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Tue, 14 August 2018
Prez approves gallantry award for crew members of INSV Tarini

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23:02   Prez approves gallantry award for crew members of INSV Tarini
President Ram Nath Kovind approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for the six women crew members of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe, braving treacherous seas and displaying 'raw courage'.

Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi skippered the 194-day mission, which commenced on September 10 last year, traversing through the Indian, the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, along with Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal, and Lts P Swathi, Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.

The mission witnessed several gut-wrenching moments like when INSV Tarini negotiated the choppy waters off the Cape Horn, often dubbed 'the graveyard of ships' owing to the dangerous seas conditions in the Pacific Ocean in January, she was overtaken by a cold front with winds gusting up to 130 kilometers per hour.

The turbulent weather caused 10 meter high waves to come crashing down onto the boat, the Navy said in a statement.

'At this juncture the skipper deftly steered the boat keeping it safe by applying the best navigation and seamanship practices suited to the prevailing circumstances and sea conditions,' the statement said.

The storm lasted for one whole day and the boat was maneuvered with exceptional daring and courage to remain afloat.

Joshi worked undauntedly to save the boat, thus avoiding a situation that could have required the launch of an international rescue effort.

'Successful completion of circumnavigation voyage over 194 days at sea is a testimony of the raw courage, endurance and professionalism displayed by the officer and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi (43077-A) is therefore strongly recommended for the award of Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry),' the Navy said.

Nao Sena Gallantary medals were also announced for marine Lt Cdr Anil Raina and Kunal Saini for anti-insurgency operations.

The president also approved Shaurya Chakra for Capt P Rajkumar for his work during Cyclone Ockhi. Vayu Sena (Gallantary) medals were announced for Wing Commander (now Group Captain) and Abhishek Sharma Squadron Leader VD Keane.  -- PTI
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22:51   IT dept wrongly calculated tax liability: Sonia tells Delhi HC
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi today told the Delhi high court that the tax department has 'wrongly invoked and applied' the formula for calculating her tax liability after reopening her assessment for the year 2011-12.

The contention on behalf of the Congress leader was made before a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and A K Chawla by senior advocate P Chidambaram.

"They have not applied the formula correctly. The formula was wrongly invoked and wrongly applied. I received nothing except 1,900 shares in the company," the lawyer said.

Another objection raised by him was that the debt of Rs 90 crore bought by Young Indian from Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), which owns National Herald newspaper, was converted into equity and this would not result in any income which was taxable.

The lawyer further said even if the equity resulted in taxable income, it would not go into the hands of Young Indian's (YI) shareholders like Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and party leader Oscar Fernandes, all of whom have challenged reopening of their tax assessments for the same year, 2011-12.

He said that banks often convert the debt they acquire into equity and this does not result in income in the hands of the bank or its shareholders.

YI, which was incorporated in November 2010 with a capital of Rs 50 lakh, had acquired almost all shareholdings of the AJL, which owns the National Herald newspaper. In this process, YI had also acquired AJL's debt of Rs 90 crore.

After hearing part arguments, when the court said it will issue a formal notice, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta said there was no need for it as he was present in the court.

The court, thereafter, listed the matter for further hearing on August 16, when the ASG will argue in defence of the action taken by the tax department.

The court said once it reserves its judgement on conclusion of the arguments, it will ask the tax department not to take any coercive steps till the verdict was pronounced.

Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, said that arguments during the hearing may be reported and urged the court to order that confidentiality be maintained regarding the contents of the petitions.

However, the bench declined to issue any such direction saying 'we cannot go into all this' as it would be akin to going on a 'wild-goose chase'.

During the over an hour-long hearing, Chidambaram said, "When debt is converted to equity, it does not result in any income and, even if it does, it would not result in income for the shareholder."

He further said that even if it was accepted that income was generated, "It cannot be the income of YI and its shareholders in the same assessment year of 2011-12."

He also questioned how a debt of Rs 90 crore which was converted into equity acquired a value of Rs 407 crore as claimed by the tax department.

He said that YI being a section 25 company, a non-profit entity, it cannot give anything to its shareholders.

"To say that I got something from YI is an oxymoron," he said.

He also termed as 'incorrect' the tax department's claim that Rs 90 crore loaned to AJL, leading to the debt, was bogus or paper loan, saying this is not correct as the amount was loaned through 137 cheques issued over a 9-10 year period.

Among other objections raised by him against the reopening of the assessment was that the communication sent to his client informing about the development was not digitally signed.

The assessment was reopened in March 2018 on the orders of a senior officer who was monitoring the case from 2014, he said.

Rahul Gandhi's plea was taken up by the court on August 8 when it had rejected the oral plea of his lawyers to prohibit the media from reporting or publishing the court proceedings.

Tax department has claimed, Rahul's assessment for 2011-12 was reopened as he had not disclosed he was a director in YI since 2010.

IT had said the shares Rahul has in YI would lead him to have an income of Rs 154 crore and not about Rs 68 lakh, as was assessed earlier.

Rahul's lawyers had said the query put to their client during the scrutiny of his assessment was whether he had any interest in any company or a sister concern and not if he was a director in any entity.

He had replied in the negative as YI was a Section 25 company, a non-profit entity, and hence no director would have any interest in it, the lawyers had said.

The tax department has already issued a demand notice for Rs 249.15 crore to YI for the assessment year 2011-12.

The IT department's move followed its probe on a complaint alleging that the Gandhis had misappropriated AJL's assets while transferring their shares to the newly formed Young Indian.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, in a private criminal complaint filed before a trial court, had accused Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh, through which the YI had obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which the AJL owed to the Congress party.

All the accused, also including Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, have denied the allegations levelled against them.  -- PTI
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22:15   MP Guv Anandiben given additional charge of Chhattisgarh
President Ram Nath Kovind today gave Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel additional charge of Chhattisgarh following the demise of  Balramji Dass Tandon, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said.

Patel will discharge the additional duties until the regular arrangements for the office of governor of Chhattisgarh are made, he said.

Tandon, who was one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party's parent organisation Jan Sangh, died today after suffering a heart attack at the government-run Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Raipur. He was 90.  -- PTI
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21:44   Falling rupee gives 'supreme leader' a vote of no-confidence: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rupee breaching the historic low of 70-mark against the US dollar today, and said it has given the 'supreme leader' a vote of 'no confidence'.

In his Twitter barb, Gandhi also tagged an old video of Modi attacking the then United Progressive Alliance government over the falling rupee.

Modi was then the Gujarat chief minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 parliamentary election.

'The Indian Rupee just gave the Supreme Leader, a vote of NO confidence, crashing to a historic low. Listen to the Supreme Leader's master class on economics in this video, where he explains why the Rupee is tanking,' he said on Twitter.

The rupee crashed below the 70-mark in early trade to touch an all-time low of 70.10 against US dollar, a day after bloodletting in global markets due to worries over Turkish economic crisis and a sharp plunge in the Lira.

Attributing the fall in rupee value against the US dollar to 'external factors', Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said today that there was nothing to worry about as long as the depreciation was in line with other currencies.  -- PTI
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20:52   High alert in Kasganj ahead of 'tiranga yatra' on I-Day
The authorities in Kasganj are on high alert and have denied permission to take out any 'tiranga yatra' tomorrow to ensure there is no repeat of communal violence over a similar procession on Republic Day, officials said.

In Agra as well, police have braced themselves for any trouble over a Rashtriya Bajrang Dal plan to hold a tricolour yatra without seeking the administration's permission.

Prohibitory orders are in force in both places, officials said.

A large police force has been deployed in Kasganj to maintain law and order, and over 100 people have been asked to execute a bond to maintain peace, an official said.

The Uttar Pradesh Home department has put the district authorities on high alert and stern action will be taken against anyone taking the law into their own hands, the official said.

Superintendent of Police Shivhari Meena had sent a letter to the Director General of Police in Lucknow, seeking the additional force.

"Two organisations have sought permission from the administration to take out a 'tiranga yatra' on Independence Day, and the police have recommended that it should not be allowed to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," the SP said.

"No permission has been given by the administration to any yatra on Independence Day. If school students want to take out a tableau, they are allowed. No other yatra will be allowed by the administration, if it is not taken out traditionally," Kasganj Additional Superintendent of Police Pavitra Mohan Tripathi said.

A young man was shot dead on Republic Day during a 'tiranga yatra', after which a series of violent incidents took place in Kasganj.

In Agra, the district administration has not given permission for any rally on Independence Day, and said that nobody had sought it.

But Rashtriya Bajrang Dal (RBD) divisional chief Govind Parashar told PTI that volunteers from the outfit will march from three different locations in the city to mark Independence Day.

Parashar claimed no permission was required.

"It is our right and we shall do it come what may," he said.

An official said, "No one had so far approached us for any permission. If necessary, a decision would be taken at the appropriate time."

Parashar had earlier threatened to stall the screening of the movie 'Loveratri' for allegedly portraying the Navratri festival in a bad light.

The Rashtriya Bajrang Dal is part of the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), a new Hindu outfit launched by Pravin Togadia after he quit the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.  -- PTI
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20:10   Kuwait Airways flight lands 'off centre' in Kochi due to rains
A Kuwait Airways flight carrying 161 passengers landed off the centre from the runway at the international airport in Kochi as sudden downpour caused visibility problems early today, airport sources said.

All passengers alighted safely, they said.

The aircraft landed at 4.20 am, but a little off the centre of the runway, making contact with the lights at its edge before taxiing to the parking bay.

Flight operations were disrupted for a brief time and resumed minutes after after 'cleaning and correcting' the runway lights, an airport spokesperson said.

The KU357 flight later left for Kuwait, he said.  -- PTI
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19:30   At least 25 dead as bridge collapses in Italy
A bridge over an industrial area in the Italian city of Genoa partially collapsed during a sudden and violent storm today, crushing vehicles and leaving at least 25 people dead.

Italian Deputy Transport Minister was quoted as saying that the death toll will rise.

A section of the bridge crashed down from a height of about 50 metres over a river and some railroad tracks and buildings.

It collapsed at about 11:30 am (0930 GMT) during torrential rainfall, the local fire brigade said.

The head of the ambulance service said there were 'dozens of dead', according to Italian news agency Adnkronos.

At least 10 people were killed and 20 vehicles were involved, local police sources said.

Helicopter footage on social media showed trucks and cars stranded on either side of the roughly 80-metre long collapsed section of the bridge, which was built on the A10 toll motorway in the 1960s.  -- Agencies

IMAGE: Rescue workers seen at collapsed Morandi Bridge in the Italian port city of Genoa on Tuesday. Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters
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19:04   PM Modi's I-Day speech to be streamed live on Google, YouTube
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech will be available on the Google homepage with public broadcaster Prasar Bharati tying up with the American tech giant for livestreaming the event.

Doordarshan's coverage of Independence Day celebrations tomorrow will open with a patriotic song recorded by singer composer Shankar Mahadevan, and in a first, anchors will present the event from the ramparts of Red Fort.

"Apart from what we normally do, which is going live on TV and livestreaming on Youtube and so on, we will also have the livestream available on the Google search home page as well," Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati told PTI.

"When people are searching for anything to do with Independence Day, the livestream will appear on their page on the top. This will dramatically increase the visibility and access to the livestream," he said.

This facility was also used to telecast the inauguration ceremony of US President Donald Trump.

"Livestreming has now been going on for a few years. Last year it was a million plus views, Republic Day was 3-4 million views. That is the general trend. This will take it to the next level altogether," he said.

Asked if the tie-up with Google was part of Prasar Bharati's efforts to reach out to younger people, Vempati said the dominant sentiment about Doordarshan was nostalgia.

With the younger generation having no real brand experience of Doordarshan, this was one way of making them familiar with it, he said.

"We have dramatically increased our digital presence. We have now 37 plus active Youtube channels which are uploading content from across the country, different languages, different regions.

"We have 250 plus Twitter handles across the network of all our regional news stations, All India Radio stations, Doordarshan Kendras. All of them are actively uploading on social media. This is part of our broader effort for a digital connect," the Prasar Bharati CEO said.

The Prime Minister's speech will be aired on All India Radio in about 20 different languages through the day, he said.

Vempati said a new version of the All India Radio news android application has also been launched which not only has the news bulletin in all the 20 plus languages and the livestream of the various All India Radio stations, but also has AIR's external services.  -- PTI
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18:36   Delhi Police's special cell probes attack on Umar Khalid
The Delhi Police's Special Cell today took over the probe into the attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid, a senior police officer said.

A gunshot rang out at the Constitution Club in the high-security area near Parliament yesterday when an unidentified man targeted Khalid, who escaped unhurt, witnesses said.

The case was being handled till now by the district police.

Incidentally, the Special Cell is also probing a sedition case against Khalid and two other students.

Yesterday's incident has raised questions over the security cover in Lutyens' Delhi just two days before the Independence Day, with the police saying they were not 'intimated' about the event in which Khalid was participating.

Another officer, privy to the probe, said police had seized the weapon and preliminary forensic examination suggested that the pistol had jammed.

He said they were yet to ascertain whether shots were fired as no empty cartridges were found on the spot.

The attacker had dropped the weapon and fled the spot, police and witnesses said.

As confusion persisted over what had actually happened and how many people were involved, Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi range) Ajay Chaudhary yesterday said police were investigating if shots were actually fired.

A case of attempt to murder was registered by the police later.  -- PTI
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18:15   Shaurya Chakra for Rifleman Aurangzeb, Major Aditya Kumar
Major Aditya Kumar of Garhwal Rifles and Rifleman Aurangzeb (posthumously) will be awarded Shaurya Chakra this Independence Day.

Rrifleman Aurangzeb was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama district of south Kashmir in June this year.

Aurangzeb, who belonged to the 44, Rashtriya Rifles, was on way home to celebrate Eid when terrorists abducted him.

Meanwhile, Major Aditya Kumar of 10 Garhwal Rifles came into the limelight in January this year when the convoy he was leading fired at a stone-pelting mob in Ganovpora village in Shopian, leading to the death of 3 civilians.

The then Jammu and Kashmir government had ordered an inquiry and an FIR was registered  under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code.

The FIR was challenged by Major Aditya's father in the Supreme Court, where the government said that the Major was not named as an accused in the FIR.   -- with inputs from ANI, PTI
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17:37   Wholesale Inflation for July slows down to 5.09%
India's wholesale inflation stood at 5.09 percent in July marginally slower than 5.77 percent in June, as per the latest price data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry.


Wholesale inflation rate, which is measured by Wholesale Price Index, witnessed inflation during the corresponding month of the previous year at 1.88%. -- ANI
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17:29   Rains: Kerala govt puts off Onam celebrations
Reeling under the unprecedented havoc caused by heavy rains, the Kerala government today decided do away with the 'Onam' celebrations this year and instead utilise the amount for relief operations.


Thirty-nine persons have so far lost their lives in landslides and floods caused due to the heavy rains, which has destroyed 20,000 houses and damaged 10,000 km of roads in the state since August 8.


The government has resolved not to organise programmes held every year as part of the onam festivities, Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, told reporters here. The amount set apart for the celebrations would be used for relief work in the state, he added. -- PTI
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17:11   Modi's call to Imran after polls positive development: Pak envoy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan to congratulate him for winning the elections is a positive development, Islamabad's envoy to New Delhi said today and expressed hope that such steps could lead to betterment of ties.


Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi Sohail Mahmood made the remarks during an event held at the country's chancery to mark the country's 72nd Independence Day.


"Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling PTI chairman Imran Khan after the results of the general elections is another positive development. And it is hoped that such positive developments will lead to the betterment of ties between the two countries," Mahmood said.


The envoy emphasised that "peaceful relations" with all Pakistan's neighbours, including India, were accorded "high priority" in the foreign policy vision outlined by the incoming leadership in Pakistan. 
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17:06   Hapur lynching: Where was the cow, ask villagers
Another four days and it will be two months since a man was lynched and another seriously injured by a mob over allegations of slaughtering a cow in Hapur.


While 45-year-old Qasim, from Pilkhuwa, succumbed to injuries, 65-year-old Samiuddin of Madapur village, is battling for his life at a hospital in Ghaziabad.


The Supreme Court yesterday took note of a petition by Samiuddin that he and his kin were living in a state of fear as the police forced them to lodge of compliant of road rage instead of lynching over alleged cow slaughter.


The apex court directed a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer to probe the Hapur lynching, terming the allegations of the survivor as "serious". During a conversation with PTI, locals of Madapur said Samiuddin had to attend a funeral on June 18.


"Samiuddin's son had gone to another village for work (as a construction labourer). Who else would fetch fodder for his cattle? Unsure of when he would return from the funeral, Samiuddin decided to cut the jowar before going out,' a man from the village said. -- PTI
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16:37   1 nation, 1 poll unlikely without amending Constitution: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat on Tuesday stated that holding assembly polls in 11 states along with Lok Sabha elections was possible if those states dissolve their houses voluntarily.


"It is possible to hold elections with that kind of permutation and combination if the assemblies of those states were to be voluntarily dissolved," Rawat told ANI in an exclusive interview when asked for his comments on recent media reports that the Bharatiya Janata Party is mulling over holding polls in 11 states along with general elections.


Recent media reports suggest that the BJP is exploring the idea of deferring some state assembly elections and advancing few others like Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, to club them for simultaneous voting along with Lok Sabha polls.


While the term of Mizoram state assembly will expire in December, the terms of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assemblies are scheduled to end in January.


However, about the possibility of holding general elections with assembly polls in all 29 states, Rawat clarified that it may not be possible without amending the Constitution.


"It is feasible, although it is mostly hypothetical. If there is no provision under the Constitution, the commission cannot do anything about it," explained the CEC.


He added, "The commission is required to conduct pending elections in every house (assembly) in the last six months, as directed by the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act. There has to be an amendment in the Constitution for it to be possible.


Extra polling personnel, security and VVPATs will also be needed."One Nation, One Election system has been supported by various political parties including the Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.


BJP president Amit Shah on Monday wrote a letter to the Law Commission of India stating that his party was willing to suggest a comprehensive structure for the successful implementation of 'One Nation, One Election'. He further said that criticism against the idea was "politically motivated and inappropriate." -- ANI
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16:08   This is how PM Modi and VVIPs at I-Day parade will be protected
The historic Red Fort, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the 72nd Independence Day tomorrow, has been put under a heavy security cover, along with other critical areas in the national capital. Police are on high alert in the wake of an attack on JNU student leader Umar Khalid in the Lutyens' Delhi area yesterday and the incident in the UK, in which a car crashed into the security barriers outside the Parliament building today, a senior police officer said.

While nearly 70,000 Delhi Police personnel are guarding the national capital, close to 10,000 cops have been deployed at the Mughal-era fort, which will see the presence of senior ministers, top bureaucrats, foreign dignitaries and common people during the PM's address tomorrow.


Delhi Police personnel have been specifically asked to keep an eye on the sky to ensure that no stray kites are seen in the areas around the Red Fort.


Last year, when the prime minister was addressing the nation on Independence Day, a black kite had landed below the podium. The kite landed quietly without causing any disturbance and the prime minister had continued his address unfazed. Kite-catchers have been deployed even though kite-flying has been restricted in the area till 11 am.


Over 500 CCTV cameras have been installed on the routes leading to the Red Fort with over 200 cameras in the fort itself. The footage is being monitored round the clock, police said.


This time, 36 women personnel of the Delhi Police Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit will also be guarding the venue with their male counterparts.


Police have already carried out anti-sabotage checks in the area and visited hotels in the vicinity in search of suspicious elements, officials said, adding that a security audit of the residents, including tenants, has been completed.


At the Red Fort, a special team of NSG snipers and commandos will form the inner layer of the security cordon, while anti-aircraft guns have been deployed to thwart any aerial intrusion by objects like drones and projectiles, senior police officials said.


Delhi Police has already prohibited aerial activities, including para-gliding, flying UAVs and hot air balloons, across the city. The buildings facing the Red Fort will be secured by police and paramilitary personnel.


Security along the route to be taken by the Prime Minister's cavalcade, from his official residence to the Red Fort, will be monitored with the help of hundreds of CCTV cameras.


Special "spotters" of Delhi Police and the paramilitary will keep an eye on parking areas. Sniffer dogs will also be part of the extensive security deployment.


According to a statement by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, train services will run as usual. However, stations like Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate and ITO will have restricted entry and exit during the ceremony owing to security considerations. Parking will not be available at the stations till 2 pm tomorrow in view of the security measures, the DMRC said. -- PTI
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16:01   'I have faced more attacks and threats than I have ever before'
"President Trump is accessible in some ways -- he appears to answer more questions than President Obama at the end of so-called pool sprays or when he's walking across the Rose Garden, but in other ways his administration is more closed off -- there are less briefings and less answers to questions.


"Disagreements between reporters and the White House has always been there, but this is the most tense I have seen it since I have been there.


"I have faced more attacks and threats than I have ever before (the same goes for the rest of the press corps). It started during the 2016 presidential campaign and has continued to today."


Anita Kumar, a White House correspondent, who has covered the Barack Obama and Donald Trump presidencies, was elected to the board of the White House Correspondents Association last week. An email interview with Archana Masih/Rediff.com.

Do read
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15:52   My thoughts are with those injured: UK PM
Update on the UK Parliament security threat: A car today crashed into security barriers outside the UK's Parliament at speed, injuring two persons, Scotland Yard said as its counter-terror unit arrested a man on suspicion of terrorism offences. Police have put up a Terrorism Act cordon, a reaction to incidents of this nature near any high-security hotspots in the city.


"At 0737 hrs (1207 IST) today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.


The vehicle crashed into the large steel barriers erected around the Houses of Parliament complex in Westminster in central London. The car was seen wedged into flap-style barriers that allows vehicles access to the House of Lords, giving the impression that the driver may have been trying to gain access to the Parliament building. Armed officers from Scotland Yard were at the scene instantly and one man, in his late 20s, was arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.


Prime Minister Theresa May said: "My thoughts are with those injured in the incident in Westminster and my thanks to the emergency services for their immediate and courageous response."


Home Secretary Sajid Javid also thanked emergency services for their quick response.


Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with police. The Metropolitan Police said it was "keeping an open mind" regarding the motive behind the incident as its Counter-Terrorism Command is leading the investigation.


The eyewitnesses said that a man, who looked calm, was led away in handcuffs from the car by officers after the crash. London Ambulance Service said in a statement that it had "treated two people at the scene for injuries that are not believed to be serious and have taken them to hospital".


The police added that they do not believe any of the injuries are "life-threatening". The area around Parliament Square has been cordoned off as investigations continue. The incident occurred at peak rush hour, resulting in major travel disruptions as Westminster tube station was shut down and road closures put in place. -- PTI
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15:41   LIVE! AIADMK: Rajini trying to graduate to full-time politician
The ruling AIADMK today hit out at top actor Rajinikanth for slamming Chief Minister K Palaniswami over his absence from DMK chief M Karunanidhi's funeral and claimed he used a condolence meeting to try to graduate from a "part-time politician" to "full-time" one.


Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar said he represented the government on the chief minister's direction at the funeral of the departed DMK leader on August 8.


He said Rajinikanth should not have spoken about politics at the condolence meeting. "It was a condolence meeting for a departed leader. It is not a healthy thing to have spoken politics there... By speaking politics, it is evident that dear friend Rajinikanth lacks political maturity," he told reporters.


Jayakumar, the state fisheries minister, said charismatic yesteryear actor M G Ramachandran had floated the AIADMK "only against the late DMK chief" Karunanidhi.


Speaking at the condolence meeting organised by the South Indian Artistes Association for Karunanidhi yesterday, Rajinikanth had said many leaders were present during Karunanidhi's funeral at the Marina. "For his funeral, the whole of India came. State honours were given by members of the three armed forces. He was given a 21 gun salute. "But one thing remains. The governor, many chief ministers and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had come. Tamil Nadu's first citizen, the chief minister, shouldn't he have come? "Should not the entire cabinet have come? What will people think? Are you MGR (AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran) or Jayalalithaa," he had asked.


File pic.
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15:24   UK Parliament car crash treated as terror attack
The driver of car which crashed outside parliament arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences, reports the Independent.  A number of pedestrians were injured when a car crashed into the security barriers outside the UK's Parliament building today, Scotland Yard said as armed police quickly arrested the male driver.


The incident happened at 07:37 am (local time), prompting a major police response. Armed officers from Scotland Yard were at the scene instantly and one man has been arrested.


"At 0737 hrs today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene, the Met Police said in a statement.


A number of pedestrians have been injured. Officers remain at the scene, it said. The area around Parliament Square has been cordoned off as investigations continue.


A car was seen crashed into the large steel barriers that are erected around the Houses of Parliament complex in Westminster.


Witnesses said they saw the car crash into the barriers deliberately. Heavy armed police presence could be seen in the area as the incident unfolded. 
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15:03   Chhattisgarh Governor dead
Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon died at a hospital in Raipur today, an official said. He was 90. Tandon was rushed to the state-run Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital this morning after he complained of uneasiness, the governor's secretary, Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, said. He later died at the hospital, he said.


Tandon, one of the founder members of the Jansangh which later became the BJP, became the governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014. During his long political career, he has served on various posts, including as deputy chief minister of Punjab. The six-time MLA was also jailed from 1975 to 1977 during Emergency. -- PTI
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14:54   Sidhu is of unstable mind: Subramanian Swamy
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday said Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is not mentally stable, following the latter's decision to attend Pakistan's Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan's swearing-in.


He said, "I don't think Sidhu is of a stable mind. If he had some basic sense, he would not go to Pakistan to attend the swearing in of Imran Khan. If he goes, people will see this as an act of betrayal, nobody will forgive him."


Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu is scheduled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan on August 18.


The decision came shortly after Khan extended a personal invite to the Punjab Cabinet Minister over phone, to attend his swearing-in ceremony.


According to Punjab's Information and Public Relations Department, Khan also thanked Sidhu for praising him in a press conference on August 2. -- ANI
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14:50  
Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon dies.
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14:49   Man gets death sentence for sodomising, killing minor boy
A court in Madhya Pradesh has awarded death sentence to a 20-year-old man for sodomising and killing a 13-year-old boy. Datia's Special Judge Hitendra Dwivedi awarded the punishment to Nand Kishore yesterday while the case of a 15-year-old co-accused was transferred to a juvenile court, public prosecutor Pushpendra Kumar Garg said.


The prosecutor told the court that Kishore along with the minor co-accused lured the victim, a resident of Bijasen Muhalla area in Datia, on March 2 this year on the pretext of buying him colours for the Holi festival. They took the victim to a deserted place and then sodomised him.


Later, the accused killed the victim and disposed of the body in a canal near Deluva area on the city outskirts, the prosecution said. After killing the boy, the accused called his family members and sought a ransom of Rs 1 lakh. They told the boy's family that they would kill him, if the money was not paid. -- PTI
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14:32   I-day: CRPF gets max bravery honours; 942 policemen decorated
Two CRPF jawans from Kashmir who laid down their lives in the line of duty have been bestowed with country's top police gallantry medal -- PPMG -- as the government today announced service decorations for a total of 942 state police and paramilitary personnel on the eve of the 72nd Independence Day.


Constable Sharief-ud-din Ganaie and Head Constable Mohd Tafail of the CRPF have been decorated with the President's Police Medal for Gallantry posthumously even as 89 other personnel from the force have been awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry for undertaking dare-devil action in militancy-affected Jammu and Kashmir and anti-Naxal operations in various states.


This is the highest-ever gallantry medals tally for the Central Reserve Police Force till date, a senior official said. The CRPF was followed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police that has been accorded 37 PMsG along with the Odisha Police (11), Border Security Force (10), Maharashtra Police (8), Chhattisgarh Police (6) among others. A total of 177 PMsG have been awarded this time, a government release said.
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14:21   10 persons arrested in connection with Kanwariya vandalism
Ten persons have been arrested in the last 24 hours for allegedly vandalising a car last week in west Delhi's Moti Nagar after the vehicle brushed past one of their kanwariya friends, police said today.


Police had yesterday arrested 22-year-old Yogesh for allegedly being part of the group that vandalised the grey car. Yogesh was identified after police scrutinised CCTV footages and registers of nine kanwar camps on Najafgarh Road, police said.


On the basis of information provided by Yogesh, nine more people, including main accused Aman who got hit by the car and the holy water he was carrying spilled, were arrested in the last 24 hours, they said.


Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijay Kumar said they have arrested 11 men so far. Another accused, Rahul Billa, was arrested on August 9 in connection with the attack. Most of the accused are residents of Najafgarh, Bindapur and Dwarka, he said. The incident took place on August 7 on a stretch of a busy road near Moti Nagar metro station. -- PTI


Image: Kanwariya Rahul Billa was arrested on August 9
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14:10   Cosmos Bank's server hacked; Rs 94 cr siphoned off in 2 days
Hackers managed to transfer over Rs 94 crore through a malware attack on the server of Pune-based Cosmos Bank and cloning thousands of the bank's debit cards over a period of two days, a senior bank official said.


The fraudulent transactions were carried out on August 11 and August 13 through 25 ATMs located in Canada, Hong Kong and a few in India. The cards of the cooperative bank customers that were cloned were of Visa and Rupay.


"A complaint has been filed with Pune police about the malware attack and the bank is doing internal audits to investigate the breach," the official said.


The bank maintained that the core banking system (CBS) was not attacked and the malware attack was on the switch, which is operative for payment gateways of Visa and Rupay debit cards. "None of the customers' accounts were touched and it is the bank which has incurred the loss of this money," the official said. -- PTI
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13:34   Security alert after car crashes outside UK parliament house
A man has been arrested and a number of pedestrians injured after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament, Scotland Yard has said, the Guardian reports.


Streets around Parliament Square, Millbank and Victoria Tower Gardens have been cordoned off as dozens of armed police swooped on the scene.


Officers could be seen surrounding the car before leading a man away in handcuffs. A number of ambulances arrived at the scene.


A statement from Scotland Yard said: "At 0737 hours today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene. A number of pedestrians have been injured. Officers remain at the scene. We will issue further info when we have it.' It was unclear if the incident was terror related.
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13:33   Pleaded with CM to grant Karunanidhi's last wish: Stalin
The DMK paid rich tributes today to its departed President M Karunanidhi, hailing his contribution to various sectors in the state and the country.


A special meeting of the party's Executive Committee under working president M K Stalin heaped praises on the late party chief. The party recalled his contribution towards social justice, industrialisation, upholding regional autonomy and his role in various national events. Party leaders observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul.


"Party has lost our leader but I have lost the leader as well as my father,  Stalin said. "When Kalaignar was in his last stage I held CM's hands and pleaded to fulfill his (Karunanidhi) last wish to be buried in Marina Beach but govt didn't agree," he said.


Stalin and senior leaders were present at the "emergency" meet, convened to condole the passing away of the Dravidian stalwart in Chennai. After battling for life in a private hospital for about 10 days, Karunanidhi had breathed his last on August 7.
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13:24  
A growing number of California detainees are Indians crossing through Mexico to seek asylum.  Read more
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13:23   Death toll rises to 19 in Himachal rains
A five-year-old boy drowned in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district this morning, taking the death toll in rain-related incidents in the state to 19 in the last two days, an official said.


The body of Mohit Pathania, who drowned at Nurpur area, has been recovered and an immediate relief of Rs 10,000 provided to his father, a district official said. Today's casualty takes the death toll to 19, after incessant rains lashed various parts of the state since Sunday evening.


The highest casualty have been in Solan district (eight), followed by Mandi district (four), three in Kangra district, two in Hamirpur district and one each in Bilaspur and Una districts. Interim relief was distributed by the district administrations to the affected families, a state official had said.
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13:01   Air India disburses salaries for July
Air India has disbursed the salary for its staff for the month of July, says Air India CMD.


The staff of the state-run carrier have not been receiving salaries on time for five months now.


According to a PTI report, the national carrier, which is facing acute financial crunch, is yet to issue any specific communication on when the payments are likely to be made.


Air India has more than 11,000 permanent staff and it generally disburses the salaries by 30th or 31st of every month.
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12:48   Rupee fall due to external factors: Govt
The government today blamed "external factors" for the rupee's fall to an all-time low against the US dollar and said there is nothing to worry. Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chander Garg said external factors may ease going forward.


"The rpee is depreciating due to external factors," he said. There is "nothing at this stage to worry". The rupee hit an all-time low of 70.1 to a US dollar earlier today on concerns over Turkey's economic woes. Rushabh Maru, Research Analyst at Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers, said the rupee extended losses today on account of panic demand from importers. -- PTI
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12:10   Modi's Mitrogen? This is the chaiwalla who made biogas from gutter sludge
It was a speech that launched a million memes.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the inauguration of World Biofuel Day on in New Delhi on 9 August left social media in splits.


In the speech, as an example of small-scale innovation, Modi said he read in a newspaper, the story of a tea-seller who makes tea using the biogas generated from an adjacent gutter as fuel.


Modi's soft corner for tea sellers is understandable, but the simplistic explanation of bio-gas fuel -- which has been dubbed 'Mitrogen' -- made the PM a target of jokes with social media comparisons with Albert Einstein.  


"Kisi chotte se nagar mein, naale ke paas, koi chai ka thela lekar ke khada rehtha tha aur chai banakar ke bechta tha. Ussne ek chote se bartan ko ulta karke, ched karke ek pipe daal di. Aur jo gutter se gas nikalta tha, woh pipeline se uske chai ke thele mein le liya. Aur woh chai banane ke liye ussi gas ka upyog karke chai banata tha, the PM had said.


Congress president Rahul Gandhi had mocked the PM saying, "If you want gas, then generate gas from the gutter and make pakodas, he said.


However, Modi may just have the last laugh.


News agency ANI has in fact tweeted a series of posts on the man, who Modi was referring to in his speech.


The man's name is Shyam Rao Shirke, a mechanical contractor, who says he patented the production of bio-CNG from sewage sludge.

"I collected water from drains and made a mini 'collector' to collect water bubbles, used a drum to make a gas holder. When tested, the system was functional. I connected it to a gas stove and made tea.

Shrike said the Chhattisgarh Science & Technology institute gave him money to take it to the next level.
"I built and installed it in a nallah. In three days enough gas was collected. It was installed in a house where food was prepared for 4-5 months," Shirke said.


Scientists told him that his paper has been sent to higher authorities two years ago and he fortot about it till the reference in the PM's speech.

He said he has no financial assistance and people from the municipal corporation threw away the equipment saying it's a waste.


The Science and Technology institute asked him to lodge an FIR, but he says he was so disappointed with the manner in which he was treated, he did not do anything.
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11:29   2 Pakistani soldiers killed by Indian Army in J-K's Kupwara
Two Pakistani troopers were killed by the Indian Army in response to ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said here today. Indian troops carried out operations last night after the ceasefire violations.


"In retaliatory action to unprovoked ceasefire violations and repeated attempts to facilitate infiltration by Pakistan Army in Tangdhar sector, own troops carried out calibrated operations last night in which two Pakistani soldiers were killed," Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said. -- PTI
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11:25   Central Rly takes up restoration of CSMT heritage building
Artists skilled in stone carving have been roped in to restore the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai to its past glory, a Central Railway official said.


The 130-year-old majestic building, a UNESCO recognised world heritage site, has been chosen among 10 places to be upgraded and restored under the government's 'Swachh Bharat Mission'.


The building houses the Central Railway's headquarters and also platforms of suburban and long distance trains. The total budget of the restoration project is Rs 51 crore and the State Bank of India's CSR arm SBI Foundation has committed Rs 10 crore for conservation of the building, located in south Mumbai. -- PTI
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11:22   Rupee plummets to lifetime low of 70.09
Rerversing all its early gains, the rupee today collapsed to a life-time low of 70.09 against the US dollar, falling 16 paise amid fears that Turkish economic crisis could lead to a global financial meltdown.


The ongoing currency turmoil in Turkey has dampened investors' sentiments globally. Investors are turning to dollar as safe haven with Turkeys currency lira crisis continuing since the last week. Yesterday, the rupee had plunged by Rs 1.08, or 1.57 per cent, to a record low of 69.93 against the US currency. -- PTI
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10:56  
Rupee crashes to all-time low of 70.09 against US dollar.
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10:31   Pakistan celebrate Independence Day
India and Pakistan border guards exchange sweets at Attari-Wagah border on the occasion of Pakistan Independence Day.

Pakistan is celebrating 71 years since independence today with traditional fervour and enthusiasm.

As the clock struck midnight, fireworks began across the country while buildings were lit up to celebrate Independence Day.

The morning dawned with a 31 gun salute in the federal capital and 21 gun salute in the provincial headquarters. 

Special prayers were offered in mosques at dawn for peace, solidarity, and prosperity of the country and for the resolution of the long-standing issue of Kashmir.
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10:29   Ensure no attacks against those who criticise your govt: Umar to PM
A day after he was shot at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, near Parliament, Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid has issued a statement, in which he appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to 'guarantee that there will be no attack on those who criticise your government and its many failures'. 

In his detailed statement, he writes, "Two days before 15th August, the question also is what does "freedom" even mean if the citizens of this country have to be ready to die for their "crime" of just being vocal against injustice? What is most paradoxical is that I had gone to attend an event named "Freedom from Fear" today when an unidentified gunman attacked me and tried to kill me in front of the Constitution Club."

He further writes, "This hate campaign against me has been going on for last two years. There is no evidence, only lies. There has been no charge-sheet, only media-trial. There are no arguments, only trolling. There has been no debate, only death threats. And today it has all come down to a gun. Why is it that hashtags like "Tukde Tukde" has literally become a prefix to my name, whereas BJP leaders openly support those who say they will do "tukde tukde" of the country if a certain movie is released? 

"Why is that I am called an anti-national and subjected to a never ending media trial, but there is no outrage against those who burnt the Constitution in the heart of the capital, in the presence of the Delhi police just a few days back? Why is it that those who are hell-bent on polarizing the country by hate-mongering against the minorities and by felicitating mob-lynchers are respected, revered and garlanded? And we who speak against hatred are villainised? Why is it that those who speak of dividing the society in the name of caste and attack the dalits the likes of Shambhaji Bhide, whom PM Modi calls a mahapurush- are not accused of breaking the country to pieces? Why is it that the people in power who want to sell off this country piece by piece to big corporates at the cost of the poor, are celebrated as deshbhakts and their critics deemed as "anti-nationals"? These are all relevant questions today."

Read Umar Khalid's full statement HERE
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09:57  
Venthodanpadi bridge connecting Chokkad & Kalikavu was washed away. Rescue columns utilizing local resources completed one part of the bridge. 

Photograph: @adgpi/Twitter
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09:33   New I-Day task for police: Keeping stray kites away from PM
A hundred police personnel will have their eyes on the sky on Wednesday morning all looking out for any errant kite that may disturb the prime ministers Independence Day address. 

Taking a lesson from the previous two years once last year when a black kite landed near the podium during Prime Minister Narendra Modis address at the Red Fort, and earlier in 2016 when a kite was seen above the ramparts before the address began the Delhi Police this year have decided to deploy kite catchers who will keep an eye on flying kites near the venue on Wednesday.

While the restriction on any kind of flying object is imposed every year as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident, this is for the first time that personnel have been deployed to check for kites.

The Delhi Police has restricted kite-flying till 11 am around Red Fort on Independence Day.
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09:26   When Modi suggested Gandhi sport a broom at Madame Tussauds
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that Mahatma Gandhi's wax figure at the Madame Tussauds should show the Father of the Nation cleaning his surroundings with a broom.
 
"It'll serve to inspire the 1.25 billion people of the country with the message of cleanliness across India that is enshrined in the 'Clean India' movement underway, and is also something which Gandhi's life teaches us," the prime minister told Madame Tussauds authorities in an undated interview, a video of which was shred by the museum ahead of Independence Day.
The request was made after Modi was informed that his was the first wax figure to be included in the museum that opened doors to the public in December last year.
"You have said that you would like the first replica in the museum in India to be mine. Instead, I would request you to consider having the first statue as that of Mahatma Gandhi and that too which depicts him as cleaning his surroundings," he said.
"I will send a photograph that shows Gandhi with a broom," he told the authorities.
Modi's wax figure is installed alongside Gandhi's in the museum's history section that houses other national leaders including Bhagat Singh, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and APJ Abdul Kalam.
Initially hesitant about getting his wax figure installed alongside "distinguished dignitaries from around the world", the prime minister eventually gave in, after learning that the decision was an outcome of "public opinion".
He said the installation of his wax figure would perhaps lend a "softer" dimension to his personality which had otherwise been portrayed as a "harsh" one.
"I am happy that you have rendered me - someone who is perhaps seen as 'hard' by some - in tender, pliable wax.
"And it's possible that when people see this wax figure, their natural instinct might be to exclaim, 'look here's Modi gone soft'," he said.

-- PTI
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09:02   'CM, entire cabinet should have attended Karuna's burial'
Top Tamil star Rajinikanth today suggested that Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his entire cabinet should have attended the burial of late DMK President M Karunanidhi last week at the Marina beach.
   
The actor said he would have launched a protest if the government had appealed against a Madras high court verdict, directing it to provide burial space to the Dravidian stalwart on Marina beach.    

Speaking at a memorial event organised by the South Indian Artistes Association for Karunanidhi, the actor said that many leaders, ranging from state Governor Banwarilal Purohit to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, were present during the burial of Karunanidhi at the Marina.
   
"For his burial, the whole of India came. State honours were given by members of the three armed forces. He was given a 21 gun salute.

"But one thing remains. The Governor, many Chief Ministers and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had come. Tamil Nadu's first citizen, the Chief Minister, shouldn't he have come? Should not the entire cabinet have come? What will people think? Are you MGR (AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran) or Jayalalithaa," he asked.

-- PTI

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with former Union minister A Raja, at Rajaji Hall in Chennai to pay his last respects to the DMK patriarch. Photograph: P Ravikumar/Reuters
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08:32   CCTV grab of man accused of attacking Umar Khalid released
A picture of the suspect behind the shooting incident targeting Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid has surfaced on social media. The picture, captured from a CCTV camera, was also shared on Twitter by news agency ANI.

The picture was extracted from the footage of CCTV installed at the Vittalbhai Patel Road in New Delhi.

The man had reportedly fired the shot in the air at the Constitution Club. In his statement to the police, Umar Khalid had on Monday said that the accused first pounced on him, and then pushed him as he fired in the air.

There was commotion at the spot after the shooting incident, following which the police took control of the situation. After discussing the sequence of events with Khalid, DCP Madhur Verma had said, Umar Khalid said that he was attacked. Somebody pounced on him and pushed, thereafter he tried to fire at Khalid but couldn't. According to Khalid, the attacker fired in the air and was chased by people.

The police had recovered the weapon used by the suspect. He had reportedly dropped the weapon while trying to flee the spot where the incident took place. The police has launched an investigation into the incident.
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08:01   Trump joked he could play matchmaker for PM Modi: Foreign media
US President Donald Trump allegedly joked he could play matchmaker for Prime Minister Narendra Modi after learning from aides that the 67-year-old leader has long been estranged from his wife, according to a new report in Politico. 

The article detailed a long list of "diplomatic faux-pas" Trump has made with foreign leaders around the globe, including a lack of telephone etiquette, "mispronunciations" and "awkward meetings."

Trump also displayed a lack of familiarity with South Asia, according to the report.

Ahead of the meeting last year with Modi at the White House, Trump allegedly studied a map of South Asia and mispronounced Nepal as "nipple" and referred to Bhutan as "button," Politico said, quoting two unnamed sources. The US president seemed confused that the two countries - which border India - even existed, the report says.

"He didn't know what those were. He thought it was all part of India," a source told Politico. "He was like, 'What is this stuff in between and these other countries?'"

After Trump's staffers told the US president that Modi would not be bringing his wife along to the meeting at the White House, Trump allegedly joked, "Ah, I think I can set him up with somebody," the report said, according to "two people briefed on the meeting."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Politico that Trump has developed "strong relationships" with "America's closest allies," which allow for "candid conversations."
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00:07   PM should campaign for all parties during elections: Uddhav Thackeray
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his whirlwind poll rallies, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said he should address election meetings of all parties and not just the BJP.
   
He said the prime minister, a star campaigner for the BJP in elections, and also chief ministers, should treat all as equal.
 
"While being sworn-in, the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers take oath that they will treat everyone as equal.
 
"Why should the prime minister go only for the BJP (poll) campaign?" he said, speaking at the 58th anniversary function of the weekly magazine Marmik on Monday.
 
"They (prime ministers) should go for poll campaign of all (parties). They should attend the poll campaign of the Shiv Sena, independents and Communists," Thackeray said.
 
He made a veiled reference to BJP president Amit Shah writing to the Law Commission, pitching various benefits of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies in the country.
 
"One nation, one election is nice. If democracy has to take root in our country, then the Election Commission should ban prime minister, chief ministers and ministers from (participating in) poll campaigns," Thackeray said.
 
"The prime minister says he will give houses for all by 2022. If someone objects, he will say that person has negativity," Thackeray said.
 
Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said the popular "achhe din" slogan of the BJP has become a "gale mein haddi" (bone stuck in neck) for the NDA government, he said.
He referred to Modi announcing a financial aid of Rs 1,000 crore for the IIT-Bombay during its 56th annual convocation here on Saturday and said the BJP-led government in the state is ignoring the adjoining Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation.
 The corporation has not got even a single penny of the Rs 6,500 crore that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised in 2015, the Sena chief said. 

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