narendra Modi and Donald Trump are expected to break the ice with a personal dinner meeting which will be an important event as both leaders will get an opportunity to take a measure of the other. 

Trump and Modi will hold their official talks on June 26 in a familiar routine: restricted talks followed by delegation level talks, a meeting with CEOs and a press conference.

Modi will be doing a modest diaspora event a day before in Washington, DC itself.

Earlier, there was talk of him going to Houston in response to an invitation by Texan legislators and the huge Indian diaspora in that state. But the US of 2017 is not as immigrant friendly as it was until last year, when Modi could wow US politicians with his own rallies.
image
12:43   Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje says Zafar Khan's death unfortunate
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday commented on the death of activist Zafar Khan, who was allegedly lynched by civic officials in  Pratapgarh on Friday.

Initial reports of Khan's death said that he had intervened to stop the civic officials, who were on a Swachh Bharat campaign, from photographing women defecating in the open.

Khan's actions led to a fight and he was allegedly beaten with sticks and later died.

Khan's brother filed a police complaint that names, among others, Nagar Parishad commissioner Ashok Jain. Jain has denied that he and his men were responsible for Khan's death.

Commenting on the incident, CM Raje tweeted Sunday morning, "The demise of Zafar Khan ji in Pratapgarh is extremely unfortunate. Investigation is on - justice shall prevail."
image
12:07   Prez Mukherjee rejects 2 more mercy pleas before demitting office
President Pranab Mukherjee rejected two mercy petitions in the last week of May, just two months before he completes his tenure.

Both cases are of rape and murder of a 4-year-old girl by three men in Indore in 2012, and of a 22-year-old woman by two men in Pune in 2007.

The two pleas were received in the President's secretariat in April and May.

The convicts had urged the President to commute the death penalty awarded to them by local courts concerned and upheld by respective high courts and finally by the Supreme Court.

In the gruesome rape and murder case of Indore, Jitendra alias Jeetu, Babu alias Ketan and Sanni alias Devendra were handed down death sentence by a city court a year after the crime was committed.
image
11:49  
JUST IN: Terrorists fire upon Army vehicle near Jammu-Kashmir's Bijbehara in Anantnag district. No injuries reported so far
image
11:20   Great Wall of China preps for Yoga Day
Yoga fever has gripped China ahead of the third UN International Day of Yoga as thousands of Chinese would participate in scores of events organised across the country which officials say will make it the second biggest celebrations of the day in the world after India.

Beijing's iconic Great Wall as well as numerous parks, lakes and resorts across China have become venues for the both official and unofficial yoga events being held with active support of Chinese government bodies.

Though yoga has become immensely popular over the years in China vying with ancient indigenous physical fitness martial art form Tai Chi, it got an official sanction when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi here in 2015 at a joint event during the latter's visit.
image
10:55   Darjeeling braces for another shutdown; GJM to conduct rally
Darjeeling is bracing for another shutdown as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership has decided to hold a protest rally with the bodies of two persons allegedly killed during yesterday's clashes.
The GJM has claimed that two of their supporters were shot dead by police in Singmari. The police rejected the allegations of firing by its personnel, and said one person was killed during the clashes.
A senior GJM leader today said, "We will conduct the rally at Chowbazar with the bodies."
The police has declined them the permission to hold such a rally. A senior police official said, "No one has been given permission to hold a rally in the hills."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday said that the ongoing agitation in Darjeeling hills was a "deep-rooted conspiracy" supported by the insurgent groups of the Northeast and some foreign countries.
The GJM had rubbished the allegation made by Banerjee, saying that she was trying to malign the Gorkhas fighting for their identity.
The police, who have been on high alert after yesterday's violence and arson, conducted route marches with the Army in several parts of the hills.
image
10:40   Maharashtra: Loan waiver criteria committee to meet on Monday
A committee set up by the Maharashtra government to finalise criteria for farm loan waiver will meet in Mumbai on Monday.
Leaders of all farmers' organisations will come to the megapolis to attend the meeting, to be chaired by the state Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil.
On June 11, the Maharashtra government had announced a loan waiver for farmers and decided to form a committee to decide the criteria of debt relief.
Members of the committee are Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna's Raju Shetti, independent MLA Bacchu Kadu, farmer leader Raghunath Patil and coordinator of steering committee of farmers Ajit Navale among others.
image
10:37   Beyonce and Jay Z welcome twins
Pop sensation Beyonce and her music producer husband Jay Z have welcomed twins.
The Carter family is "thrilled" as the newest members join big sister Blue Ivy, 5, reported People magazine.
"Bey and Jay are thrilled and have started sharing the news with their family and closest friends," a source said.
According to E! online, on Thursday, Jay Z and Blue Ivy were together spotted at a LA area hospital. While the twins' genders have yet to be revealed, on Friday, an unidentified woman carrying a bouquet of pink, purple and blue flowers with two giant baby foot-shaped pink and blue balloons that read, "Baby Girl" and "Baby Boy, was photographed dropping off the gift at the same Los Angeles hospital.
The Grammy winner singer revealed that she was pregnant with two back in early February with an Instagram post.
"We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over," Beyonce wrote alongside her photo flaunting the baby bump. 
image
10:00   In UP, wedding called off over no beef
A wedding was called off in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur by the bride's family after the groom's family demanded that they be served beef at the ceremony.

The incident took place in the Dariyagarh village under the Bhot Police Station.

The condition put by the groom's family was to either serve their guests with beef preparations or be prepared for cancellation of the marriage.

Apart from placing a non-negotiable demand of beef dishes, the groom's side was also demanding dowry.

"They demanded beef to be served at the wedding and a car. When we denied for both, they called off the wedding. The government has banned beef. How can we serve it?" said the bride's mother. 
image
09:45   Govt to open passport centres every 50 km
Now, you may not have to travel too far for getting your passport as the government came up with a plan to open passport centres within a radius of 50 km, while announcing that nealry 150 post offices would start doubling as passport kendras soon.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday announced that the government will soon open 149 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendra.
These will be in addition to 86 POPSKs announced by the ministry of external affairs in the first phase, an initiative undertaken jointly by the MEA and the department of post.
Arun Chatterjee, joint secretary (consular, passport and visa division), said 52 POPSKs have been opened in different post offices till now. On an average, these offices handle 3,500 appointments per week.
Since coming to power, the NDA government has also opened 16 PSKs, with a priority given to the northeastern states, Swaraj said.
Thus, the NDA government has altogether opened or announced 251 PSKs and POPSKs since coming to power in May 2014, she said.
Prior to this, there were 77 PSKs in the country.
The minister said when she took charge in the ministry, she realised that "proximity" was the biggest hurdle in applying for passports.
"We have set up a target that no one has to travel more than a radius of 50 kms to get a passport," she said, adding her ministry and the DoP are working to map 810 head post offices and extend the ambit of the scheme.
She also said more POPSKs will be opened in third phase after the completion of mapping and checking the viability of the post offices.
image
09:15  
People in Varanasi hold special prayers for India's victory over Pakistan in Champions Trophy finals today. Photo: ANI
image
08:50   Man detained for making 'lewd gestures' at woman passenger on flight
Police on Saturday detained a 56-year-old man from the Indira Gandhi International Airport's domestic terminal for allegedly harassing a woman passenger on a flight.
A 44-year-old woman, a native of Hyderabad, who was on the flight to Delhi, alleged that the man made "lewd gestures" towards her and after she raised an alarm, she was given a separate seat, police said.
After she arrived in New Delhi, she approached the police.
image
08:36   Thanks to BJP-PDP govt, Kashmir is now a 'war-zone': Congress
Responding to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's statement on bringing peace to Kashmir, the Congress Party on Sunday while blaming the former and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same, said the current coalition government has made the state like a 'war-zone'.

"Two people are responsible for Kashmir's situation: Mehbooba Mufti and Prime Minister Modi. After the BJP- PDP government was formed, Kashmir is turning into a war-zone," Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed told ANI.

Earlier on Saturday, Mufti, while addressing the lawmakers in the state assembly, re-iterated her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's stance and said "neither guns nor the Army" can bring peace to troubled Kashmir.

"Our soldiers are being martyred (in Jammu and Kashmir). Neither guns nor the Army can bring peace to troubled Kashmir," said Mufti.

Supporting this view, Congress leader Meem Afzal asserted that the Government must address this issue immediately.

TOP STORIES