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Sat, 11 April 2015
India cares for your DNA, not the colour of your passport: Modi in Paris
Timeline Refresh
23:47 Shots fired on US Capitol Hill
Meanwhile, Capitol Hill in Washington, DC was on lockdown. Lt. Kimberly Schneider, a spokesman for the US Capitol Police, said
the incident took place on the West Front of the building. She said the
shooter has been neutralized but that the building has been locked
down as a precautionary measure.
23:34 France is the first one to raise its voice if injustice is done to India: PM
Speaking about the tie India shares with France, Modi said, "France is the first one to raise its voice if injustice is done to India and if any terror attack takes place in France, we are the first to feel the pain."
He also spoke of his pet project -- Make in India. He said, "I said 'Make in India' 10 times in last 2 days, but French leaders mentioned it at least 25 times." It means our message has reached the right people.
Image: PM Modi interacts with Indian supporters on his way to Neuve Chapelle Memorial in Lille, earlier in the day.
23:28 India cares for your DNA, not the colour of your passport: Modi in Paris
Addressing the Indian diaspora at the Louvre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "India cares for your DNA, not the colour of your passport. At his maiden speech in Paris, he said that even though the elections were held in India last year, their results were awaited with bated breath in France. He added, "From my experience I can say that India has no reason to remain poor."
23:08 Modi@Louvre: India doesn't sacrifice for its people but also others
Praising India's soldiers, PM Modi said, "India is a country that doesn't sacrifice for its people but also for other countries." He also said he was touched when he visited the World War I memorial and saluted their sacrifice. He further added, "India is a nation that has always believed in world peace."
Modi further said that it was high time that India was given a seat at the UN's Security Council. "It is time that India got its due. This is the opportunity to give the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Buddha its due. We are not begging, we are seeking what is our right."
23:02
Amidst a thunderous applause, Modi speaks to the Indian Diaspora. He says, "India is known as the land of sacrifice and devotion. Those who forget history lose the capability to make history."
22:58 Modi@Louvre: I have come to bring tourists to India
Your enthusiasm makes everyone back at home in India very happy, PM Modi addresses the gathering. He says, "I have come to France earlier, as a tourist. Today I have come to bring tourists to India."
22:50 Modi's evening in Paris: PM meets Indian diaspora at Louvre
On day 2 of his France visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Indian diaspora at the Louvre at a community reception. The PM was welcomed with a thunderous applause and boisterous chants of 'Modi, Modi.
22:43 Cuba's Castro says Obama is 'an honest man'
Cuban President Raul Castro told the Summit of the Americas on Saturday that US President Barack Obama, who was in attendance, is an "honest man" as the leaders seek to restore diplomatic ties. "President Obama is an honest man," Castro told the 35-nation summit in Panama City as they prepared to hold a historic one-on-one meeting later in the day.
22:37 Hindu leader for restricting Muslim, Christian population
A leader of Hindu Mahasabha stoked a controversy saying Muslims and Christians must undergo sterilisation to restrict their growing population which was posing a threat to Hindus. "The population of Muslims and Christians is growing day by day. To rein in this, Centre will have to impose emergency, and Muslims and Christians will have to be forced to undergo sterilisation so that they can't increase their numbers," vice president of All India Hindu Mahasabha, Sadhvi Deva Thakur said.
22:09 Bangladesh hangs top Islamist for 1971 massacre
Bangladesh hangs top Islamist leader, Mohammad Quamaruzzaman, for overseeing a massacre during the nation's 1971 independence war. Quamaruzzaman, the third most influential leader in the Islamist party, was hanged after his execution was postponed at the last minute on Friday. Quamaruzzaman, 63, is the second Jamaat leader after Quader Mollah to be executed for 1971 war crimes.
He had decided not to seek presidential clemency after the review of his conviction was rejected on April 6 by a four-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.
21:46 Police bust gang of four for betting on IPL matches
Delhi police busted an alleged high-tech gang which was betting on IPL matches with the arrest of four persons from West Delhi's Rajouri Garden area. The accused have been identified as Dinesh Wadhwa, Sanjeet Kumar, Sachin alias Montu and Rajiv Wadhwa. Police has recovered one LCD, a laptop, six mobiles and Rs 5,500 stake money.
21:23 Smriti Irani snooping case cracked; accused staff identified
The Goa police said they have zeroed in on the Fabindia employee who is alleged to have tampered with the CCTV cameras at its outlet in Candolim in Goa in a case of voyeurism, which came to light after Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Zubin Irani raised an alarm over a camera peeking into the trial room last week.
20:47 What history & common sense say
There are suspicions that refuse to die. One of these is that Jawaharlal Nehru nursed a deep-seated hostility towards Subhas Chandra Bose.The dying embers of this suspicion have been stoked by the recent revelations from some declassified files that the Government of India, between 1948 and 1968, kept two members of the Bose family under surveillance through the Intelligence Bureau. It is assumed on the basis of this evidence that Nehru had ordered this surveillance and that he was apprehensive of Bose's return.
Read the full report HERE
20:11 Was Bhagat Singh's family also under watch?
Amid controversy over Intelligence Bureau keeping relatives of SubhasChandra Bose under close watch, kin of Bhagat Singh claimed that the martyr's family had also been kept under surveillance for several years and demanded that the government declassify all files pertaining to him. "Our family had been under surveillance for years. Our phone conversations, too, had been under the scanner for years," Bhagat Singh's 57-year-old nephew, Abhay Singh Sandhu said. He said the family had been on the radar since the British rule and claimed that "even after the country gained freedom, we were under watch of the intelligence agencies."
19:39 Modi's touching message at the WWI memorial
That's PM Modi's message at WW-1 martyrs' memorial in Neuve Chapelle. Also don't miss how he takes time to express gratitude to those who maintain the memorial.
Click on the photograph for a larger, clearer image.
19:23 Why Vadra is thrilled he won't be battered by the media
Following the report that the exemption to VVIPs to be frisked at airports will be cancelled, Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, wrote on a social media website, "Read once again in the newspapers today, the removal of my name, from a list of 'exempted people', about the no frisking/security checks at Airports in India. I am glad that this formality is going to be removed, as this was created without my consent, by the security agencies, only to be followed when I would be travelling with an SPG protectees.
My existing security are not allowed inside airports . Since not protected by the SPG, thus my children and I have always travelled like ordinary passengers. Following all rules and norms of security checks, from removing of coats, belts, clearing bags, etc., like we would follow at any airport, world over.
Cameras at every airport, are proof to the information given above and many passengers have mentioned this (on Twitter) contradicting to the so called privilege that I claim to use. Hope this will put a rest to all the battering that I receive from all modes of the media."
18:37 Modi pays tribute to WWI martyrs in France
PM Narendra Modi arrives in the French city of Lille to pay homage to Indian soldiers at the World War I Memorial. Apart from the visit to the memorial, the Prime Minister also visited the southern French city of Toulouse to see the Airbus facility where he pushed his pet project 'Make in India.'
18:09 Capt Amarinder Singh bats for Sonia, says she should lead Congress
Amid speculation of a change in leadership in the Congress from Sonia to Rahul, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh batted for Sonia and the old guard saying that one could not just cut out the old and bring in the new. Rumours have been circulating that with Rahul's return, he will be put in charge of the party. Capt Singh further said that transition within the party should be a gradual process.
17:54 Delhi CM Kejriwal announces 'highest-ever' compensation for farmers
At a meeting in Mundka with farmers, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre to those who have faced losses due to crop damage. He told the crowds that this was the highest compensation announced by any government so far.
17:11 7 cops killed, 10 injured in Naxal encounter in Chhattisgarh
JUST IN: Seven policemen have been killed, and another 10 injured in Naxal encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district at around 10 am this morning.
More details are awaited.
More details are awaited.
16:42 Talk to Kashmiri Pandits before deciding on their return: VHP tells govt
VHP today appealed to the Central and the Jammu and Kashmir governments to consult and take into confidence Kashmir Pandit community before planning their return to the Valley.
The Hindu right wing outfit also announced to launch a country-wide awareness campaign to expose 'separatists', who the outfit said were against the return of Pandits to Kashmir.
"They (Pandits) should be rehabilitated in Kashmir Valley with respect and dignity as they were owners of Kashmir for 5,000 years. But before that, they should be taken into confidence over the plan of return and rehabilitation," patron of state VHP, Ramakant Dubey told mediapersons.
The VHP criticised the government for 'failure' to hold talks with the people of the community before embarking on a plan of their return to Valley.
16:38 Sharad Yadav at it again; says Padma awards only given to the dishonest
JD-U president Sharad Yadav is at it again. Causing yet another controversy this time, the JD-U president has said that only the deceitful and dishonest people get the Padma awards.
"There are also minorities in our society, not a single tribal has even been given Padma award, why? Those who are giving awards are not being honest," he said.
Yadav has been in controversies for his statements. last month, he had made this statement in Parliament during a debate on insurance bill.: "The body of women from south is as good as beautiful they are. They (women) in our region are not that good as those (in south) know dancing."Defending himself, Yadav said,"My full statement should be shown, I was answering a question."
16:18 China to blacklist its unruly tourists
China, one of the world's biggest source of outbound travellers, is beginning to blacklist its poorly-behaved tourists after a string of reports about inappropriate behaviour by Chinese people while abroad.
The often brusque manners of Chinese tourists range from minor slights, such as spitting, jumping the queue, damaging historical monuments, to more outrageous incidents like picking fights with flight attendants.
In an attempt to encourage people to behave while travelling, the China National Tourism Administration passed a new rule stating that tourists will be blacklisted for offences such as, "acting anti-socially on public transport, damaging private or public property, disrespecting local customs, sabotaging historical exhibits or engaging in gambling or pornographic activities".
16:06 Never say never: JK Rowling on 'Harry Potter 8' book
Celebrated author JK Rowling says there is always a possibility of another "Harry Potter" book. The popular fantasy novel series ended with the seventh instalment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".
Rowling spoke about the future of the series in a conversation with the "Today" show's Matt Lauer.
"I'm afraid I haven't been writing the next Harry Potter. Well, you know, I keep saying that I feel I've wrapped Harry's story up and you gotta know when to... look, I've always, I have always said, 'Never say never''"well not, 'Never say never.' I've always said, I'm not gonna say 'I definitely won't' because I don't see why I should say that," Rowling told Lauer.
"But I think Harry Potter 8, as in, what happened next to Harry, Ron and Hermoine...I don't think that's going to happen," Rowling continued.
15:57
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed Union Law Minister Sadanand Gowda to start the process of forming the National Judicial Committee by holding consultations with Chief Justice of India H L Dattu.
To start the process, a meeting of the prime minister, Dattu and the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha and Congress president Sonia Gandhi is to be held first.
These three-members will chose two eminent persons who will be nominated to the high- powered 6-member National Judicial Committee to select judges of the high courts and the Supreme Court under the new National Judicial Appointments Commission Act passed by Parliament last year.
15:24
The prime minister toured the Airbus A 380 Assembly Line in Toulouse with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
15:23
Union Minister Arun Jaitley regularly meets BJP spokespersons once a week, to update them about the Cabinet decisions and new policies that are in the pipeline.
Very few BJP leaders do this -- the reason being that they are now ministers.
He has asked them to emphasise the Jan Dhan Yojana, how the government has achieved the goal of construction of 30 kilometres every day of the National highway, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, etc.
A two page note on the Union Budget was prepared by Jaitley and was circulated to spokespersons -- not only in TV news debates but also for writing articles for newspapers.
15:19 Militancy has decreased in Jammu in past four years: Officials
There has been decrease in the militancy in Jammu region where 64 militancy-related incidents were reported during last four years, according to state Home department.
Militancy in Jammu region has declined considerably during last several years, Home department officials said.
Reasi district of the region's 10 districts has witnessed 'zero militancy' syndrome with no militancy-related incidents reported from it from 2011 till date, they said.
A total of 64 incidents have been witnessed in ten districts of Jammu region during the period, they said adding after Reasi, Udhampur district has witnessed one militancy-related incident, three in Samba, four in Rajouri district, five in Kathua district, six each in Jammu, Doda and Ramban districts.
14:56 Film on Barack Obama's first date with Michelle in works
Producer Glendon Palmer is developing a film 'Southside With You', which is inspired by the first 1989 date of US President Barack Obama with now wife Michelle Obama.
At that time the President was a young firm summer associate and his wife was known as lawyer Michelle Robinson.
The story follows the couple on a date that took them from the Art Institute of Chicago to a screening of Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" to the site of their first kiss outside of an ice cream parlour, reported Deadline. Tika Sumpter ('Get on Up') will star as Michelle, 51.
Casting is underway for the role of Barack Obama, 53. Richard Tanne makes his directorial debut with the project based on his screenplay.
14:51 Use all evidence we gave against Lakhvi: Kiren Rijiju tells Pak
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju has asked Pakistan that they should appeal in the Laskhar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi case again and use all evidence India has given against him.
Laskhar-e-Tayiba operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind, on Friday walked free from a Pakistani jail after spending nearly six years in detention.
Lakhvi was released from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, a day after Lahore high court suspended his detention and ordered his immediate release.
14:51 Rafale jet deal a 'case of arbitrariness': Subramanian Swamy
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets, and has termed the deal 'a case of arbitrariness'.
Swamy on April 10 had threatened to take legal recourse if government went ahead with the Rafale jet deal with France, saying there were shortcomings in the fighter aircraft.Later that evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will purchase 36 of these fighter planes that are ready to fly, citing critical operational requirement of the Indian Air Force.
Swamy told CNN IBN, "I have not yet decided on whether to approach the court. I am waiting for papers on the new Rafael deal. It prima facie appears to be a case of arbitrariness."
Read this story HERE
14:50
According to a correspondent from New Delhi, Prime Minster Narendra Modi spoke to his three senior Cabinet colleagues from France on Saturday to keep updated of politics back home.
He also spoke to BJP president Amit Shah briefly. This is the new 'Modi pattern of direct touch' with a select few confidants, to keep posted about intra-inter party politics.
13:39
The All India Congress Committee has organised a workshop for spokespersons. Leaders briefed them about the policies and programmes of the party.
But few of the new inductees repeatedly asked general secretary Digvijaya Singh and senior leader Jairam Ramesh about the party's vice-president Rahul Gandhi's whereabouts.
Both leaders had no answers and they tried to avoid the questions, but the new spokespersons were not impressed with the response.
13:35 Modi arrives in Toulouse with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Toulouse with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
He will go to the Airbus facility and discuss ways of further cooperation, including in transfer of technology and investments.
13:25 Bandra by-election: Nilesh Rane detained for poll code breach
Former Congress MP Nilesh Rane was today detained for alleged election code violation following complaints that he was moving around with party workers campaigning for his father and senior leader Narayan Rane in Bandra (East) assembly constituency, where voting is underway for the bypoll.
"Nilesh has been detained for inquiry after he flouted the model code of conduct. He was said to be roaming near polling booths in Bandra (East) area along with party workers," a police officer said.
Soon after Nilesh was picked up, an enraged Narayan Rane lodged a protest against his 'wrongful' detention and warned not to let in any vehicles of the Sena into the area till 5 pm, when the voting ends.
13:03
According to the buzz, Parties such as the Telugu Desam, the Telangana Rashra Samithi, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Janata Dal-United and the Samajwadi Party are likely to get 2,400 square feet land in Dwaraka Phase II in Delhi to construct their political headquarters.
A massive diplomatic enclave is also coming up in the next five years in Dwaraka Phase II. This move by Venkaiah Naidu has a reason -- these smaller parties had complained to the urban development minister about the BJP's largesse to the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam.
Naidu's clever move is being seen as a move to please these parties before the voting next month in the Rajya Sabha when the land acquisition Bill will be presented.
12:03 Rafale to be inducted in IAF in a span of two years: Parrikar
Hailing Prime Minister narendra Modi's announcement that India will purchase 36 of these fighter planes that are ready to fly, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the deal is a great decision taken on the terms and conditions that are better.
"India has finally broken the ice over the deal which hasbeen pending for the last 17 years. The fighter jets will be inducted in the IAF in a span of two years," he said.
11:24 Arrest warrant issued for Justin Bieber
Pop star Justin Bieber faces an arrest warrant by an Argentine judge, who claims the singer failed to respond to summons related to allegations that he ordered bodyguards to attack a photographer in 2013. Judge Alberto Julio Banos ordered the 'immediate detention' of Bieber and bodyguards Hugo Alcides Hesny and Terrence Reche Smalls, reported Billboard.
It was not immediately clear whether the warrant would extend beyond Argentina. Bieber, 21, is accused of sending the bodyguards to attack photographer Diego Pesoa outside a Buenos Aires nightclub. Bieber reportedly never returned to Argentina to respond to questions about the incident.
11:16 Militants kill 20 labourers in Pak's Balochistan province
At least 20 ethnic Punjabi and Sindhi labourers were killed today by unidentified militants who attacked their camp in a remote area of Pakistan's restive southwestern province of Balochistan.
The labourers, working on a bridge at Sohrab Dam in Gagdan area of Turbat, were sleeping in their camp when gunmen attacked them, police officer Imran Qureshi said. The militants came on motorbikes and opened indiscriminate fire on labourers around 2 am, he said.
Qureshi said that 16 of the dead belonged to Punjab while four hailed from Sindh province. Three workers were injured in the attack. The injured were rushed to District Headquarter Hospital.
10:38 US expresses 'grave concern' over Lakhvi's release by Pakistan
Expressing grave concern over Mumbai attack mastermind Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi's release, the US today said it has repeatedly asked Pakistan to follow through on its commitment to ensure justice for the 26/11 victims.
"We are gravely concerned about the release on bail of alleged Mumbai attack mastermind Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi,' State Department Acting Spokesperson Jeff Rathke told reporters at his daily news conference.
Read this story HERE
09:45 3 BSF jawans injured in firing from across the Attari border in Punjab
JUST IN: Three BSF jawans have been injured in firing from across the Attari border in Punjab.
More details are awaited.
09:12 Modi to pay homage to martyred Indian soldiers in WWI today
A day after India proposed to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday is scheduled to pay homage to the thousands of Indian soldiers killed in WWI at a memorial in the French city of Lille during his visit to France.
According to reports, later in the day, PM Modi will visit Toulouse, in southern France, where he will go to the Airbus facility and discuss ways of further cooperation, including in transfer of technology and investments.
Read the story HERE
03:54 Clinton to announce White House run on Sunday
Hillary Clinton will announce her second run for the presidency on Sunday, starting her campaign as the Democrats' best hope of fending off a crowded field of lesser-known Republican rivals and retaining the White House.
The overwhelming favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton will nonetheless face multiple challenges as she returns to the campaign trail seven years after losing the nomination in 2008 to Barack Obama.
03:09 EU, UN call for 'urgent' probe of DR Congo mass grave
The European Union and United Nations have called for an urgent probe into a mass grave discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa, which local authorities say contained hundreds of dead babies and foetuses.
At least 421 bodies were buried in the grave in Maluku district in March, including about 300 stillborn babies and foetuses "abandoned in rivers, streams and even hospitals," the government said.
02:16 Top fundamentalist Quamaruzzaman to be executed tomorrow: Minister
Top fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Quamaruzzaman, who has lost his final bid to overturn his death sentence for the 1971 war crimes, will be hanged in Bangladesh tomorrow, a minister said today.
"Quamaruzzaman's execution process will not be carried out today, he will be hanged tomorrow," junior home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told the 'Prothom Alo' newspaper, ending speculation over the execution of the 63-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general.
02:15 Vatican, France in showdown over gay ambassador
Three months after appointing an openly gay diplomat as France's ambassador to the Vatican, Paris is still waiting for the green light from Rome.
With Pope Francis entering his third year in the post, some activists see the Vatican's silence as a test of the depth of reform in the Catholic Church.
While the Vatican usually declares it has accepted a candidate around a month after an appointment is made, it makes no public statements at all if the answer is no.
01:29 Penalty phase of Boston bombings trial starts April 21
The sentencing phase of the Boston bombings trial, which will condemn convicted killer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death or life imprisonment, will begin on April 21, the judge ruled today.
It will come the day after the city holds the 2015 edition of its popular marathon, which Tsarnaev and his elder brother Tamerlan attacked with twin pressure-cooker bombs on April 15, 2013.
00:39 Hollande deeply shocked at Lakhvi's release
French President Francois Hollande today said he was deeply shocked by Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi's release by Pakistan and told Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his "indignation" over the development.
Release on bail of terrorist accused of heinous crime of Mumbai terrorist attack is deeply shocking, President Hollande said.
00:36 US expresses 'grave concern' over Lakhvi's release by Pak
Expressing grave concern over Mumbai attack mastermind Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi's release, the US today said it has repeatedly asked Pakistan to follow through on its commitment to ensure justice for the 26/11 victims.
"We are gravely concerned about the release on bail of alleged Mumbai attack mastermind Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi," State Department Acting Spokesperson Jeff Rathke told reporters at his daily news conference.
00:07 Obama, Castro speak by phone amid bid to restore Cuba ties
The presidents of the United States and Cuba have spoken by phone for only the second time in more than 50 years, setting the stage for a historic encounter between the two leaders at a regional summit starting today in Panama.
The call between President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro came on Wednesday, shortly before Obama departed Washington on his trip to Latin America and the Caribbean, the White House said. Both Obama and Castro arrived in Panama City for the Summit of the Americas last evening, only minutes apart.
The two leaders have been working to restore diplomatic ties, a move that sent shockwaves through Latin America when Obama and Castro announced it in tandem in December.
In another major step yesterday, the US and Cuba held their highest-level diplomatic meeting since cutting off relations more than half a century ago.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met behind closed doors in Panama City for a session that the State Department described as lengthy and productive.
The flurry of diplomacy was likely to reinvigorate ongoing efforts by the US and Cuba to start their relationship anew after five decades of American presidents either isolating or working to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro or his brother, Raul Castro.
Ahead of his arrival in Panama, Obama announced he was close to a decision about removing Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a major impediment to warmer ties as far as Havana is concerned.
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