An Indore court today issued a summons against Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya, Swaroopanand Saraswati, over a private complaint about his controversial statement regarding Sai Baba of Shirdi.     

 

Rajesh Shivsangia, the complainant, has alleged that the Shankaracharya committed offence under section 298 of Indian Penal Code (hurting religious sentiments) with his statement that Sai Baba, the 19th century saint, was no god, and therefore should not be worshipped.     

 

Additional chief judicial magistrate Deepak Kumar Pande issued a fresh summons to Swaroopanand Saraswati today and directed him to appear on September 20, said complainant's lawyer Ashwin Kumar Adhyaru.     

 

The court had issued a summons first on July 9, but it was not served. Similar complaints have been filed against the Shankaracharya in the courts elsewhere too.  

Hours after Sachin Tendulkar was criticised for his absence from Rajya Sabha, the cricketing maestro has tried to offer a reason. He said a medical emergency in his family kept him away from Delhi. "My elder brother underwent bypass surgery and I had to be by his side, no disrespect to any institution," said Sachin. 

Didier Drogba has announced his retirement from international football with the Ivory Coast. The 36-year-old said, "It is with much sadness that I have decided to retire from international football." He added, "I am very proud to have been captain of this team for eight years and to have contributed to placing my country on the world stage of football, taking part in three World Cups and two African Cup of Nations finals. I cannot convey enough thanks to the fans for all the love and support during these years. All my goals, all my caps, all our victories are for you. I also owe much gratitude to my teammates -- the players with whom I have shared all these emotions and I wish you all success for the future and a very warm welcome to the new manager."

Three militants were killed in a fierce encounter in the Tangdhar sector along the Line of Control in Kashmir's Kupwara district, said a defence spokesman. 

Following reports of Priyanka Gandhi joining the Congress in hopes to revive it, Priyanka today came out and dubbed the reports as "conjecture" and "baseless" rumours. She said, "This constant conjecture and the manner in which the issue is brought up at opportune moments is incorrect. I would be very grateful to all concerned if they desisted from encouraging such baseless rumours."

The United States launched an air strike against militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon said American aircraft attacked artillery that was being used in northern Iraq against Kurdish forces defending the city of Irbil.US President Barack Obama authorised air strikes on Thursday, but said he would not send US troops back to Iraq.

In her first response to the allegations, ousted governor Kamla Beniwal said, "I have always followed the law." Her statement comes after she was accused of costing the Gujarat government Rs 1,216 crore in central funds by sitting on a crucial bill during her time in the state's Raj Bhavan and secondly, for her 'unethical involvement' in the affairs of a cooperative society in Jaipur. A day after she was sacked, the Congress accused the Modi government of vendetta politics, a claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party had vehemently denied. 

The World Health Organisation today declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to be an international public health emergency that requires an extraordinary response to stop its spread. 

Ahmedabad Crime Branch has given Prime Minister Narendra Modi a clean chit on a poll code violation charge.

A Border Security Force jawan, who was swept away into Pakistan by the strong currents of the Chenab River and picked up by Pakistan Rangers, has been released.

Health officials at Mangalore International Airport would begin screening passengers at arrival from tomorrow to detect persons who contracted highly contagious ebola virus that has wreaked havoc in African countries. 

13 years after dacoit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi was shot dead in front of her home in Delhi, a Delhi court has convicted main accused Sher Singh Rana.

US Secretary of State John Kerry today sought to push Afghanistan's election crisis towards a rapid resolution, cajoling rival presidential candidates to end their perilous stand-off as NATO troops withdraw. 

Amid opposition demands for an all- party meeting during the current session of Parliament to solve the UPSC exam row, government today said it is serious on the issue and the meeting will be convened after the civil services examination scheduled on August 24.

"I assure the House, we will convene an all-party meeting after the examination, scheduled on the 24th," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkiah Naidu said in Rajya Sabha after Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded a meeting to solve the row during current session.

Naidu said the issue requires a "detailed study" and "deeper discussion" and nothing could be done at the eleventh hour as there are contradictory views on it inside the House and outside while children are preparing for the examination.

Six officers were among the 21 personnel who were killed in 22 accidents involving naval warships and submarines in the last three years, Lok Sabha was informed today.

"A total of 22 accidents have been reported involving warships and submarines during the last three years and the current year. 21 navy personnel including six officers and 15 sailors lost their lives in three of these accidents," Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said in reply to a written query.

The accidents involving INS Sindhurakshak and INS Sindhuratna account for 20 of these deaths. Eighteen personnel were killed in Sindhurakshak mishap which sank after an explosion in its torpedo compartment on August 14 last year while two officers had lost their lives in mishaps involving the INS Sindhuratna.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited former defence minister Jaswant Singh at the army Hospital. He met Singh's family and wished for his speedy recovery.

Singh is in coma and critical, said doctors. He was admitted to the ICU after he had a fall last night.  

CNN-IBN reports: Two important central ministries are at loggerheads.

Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi's plan to strengthen the National Commission for Women has met with a roadblock from the law ministry, said sources.

Maneka had sent a proposal to the law ministry to strengthen the NCW in order to make it more effective in crime against women.

A humanitarian crisis that could turn into a genocide is taking place right now in the mountains of northwestern Iraq. Read about the man who fled the horror of the ISIS here

Ink was thrown on Maharashtras Cooperative Minister Harshvardhan Patil.

Activists demanding special status for the Dhangar community threw ink at the minister in Pune. Reports state that Patil was rushed to Ruby Hospital in Pune after he injured his eye in the attack.

Former defence minister Jaswant Singh's condition is very critical, said the defence ministry.

The former BJP leader underwent a surgery this morning after he sustained a head injury. He has been admitted to the army's R and R Hospital.

Rajya Sabha questions the absence of MPs -- cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and actor Rekha.

Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien said both Sachin and Rekha are yet to cross the 60-day threshold. "The seats can be declared vacant if members are absent for at least 60 days," he added.    

RS MP Javed Akhtar said, "The membership of Parliament is not a trophy. Sachin must attend."  

The government has asked the janata for their opinion for the proposed leisure and entertainment hub around the waterfront and port area.

According to the Mumbai Port Trust, which has been assigned to plan and create the hub by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the last date for receiving the views of public and experts is August 8, mid-day reports. 

The MbPT has planned to set up a floating hotel, restaurant, water sports, helipads, seaplane and waterways on the Eastern Waterfront, along with a Giant Ferris Wheel, on the lines of London Eye.

Animal-rights activist and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has extended support to Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Entertainment' for using the dog in the film in a friendly way.

Gandhi also hosted a special premiere of the film in the Capital last evening which was attended by film's crew and members of her organisation People for Animals.

"The film has been endorsed by us. A dog has been used in the film but it has been used in a respectful manner. I am happy to have this event as our annual fund-raiser," Gandhi, who also attended the film's trailer launch couple of months ago in Mumbai, told reporters.

Palestinian militant organisation Hamas has rejected any extension of the three-day ceasefire in Gaza, which expired this morning.

It said that Israel had failed to meet its demands, including the re-opening of Gaza Harbour to shipping.

Several rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel as the ceasefire ended at 08:00 local time. Israeli forces have not yet responded to the attacks.

Some 1,940 people have died in four weeks of fighting in Gaza.

A toddler squeezed through the White House fence, resulting in lock down of the residence of US President Barack Obama and a brief commotion among the Secret Service agents.

The incident occurred yesterday at around 8 pm (local time) when the toddler got away from his parents, squeezed through the fence and entered the most protected White House grounds, triggering a brief lockdown of the White House.

The toddler was soon handed over to his parents.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which has gained large swathes of territory in the two countries, is now in control of Iraq's largest Christian town, Qaraqosh.

The French government has confirmed that Qaraqosh has fallen into the hands of the militants and expressed France's concerns over the progress and the acts of violence that have been committed there, reported CNN.

France has immediately called for a United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the threat posed by the militant group in Iraq. Thousands of Christians have reportedly fled from the city just like other minorities targeted by the group including, Shia Muslims.

Qaraqosh is a historic Assyrian town about 20 miles southeast of militant-occupied Mosul and is home to almost 50,000 people. 

The Delhi court today framed charges against five persons, including three former naval officers and an ex-Indian Air Force wing commander in 2006 naval war room leak case.

A case was registered March 2006 for leaking out about 7,000 pages of defence information of sensitive nature from the naval war room and the air force headquarters.

It was registered on a reference from the defence ministry after scrutiny of inquiry held by the Indian Air Force against the then wing commander S L Surve and the board of inquiry conducted by the navy.

Protests have erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after a senior officer of the health engineering department resigned from service yesterday, accusing state minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan of verbally abusing him during a meeting.

PHE officials have now held a strike in Srinagar and are demanding that the minister be sacked.

Ramzan, the state minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, denied the charge saying there was no truth in it and he was only seeking an explanation for "failure" to execute a water supply scheme.

The People's Democratic Party has demanded action against the minister. 

Image: J&K minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan

Journalist Manu Josephs weighs in on the Hindi vs English controversy currently dogging the UPSC. This is what he has to say, in the New York Times: 

Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath has retweeted his wifes image of working in a gurdwaras langar, with SaraLeonardi-McGraths comment, One of my favourite things to do in India. 

Are the McGraths in India? Your guess is as good as ours.

PM Narendra Modi has a set of 19 new rules for all bureaucrats. The guidelines
ask them to ensure that all policy decisions are guided solely by "public interest" and that they operate with total "political neutrality".

The dos and don'ts are part of an amendment to the All India Service (Conduct) Rules issued in 1968 which serve as a charter for all civil servants.

Read the full report here

One person was killed and 30 others were injured in a major fire at a hotel in Navi Mumbai's Vashi area early this morning, civic officials said.

Out of the 30 injured, 20 people are reported to be in a serious condition, they said.

A short circuit in one of the AC ducts of three-storey Hotel Wanton House apparently led to the massive blaze at the premises, located in Sector 26 on the Palm Beach Road of Vashi, they said.

Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch L K Advani visits Jaswant Singh at the army's R and R Hospital in New Delhi.

Singh, who was hospitalised after suffering a head injury, is critical, according to an NDTV report. 

NDTV reports: The sacking of Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal was approved by President Pranab Mukherjee, who reportedly said in a hand-written response that he was "satisfied" with the government's evidence against her. 

The President's sanction weakens the opposition Congress' allegation of "vendetta politics" behind the removal of the governor, who had a long-standing dispute with Narendra Modi, when he was chief minister of Gujarat, top government sources said.

Sources say the President was informed about the Centre's intention by Prime Minister Modi. When he sought evidence against Ms Beniwal, the government sent him a dossier with three specific allegations.

Read the full report here

Jaswant Singh undergoes a surgery after he sustained a head injury. He met with an accident at his residence in the capital, television channels report.   

Former Union minister Jaswant Singh has been hospitalised after a head injury in New Delhi. He has been admitted to Intensive Care Unit of the army's R and R Hospital.

More details on his condition are awaited. 

The 76-year-old leader was expelled from the BJP earlier this year after he decided to contest the general elections from his home district Barmer in Rajasthan as an Independent when the party fielded someone else. He lost the election.

Singh held the finance, defence and external affairs ministries in previous BJP-led governments.

United States President Barack Obama says he has authorised air strikes against Islamic militants in northern Iraq, if they threaten US interests or to prevent the slaughter of religious minorities.

However, the president said US troops would be not be sent back to Iraq.

The US has already made humanitarian air drops to Iraqis under threat from Islamic State militants. IS has seized Qaraqosh, Iraq's biggest Christian town, prompting residents to flee, reports  BBC.

"We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide," Obama said, referring to the attacks against the besieged Yazidi minority, thousands of whom are trapped on a mountain in northern Iraq.

"I therefore authorised targeted air strikes if necessary to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege and protect the civilians trapped there," Obama said.

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