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Sun, 12 November 2017
Rebel MPs prepare no-confidence letter against UK's PM May

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21:21   Rebel MPs prepare no-confidence letter against UK's PM May
British Prime Minister Theresa May was facing fresh turmoil as it emerged today that as many as 40 of her own party MPs are ready to sign a letter expressing a lack of confidence in her leadership.

Conservative party MPs are now just eight short of the required number of 48 to force a leadership challenge as May struggles to steady her government following two high-profile resignations. 

Indian-origin MP Priti Patel stepped down as the international development minister amid a dramatic row over her a series of unauthorised meetings with Israeli officials earlier this week.

Her resignation came days after Michael Fallon had been forced to quit as Defence Secretary amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Two of May's other senior Cabinet minister, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and First Secretary of State Damian Green, continue to battle demands that they step down.

The Opposition and her own party MPs believe that the British Prime Minister's failure to take firm action against them reflects her weakness as a leader and it is time for her to quit Downing Street.
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20:44   There's silence in current atmosphere of country: Shatrughan
Talking about the current political scenario, actor-BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha today said there is silence in the current atmosphere of the country.

The 71-year-old veteran actor, famous for his "Khaamosh" dialogue, was speaking during a session at Sahitya AajTak.

"Now it seems that we all have become silent. There is silence in the current atmosphere of the country," Sinha said.

The actor added when he travels to Pakistan, kids ask him
to recite his famous dialogue "Khaamosh".

The actor was in conversation with former journalist and writer Bharti Pradhan and anchor Punya Prasun Vajpayee about his biography "Anything but Khaamosh".

Talking about the book, Sinha said, "I gave the first copy of my book to President Ramnath Kovind. (But) couldn't give it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as it didn't come out by the time I last met him."

He revealed that he made his foray into politics after he
was advised by senior BJP leader L K Advani.

Sinha also said he never saw the roles that he took up "as good or bad" but just tried to do his best.

"My mantra to the young generation is to prove yourself that you are the best. If not, then prove that you are the most different. Be original and don't lose hope," he added.

-- PTI
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20:06   US says would like to have Taliban on negotiating table ASAP
The Trump administration wants to have the Taliban on the negotiating table as soon as possible to end the military conflict in war-torn Afghanistan, a top US diplomat has said.

US President Donald Trump in August laid out his South Asia policy vowing to keep American troops on Afghan soil so that a hasty recall does not create a void which may be filled by terror groups like the Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

A variety of diplomatic initiatives continue to work very closely but fundamentally, there is a need to get the parties to talk to one another directly and that involves changing the Taliban's calculus, acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs and Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Alice Wells told lawmakers.

-- PTI
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19:41  
JUST IN: IAS Ashok Khemka again transferred as Principal Secretary to Haryana government, Youth Affairs and Sports
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19:37   'Glamourising Alauddin Khilji akin to praising acid attackers'
In letters to Union minister Smriti Irani and 'Padmavati' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Haryana minister Vipul Goel today sought changes in the Bollywood film and said that "glamourising Alauddin Khilji's character was akin to praising those who carry out acid attacks on girls".

In a letter to the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Goel drew Irani's attention to the the controversy surrounding the film, due to release shortly.

He said that apart from the Rajput community, there were concerns regarding the movie in other sections of the people as well.

The minister claimed that these concerns pertain to "whether historical facts in the film have been presented in a twisted manner".

"There is anger among the people of Haryana, like many other states, regarding the film glorifying the negative character of Alauddin Khilji rather than our own rich history," the Haryana Industries and Commerce minister said in his letter to Irani.

He also mentioned that films based on historical facts, while exercising the freedom of thought, should also keep in mind the people's sentiments and culture.
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19:27   Andhra Pradesh: Boat capsizes in Krishna river, 14 dead
At least 14 people died after a boat capsized in Krishna river in Krishna district's Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

The boat, which was carrying around 30 people, capsized near the Ibrahim Patnam mandal area around 5.30 pm. Teams of the National Disaster Relief Force are currently involved in search and rescue.

Earlier this year, 13 people died after their boat capsized in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur.
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19:16   No conspiracy in I-T raids against Sasi, kin: Union Minister
Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan today said there was no conspiracy in the raids conducted on premises linked to jailed AIADMK leader V K
Sasikala and her relatives and held that the Income Tax department's actions were based on information.

The  minister of state for finance rejected deposed AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran's charge of conspiracy.

Dinakaran had alleged that the multi-city searches at 187 places conducted since November 9 were a "conspiracy" aimed at ousting him and his jailed aunt from politics.
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18:56   Indian-origin motel owner killed in shootout in US
An Indian-origin owner of a motel was shot dead and four other people were injured in a shootout in the US state of North Carolina, police said.

Akash R Talati, 40, who owned Knights Inn and Diamondz Gentlemen's Club in Fayetteville city, was an innocent bystander when a man who had been escorted out of the club returned soon and exchanged gunfire with a security guard yesterday, police Detective Jamaal Littlejohn said.

Police said they were called to the club at 1:51 am on Saturday.

Detective Littlejohn said Markeese Dewitt, 23, of Fayetteville has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj confirmed Akash Talati's death in a series of tweets. She wrote, "Indian Embassy in US has informed me of the circumstances leading to the death of Akash Talati, a US citizen of Indian origin. The deceased was shot by an assailant who was escorted out of his club. The security guard returned the fire and the assailant was also injured. We are in touch with the family of the deceased and will provide them all help."
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18:26   Radhika Jones to be second woman ever to be editor at Vanity Fair
New York Times books editor Radhika Jones is set to become to the next editor of Vanity Fair. 

Cond Nast, which publishes Vanity Fair, plans to make the announcement as soon as Monday.

Jones, 44, will succeed the 68-year-old Graydon Carter, who said in September that he was stepping down from the glossy general-interest magazine after a 25-year run at its helm.

In anointing Jones, who holds degrees from Harvard College and Columbia University, Vanity Fair has placed its future in the hands of a woman -- the first since Tina Brown served as the magazines editor from 1984 until 1992 -- who has cultivated the kind of sophistication and prestige that Cond Nast has long valued.

Though Jones is a well-known figure in the New York literary world, she is relatively unknown in Hollywood. She was previously the deputy managing editor at Time magazine where she oversaw the Time 100 issue. She has also worked at the Paris Review, where she was a managing editor. 

Photograph: @radhikajones/Twitter
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17:54   6 months after Pehlu Khan, cow vigilantes gun down a man in Alwar
A Muslim man who was transporting cows near the Rajasthan-Haryana border was shot dead allegedly by vigilantes while two of his aides were injured after being thrashed. 

The incident took place in Fahari village near Govindh Gadh in Alwar district of Rajasthan on November 10. Sources said Ummar Muhammad and the two others were transporting cows from Mewat in Haryana to Bharatpur in Rajasthan but they were waylaid by the mob and assaulted. 

While police remained tight-lipped about the incident, official sources confirmed that Ummar died of a bullet wound. His body has been kept in a mortuary at Shehr hospital. He is survived by his wife and eight children. 

The two others got minor injuries and ran away from the scene. One of them, Tahir Muhammad, got himself admitted to a hospital near the state border and the other person was there with him.

The latest incident comes months after Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer, was brutally beaten to death by cow vigilantes on April 5. 
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17:22   Oh my, matching shirts!
PM Narendra Modi meets US President Donald Trump in Manila.  Modi will address the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits on Tuesday. He would also take part in special celebrations of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN.
Photograph: ANI/Twitter
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17:07   Delhi gang-rape case: SC to hear review petition of convict tomorrow
The Supreme Court will hear a review petition of one of the convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case tomorrow. 

The review petition was moved through Advocate ML Sharma, by Mukesh, who is one of the four convicts sentenced to death.

In May, a Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and consisting of Justices R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan, had upheld the high court's order of death sentence to the four convicts - Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh.

On December 16, 2012, six people gang-raped a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving bus. The woman succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.

One of the accused, Ram Singh hanged himself in prison, while another person, who was a juvenile at the time of the crime, was convicted in August last year and will serve the maximum sentence of three years in a reform home. 

Image: Badrinath Singh and his wife Asha Devi, parents of the Delhi gang-rape victim. Photograph: Swarupa Dutt/Rediff.com
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16:07   Winds of change, says Congress after MP assembly bypoll win
The Congress's victory in the Chitrakoot assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh signals the "winds of change" blowing in the political landscape in the country, its chief spokesperson said today.

Taking to Twitter, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala thanked the voters for reposing faith in the party.

"The winds of change are in the air. Many thanks to the people of #Chitrakoot for their faith and trust in the Congress party," Surjewala said.

Congress candidate Nilanshu Chaturvedi defeated the ruling BJP's Shankar Dayal Tripathi by a margin of over 14,000 votes today.

Chaturvedi polled 66,810 votes as against Tripathi's 52,677 votes, returning officer A P Dwivedi said.

-- PTI
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15:44   Mamata wants to acquire Tagore's home in London
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wants to acquire the London house where Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore had lived, and convert it into a museum-cum-memorial to the world-famous poet and writer.

Tagore had lived at No 3, Heath Villas in Hampstead Heath, north London, for a few months in 1912 while he translated his collection of poems 'Gitanjali'.

During a meeting with acting Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Dinesh Patnaik, on arriving in London for a week-long tour of the UK on yesterday, Banerjee expressed her state's desire to buy the privately-owned lodgings.

"The home has great historical significance and the chief minister is keen that it be turned into a memorial to Tagore," a person close to the discussions said.

The property, valued at an estimated 2.7 million (Rs 23 crore) a few years ago, had also featured in discussions during the West Bengal chief minister's last visit to London in 2015.

She has revived her request this time with the hope of some movement on the plans.
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15:13   Mumbai car towing row: NCW demands action against guilty
After a video of the Mumbai Traffic Police towing a car while a woman was breastfeeding her seven-month-old baby inside it went viral, National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma on Sunday said a strict action should be taken against the policeman, but added if the woman acted irresponsibly, a case should be registered against her as well.

"When I saw the video last night, my first reaction was that the police personnel should be suspended and an action should be taken against him. But I read in the morning that the mother kept sitting inside the moving car. Our first concern is that of the child. If the case goes against the lady, then a case should be booked against her," Rekha Sharma said.

"In any case, the police personnel is responsible and he should be taken to task," Sharma added.

The NCW chairperson also said the commission would write to the Director General of Police requesting that an action be taken against the police personnel and a thorough investigation be done in the case.

-- ANI
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14:51   PM arrives in Manila to attend ASEAN-India, East Asia summits
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Manila today on a three-day visit to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits where he is likely to reassert India's push for crafting a global approach to deal with growing challenge of terrorism and radicalisation besides pitching for steps to boost regional trade.

The thorny issue of China's aggressive military manoeuvre in the disputed South China Sea, North Korea's nuclear missile tests and overall security architecture in the region will come up for discussion during the ASEAN summit on Tuesday, diplomats said.

On the sidelines of the main events, Prime Minister Modi is likely to have a series of bilateral meetings with a number of leaders including US President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev.
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14:26  
JUST IN: RSS worker killed in Thrissur district of Kerala.
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14:26   Breathing in Delhi air equivalent to smoking 44 cigarettes a day
It was early on Tuesday morning when residents in the Indian capital of Delhi first began to notice the thick white haze that had descended across the city.

Initially viewed as a mild irritant, by mid-week its debilitating effects were evident to all, as the city struggled to adapt to the new eerie, martian-like conditions brought about by the pollution.

With visibility severely reduced, trains have been canceled, planes delayed and cars have piled into each other, with multiple traffic accidents reported across the city.

The sense that this is now a city under siege has been enhanced by the unusually far-reaching actions of the Delhi government.

Read full story HERE
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14:11  
JUST IN: Congress wins Chitrakoot assembly bypoll in Madhya
Pradesh by margin of over 14,100 votes.
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14:10   I-T freezes 100 bank accounts of shell companies linked to Sasikala kin
At least 100 bank accounts of shell companies allegedly managed by Jaya TV MD Vivek Jayaraman, a nephew of convicted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, have been frozen, said I-T sources.

The action comes four days after I-T searches commenced at 188 properties owned by Sasikala, her extended family members and associates in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. 

The searches, till Friday, had yielded Rs 6 crore in cash, 8.5 kg gold and documents relating to investments worth Rs 1,200 crore of unaccounted money. Many valuables were recovered from unused hostel rooms of a women's college owned by Sasikala's brother V Dhivaharan at Mannargudi, said sources.

Searches were still continuing in some places, including Kodanad estate owned by Sasikala, because some lockers there were yet to be opened, the source said. "Our officials are questioning some people to ferret out more details about the seized documents," said the official.

Image: Media personnel stand guard in front of the Jaya TV where IT officials conducted a raid, in Chennai. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo
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13:48   'An Insignificant Man' not on Kejriwal but on democracy: Filmmakers
When Arvind Kejriwal arrived with a bang on the Indian political horizon, two filmmakers, intrigued by the drama in Delhi, followed him around with their cameras. They ended up capturing the birth of the Aam Admi Party as it unfolded in real-time.
 
The one-hour-36-minutes-long documentary called "An Insignificant Man" has been directed by Khusboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla.
 
Just before the party marks its fifth year on November 26, the documentary, after travelling to over 50 international film festivals, will commercially release in India on November 17.

Ranka and Shukla are not troubled by the problems that the fledgling party has been facing, for they believe their film is an impartial portrayal of a unique democratic development.

The directors often say, they were the only ones with a camera, which gave them access to vital meetings and discussions.

-- PTI
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13:26   Bikram Choudhury Yoga Inc files for bankruptcy
Bikram yogas founding company has filed for bankruptcy amid more than $16 million of debt following years of sexual harassment lawsuits against its founder, Bikram Choudhury.

Bikram yoga was, for a time, the most fashionable exercise among trendsetters. 

Practicioners went through a series of 26 poses in a studio heated to 40 degrees, and Choudhury himself travelled the world promoting his company, styling himself as "yogi to the stars". 

But accusations of sexual harassment and assault began emerging in 2013, and many of the yoga studios that promoted themselves as offering Bikram yoga have now renamed the practise as hot yoga.

Bikram Choudhury Yoga Inc, a California-based company, filed the Chapter 11 documents on Thursday in Santa Barbara.

The whereabouts of India-born Mr Choudhury, 73, are unknown.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the company listed liabilities of $10 million to $50 million, with the biggest creditors being former employees.

The first lawsuits were filed in 2013, accusing him of rape, and claiming that he enforced a cult-like atmosphere of intimidation.
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13:03   Will criticise PM Modi, but won't disrespect him: Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat
The Congress will criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi but it will not "disrespect" him, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in an election speech in Gujarat on Sunday.

"Whatever we do, spot Modi's faults or disturb BJP, we won't disrespect the prime minister's position. When Modi ji was in opposition he used to speak with disrespect about the PM. That is the difference between us and them, no matter what Modi says about us we'll not go beyond certain point as he is PM," Gandhi said. 

The Congress vice president was referring to the BJP's attacks on Manmohan Singh's tenure as prime minister of the UPA government.

Gandhi, who is touring north Gujarat, alleged that the BJP's development plan in the state has floundered. "We speak the truth aur ye sach hai ke Gujarat mein vikas pagal hogaya hai," he said (The Congress speaks the truth and the truth is that development has gone mad in Gujarat.)

Gujarat votes for assembly elections on December 9 and December 14.
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12:47   EC to hold meeting with CEOs of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura
The Election Commission of India will hold a pre-poll preparedness review meeting with Chief Electoral Officers of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura at New Delhi tomorrow, officials said here today.

"At the meeting tomorrow, the EC will review the preparedness of these poll-bound states on the use of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines and also discuss the launch of BLO-net in these states," Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said. 

All 3082 polling booths in the 60 constituencies in the state will implement the VVPAT or VPR (Verifiable Paper Record), a method of providing feedback to voters to verify that the vote polled by a voter goes to the correct candidate/party, he said.
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12:22   Padmavati should not be released: Udaipur royal writes to PM Modi
MK Vishvaraj Singh, a royal member of Udaipur's Mewar, penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Ministers, Central Board of Film Certification chief Prasoon Joshi and others, requesting them to withhold the certification and release of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial 'Padmavati'.

Information and Broadcasting minister Smriti Irani, Human Resource and Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Superintendents of Police were also mentioned in the recipient list.

"You are requested not to certify or permit the release of the film in its present form," Singh urged, adding, "It is the responsibility of the Government to safeguard the history of our country and the dignity of its citizens".

Singh said that he doubts the accuracy of historical facts in `Padmavati` as it is reportedly based on Padmawat, an imagery poetry of the Sufi poet which also includes thinking and talking parrots. 

He pointed out that the moviemakers have not come up with a "well established and accepted historical source" and such errors could not be pointed out if the screening is done now.

On the argument that one cannot judge a film until it has been seen, Singh said the first song `Ghoomar` alone displays an incorrect portrayal of Rani Padmavati.

"If the film professes to be history and its maker goes on record to claim that he has kept in mind cultural sensitivities, it is an artistic and historical fraud to portray an incorrectly attired courtesan-like painted doll in the song as the very `queen` the film purports to pay obeisance to," he wrote.

The royal member raised concerns about the effect of the movie on the future generation, who will see a distorted history of Mewar."Allowing our history and culture to be misrepresented in such a manner before the public does make one question the ability and intentions of the Government," he said.

-- ANI
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11:57   'Gauri Lankesh killers will 100% be caught in a few weeks'
The killers of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead in an audacious attack in Bengaluru over two months ago, will 100 per cent" be caught in a few weeks, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said. 

Reddy said the Special Investigation Team probing the killing had clues about the assailants, but those could not be disclosed at the moment.

"Who has done it...I am aware of it thanks to an update provided by the SIT. But I cannot disclose it now," Reddy said. 

"Gauri's killers will 100 per cent be caught. This will happen in a few weeks," he added.

The minister, however, clarified, "Weeks do not mean one or two weeks. It (the arrest of the killers) will happen in a matter of a few weeks. This will happen 100 per cent."

Gauri Lankesh, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unidentified men outside her home in Bengaluru on the night of September 5.
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11:24   Chitrakoot bypoll: Congress leads by 15,000 votes after round 7
Congress candidate Nilanshu Chaturvedi was leading by 15,000 votes over his nearest BJP rival Shankar Dayal Tripathi at the end of the seventh round of counting in Chitrakoot assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh.

The counting of votes polled in the November 9 by-election began at around 8 am amid tight security.

Chaturvedi was leading by 15,000 votes over Tripathi at the end of the seventh round of counting, an election official said.

Around 65 per cent voting was recorded in the bypoll necessitated following the death of sitting Congress MLA Prem Singh.

Singh had won the assembly constituency, bordering Uttar Pradesh, in the 1998, 2003 and 2013 elections.

However, he had lost the seat to BJP's Surendra Singh Gaharwar in the 2008 polls.

Though 12 candidates contested the by-election, the main fight was between Chaturvedi and Tripathi. 

-- PTI
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10:52   34 trains delayed, 8 cancelled due to Delhi smog
The morning haze, marked by a persistent smog, in the national capital delayed 34 trains, while 21 were rescheduled and eight cancelled.

The minimum temperature dropping to 13C, a MeT department official said.

High humidity level at 98 per cent contributed to the smog, the official said. The wind was calm. The minimum temperature was a notch below the average for the season.

Light rain is expected on November 14-15 which might intensify the fog but could clear the smog, the official said.  -- ANI
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10:15   Delhi: Smog continues, but air quality improving slowly
A thick layer of smog continued to blanket the national capital and its adjoining region on Sunday even as reports claimed that the air quality was slowly, but steadily, improving.

The city's Air Quality Index has been in the range of 700 to 1,000, making it difficult for people in the state to even breathe.

On Sunday morning, PM 10 level in Delhis Lodhi Road area was at 560, PM 2.5 at 625. In Noida, PM 10 levels at 551, PM 2.5 levels were at 541. All fell in the 'severe' category.

One of the residents of the city told ANI, "It is tough to breath and the situation needs to be fixed."

As the pollution has hit 70 times the World Health Organisation's safe limit, doctors have suggested people to wear N90 masks whenever they go out, as exposure to air pollution can lead to cancer and heart disease.

Taking cognisance of it, people at the historical India Gate were seen wearing masks.

A jogger at the India Gate, Shubhankar Tomar, told ANI, "Today the fog is back. Yesterday, there was not much. The government should take an initiative to resolve this deadly situation."

Another jogger said, "We are facing breathing problems now. We are taking precautions to protect ourselves from respiratory problems."  -- ANI
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09:31   PM leaves for Manila to attend ASEAN summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for a three-day visit to Philippines, on early Sunday morning, to attend the 15th Association of South East Asian Nations India summit and the 12th East Asia Summit in Manila on November 14.

On November 13, the prime minister will attend the ASEAN business and investment summit.Prime Minister Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with the President of Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who is also the current chair of the ASEAN.

He will also participate in special celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN.

On November 14, he will attend the regional comprehensive economic partnership meeting in Manila, endeavouring to further enhance India's trade and investment ties with ASEAN member states, which constitute a significant over 10 per cent of India's external trade.

In Manila, the PM will meet some of the other world leaders, who are participating in the East Asia summit.

He will also visit the international rice research institute and the Mahavir Philippines Foundation. -- ANI
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08:15   Mumbai cops tow car with woman breastfeeding baby inside
Mumbai traffic cops towed a car while a woman was breastfeeding her seven-month-old baby inside it.

A video of the incident, which took place in suburban Malad on Friday, is doing the rounds on social media.

In the video, the woman can be seen sitting inside the car with her baby while the traffic cops are towing it.

The video shows that the policemen did not stop and continued speaking on the mobile phone even after the onlookers protested and warned that something untoward could happen to both the woman and the child.

The woman alleged that she pleaded with the traffic policemen to stop but they did not listen to her and appeared unconcerned.

Talking to media, the woman named Jyoti Male said, "The policemen towing the car did not even for once ask me to get down, even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they still did not stop."

Male further said that she had showed her medical prescription to the policemen saying she was unwell but they did not stop.

She also demanded apology from the cops for their act.  -- ANI

Photograph: ANI

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