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Sat, 07 July 2018
At JD-U meet tomorrow, Nitish likely to spell out party's stand on multiple issues

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21:10   At JD-U meet tomorrow, Nitish likely to spell out party's stand on multiple issues
Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U president Nitish Kumar is likely to articulate his party's position on a host of issues, including the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha polls, at its national executive meeting here tomorrow amid a strain in its ties with the BJP.
  
Kumar held deliberations with his party's office-bearers today on the eve of the national executive meeting. 

There has been speculation that the Kumar-led party may explore revival of its alliance with the RJD and the Congress, a suggestion rejected JD-U leaders, but which has gained ground due to its public differences with the BJP.

Several leaders of the Bihar-based party have demanded its preeminent position in the BJP-led NDA restored, a status it enjoyed in the alliance until 2013 when Kumar broke ties with the saffron party.

With the BJP gaining strength in the state following its sweep in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, it is unlikely to give the JD-U a bigger status and political watchers believe that Kumar has been jockeying for fighting about 15 seats in 2019.

The BJP had won 22 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and its allies, Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP and Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP had six and three respectively. The JD-U had won only two seats.

JD-U leaders have argued that their party had performed much better than the BJP in 2015 assembly polls and its results should be considered in the allotment of seats for the Lok Sabha election.
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20:45   True leader spends money on public welfare: Imran Khan
Taking a jibe at former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said that a true and a patriotic leader spends money on the welfare of the citizens and not on extravagant things.

Addressing an Ulema Mushaikh conference, Khan claimed that Sharif was accountable for (Pakistan) Rs 3, 00,000 crore.

"I would like to ask the people who stood by Nawaz Sharif, don't you have to answer Allah? He is accountable for Rs 3, 00,000 crore, the money which went into the accounts of his children. Expensive flats were purchased by using his children's names. Everyone knew that he (Sharif) is lying. Everything was exposed in the (accountability) court," he said.

The cricketer-turned-politician said that Sharif had got a lot of opportunities to back away from his misdeeds and serve the country properly, but instead chose to mint huge amounts of money.

-- ANI
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20:19   Soldier injured in Pak sniper firing along LoC in JK
An army jawan was injured when he was reportedly hit by a Pakistani sniper firing from across the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today, officials said. 
  
The soldier was manning a forward post at Pokhra in Kalal area of Nowshera sector and received a gunshot injury from across the border, apparently from a Pakistani sniper, they said. 

The soldier was referred to the Command Hospital Udhampur after initial treatment at the local military hospital and his condition is stated to be stable, they added. 

This is the first ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC or International Border in the past nearly one month. 

On June 13, four BSF personnel including an Assistant Commandant-rank officer were killed in the unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling from across the International Border in Samba district. 

This year, the highest number of 1,250 ceasefire violations by Pakistan were reported along the LoC and IB resulting in the killing of over 50 persons including 24 security personnel. 

-- PTI
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19:59   Simona Halep out of Wimbledon
Ranked 1 in the world, Simona Halep has crashed out of Wimbledon in the third round. 

The current Roland Garros champion lost to Su-Wei Hsieh, ranked 48 in the world, in three sets -- 6-3, 4-6, 5-7. 
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19:42   Ball boys, girls at Wimbledon given special permission to watch England vs Sweden WC match
It's not just us who are glued to our TV screens watching the England vs Sweden World Cup match. 

Wimbledon's dedicated ball boys and girls will be able to watch England's World Cup clash in between the tennis action, their trainer has revealed.

Asked if the highly disciplined ball boys and girls, known as BBGs, could switch over from the tennis coverage, she said: "They can watch the football, yeah."

And for our readers, if you can't find yourselves in front of a TV screen, check out our live blog HERE
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19:27   Zakir Naik will never get access to Bangladesh: Hasina aide
Promising full cooperation in India's quest to bring controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik back to the country, a close aide of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today that Bangladesh will never allow its territory to be used by elements hostile to New Delhi.
  
After delivering a talk in New Delhi on "Indo-Bangladesh: Historical and contemporary perspective", Hossain Toufique Imam, political advisor to Hasina, answered a question from a reporter on Naik. He said Naik would never get access to Bangladesh and his country would cooperate with India on the matter.

"We will fully cooperate with India. Our government is committed to its declared policy of zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. The soil of Bangladesh will never be allowed to be used by elements who are hostile to our neighbours," Imam said.

Naik found himself in the eye of a storm after news reports surfaced that at least two of the terrorists behind the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka in July 2016 were "inspired by his preaching about Islam."

Rohan Imtiaz, one of the suspected attackers, is said to have posted a message on Facebook quoting Naik prior to the attack.

Naik is being probed under terror and money laundering charges by the National Investigation Agency. He left India in July 2016 after the Dhaka terrorist attack.

There were media reports this week about the 52-year-old Naik's deportation to India by the government of Malaysia, where Naik has managed to get the permanent residency status.

Following the reports, Naik in a statement said he would not return to India till he felt "safe from unfair prosecution".

Yesterday, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ruled out deporting the controversial Islamic preacher to India if he does not create problems in his country.

-- PTI
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19:11   US attitude in high-level talks 'extremely regrettable', says North Korea
North Korea hit out at what it called Washington's "rapacious demands" and "extremely regrettable" attitude, according to a report by the South's Yonhap news agency, just hours after concluding talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Pyongyang.
  
"The US attitude and positions at the high-level talks on Friday and Saturday were extremely regrettable," the North's foreign ministry said in a statement, Yonhap reported. 
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18:48   AIADMK agrees to simultaneous polls, but after 2021
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu was in principle agreeable to the proposal to hold simultaneous polls to Parliament and state assemblies, but wants it to be considered after 2021 when the present state assembly's term would expire, a senior leader today said.
    
This view had been conveyed through a letter to the Law Commission and it will be put forth again by AIADMK leaders during the panel's two-day deliberations on the matter being held in Delhi from today, senior leader and Fisheries Minister
D Jayakumar told reporters.
  
He was replying to a question on the consultations by the Centre on holding simultaneous polls and the Tamil Nadu government's stand.
   
He said "the tenure of the (present) Tamil Nadu assembly is till 2021" and hence assembly election should not be combined with the Lok Sabha poll scheduled for next year.    

Simultaneous polls in Tamil Nadu may be considered in 2024, he added.
   
Though the proposal to hold simultaneous polls to Parliament and state assemblies was agreeable in principle for the AIADMK which meant "toeing the line of Amma (late chief minister Jayalalithaa)," it can, however, be considered
post-2021 assembly polls, Jayakumar said.
    
Jayalalithaa had in 2015 conveyed to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Law and Justice that her party favoured the idea of simultaneous polls in principle.
    
The late leader, had, however, flagged "some key issues" that had to be addressed before the new mechanism could be put in place.
    
The Law Commission is holding consultations in Delhi with all the national and state parties on the feasibility of holding simultaneous polls.

-- PTI
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18:24   CBI files chargesheet in Unnao rape case
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday filed a chargesheet against five accused in the death case of the father of a minor girl who was allegedly raped last year in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh.

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar is main accused in the alleged rape case, who is the Sitapur jail at present.

The CBI in its chargesheet has named five accused including Atul Singh Sengar, the brother of the MLA in the death of the rape victim's father who died in judicial custody.

Investigative Officer Anil Kumar filed the chargesheet in Roshanuddaula Court of CBI.

Tomorrow the case will complete 90 days of investigations.

On April 13, the CBI arrested the BJP MLA on charges of raping a minor last year. He was later sent to seven-day CBI custody.

-- ANI
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18:13   45-year-old Gurugram bizman held for raping daughter's friend
A 45-year-old Gurugram-based businessman has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting his daughter's friend, who had come to his place for a sleepover, the police said today.
  
On Thursday, the victim, 18, had gone for a night stay at her friend's place, where the accused offered her some drinks and later raped her in his bedroom, the police said.

The victim had been invited over by the accused's daughter, who studies abroad and had come home during her vacation, Gurgaon Police PRO Subhash Bokan said.

"The victim approached a women police station on Friday and registered a complaint of rape against the accused," he said.

Bokan added that the accused businessman was arrested within hours of registration of the case and that he had admitted to his crime.

-- PTI
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17:58   Hardik, Alpesh, Jignesh booked over 'raid' at woman's house
Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and Gujarat MLAs Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani were booked by police on trespass and other charges after allegedly leading a "raid" at a house where they claimed that liquor was illegally stored, an official said today.
  
Thakor, a Congress MLA, along with independent legislator Mevani and Patel, on Thursday "raided" the house of a woman, identified Kanchanben Makwana, with over a dozen supporters claiming they wanted to expose the alleegd "liquor den" operating there.

The house is located near the office of Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police. Makwana filed a complaint at the Gandhinagar Sector 21 police station.

The complainant said the trio and their supporters entered her house when no male member was present there. "They even planted two pouches of country-made liquor there to prove her house was a liquor den," Makwana was quoted as saying by inspector V N Yadav.

"Makwana, in her complaint, said she does not sell liquor and the two pouches recovered from her house were planted by the people who entered her home," Yadav said.

He said an FIR was lodged against Thakor, Mevani and Patel besides over a dozen others under various section of the Indian Penal Code including for house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint (452), intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace (504), and intentionally giving false evidence (193).

Yadav said no arrest has been made so far in the case.

Gujarat has a law in force since 1960 that bans manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcohol. 

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Patel alleged that the "liquor mafia" can do anything in Gandhi's Gujarat, with the police and the ruling BJP giving them support.

-- PTI
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17:32   Not averse to working with Congress: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that she is not averse to working with the Congress to oust the BJP government at the centre which is behaving like "a hundred Hitlers".
  
The TMC president, in an interview to a magazine, said she shares very good relations with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi but has never worked with Congress President Rahul Gandhi, whom she described as "much junior".

To questions about prime ministerial ambitions, Banerjee said she has "no intent". However, she was ambivalent when asked if she was not ruling herself out of the race.

"Instead of preparing for PM candidature, let us work together," she said in the interview to India Today which was posted on its website.

The Trinamool Congress chief said she has no problems working with anybody as long as their intentions and philosophy are clear
 
On her ties with the Congress leadership, Banerjee said, "What I can say about Rajivji or Soniaji I cannot say about Rahul because he is much junior."

 "I don't have any problem. My intention will be to unite with all. But it is not my decision alone. It has to be the decision of all the regional parties. I have no problem working with anybody as long as they are efficient, and their intentions, their philosophy, their ideology are clear," she said when asked if she is not averse to dealing with the Congress or having an understanding with the party.
Banerjee, while speaking on the issue of some Opposition parties wanting to forge a federal front without the Congress, noted that some parties don't support the Congress as they have their own regional compulsions.
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16:51   BJP for continuing with Governor's rule in J-K: Ram Madhav
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav today rejected reports that his party was working to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir with rebel PDP MLAs and said that it was for continuing with Governor's rule in the state in the interest of peace, governance and development.
     
His comments on Twitter came after former state chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted a news report that claimed that a "big chunk of PDP MLAs are in touch with the BJP high command" and the saffron party was looking to form government.

"Contrary to Ram Madhav's assertions, the state unit of the BJP confesses to being party to the efforts to break the PDP . Power at any cost would seem to be the guiding philosophy," Abdullah said, tagging the BJP leader in his tweet.

Madhav, the BJP's pointsman for the state, replied: "Not true. I will certainly check with the state unit and ensure that BJP keeps itself scrupulously out of whatever is happening in other parties in the Valley. 

"We are for continuing with the Governor's rule in the interest of peace, governance and development in the state," he said.

The BJP had last month pulled out of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, bringing the state under Governor's rule.

-- PTI
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16:26   Sharif family to challenge Avenfield verdict: Report
Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family are all set to challenge the accountability court's verdict in the Avenfield reference case in the Islamabad high court.

The Sharif family will challenge the verdict in the IHC on July 9, Geo TV reported, citing anonymous sources, as saying.

Sharif was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of eight million on Friday in the Avenfield case, while his daughter, Maryam, was sentenced to 7 years of jail and fined two million.

With this ruling, Maryam is barred from contesting the general elections.

Her husband Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd) was also sentenced to one year of imprisonment.

Sharif and Maryam are in London since June 14 visiting the former's wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, who is undergoing cancer treatment there.

According to the report, the defence lawyers have intimated their clients that the likelihood of getting any relief in the sentence would be difficult if they fail to return to Pakistan within ten days.

Addressing a press conference in London, Sharif claimed that he was being punished because he was changing the legacy of Pakistan's 70-year-old history.

The three-time former prime minister did not give a specific date for returning to Pakistan.

-- ANI
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16:04   In third snub to India, Maldives signs big power deal with Pakistan
The relationship between India and Maldives continue to remain strained with the Maldivian government trying its best to undermine Indian influence in its land. After the helicopter and work permit snub, Male has now signed a capacity-building agreement in the power sector with Pakistan.

According to a report in The Times of India, officials of the Maldives state electricity company, Stelco, visited Pakistan last week and signed an MoU for cooperation in "institution-building" activities. The timing of the MoU is significant for India as it comes when Male has stopped issuing work permits to Indians delaying work on projects being handled by India like the construction of a police academy.

The report stated that Indian officials in New Delhi are struggling to figure out what Male wants from Pakistan when Stelco's all major projects are already being handled by Chinese companies.

"Given its precarious financial situation, Pakistan cannot do much to help Maldives. But President Yameen is trying his best to reduce Indian footprint and bring in elements hostile to India to undermine Indian influence in Maldives," TOI quoted an Indian official as saying.

One reason why Maldives has dragged its feet on India's proposal for deploying a Dornier surveillance aircraft on its territory is said to be its consideration of an offer of a similar aircraft from Pakistan.

While Male has again reminded India that the deadline for removing its naval choppers has expired, it has remained evasive on accepting India's Dornier aircraft offered in 2016.
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15:32   NEET exams twice from next year, new agency to conduct JEE Main
Competitive exams such as the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test, Joint Entrance Examination  Main, the National Eligibility Test, Common Management Admission Test and others will now be computer-based and conducted by the National Testing Agency, Union education minister Prakash Javadekar said on Saturday.

Launching the NTA at a press conference at Shashtri Bhawan in New Delhi, Javadekar said that the syllabus, nature of questions, language alternatives and exam fees will remain the same but the mode of examination will now be a computer-based test.

NTA has started its work and will conduct exams from this year," he said, adding that UGC-NET will be the first exam held by the NTA in December this year.

The minister also announced that both NEET and JEE Main will be conducted twice a year. "NEET will be held in February and May, and JEE Main will be conducted in January and April. Students will have the choice to attempt both or one but the best score will be taken into account while giving admission," Javadekar said.

He also added that the exams will be held over a period of four to five days. "Examination will be conducted for, say, two lakh students per day over four to five days. The student will have the choice to select their dates. It is more student-friendly and open," the Union minister said.

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15:22   At mega Jaipur rally, PM Modi says "Vikas our only agenda"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Jaipur today to lay the foundation stone for 13 urban infrastructure projects and meet the beneficiaries of central and state run public welfare schemes. 

The prime minister will seek feedback from around 2.5 lakh beneficiaries of government schemes. 

Here are highlights:

>> I salute this brave land

>> Rajasthan, known for giving a grand welcome, giving so much love to those who visit... I am witnessing it today in person

>> Rajasthan has always inspired people from all over the country... history is full of evidence of this

>> Never forget the tough circumstances in which Vasundhara Raje took oath in 2013. When she took oath, systems were not working properly. She has changed the work culture in the state

>> The Central government and the state government are working together for the progress of Rajasthan

>> The way the programme in Jaipur has been organised is commendable. Hearing beneficiaries is wonderful. There are some people who will never appreciate good work done, be it by the Centre or by Vasundhara Raje but everyone must see the happiness of the beneficiaries here

>> The Centre has increased the MSP for farmers by nearly twice of what it was

>> Look at the Congress today. Many senior Congress leaders are out on bail... People have started calling Congress a 'Bail-gaadi'
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14:51   Swedish intellectuals form new literature prize in Nobel protest
What do you do when this year's Nobel Literature Prize, the world's most prestigious accolade of its kind, is postponed because of a sexual assault scandal?

You create your own award.

More than 100 Swedish intellectuals have joined forces to form a new prize-giving body in protest after the Swedish Academy, which selects Nobel laureates, was plunged into crisis over its long-standing ties to a man accused of assaulting several women.

The alternative honour serves to denounce "bias, arrogance and sexism", according to its founders The New Academy, whose members include authors, artists and journalists.

The Swedish Academy descended into turmoil in November when local media published the testimonies of 18 women claiming to have been raped, sexually assaulted or harassed by an influential French cultural figure who has long been connected to the institution.

The revelations led the Academy to announce in May there will be no Nobel Literature Prize this year, as disagreements on how to deal with the scandal sowed deep discord among its 18 members and prompted six to quit -- including the first woman permanent secretary Sara Danius.

But for some the lack of a Nobel literature award for the first time in almost 70 years was unacceptable.
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14:24   J-K Guv receives complaints of corruption in Mufti govt on Twitter
Two weeks after he took over the reins in Jammu and Kashmir, Governor N N Vohra's official Twitter handle has got several complaints of alleged corruption and other wrongdoings against the previous PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mehbooba Mufti.

The Twitter handle was set up on June 19, the day Mufti submitted her resignation as chief minister of the state after the BJP pulled out of the government.

The Governor, through Twitter, has been receiving complaints about issues which were considered dead and buried.

The complaints received via the Twitter handle @jandkgovernor range from Mufti removing the director of super-speciality SKIMS hospital and nominating in-service professors as members of the governing council to former speaker and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta's doctor allegedly getting appointed through the backdoor.
PDP youth president Wahid-ur-Rehman Para, who was working as Secretary, JK State Sports Council, is also accused of "adjusting" 250 people in various government departments and public sector undertakings.

"Ex-CM Sahiba (Mehbooba) ruined SKIMS & violated all norms by nominating inservice professors (friends of Dr Manzoor rather) as GB (governing body) members, then victimised all who raised voice - prof ahangar suspended as Director, my resignation was forced, promotion of 4 others stopped," Altaf G Haji, an Onco surgeon tweeted to Vohra.

Another Twitter user brought to Governor's notice the allegations made by a sitting PDP MLA, who had recently revolted against Mufti, about the wrongdoings committed by Para.
  
"A quota of 250 seats were given to Waheed-ur- Rehman Parra and he adjusted his nears and dears in JK Bank, JKP, Youth Service and Sports and other departments, Ansari alleged. We request Governor for an immediate inquiry commision," Syed Ishfaq wrote.

Pawan Sharma brought to Vohra's notice the appointment of Charu Gupta, daughter of Kavinder Gupta as Dental Surgeon, under the National health Mission.

-- PTI
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14:02   5 injured in Pamplona's annual running of the bulls in Spain
Medical officials overseeing the annual Running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, say that five people have been injured at the traditional festival, with at least one gored by a bull's horns.
  
Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba says ambulances were taking the injured to a nearby hospital just minutes after the race in the northern Spanish city began early today.

Rain before the race left the already narrow cobbled-streets more slippery than usual, and many other runners could be seen being trampled while corralling the massive animals into Pamplona's bullring, completing the 850-metre course in just over two minutes.
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13:43   All stranded Indian Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims evacuated from Nepal
All the 1,430 stranded Indian pilgrims who were stranded while returning from the Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet have been airlifted to safety with the evacuation of the last batch of 160 people from Nepal's mountainous regions today, the Indian embassy here said.

Those rescued from Hilsa and Simikot districts have been moved to Nepalgunj and Surkhet, the two towns with better health care and infrastructure facilities close to the Indian border.

"The evacuation process completed after 160 stranded pilgrims were evacuated today from Simikot and Hilsa. Embassy's team continues to be stationed to monitor the situation," the Indian mission tweeted.

"As of today, 1,430 stranded pilgrims were airlifted from Simikot/Hilsa to Nepalgunj/Surkhet and have achieved a zero in both these places," it said.

The pilgrims were stuck for the past five-six days as continued downpour in western Nepal had blocked the transportation.

The Indian embassy took initiatives to evacuate them and provide necessary medicine and other essential items as soon as they got information, an official said. Commercial flights and Nepal army helicopters were also deployed for the task over the past few days.

-- PTI
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13:20   3 including teen killed in Kashmir as forces fire at stone-throwers
Three people including a 16-year-old girl were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam on Saturday as security forces fired at stone-throwing protesters.
Reports said the security forces opened fire after an army patrol came under attack in the Redwani area of Kulgam.

Those killed were identified as Shakir Ahmad, 22, Irshad Majid, 20 and 16-year-old Andleeb - all residents of Hawoora in Kulgam.

Mobile internet service were suspended in Kulgam and Anantnag districts to curb rumours and more protests.
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13:06  
JUST IN: 3 civilians killed allegedly in firing by security forces in J-K's Kulgam district
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12:55   Zuckerberg tops Buffett to become third-richest person in the world
Facebook Inc co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has overtaken Warren Buffett as the worlds third-richest person, further solidifying technology as the most robust creator of wealth.

Zuckerberg, who trails only Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos and Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates, eclipsed Buffett as Facebook shares climbed 2.4 per cent, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Its the first time that the three wealthiest people on the ranking made their fortunes from technology. Zuckerberg, 34, is now worth $81.6 billion, about $373 million more than Buffett, the 87-year-old chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Zuckerbergs ascent has been driven by investors continued embrace of Facebook, the social-network giant that shook off the fallout from a data-privacy crisis that hammered its shares, sending them to an eight-month low of $152.22 on March 27.

Buffett, once the worlds wealthiest person, is sliding in the ranking thanks to his charitable giving, which he kicked off in earnest in 2006. 
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12:23   'Honouring law': Jayant Sinha clarifies his stand on welcoming lynching convicts
After sparking a political storm by welcoming eight men who were convicted in the Ramgarh lynching case in Jharkhand with a garland, Union Minister Jayant Sinha on Saturday said that the Ranchi high court has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail.

The Union minister of state for civil aviation said on Twitter, "In the Ramgarh case (mob lynching), the Ranchi high court, which is the first court of appeal, has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail while admitting their case. The case will once again be re-heard."

Sinha further said that he has full faith in our judiciary and that those who are innocent would be spared while the guilty would be appropriately punished.

"I have full faith in our judiciary and rule of law. Unfortunately, irresponsible statements are being made about my actions when all that I am doing is honouring due process of law. Those that are innocent will be spared and guilty will be appropriately punished," he said.

He added, "I have repeatedly expressed my misgivings about the fast-track court judgment sentencing each accused to life imprisonment. I am pleased that the Hon'ble High Court will hear the matter as a statutory court of appeal to test the correctness of the Fast-Track Court order."

Sinha, who represents the Hazaribagh seat in Lok Sabha, yesterday felicitated eight men convicted for killing a meat trader in Jharkhand last year.

In a picture that has gone viral, the Union minister could be seen garlanding the convicts in the Ramgarh lynching case in Jharkhand at his residence on the outskirts of Hazaribagh.

A Ramgarh Court had sentenced the 11 accused, in connection with the Alimuddin murder case in Ramgarh district to a lifetime in prison.

Alimuddin, also known as Asgar Ansari, was intercepted by a mob and beaten to death in June last year over suspicions of transporting beef in his vehicle near Bazartand village. The mob later set the vehicle ablaze.

-- ANI
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11:58   'Amul Thapar not in Trump's shortlist for US Supreme Court'
Indian-American judge Amul Thapar has not made it to the shortlist of three candidates from among which US President Donald Trump is likely to nominate his pick for the US Supreme Court justice, a media report said today.

Trump is likely to announce his nominees to replace Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Monday. The US President, according to the White House, has interviewed seven candidates from his master list of 25 judges. 
Thapar, 49, a Cincinnati-based federal appeals court judge, was among the first four candidates interviewed by Trump on July 2. The three others interviewed were justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Raymond Kethledge. A day later Trump interviewed three other individuals. 
According to National Public Radio, Trump has reduced the names of the potential nominees to three judges -- Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Raymond Kethledge. The first two are the top contenders for the position, said NPR.
While final nominees will be known only when Trump makes the announcement, this would be for the second time that Thapar might not be able to make it to the final cut after being interviewed by Trump. Thapar was on the shortlist of candidates after judge Antonin Scalia died in 2016. Trump finally nominated judge Neil Gorsuch. 

Talking to reporters travelling with him to Montana abroad Air Force One, Trump said he has interviewed some "extraordinarily talented and brilliant" people during the process. "I'm very, very happy with them and we will pick somebody who will be outstanding, hopefully for many years to come," he said.

The US President has chosen prime time to make the announcement. "We're going to do it at 9 pm in the White House," he said. This will be 6.30 am -- Tuesday --  local India time on July 10. 

-- PTI
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11:21   New IDs to deliver recognition, protection to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: UN
About 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh will soon get credit card-sized plastic IDs that will help provide them another level of protection and preserve their right to voluntarily return to Myanmar in conducive conditions, according to the UN refugee agency.
As per the UN estimates, nearly 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh to escape violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State since August 25 last year when the army launched a military crackdown.
 
Myanmar does not recognise Rohingya as an ethnic group and insists that they are Bangladeshi migrants living illegally in the country.
The exercise, which began at the end of June, is expected to take up to six months to complete.
It "will help consolidate a unified database for the purposes of protection, identity management, documentation, provision of assistance, population statistics and ultimately solutions for an estimated 900,000 refugees who have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh in successive waves of forced displacement," Charlie Yaxley, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said in Geneva.
Since August last year, more than 720,000 have fled in what was one of the world's largest and fastest growing refugee emergencies in decades.
"The verification will play a key role in establishing refugees' identities and their declared places of origin in Myanmar," Yaxley said.
"It will help preserve their right to voluntarily return home, if and when they decide that the conditions are right to do so," he said.
The exercise will also help boost accurate refugee data supporting of the government and humanitarian partners to better understand their specific needs; plan, target and deliver protection and assistance; and avoid duplicating services.
"Biometric data, including iris scans and fingerprints as well as photographs, are used in the exercise to confirm individual identities for all refugees over the age of 12," Yaxley said.
The credit card-sized plastic IDs, issued jointly by the Bangladesh Government and the UNHCR, contain a number of anti-fraud features.
Since the start of the exercise on June 21, some 4,200 refugees have been verified. Despite heavy monsoon rains in recent days, most refugees attended their verification appointments, aware of the significance of having an identity card.
In addition to providing laptops, servers, wireless routers, biometric hardware and printing equipment, the UNHCR is also making available a special biometric registration software. -- PTI
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11:02   Amarnath yatra resumes from Jammu after 2-day suspension
The Amarnath yatra resumed today from Jammu after it was suspended for two days due to inclement weather in Kashmir, with a batch of over 2,200 pilgrims leaving for the Pahalgam base camp for the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine, officials said. 
 
However, the pilgrims registered for the Baltal route were not allowed to leave the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the Valley as the authorities had suspended the yatra from the shorter 12-km track due to slippery conditions and incidents of shooting of stones, they said. 
The pilgrimage from the traditional 36-km Pahalgam route resumed yesterday. 
"The 8th batch of 2,203 Pahalgam-bound pilgrims, including 311 women, left in a convoy of 51 vehicles from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp at around 0240 hours and are expected to reach the base camp in Anantnag district of south Kashmir later in the day," a police official said. 
The yatra was suspended from the Jammu base camp on Thursday to avoid overcrowding in the camps in the Valley after heavy rains coupled with landslides and shooting of stones forced suspension of the yatra from the twin tracks a day earlier. 
Due to the suspension of the yatra, thousands of pilgrims also got stranded in the winter capital after they reached here from across the country to undertake the annual pilgrimage in south Kashmir Himalayas.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma said around 20,000 pilgrims are staying in various identified centres and directions have been issued to all the officers concerned for ensuring healthcare, sanitation, uninterrupted water and power supply for the comfortable stay of the yatris.
"The administration at the highest level is monitoring the safety, health and comfort of the yatris and the officers are on round the clock duty for security and other arrangements made for Yatra," he said.
He said necessary measures were initiated to accommodate the heavy rush of yatris.
Verma said many pilgrims are also visiting other pilgrim tourist destinations like the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and Shri Shiv Khori Shrine under tour packages of Tourism department.
The 60-day annual yatra commenced on June 28 and 73,023 pilgrims had 'darshan' of the naturally formed ice-shivlingam at the cave shrine till last evening. -- PTI
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10:59  
Congress president Rahul Gandhi meets Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.
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10:31   Shashi Tharoor granted regular bail in Sunanda Pushkar death case
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been granted regular bail in the case relating to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death almost four years ago.

Tharoor today appeared before Delhi's Patiala House Court as accused in his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death case.

Judge said there is 'no requirement to file a formal bail as an anticipatory bail had been granted by sessions court.

Earlier, a court had granted the former Union minister anticipatory bail, despite Special Investigation Team's opposition.
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09:41   Sunanda death case: Shashi Tharoor to appear in court today
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is expected to appear before a court in Delhi today in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar 's death case. 

The court had summoned Tharoor after a 3000-page chargesheet was filed against him by the Special Investigation Team probing the case.

On Thursday, the court had granted the former Union minister protection from arrest in the case. 

While granting him anticipatory bail, the court said Tharoor can't fly abroad without its permission. 

Sunanda Pushkar, 51, was found dead in her suite at a five-star hotel in Delhi on January 17, 2014, two days after accusing her husband on social media of having an affair with a Pakistani journalist.

In his plea for anticipatory bail, Tharoor had submitted that the charge sheet in the case was filed and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had categorically stated that the probe was concluded and that his custodial interrogation was not required.

Tharoor has been charged under Sections 498A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code, but has not been arrested in the case.
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08:54   Pak reviews plan to fulfil obligations made to FATF
Pakistan's top civil-military body has reiterated its commitment to fulfil obligations made to the Financial Action Task Force to combat money-laundering and terror financing.
A meeting of the National Security Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk, discussed the details of the Action Plan and the way forward.
The Committee "appreciated" the efforts of the Finance Minister and her team at the forum, an official statement said. The meeting also reviewed the overall economic situation in the country.
Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar gave a detailed presentation to the participants about the deliberations during the last month meetings of FATF and International Co-operation Review Group held in Paris.
"The participants reiterated a firm commitment to fulfilment of obligations regarding combating money-laundering and terror financing, according to a statement. 
In a blow to Pakistan, the FATF has placed it on the grey list for failing to curb anti-terror financing despite Islamabad submitting a 26-point action plan and launching a concerted diplomatic effort to avert the decision.
The decision was taken last month at the global financial watchdog FATF's plenary session in Paris where Finance Minister Akhtar represented Pakistan.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. -- PTI
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08:41   Thai cave rescue stalled due to rain forecast
All attempts to rescue the 12 members of a youth football team and their coach from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system in Thailand have been put on hold for the moment due to a rain forecast.

"No, not today," CNN quoted Narongsak Osottanakorn, the governor of Chiang Rai province as saying.

Thai Navy SEAL chief Rear Adm. Aphakorn Yoo-kongkaew had earlier suggested that oxygen levels underground had dropped to 15 percent, which posed the risk of hypoxia, a medical condition caused due to lack of oxygen supply to tissues.

However, despite concerns of falling oxygen levels inside the cave, Governor Osottanakorn said that UK experts had suggested that the chamber where the children, aged between 11-16, were located were 'alright'.

"The kids are still able to walk around, play around comfortably. If there is heavy rain and the situation is not good, we will try," said the Governor.

With heavy rains forecasted for the weekend, the Governor dismissed the idea of an immediate rescue, saying that efforts will be initiated only if the was the risk to rescuers' lives were minimal.

"We are afraid of the weather and the lack of oxygen in the cave but we have to try to set the plan and find which plan is the best," Osottanakorn said.

Earlier, the authorities had indicated that the least risky plan was to let the kids be in the cave till the monsoon season was over in October, by when water levels inside the cave would drop enough to enable them to simply walk out.

Another approach was to use full-face oxygen masks and accompanying them out on a treacherous swim through pitch black tunnels. Osottanakorn had hinted towards the children being imparted diving lessons but conceded that they were not ready yet.

It is estimated that it would take five hours for even experienced divers to cross the four-kilometre stretch, with the UK divers who had first reached the stranded group stating that the dive was "gnarly" and full of tight passages submerged in low-visibility water.

On Friday, a Thai diver had died while taking part in the operation to save the trapped group.

The deceased Thai rescuer was identified as 38-year-old Petty Officer 1st Class Samarn Kunan. He was delivering oxygen tanks and on the way back he fell unconscious, upon which, he brought out and taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. -- ANI
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00:14   UK PM's husband Philip May to escort Melania during visit next week
Theresa Mays husband Philip will escort Donald Trumps wife Melania on a separate programme of events during the US presidents visit to the UK next week.

May and Trump will attend a separate spouses programme which will take place during Trumps first visit to the UK as the leader of the free world.

Details of the spousal programme are still to be announced, but pair are expected to spend much of Friday together when the US president and UK PM are embroiled in talks at Chequers, her official country home.

Trump will be kept well outside London for the bulk of his first visit to the UK as US President, avoiding protesters who are expected to gather in the capital.

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