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Fri, 23 February 2018
US embassy in Jerusalem to open in May 2018

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23:52   US embassy in Jerusalem to open in May 2018
US officials say the new US embassy in Jerusalem will open in May 2018 to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel declaring independence.

The officials say Congress is being notified of the impending move today. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan for the new embassy yesterday.

The officials weren't authorised to discuss the plan publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

A ribbon-cutting is being planned for mid-May. Israel proclaimed independence on May 14, 1948.

The May opening marks a significant acceleration. US Vice President Mike Pence had said previously the embassy would open by the end of 2019. And Tillerson had said it could take years.

Initially, the embassy will consist of just a few offices inside an existing US facility in Jerusalem.
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23:22   Mevani fears for safety after Whatsapp chat of senior cops goes viral
Vadgam MLA and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani has raised questions on his safety and security after a discussion on a Whatsapp group called ADR Police & Media, which has members from the media and senior police people, went viral on Friday.

In the whatsapp group, two videos -- one in which a group of policemen are seen beating up a person dressed up like a politician and the other in which UP CM Yogi Adityanath in an interview, is answering questions around encounters done by the UP police -- were uploaded after which a message by the DySP of Ahmedabad rural appeared.

Those who want to be the baap of police and call the police as lakhota (marbles) and those who take videos of police should remember that with people like you, the police will be like this. Scores will be settled. Gujarat Police, reads the message.

This message is followed by a thumbs up emoji by the SP of Ahmedabad rural. I just copy pasted the messages that were forwarded in another group. It has been wrongly interpreted. It was not a personal message and neither is it a threat. It was just shared from one group to the other, said RB Devdha, DySP of Ahmedabad rural.

Reacting to viral whatsapp conversation Jignesh Mevani tweeted, Jignesh Mevanis encounter? Here is the link to a web portal which exposes a Whatsapp communication where two top cops are discussing how I could be killed in an encounter. Can you believe this? 

Mevani said,This is a serious matter. Two top police people are indicating that I can be killed in an encounter. I am going to file a complaint to the DGP, the home minister and home secretary.
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23:00   Police entering CM residence 'undemocratic': Delhi Congress
The Delhi Congress today criticised the police for entering Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence for collecting evidence in connection with the alleged attack on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, calling it an "undemocratic" move.

A large number of Delhi Police personnel today descended at Kejriwal's residence to examine the CCTV surveillance system in connection with their investigation following the "attack" on Prakash during a meeting there on Monday night.

"It is unfortunate and undemocratic that the police entered into the house of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal," said former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely.

Lovely had returned to the Congress last week, months after he joined the BJP, where he said he was an "ideological misfit".

He also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party over the alleged attack on Prakash by its MLAs.

The "real face" of the AAP has been exposed after the chief minister's adviser V K Jain gave a statement to the police admitting that Prakash was manhandled, Lovely said.

"AAP leaders were saying that no manhandling happened... but the real face of the party has been exposed before the people after Jain's statement," he said.

Jain has told the police that he saw AAP MLAs Prakash Jarwal and Amanutullah Khan assaulting the senior bureaucrat. He had previously said he had not seen anything as he had gone to washroom at the time of the incident on Monday night.

Lovely claimed that the people of Delhi are confused now as to whether they have elected AAP for development or for incidents like the one that allegedly happened with Prakash.

-- PTI
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22:38   9 firms tied to Nirav Modi did no business, shut in 2 years
AT LEAST nine firms associated with billionaire diamond jeweller Nirav Modi were incorporated in 2010 but did not carry out any business before all of them were shut down in 2012, records show. 

An analysis of the 41 companies associated with Modi, in the wake of alleged fraudulent transactions involving three of his companies and Punjab National Bank, shows that these nine firms were incorporated between March and August 2010. 

Records show that Modis brother Neeshal Modi, who has been named by the CBI as an accused in the alleged Rs 11,400-crore PNB fraud, was a director in all these nine firms. 
These firms, according to their statement of accounts, did not show any business in the two years of their existence and at least seven of them filed for closure on June 21, 2012. The other two were also shut down that year.

In their board resolutions, each of these firms cited the same reason for winding up: they foresee no sustainable commercial activity and are not in a position to generate any revenue surpluses. 

However, sources familiar with the case said it is possible that not all of the 41 companies linked to Modi that are under probe by the CBI, Income-Tax department and Enforcement Directorate are shell firms. The complete picture will emerge only after the investigation is complete, said sources.
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22:20   Manchester City's Pep Guardiola charged for wearing 'political' ribbon
The English Football Association has charged Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola for promoting a political message by wearing a ribbon in support of imprisoned and ousted pro-independence Catalan politicians.
           
Guardiola was born in Catalonia and is revered in the region because of his links with Barcelona's soccer team, as both a player and coach.
          
Guardiola has been wearing the yellow ribbon at matches and news conferences since Catalonia's failed secession bid in October when a banned independence referendum was held.
          
The English FA says the ribbon is a "political message" which requires him to be charged with being in breach of kit and advertising regulations. Guardiola has until March 5 to respond to the charge. 
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22:01   Oprah Winfrey says 'definitely not' running for US president
Oprah Winfrey put to rest any lingering questions about a potential 2020 bid for the presidency, declaring that she was definitely not running.

The media mogul, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, was emphatic in her response to host Kimmels question about whether she would run.

Where do I look into the camera? I am definitely not running for president, Winfrey said over cries of no from the studio audience.

Last month, Winfrey fans lit up Twitter with calls for her to run for president in 2020 against US President Donald Trump after she gave an inspiring speech at the Golden Globe awards show in support of those who have exposed sexual misconduct.

You now, you give a speech and then you sit down and you have surprisingly started to run for president, Winfrey told Kimmel, calling it a humbling thing to have people think that you can run the country.

She acknowledged, though, having thought about it.

I am the kind of person who tries to listen to signs. I think, well am I supposed to run the country? I dont think so.

Trump has several times said he hoped he would face Winfrey as an opponent in the 2020 presidential race.

On Sunday night, he blasted her over a segment on CBS 60 Minutes program in which she led a panel of 14 Republican, Democrat and Independent voters from Grand Rapids, Michigan in a wide ranging discussion about Trumps first year in office.

Trump tweeted: Just watched a very insecure Oprah Winfrey, who at one point I knew very well, interview a panel of people on 60 Minutes. The questions were biased and slanted, the facts incorrect. Hope Oprah runs so she can be exposed and defeated just like all of the others!
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21:37   Modi promises 'strict action' against PNB fraudsters
Breaking his silence over the Rs 11,400-crore fraud at India's second-biggest public sector bank PNB, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government will take stringent action against financial irregularities and not tolerate loot of public money.

Days after the fraud allegedly masterminded by diamantaire Nirav Modi came to light, the prime minister asked the management of financial institutions as well as the supervisory bodies to do their job diligently to check such frauds.

"I want to make it clear that this government has been taking strict action against financial irregularities and will continue to take strict action," he said at Global Business Summit organised by Economic Times. "System will not tolerate loot of public money," Modi said.

Nirav Modi, whose diamond creations have draped Hollywood stars such as Kate Winslet and Dakota Johnson, and firms linked to him are alleged to have acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking from one PNB branch in Mumbai between 2011 and 2017 to obtain loans from Indian banks overseas. Investigative agencies have raided Modi's properties and arrested bank employees.

Without naming either the alleged kingpin of the fraud, billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, or Punjab National Bank, the prime minister said the management of financial institutions, auditors and regulators should perform their duty with full dedication.

"I want to make an appeal to those who have been entrusted with the job of framing rules and policies and maintaining ethics to do their job diligently and with dedication," he said, adding this should specially be followed by those who have been entrusted with the responsibility of supervision and monitoring.

-- PTI
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20:59   Trump suggests armed deputy at Florida school was a 'coward'
US President Donald Trump today cast doubts on the character of an armed deputy who remained outside during last week's school shooting in Florida, saying he froze or was a "coward".

"They're trained, they didn't react properly under pressure or they were a coward," Trump said, calling out Deputy Scot Peterson by name.

"He certainly did a poor job. There's no question about that."
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20:32   106-year-old, who became icon for Swachh Bharat campaign, dies
Kunwar Bai, a 106-year-old woman from Chhattisgarh who was chosen as a mascot for the `Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', died today after a prolonged illness.

Kunwar Bai passed away at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital where she was admitted yesterday, a government official said.

Kunwar Bai shot to fame in 2016 when the story of how she sold her goats to build a toilet at home got nationwide publicity.

She was felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting at Kurrubhat village in Rajnandgaon district, and later made a mascot for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

She was suffering from age-related ailments, and was admitted to the Dhamtari district hospital a few days ago.

On Chief Minister Raman Singh instructions, she was shifted to the hospital in Raipur yesterday, the official said.

According to the official, all 18 houses in her village Kotabharri in Dhamtari district now have toilets, earning the village Open Defecation Free status.

-- PTI
 
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20:19   PM Modi and I didn't talk about Jaspal Atwal: Trudeau
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the Jaspal Atwal issue, saying that he and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi didn't talk about it. 

Trudeau said, "Obviously the situation was unacceptable. Like I said yesterday this individual should have never been invited & the MP responsible has taken responsibility. I would be having a conversation with the MP in Canada."

Trudeau's maiden India visit plunged into a controversy on Thursday over a dinner invitation to convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian high commissioner to India.

The Canadian PMO also said in a statement that Atwal was not part of Trudeaus official delegation.

Atwal was convicted for trying to kill the then Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Vancouver in 1986.

Atwal's presence comes at a time when Trudeaus pro-Khalistan approach is being criticised by many including Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who raised the issue with the Canadian prime minister during a meeting.
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20:00   Rajya Sabha polls announced
Voting to be held on March 23 for elections to 58 Rajya Sabha seats from 16 states. Last date of filing nominations is March 12.
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19:52   Virat Kohli still brand embassador; not engaged PwC for audit: PNB
Scam-hit Punjab National Bank said cricketer Virat Kohli continues to be its brand ambassador and denied reports that it has engaged audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers to investigate the Rs 11,400 crore fraud committed on the state-owned lender by diamond jeweller Nirav Modi and his associates.

The bank has also said in a statement that it has not imposed any withdrawal limits on its customers and normal banking activities are going on.

"Mr Virat Kohli is our brand ambassador," the bank said, denying media reports that he is going to discontinue his endorsement with the bank. "The same is again totally false and incorrect," it added.

The bank also said that it has not engaged PwC to conduct an investigation into the alleged fraud and gather evidence against Nirav Modi and his associates. The media report is "totally incorrect", it added.

On the reports floating on the social media and other platforms that the bank has imposed a withdrawal limit of Rs 3,000 per customer, Punjab National Bank said: "It is absolutely incorrect, no such limit has been fixed by the bank and normal banking activities are going as usual.
           
"No restrictions on the withdrawals have been imposed by the bank," it clarified.

Further clarifying on news that the Reserve Bank and the government have asked the bank to make payment to the fraudulent amount to other banks, it said: "The report is totally incorrect and the bank confirms not having received any such instructions."

-- PTI
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19:47  
JUST IN: Officials at Southeastern Louisiana University say two people injured in on-campus shooting
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19:32   Canada's Trudeau meets Rahul Gandhi
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. 

Earlier in the day, Trudeau met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the two held extensive talks, exploring ways to boost ties in several key areas, including trade and energy.

After holding talks with his Canadian counterpart, Modi made it clear that those challenging India's sovereignty, unity and integrity cannot be tolerated, seen as a veiled reference to the Canadian government's soft approach towards the Khalistan issue.
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19:21   BSF, Pakistani Rangers hold flag meeting, vow to maintain peace along international border in J-K
Both India and Pakistan on Friday assured each other to maintain peace and tranquillity along the International border in Jammu and Kashmir. The assurance came at a sector level flag meeting held between Border Security Force and Pakistani Rangers on the international border in Suchetgarh area. During the meeting general day to day border management issues were discussed, BSF said in Jammu.

While reiterating its commitment towards maintaining peace and tranquillity on the International border, BSF officials sought the cooperation of Pakistan Rangers for the same, which was agreed by them, BSF said. The meeting concluded in a cordial atmosphere, it added.

The BSF delegation comprised of nine officers led by P S Dhiman, DIG BSF Jammu Sector. Brig Amjad Hussain, Sector Commander, Sialkot, Punjab led the Pakistan delegation which comprised of 11 officers.

The Friday flag meeting between BSF and Rangers had been second during the last one month as a similar meeting between them was held on January 25 in the area. In that meeting, which was held in request from Pakistani side, BSF had strongly objected to the snipping of its two soldiers on January 3 and January 17 from across the border, besides incidents of unprovoked firing and shelling on civilian areas.

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18:57   Rotomac bank fraud: Vikram Kothari, son sent to 1-day transit remand
Rotomac Pens owner Vikram Kothari and his son Rahul Kothari have been sent to one-day transit remand by Delhi's Patiala House Court in connection with a case of loan default of approximately Rs 3,700 crore taken from seven public sector banks.

Both were produced before the court by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the matter.

The duo, who was arrested on Thursday, will be produced before the concerned court in Lucknow on Saturday.

As per the FIR, Kothari owes Rs 754.77 crore to the Bank of India, Rs 456.63 crore to the Bank of Baroda, Rs 771.07 crore to the Indian Overseas Bank, Rs 458.95 crore to the Union Bank of India, Rs 330.68 crore to the Allahabad Bank, Rs 49.82 crore to the Bank of Maharashtra and Rs 97.47 crore to the Oriental Bank of Commerce.

The principal loan amount stands at Rs 2919 crore.

On Wednesday, the Income Tax department attached four immovable properties of the Rotomac Group of companies, in Kanpur and Ahmedabad.
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18:24   Global watchdog decides to put Pakistan back on terrorist financing watchlist
A global money-laundering watchdog has decided to place Pakistan back on its terrorist financing watchlist, a government official and a diplomat said, in a likely blow to Pakistan's economy and its strained relations with the United States.

The move is part of a broader US strategy to pressure Pakistan to cut alleged links to Islamist terrorists unleashing chaos in neighbouring Afghanistan and backing attacks in India.

It comes days after reports that Pakistan had been given a three-month reprieve before being placed on the list, which could hamper banking and hurt foreign investment.

The United States has spent the past week lobbying member countries of the Financial Action Task Force to place Pakistan on a so-called grey list of nations that are not doing enough to combat terrorism financing.

Pakistan had launched last-minute efforts to avoid being placed on the list, such as taking over charities linked to a powerful Islamist figure.

But the campaign proved insufficient and the group decided late on Thursday that Pakistan would be put back on the watchlist, said a senior Pakistani official and a diplomat with knowledge of the latest FATF discussions. 
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17:55   AAP declares nationwide protest after cops raid Delhi CM's home
Hours after the Delhi Police searched CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence to collect evidence in the Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash assault case, the AAP today declared a nation-wide protest slated for Saturday against the Union government.

The protests will reportedly be staged against the Centre over its "conspiracy to destablise Delhi government".Addressing the media today after the Delhi Police raid, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh said, "What happened today at the CM's residence can happen to you tomorrow at your residence. No action taken when AAP MLAs were assaulted..."

On being probed about an AAP MLA endorsing the alleged assault on Anshu Prakash, the party spokespersons feigned ignorance and added, "Party has not yet seen the statement. Once, we watch it, we would be able to respond better."

The Delhi CM also met with the LG and issued a tweet following his meeting. He wrote on Twitter, "

Officers not attending meetings for last 3 days. Governance suffering. I'm very concerned. LG assured he will take all steps to ensure officers started functioning normally. Council of ministers assured him all cooperation. All of us need to work together for betterment of Delhi."
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17:39   Police seize hard disk of CCTV system at Kejriwal's home
A Delhi Police team today descended on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and seized a hard disk of the CCTV camera system installed there in connection with an alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP MLAs.


Police claimed that its action came after its request for CCTV footage from the chief minister's residence was not met. Several policemen today went to Kejriwal's official residence in the Civil Lines area where Prakash was allegedly assaulted in the presence of the chief minister on the intervening night of February 19-20.


A total of 21 CCTV cameras and a hard disk were examined by the police. The hard disk has been seized and any possibility of "tampering" with the system could be ascertained only through forensic examination, said Additional DCP (North) Harendra Singh.


"We had asked for the CCTV camera footage and hard disk on February 20 itself but there was no response. So, we decided to come down and examine it," he said. Singh also said that the in-charge of maintenance at the chief minister's residence had been intimated about the police visit.


Fourteen CCTV cameras were running while seven were not working. Also, there was a time lag of 40.43 minutes with respect to the time of the alleged incident, said the police official. There was no CCTV camera in the room where the alleged incident happened during the meeting, and no footage was obtained, he said. -- PTI
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17:26   Trudeau's India trip is a total disaster -- and he has only himself to blame
How did Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the world's favorite liberal mascot -- a feminist man, with movie-star good looks, a 50 percent female cabinet and a political lexicon that has replaced "mankind' with "peoplekind' (making millions swoon) -- end up looking silly, diminished and desperate on his trip to India this week?

Barkha Dutt weighs in. Do read
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17:14   Maldives warns India against interfering in its internal affairs
The Maldives has warned India against taking "any actions" that could hinder resolving the political crisis in the country, as New Delhi expressed its deep dismay over the extension of emergency in the island nation. The Maldivis' Foreign Ministry in a statement late last night said President Abdulla Yameen's government takes note of the public statements issued by the Indian Government that "ignore the facts and ground realities" with regard to the ongoing political developments in the Maldives. It said that India's assertion that the extension of the state of emergency for 30 days was unconstitutional is a clear "distortion of facts, which ignore the constitution and laws of the Maldives."


Image: Maldives' president Abdulla Yameen
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17:10   PM to visit Chennai, Puducherry, Daman, Gujarat over weekend
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Chennai tomorrow to attend the launch of the AIADMK government's ambitious scheme of providing 50 per cent subsidy to working women to buy two-wheelers.


A pet project of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the Amma Two-wheeler Scheme is being launched on her birth anniversary.


According to an official statement, besides Tamil Nadu, the prime minister will also visit Daman, Puducherry and Gujarat in the next two days. The prime minister will arrive in Daman tomorrow to launch various development projects and hand over certificates to beneficiaries of various official schemes. He will also address a public meeting. Modi will then travel to Tamil Nadu.


At Chennai, he will attend the event to mark the inauguration of the two-wheeler scheme. On Sunday, the prime minister will visit Puducherry. At Aurobindo Ashram, he will offer floral tributes to Shri Aurobindo, and interact with students of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education. He will also visit Auroville. He will release a commemorative a postage stamp on the golden jubilee celebrations of Auroville. The prime minister will also address a public meeting in Puducherry.


On Sunday evening, Modi will be in Surat, Gujarat, for the flagging off of the 'Run for New India Marathon'. -- PTI


Representational image.
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17:00   RBI sets rupee reference rate at 64.8227 against US dollar
The Reserve Bank of India today fixed the reference rate of the rupee at 64.8227 against the US dollar and 79.7643 for the euro. The corresponding rates were 65.0458 and 79.8307, as on yesterday. The according to an RBI statement, the exchange rates for the pound and the yen against the rupee were 90.4017 and 60.59 per 100 yens, respectively, based on reference rates for the dollar and cross-currency quotes at noon. The SDR-rupee figure will be based on this rate, the statement added. -- PTI
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16:54   Sharad Pawar always supported caste politics: Sena
The Shiv Sena today hit out at Sharad Pawar over his recent comments against caste-based reservation, saying the NCP chief had always "supported" caste politics and was inconsistent in his political views.


The saffron party said that Pawar's remarks that reservation should be given to the financially backward people and shouldn't be caste-based, is only intended to earn brownie points. "Pawar is respected in Maharashtra as well as at the national level, but he was never consistent with the stands he took in politics. He has always been a supporter of caste-based politics," the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.


Pawar, during a one-of-its-kind interview to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in Pune on Wednesday, spoke against caste-based reservation. Pawar had said, "This (reservation) is a sensitive issue. Dalits and Adivasis should be given reservation, there is no problem with it... People of other castes are holding rallies for reservation. I clearly believe that reservation should not be given based on caste, but to people who are financially backward."


The Sena pointed out that when the Maratha community started taking out silent marches across the state for their various demands, including that of quota in jobs and education, Pawar had extended his support, saying they should be provided reservation.


"Many leaders, including (NCP leader) Ajit Pawar, had taken part in the Maratha morchas. (Sharad) Pawar has already supported reservation for Marathas. Then why did he change his stand during his interview in Pune?" the Sena asked.


"Pawar is respected for his vast political experience. In 2014, he was the first to announce support to the BJP for government formation in Maharashtra. But today, defeating the BJP-led dispensation is his sole aim. At least now, he should remain firm over this stand," it said. -- PTI
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16:15   Nuclear-capable Dhanush missile successfully test-fired from naval ship
India today successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable 'Dhanush' ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km from a naval ship off Odisha coast, defence officials said.

The surface-to-surface missile, a naval variant of the indigenously-developed 'Prithvi' missile, was test-fired from the ship positioned near Paradip in the Bay of Bengal at around 10.52 am, the officials said.

'Dhanush' missile is capable of carrying a payload of 500 kg and hitting both land and sea-based targets, the sources said, adding that its trial was carried out by the Strategic Force Command of the defence forces.

''The missile launch was part of training exercise by the SFC of Indian Navy,'' one official said.

Describing the test launch as 'a complete success', the officials said all mission objectives were met during the trial.

"The missile launch and its flight performance were monitored from DRDO telemetry and radar facilities in the Odisha coast," they said.

The single-stage, liquid-propelled 'Dhanush', has already been inducted into the defence services.

It is one of the five missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

The last trial was successfully tested on April 9, 2015, the sources added.  -- PTI
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16:04   Let the army chief say whatever he wants to: V K Singh
Coming out in support of his military successor General Bipin Rawat's remark on the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and the rise of Assam's All India United Democratic Front, Union minister V K Singh on Friday said that the Army chief should be allowed to say whatever he wants to.

The Union minister said that an Army General can say what he wants to and it should not be politicised.

"We have a habit of politicising everything. Let the army chief say what he wants to," Singh told media.

"If you don't like it, you don't like it," he added.

On General Rawat's remark, the AIUDF chief yesterday said that the former had been 'misinformed and misguided'.  -- ANI
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15:35   BittooTikkiWala is the new hangout for BJP workers
BJP Chief Amit Shah's first job after occupying the swanky party headquarters at 6, Deendayal Upadhyaya Marg in New Delhi, was to set up a canteen. Shah chose to give a one-year contract to BittooTikkiWala, a popular north Indian chain of restaurants.  

The canteen has 50 chairs and 10 tables and Shah has instructed the party general secretaries to visit this canteen for communal meals with party workers. On offer are dhoklas, lunch plates, snacks, sweets, tea and coffee.

Shah also visits this canteen once a week. The culture of meeting karyakartas and party workers has now been mainstreamed within the party.

BittooTikkiWala also serves snacks during press conferences of BJP senior leaders.
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15:26   AAP accuses Delhi police of 'dadagiri'
The Aam Aadmi Party today accused the Delhi Police of acting like a bully by entering Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence "illegally" and being a mere "puppet" in the hands of the central government.


The police team went inside the chief minister's residence only to "humiliate and insult him (Arvind Kejriwal)," AAP leader Ashutosh told reporters.


"Without Modi government's directive, the police could not have indulged in such 'dadagiri," AAP MP Sanjay Singh tweeted. In a press conference, the AAP also showed a two-and-half-minute clip where senior police officials are seen inside the residence of the chief minister, purportedly asking questions about the wall paint of the room.


The remarks came after a Delhi police team was sent to Kejriwal's residence to collect evidence related to the case of alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by the party MLAs. -- PTI
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15:00   Priyanka terminates contract with Nirav Modi
Actor Priyanka Chopra has terminated her contract with Nirav Modi's jewellery brand after the billionaire diamantaire was accused of cheating Punjab National Bank of Rs 11,400 crore. Chopra has been one of diamantaire's brand ambassadors and had sought legal advice on exiting the brand immediately after news of the fraud broke. 


Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate today said it has frozen bank deposits and shares worth about Rs 44 crore of the Nirav Modi group, and seized a huge collection of imported watches from locations linked to the billionaire diamantaire.


Officials said they have put freeze orders on bank accounts containing Rs 30 crore and shares worth Rs 13.86 crore of the group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).


A huge collection of imported watches, 176 steel almirahs, 158 boxes and 60 other containers have been seized during ED searches at multiple locations linked to the billionaire diamond jewellery designer over last week, they said.


Image: Priyanka Chopra in one of the print ads for the Nirav Modi brand.
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14:44   Won't tolerate those who challenge unity of our countries: PM
India and Canada signed six agreements today, including one on energy cooperation, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau, five days after he and his family landed in India. At a joint statement, PM Modi said, "There should not be space for those who misuse religion for political motives and promote separatism." Trudeau's first visit to India has been clouded by talk of a frosty reception on account of the Canadian government's perceived soft approach to Sikh extremists demanding Khalistan.

Excerpts from PM Modi's statement:

-- Canada is an important destination for Indian students when it comes to higher education, more than 1 lakh 20 thousand of our students are there.

-- We renewed our MoU on higher education which will enhance the exchange in terms of higher education.

-- Terrorism and extremism are a threat to countries like ours and to fight these elements it is important for us to come together.

-- Your visit has been awaited since long. We are happy that you visited along with your family.

-- We have similar thoughts when it comes to the situation in North Korea & Maldives.

-- There should be no space for those who misuse religion for political motives and promote separatism. We will not tolerate those who challenge unity and integrity of our countries.


Image: PM Modi and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at Hyderabad House where the bilateral talks were held.
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14:27   Presidency 'negative' for our realty business: Trump Jr.
American real estate magnate Donald John Trump Jr. has said his father's presidency is definitely a "negative" for the family's business, but the senior Trump will be back to the business post-presidency.


Trump Organization has not signed any new projects in India since Donald Trump took over as the president of the US in January 2017.


The company had announced last year that it would not enter into any new foreign deals while Trump is the White House to avoid any conflict of interest.


Stressing on how the Indian market is important for his company, Trump Jr., executive vice-president of the Trump Organisation said, "When we get back in business, India will be an important market for us."


He was speaking at an event organised by the Lodha Group, the Trump Organisation's local partner building the country's first Trump Tower in Mumbai, late last evening. The elder son of Trump said he's been coming to India for the past decade and "nurturing relationships".
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14:24   BJP, Congress unhappy with Kamal Haasan
Rajinikanth has given his blessings to Kamal Haasan's new party. Speaking to ANI, Rajinikanth said, "Kamal Haasan's public meeting was good, I watched it. Our paths and styles may be different but our goal is the same, that is doing good for people."

Positive and encouraging comments, though they may well be opponents in their new profession.

However, the reaction in New Delhi for Makkal Needhi Maiyyam, Kamal Haasan's new party, which he launched from Madurai on Wednesday, is entirely different.

Sources in both the Congress and the BJP have frowned upon the presence of Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on the dais with Kamal Haasan.

Senior leaders in both the parties, speaking off the record, call Kamal Haasan, a "rural Naxal". The Congress says it will not align with him if the Tamil Nadu polls are held. BJP seniors in Delhi feel that Kamal Haasan's political ideologies are against Hindus and point to his statement during the launch of the party where he said that the saffron, one of the three colours of the Indian flag, should not spread to the entire flag. The BJP believes its a dig at the party's rule in 21 states.

The party is also watching Kamal Haasan closely, to read which way he will swing and the leaders he will co-opt.

Haasan, they say spoke about Telugu Desam leader Chandrababu Naidu, not once, but three times in his inaugural speech on Wednesday.

He and Arvind Kejriwal, says the BJP, are being egged on by the CPM to prop up Chandrababu Naidu so that he can walk out of NDA before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Asked if his party would subscribe to left or right-wing politics, Haasan said on Wednesday, "I'm centre".
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13:15   Kejriwal dares police to question Amit Shah over Judge Loya's death
A Delhi Police team was today sent to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in the Civil Lines area for collecting evidence related to an alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP MLAs, an official said.


 "A police team has been sent to the chief minister's residence for collecting all evidence, including CCTV footage, in connection with the alleged assault on the Delhi Chief Secretary," Additional DCP, North Delhi, Harinder Singh said.


Reacting to it, Kejriwal said, "A huge posse of policemen was sent to my residence. The entire CM residence is being searched over allegations of two slaps. But when will Amit Shah be questioned in connection with Judge Loya's death," he asked on Twitter.


Kejriwal said his council of ministers had sought an appointment with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on the matter.


"As the services come under the LG in Delhi, the council of ministers will request him to direct all bureaucrats to work with the AAP government even as the probe into the alleged assault on the chief secretary continues," an official said.


According to Delhi government spokesperson Arunodya Prakash, 60-70 policemen entered the chief minister's office "without any intimation".


"CM house taken over by police. Huge number of police force enters CM house without any intimation. Police Raj kills democracy in Delhi. Police spread all over inside CM house. If this what they can to do an elected CM, think what they can with poor people!!!" Prakash wrote on Twitter.


"There is minimum courtesy in democracy. Every citizen has rights under constitution. Is it an attempt to humiliate a CM who is working tirelessly for the poor and the last man of the society?" he tweeted.


AAP legislators Prakash Jarwal and Okhla MLA Amantullah Khan were arrested by the police on Wednesday in connection with the alleged assault on the Delhi Chief Secretary during a meeting at Kejriwal's residence on Monday night. -- PTI


Image: Police outside Arvind Kejriwal's residence.
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12:57   Indelible footprints
Call it the tyranny of distance or pillory it as metropolitan distance, the sad reality is that politics in the northeast of India has traditionally been viewed as a sideshow, and a quaint one at that. While developments in Assam - the eldest of the so-called Seven Sisters - are considered relatively more important, the play of regional forces in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura is often greeted with incomprehension and cynicism.

Read Swapan Dasgupta's column here.
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12:54  
Alleged assault of Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash case: Police arrives at CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence to review CCTV visuals.
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12:42   Trudeau meets Sushma Swaraj, discusses India-Canada ties
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday held a warm meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the national capital.


MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar informed that the two sides discussed ways to strengthen and deepen the bilateral India-Canada partnership.


"Picture speaks for itself! EAM @SushmaSwaraj had a warm meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada @JustinTrudeau and discussed ways to strengthen and deepen our partnership," Kumar tweeted.


Earlier in the morning, Trudeau inspected a guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, after which, the Canadian Prime Minister along with his family paid tribute to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Trudeau, along with his wife Sophie and children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien.The two leaders will hold talks later in the day on further strengthening India-Canada bilateral relations.
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12:25   Pushkar death: SC notice to Delhi police for SIT probe
The Supreme Court today sought the response of the Delhi Police on a plea filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking a SIT probe into the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar.


A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and A M Khanwilkar issued a notice to the police on Swamy's plea, leaving open the question of maintainability of the petition. "Keeping the question of maintainability open, let a notice be issued," the bench said.


The court was hearing Swamy's appeal against the Delhi High Court's October 26 verdict dismissing his plea for a probe into Pushkar's death by a court-monitored Special Investigation Team.


Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a suite of a five-star hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014. The high court had last year rejected Swamy's plea for a court-monitored SIT probe into Pushkar's death and termed his public interest litigation (PIL) a "textbook example of a political interest litigation".


Swamy, in his plea before the high court, had alleged that the police had "botched up" the probe and accused Tharoor of "interfering" in the investigation as a minister in the erstwhile UPA regime and later.


The high court had chastised the BJP leader and his lawyer, who was a co-petitioner before it, for making "sweeping allegations" in the petition against Tharoor and the Delhi Police without giving any basis for such accusations.


The high court had said that Swamy ought to have mentioned his political affiliation as well as that of Tharoor in his plea as these facts were important to the adjudication of the case. -- PTI
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11:54   The men who inspire Kamal Haasan
Tamil movie superstar Kamal Haasan launched his long-awaited political party, the Makkal Needhi Maiam, on Wednesday, February 21, in Madurai, during the course of which he was asked who were the leaders he admired and took inspiration from.


Hassan promptly named them. 'I like Gandhi, Ambedkar, Nehru, Kejriwal, Naidu, Pinarayi and even Obama. All those who work (for the people).' Surprisingly, or maybe not, there was no Tamil leader in his list. No Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo M Karunanidhi, who Haasan has often spoken of highly in the past, no poet Subramaniya Bharati, whose revolutionary songs he has mouthed on screen, no E V R Ramaswamy Naicker, whose Dravida movement is the fount of the rational thought Haasan espouses. No A P J Abdul Kalam either, considering that the former President's home was his first halt on Wednesday morning.   Incidentally, there were no women either in the list.


But why did Kamal Haasan name the leaders he did? Here's a ready reckoner.   Do read
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11:35   ED freezes deposits, shares worth Rs 44cr of Nirav Modi group
The ED today said it has frozen bank deposits and shares worth about Rs 44 crore of the Nirav Modi group, and seized a huge collection of imported watches from locations linked to the billionaire diamantaire.


Officials said they have put freeze orders on bank accounts containing Rs 30 crore and shares worth Rs 13.86 crore of the group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.


A huge collection of imported watches, 176 steel almirahs, 158 boxes and 60 other containers have been seized during ED searches at multiple locations linked to the billionaire diamond jewellery designer over last week, they said.


Only yesterday, the agency seized deposits, shares and luxury cars worth over Rs 100 crore of the businesssman and his group. Modi, his uncle and Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choksi and others are being investigated by the ED and other probe agencies after it recently came to light, following a complaint by the PNB, that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of Rs 11,400 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.


The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case. Both Modi and Choski are said to have left the country before criminal cases were lodged against them. -- PTI 
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11:32   Will PM's bear hug thaw relations with Canada?
When the two leaders met, the PM did what he always does -- enveloped the Canadian PM in a bear hug. Justin Trudeau also inspected a guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.


Modi received Trudeau, along with his wife Sophie and children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. The two leaders will hold talks later in the day on further strengthening India-Canada bilateral relations.


The bilateral talks will focus on trade, defence, civil nuclear cooperation, space, climate change and education. Delegation level talks will also be held, with a number of agreements expected to be signed in several areas.


The Canadian Prime Minister, who is on a week-long State visit, arrived in Delhi on Thursday.


Trudeaus maiden India visit was plunged into controversy on Thursday over a dinner invitation to convicted Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian high commissioner to India.


Swiftly moving to control damage, High Commissioner Nadir Patel cancelled the invite for the dinner, hosted on Thursday for Trudeau, while the external affairs ministry said it will ascertain how Atwal entered India.


Trudeau attended a reception dinner at Canadian High Commission in Delhi and said, "People of India are kind, genuine and open. They are proud of their rich culture and strong diversity. I have no doubt that this experience will stay with my family for the rest of their lives."


Sharing his experiences about his trip so far, Trudeau said this trip for him, on a personal level, has been about discovering India, sharing it, learning about it and sharing it with his kids. -- ANI
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11:13  
The thaw after the freeze. Narendra Modi @narendramodi tweeted ahead of his meeting with Justin Trudeau.

"I hope PM @JustinTrudeau and his family had a very enjoyable stay so far. I particularly look forward to meeting his children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. Here is a picture from my 2015 Canada visit, when I'd met PM Trudeau and Ella-Grace." 
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11:06  
The Enforcement Directorate freezes Nirav Modi's bank deposits and shares worth Rs 44 crore, and a huge collection of imported watches: Officials.
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10:55   70 years after Independence Elephanta finally gets electricity
Seventy years after Independence power supply has finally reached Elephanta Caves near Mumbai. A 7.5-km long undersea cable has brought electricity to the world-famous Gharapuri Isle, which houses the UNESCO world heritage site.


"It's a historic day today. This is the first time that such kind of big wire cable is used in the Arabian Sea to spread the lines for electricity," said Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Minister of Energy, New and Renewable Energy.


He further said that the step would now increase the tourism and more people would visit the world heritage site. The step will also benefit three villages -- Raj Bander, Mora Bander and Shet Bander. -- ANI
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10:52   Canada flew celebrity restaurateur to India at taxpayers' expense for Trudeau
The Government of Canada flew Vancouver celebrity restaurateur and chef, Vikram Vij, to India at taxpayers' expense to cook for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other ministers.


Vij, the co-founder of Vancouver's Vij's restaurant, was flown to India as Trudeau is on a week-long trip in the country.


At a meeting between the Canadian High Commissioner and a delegation to India, Vij was thanked for dinner. The meeting also included Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains.


The parliamentary secretary for national revenue, Kamal Khera tweeted about the meeting on Monday. 
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10:46   Police pressured Kejriwal aide to change statement, claims AAP
The AAP has alleged that the Delhi Police pressured Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's adviser VK Jain to change his statement about the alleged attack on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by the party's MLAs. Senior AAP leaders Ashutosh and Sanjay Singh claimed that this was a ploy to destabilise the party's government in Delhi.


Ashutosh also targeted Lt Governor Anil Baijal, calling him an "agent of the BJP" for not acting on a complaint about attack on Delhi minister Imran Hussain and Delhi Dialogue Commission vice-chairman Ashish Khetan, despite being provided evidence.


Jain was apparently at Kejriwal's residence in the Civil Lines area on Monday night, when AAP legislators allegedly attacked Prakash. Singh said Jain, in his first statement to the police, had stated that when the alleged assault happened he was in bathroom and he did not know what had happened in the room.


"However, the police state that today Mr Jain is claiming that when he returned from the bathroom, he found Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash searching for his spectacles, indicating the possibility of an assault. Why did Mr Jain change his stand within a day? Under whose pressure was he forced to change his statement?" Singh said.


He claimed that Jain was picked up by the Delhi Police last morning and was pressured to change his statement. "How is it that the same Mr Jain who emphatically said that he witnessed no assault during the entire time that he was present there, has now claimed otherwise?" he added.


Reacting to the allegations, the chief spokesperson of the Delhi Police, Special CP Dependra Pathak, said the department was only following rules and procedures.


"As per due process, a statement was recorded first by the police and then the statement was recorded before the court," Pathak said. Singh alleged that Aam Aadmi Party MLAs were being arrested for an "assault" for which there was no proof. On the other hand despite there being video evidence of officials assaulting Delhi cabinet minister Imran Hussain, no action was taken by the Delhi Police, he added.


The party also named a few Delhi government officials seen in the video purportedly showing the attack on Hussain and Khetan. "The Lt Governor is acting like an agent of the BJP and his loyalty is not towards the Constitution of India," Ashutosh alleged.


He said Delhi government officials going on strike following the alleged attack on Prakash was "unfortunate". Ashutosh said the medico-legal case report of Prakash states he was assaulted after 12 am but the CCTV camera footage shows he left Kejriwal's residence at 11.30 pm. -- PTI
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10:40   Trudeaus love of the spotlight turns against him in disastrous India trip
The Trudeaus' decision to wear Indian rather than Western garb during much of the trip raised eyebrows in the local press. Outlook India dubbed their gear "too Indian even for an Indian."


By midpoint in the trip, the international press had taken notice, the BBC lampooning the outfits as "more in tune with what a bridegroom would wear in a Bollywood film," while CNBC quoted an observer who described the visit as a "slow-moving train wreck," in part because there was so little serious engagement with Indian officials.

What the Canadian press had to say on their PM's India visit. Read more
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10:35   'Liberals have a high tolerance level for convicted Sikh terrorists'
How it looks, given Atwal's tentacles to the party, is that at least some of them knew full well who Jaspal Atwal is and was. They just didn't care much. Read more
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10:34   Trudeau's very bad trip to India may carry a steep cost
As India has opened its historically protectionist economy to the world in recent years, Canada has been jockeying to benefit from the emerging opportunities. This trip is pretty much the opposite of how to achieve that. Read more
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10:29   Must Read: The Great Diamond Heist
"If there is any industry that is unfit for modern corporate form it is the diamond trade. 'But no one was asking the right questions. The music was playing and so the game was on," says S Murlidharan, former managing director, BNP Paribas. Read the column here.
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10:21   12 held in PNB scam questioned
The CBI on Thursday questioned 12 accused who were arrested in connection with the Punjab National Bank scam. According to the CBI, a number of PNB officials, including senior officers, were also questioned.

The country has been mired in Rs 11,400 crore scam by jewellery designer Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, Gitanjali Gems owner. The CBI on January 31 registered a case and issued a look-out notice against the designer, his partner Choksi, wife Ami and brother Nishal. -- ANI
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10:13   Weinstein apologises for invoking names of JLaw, Streep in lawsuit
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein said he was sorry he invoked names of actors Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence in a recent legal defense.


"Mr. Weinstein acknowledges the valuable input both Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence have contributed to this conversation and apologizes," a spokesperson for the 65-year-old said in a statement Thursday, according to E! Online.


"Mr. Weinstein has been informed that his civil counsel responded in court to a class action lawsuit which improperly sought to include all actresses who had previously worked with Mr Weinstein, even where those actresses have made no claim of wrongdoing.


"Even though Mr. Weinstein has worked with hundreds of actresses and actors who had only professional and mutually respectful experiences with him," the statement added, "Mr. Weinstein has directed in the future that no specific names be used by his counsel, even where those actors have made previous public statements about him."


In a federal court in New York on Tuesday, Weinstein's lawyer had cited comments made by Streep, Lawrence and Gwyneth Paltrow meant to suggest that not every woman who ever worked with Weinstein was abused or had a negative experience.


Both the Oscar-winning actresses had then publicly called him out for using their quotes in court. -- ANI
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10:09   Sensex jumps 107 pts as March F&O series opens strong
The benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 107 points to 33,926.59 in early session today as the March derivatives series kicked off on a strong note amid positive Asian cues.


The 30-share Sensex, which had lost 25.36 points in the previous session, was trading higher by 107.09 points, or 0.31 per cent, at 33,926.59.


All BSE sectoral indices were in the green, led by healthcare, bank, metal and realty stocks, rising by up to 1.33 per cent.


The NSE Nifty50 recovered 39.85 points, or 0.38 per cent, to 10,422.55. Brokers said investors were creating fresh positions at the start of March
futures and options (F&O) series, that led to a recovery in the market.


Major gainers include Sun Pharma, Tata Steel, Bharti Airtel, Dr Reddy's, Yes Bank, Tata Motors, SBI, Wipro and NTPC, rising up to 3.09 per cent.


Stocks of Punjab National Bank which had been under selling pressure since the massive fraud detection, however, edged 1.05 per cent higher.
-- PTI
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10:06   Unnao: Girl out to buy groceries burnt alive
A woman was allegedly burnt to death by unidentified miscreants in Bara Sagwar area of Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district.The incident took place when the victim was going to a nearby market on her bicycle.The body has been sent for postmortem, while police are investigating the matter. -- ANI
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09:52   Burqa-clad women playing board game at Mecca mosque spark controversy
A photo of four burqa-clad women playing a board game in the premises of Mecca's holy mosque went viral on social media and has sparked online controversy across Saudi Arabia.


Just hours after the photo started doing the rounds of the social media, the Saudi authorities issued a statement. "At 11 pm last Friday, a few of the holy mosque's security officers spotted four women playing a board game called 'Sequence,' inside the premises," Website StepFeed reported, citing, a spokesman for the holy mosque's governing authority, as saying in a statement.


"We then dispatched female officers to the scene and they advised the women not to do such things out of respect to the sanctity of the place. They cooperated with authorities and immediately left the area," the statement added.


StepFeed is an English website, which says on its website that it "is trending in the Arab world.


"The image has been successful in garnering thousands of reactions, wrote StepFeed's Mariam Nabbout. People on the internet, however, had differences of opinion. While, many people have condemned the attitude of women playing, branding the women's actions "inappropriate."


Many have resorted to disagreeing with them. Earlier in 2015, a photo of the youngsters playing cards inside the Masjid-e-Nabwi, a mosque in Saudi Arabia's Medina, went viral. The security authorities arrested them for this act, according to the reports. -- ANI
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09:36   PM Modi meets Trudeau family at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and family was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday morning.

The Canadian PM also inspected the Guard of Honour before meeting Modi.

Modi on Thursday said he looks forward to holding talks with his Canadian counterpart to further strengthen relations between the two nations.

'I look forward to meeting PM @JustinTrudeau tomorrow and holding talks on further strengthening India-Canada relations in all spheres. I appreciate his deep commitment to ties between our two countries,' Modi tweeted.

Modi not receiving Trudeau at the airport, a courtesy he extended to some world leaders in the past, had triggered speculation in Canada that it was a snub to him for the rising Sikh radicalism in that country.

However, government sources had strongly rejected the speculation, insisting normal diplomatic protocol has been extended to Trudeau.

'I hope PM @JustinTrudeau and his family had a very enjoyable stay so far. I particularly look forward to meeting his children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien,' the PM said in another tweet.

He also posted a picture from his 2015 Canada visit when he had met Trudeau and Ella-Grace.  -- ANI, PTI
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09:21   'Congress won't declare CM face for Rajasthan polls'
The Congress will not declare its chief ministerial face ahead of the Rajasthan assembly polls, party general secretary in-charge for the state Avinash Pande said, stressing that it has been the party's 'tradition'.

He said the party's Rajasthan leaders will put on a united performance to ensure victory 'as they did' during the recently-held bypolls in Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats and Mandalgarh assembly segment in the state.      

"It has been the Congress tradition that it never declares a CM face, barring exceptional cases, ahead of assembly polls. The high command decides about the Chief Minister after discussing it with elected MLAs. This tradition will be followed in Rajasthan too," Pande said.

On Thursday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with Rajasthan Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state unit chief Sachin Pilot and others on the party's activities for the next six months.

Pande maintained that the leadership issue in connection with the state assembly polls, scheduled to be held later this year, did not figure during the meeting.

"We sought the final approval for the party programme for next six months (from Gandhi). All the leaders in unison assured that the programme will be implemented jointly. Rahul ji wished them good luck," he added.

Pande also said that the leaders have decided that the state unit's 'Mera Booth, Mera Gaurav' programme will be implemented in all the assembly segments of the state, which goes to polls later this year.

"Hamara hoga ek hi agenda, Congress ka jhanda (Our only agenda is to see Congress flag flies high)," Pande added.

Asked about the meeting with Gandhi, Pilot said it was decided that the party will undertake a mass outreach programme in all the 200 assembly segments of the state.

"We have now a lot of weight on our shoulders (following the success in bypolls). Expectations are very high from the Congress and we must not rest and immediately start a mass outreach programme the youth, farmers, middle class, rural areas in 200 constituencies. The meeting discussed the details of the same," Pilot added.  -- PTI
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08:53   NEET must to obtain medical qualifications from abroad from May 2018
The Health Ministry on Thursday clarified that Indian candidates who intended to obtain medical qualifications from abroad on or after May this year would have to mandatorily qualify the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET).

The ministry had earlier this month made NEET, which was introduced in 2016 for admission to government and private medical colleges in India, mandatory for even those who wished to pursue medical courses in foreign universities.

It also said students who have already taken admission under present regulations to pursue primary medical courses by taking eligibility certificate from Medical Council of India (MCI) were 'exempted' from qualifying NEET.

"It is informed that the regulations prescribe that the Indian citizens or Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the NEET for admission to MBBS course abroad.

"The decision will be implemented prospectively i.e. from May-2018. Thus, students who have already taken admission under current regulations to pursue primary medical course by taking Eligibility Certificate from MCI are exempted from qualifying NEET," an official statement said.

The clarification came after the ministry received grievances urging it to exempt students who have already gone abroad from the requirement of qualifying the NEET.  -- PTI
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08:50   Pentagon says India willing to help with aviation maintenance in Afghanistan
India is willing to help the US with aviation maintenance in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said today.

The Pentagon also praised India's developmental role in the war-torn country.

"India has been very supportive, and they've pledged additional developmental aid in Afghanistan. They've been willing to help with aviation maintenance," Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana White told reporters.

"All of that is very helpful in ensuring, again, that this regional approach works. India is an important part of that," she said.

Responding to another question, White said that Defence Secretary Jim Mattis believes that Pakistan has an opportunity to do more with respect to the regional security, and that it's in its interests to do more with respect to regional security.

"It's an opportunity, and we would welcome Pakistan's involvement," White said.  -- PTI
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08:21   US holding Pak accountable for its actions: WH
United States President Donald Trump is 'not satisfied' with the progress made by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, the White House said on Friday.

The White House also said that for the first time, the US is holding Pakistan accountable for its actions.

"I know that we have restored some clarity in our relationship with Pakistan. For the first time we're holding Pakistan accountable for its actions," White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told reporters during a press conference.

"We've seen modest progress in terms of Pakistan's actual acknowledgement of these concerns, but the President is not satisfied with progress when it comes to Pakistan," Shah said.

He was responding to a question on the progress made in President's (Trump's) South Asia Policy which was announced in August last year.

"The US is working closely with our partners in Afghanistan. We've made significant progress against ISIS, reducing their presence and eliminating hundreds of fighters. We've eliminated their top leaders, and we're working relentlessly to target their leadership and bases wherever they emerge," Shah said.

In another news conference, the Pentagon said that the South Asia policy offers an opportunity to Pakistan.

"The (Defence) Secretary believes that Pakistan has an opportunity to do more with respect to regional security, and that it's in its interests to do more with respect to regional security. It's an opportunity, and we would welcome Pakistan's involvement," Pentagon Chief Press Spokesperson Dana White said.  -- PTI
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00:04   Amnesty criticises attacks by cow vigilantes, threat to journalists
Religious minorities in India faced increasing demonisation, global rights group Amnesty International said on Thursday, accusing Indian authorities of using laws to stifle freedom of expression in the country.

In its latest annual report, the group paints a bleak picture of the human rights situation in South Asia. With reference to India, it said incidents like cow vigilantism and lynchings in the name of beef-eating plagued India over the past year.

At least 10 Muslim men were lynched and many injured by vigilante cow protection groups, the report said, adding many of them seemed to operate with the support of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The report also speaks about threats to journalists and the killing of Gauri Lankesh, an editor who was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru last year.

Several journalists and human rights defenders lost their lives. Freedom of expression in universities also remained under threat. Lankesh, an outspoken critic of Hindu nationalism and the caste system, was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru by unidentified gunmen in September. Criminal defamation cases were brought against several journalists, the report said.

Repressive laws were used to stifle freedom of expression...state governments banned books, and the central film certification board denied the theatrical release of certain films, on vague and overly broad grounds, Amnesty said.

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