LIVE! Iraqi forces recapture Ramadi from Islamic State

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Sun, 27 December 2015

Iraqi forces recapture Ramadi from Islamic State

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21:41 Organisers of Iglesias Sri Lanka gig 'should be whipped'

Sri Lanka's president says the organisers of an Enrique Iglesias gig should be whipped as punishment over the behaviour of some female fans. Maithripala Sirisena said scenes of local women running on stage to kiss the singer and throwing their underwear at him, was "most uncivilised".

He said the organisers should be "whipped with toxic stingray tails" - referring to an ancient punishment. The concert was held in the capital Colombo on December 20.

Iraqi forces have recaptured Ramadi, the last stronghold of Islamic State militants in Iraq.

"All Daesh (IS) fighters have left. There is no resistance," a counter-terrorism service spokesman said. Recapturing Ramadi, which fell to the militants in May, would be one of the most significant victories for Iraq's armed forces since Islamic State swept across a third of the country in 2014.

After Ramadi, the army plans to move to retake the northern city of Mosul, the biggest population centre under Islamic State control in Iraq and Syria.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise stopover in Lahore on December 25, he may next meet Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif in US capital Washington in 2016.

According to reports, US President Barack Obama has invited both the PMs for the Nuclear Security Summit to be held on March 31 and April 1, 2016.

However, no formal announcement has been made so far regarding the same, the report said that both Modi and Sharif are likely to attend the event. In 2016, the summit will be the first occasion for Indian and Pakistani PMs to come together.

PM Modi visited Lahore on December 25 and greeted his Pakistani counterpart on his birthday.

Delhi Police on Sunday warned Aam Aadmi Party volunteers against any form of vigilantism and said they should assist and act as told while the force enforces the odd-even scheme of restricting plying of private cars from January 1 to check pollution.

DP to enforce odd even requesting government: Volunteers to assist DP and to act as told. All note: Rule of Law and vigilantism are incompatible, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi said over Twitter.

The top cop also instructed the volunteers to report to Delhi Police, following which they shall be briefed and deployed as per an action plan.

Once volunteers report to DP, they shall be briefed and deployed as per an action plan. No undue harassment of road users is the objective, Bassi tweeted.

The scheme, set to roll out from January 1 for 15 days, has been proposed to curb pollution in the national capital by restricting movement of private vehicles based on their registration numbers.

Violators of the scheme would attract a penalty of Rs 2,000.

VIPs, women drivers, CNG-certified vehicles, two-wheelers and those carrying the differently-abled are among the 25 categories which will be exempted from the scheme.

The BJP today downplayed the 'Akhand Bharat' remarks of its general secretary Ram Madhav, saying while he has a right to his own views, the party and the government are clear that India and Pakistan are two sovereign nations.

Responding to a series of questions on the issue, party spokesperson M J Akbar recalled the speech of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee delivered in Lahore in 1999 in which he had said that India and Pakistan negotiate as sovereign nations. "And that fact is a fact," he said.

When asked as to why an important general secretary made these remarks when the stand of the party and the government are clear, he said Madhav "was answering to a particular question... he has a right to his own views. But the government's position requires no clarification."

Madhav had said that RSS believes that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will one day reunite again not by war but through "popular goodwill".

When a 126-year-old woman took to Twitter for the first time this week, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty were so impressed that they sent her tweets to congratulate her.

But this was no ordinary old lady -- it was the Eiffel Tower, the world's most visited monument, taking its first steps on the wildly popular microblogging site.

"Parisian since 1889, now I am sparkling on Twitter!" said one of the first tweets, in both English and French, on the official account of the 324-high tower nicknamed La Grande Dame by its creator, Gustave Eiffel.

Its arrival there this week, under the username @LaTourEiffel, was quickly hailed by direct tweets from the official accounts of other world-renowned monuments.

The Taj Mahal, the giant Indian mausoleum widely considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, joined New Yorks Empire State Building in welcoming the tall Paris tower to the world of microblogging.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has again raised hopes of an Indo-Pak bilateral series saying in the aftermath of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit there could be "good news soon".

Shaharyar, who has been pushing for a bilateral serieswith India in the last few months despite not getting positive response from his Indian counterpart, told the media he was hopeful that the Indian PM's visit would create an environment to have the series and there could some good news soon.

But soon after Shaharyar's comments criticism flowed in for trying to revive a dead issue. "I don't understand why he keeps on harping on the same old tune. It is clear the Indians don't want to play us now and yet it seems we are desperate to play them," former PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said.

Is the terror outfit Islamic State tagetting BJP leaders? After BJP MLA from UP Sangeet Som, now BJP's Lok Sabha MP from UP's Unnao constituency Sakshi Maharaj has allegedly received death threats from IS. "Islamic State threatened to kill me and also used abusive words against me," the BJP MP said. Sakshi Maharaj has lodged a complaint with the police in this regard.

China today officially junked its controversial one child policy, allowing couples to have a second child amid deepening demographic crisis of shrinking workforce and ageing population in the world's second largest economy. Chinese lawmakers passed a historic decision allowing all couples to have two children from January 1, ending its over three and half decades old policy that prevented over 400 million births in the country.

After the Delhi government's DDCA probe report did not find any mention of Arun Jaitley, the BJP has hit back against the Aam Aadmi Party government, demanding that the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal apologise to the finance minister and also admit to defamation in court.

The BJP spokesperson also added that the AAP government was doing tamasha over the DDCA report and was in the habit of always blaming the Centre for their shortcomings. The spokesperson went on to say that the Delhi CM was fooling the people of Delhi and that the AAP was doing 'natak' for headlines.

15:48 Will India get another Parliament building?

A proposal has been mooted for constructing another Parliament building with Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan saying the existing 88-year-old structure is showing signs of "distress" because of ageing and will no longer be able to meet the growing demand for space. Mahajan has written a letter to Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu asking him to consider initiating action for construction of a new Parliament building.

Stressing on the need to empower girls, Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag said that he wants maximum girls to join armed forces. "Give your daughters the best education and opportunities that are at par with boys to prepare them as future soldiers of the country," Suhag was quoted as saying during his first visit to his native village Bishan in Haryana's Jhajjar district after assuming the office of Indian Army chief.

Observing the fifth death anniversary of Ishwarbhai Patel -- popularly known as 'Toilet Man of India' or 'Mr Toilet' -- Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel revealed that she readily agreed to marry her daughter off to Jayesh Patel when she learnt he was 'the safaiwala's son'.

Speaking at an event, Anandiben Patel said that one day she got hold of Anar's book and found a picture of a man in it. When she asked her whose picture it was, Anar told her that it was of Ishwarbhai's son.

When I learnt it was Safaiwalas son? and she said yes. I immediately gave my consent, Gujarat CM was quoted as saying.

Anandiben, who was earlier a teacher, said that she knew Ishwarbhai much before the wedding of her daughter as he used to come to her school for talks on cleanliness and sanitation. Praising his work in sanitation, she said that lots of NGOs, including Manav Sadhna run by Jayeshs, are helping the government.

13:54

Four fire tenders have reported to the scene. As of now, there are no casualties. According to reports, the thatched hut at the scene of the puja caught fire, causing panic.

13:51 Fire breaks out at KCR's anti-drought puja in Telangana

A fire has broken out at Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao's anti-drought yagna. The Telangana CM has been holding a maha-yagna, starting from December 23, in which 1,100 priests have taken part. The major ritual is being performed as KCR had vowed four years ago that he would perform this yagam if a separate Telangana state became a reality.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will kick-start his Punjab campaign by addressing a mega rally in Muktsar next month, as the party gears up for polls in the state scheduled to be held in 2017. The Delhi CM is also expected to spend a considerable time in Punjab from next year, party sources said. The party is pitted against the Congress and the SAD-Akali Dal combine. "I will address a mega rally in Muktsar in Punjab on January 14," Kejriwal said.

13:10 Modis diplomatic coup has subplots

The spin doctors in Delhi continue to spin yarns about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lahore on December 25 and our media continue to accept them. Would the heavens come down if the government demystifies the Lahore visit and discloses whether it really ensued.

Read more HERE

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's absence from the Saifai Mahotsava on Saturday was reportedly a mark of protest after two of his close youth lieutenants were sacked by the party on Friday.

The Mahotsava was inaugurated by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav in absence of Akhilesh. Sources said, Akhilesh was apparently upset with the expulsion of Sunil Singh Yadav as national president of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and Anand Bhadauria as national president of the Samajwadi Lohia Vahini.

It was learnt that despite being disturbed over the suspension of the duo, Akhilesh could not do anything because the decision to sack them was taken by senior minister Shivpal Singh Yadav. Shivpal is Akhilesh's uncle and close to his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.Party insiders claimed that they were sacked for indulging in anti-party activities in the recent panchayat polls.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has announced that it will contribute Rs 2 crore to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. The contribution is to strengthen the relief and rebuilding efforts of the government for victims of the recent floods in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu.

Maruti is among a long list of companies that have contributed to the flood relief efforts along with Hyundai, Nissan and others. The company has also taken several customer care initiatives for vehicles impacted by the floods.

A feature film titled 'Dreaded Gangster' based on the life of alleged gangster Abu Salem, who is currently facing trials for serious crimes such as murder, extortion and terrorism, including the 1993 bomb blasts case to release in October 2016.

The film is extensively shot at locations in Pune, Mumbai, Dubai and Lisbon (Portugal), its writer-director Suvahhdan Angre said.

The film revolves around Salem, who was extradited from Portugal and brought to India, where he is facing a string of criminal cases, he said. The film focuses on Salem's early days at his native place in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, his migration to Delhi in search of a job, and his relocation to Mumbai, where he joined the infamous Dawood Ibrahim gang to take up petty crimes, and went on to became a notorious gangster with a gang of his own, Angre said.

11:11 PM Modi addresses year's last Mann ki Baat

In 2015's final Mann ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a call for 'Swachch Bharat'. In his radio address, the PM asked that we make sure that our tourist destinations are kept clean.

He said, "Greater the cleanliness of our tourist destination, brighter will be the image of India in the world." He thanked the media for highlighting positive stories about cleanliness from different parts of the country. He also conveyed greetings on Christmas and the advent of 2016.

00:57 US probes 'suspicious' fire at Texas mosque

United States authorities are investigating a suspicious fire at a mosque in Texas, weeks after a mass shooting in California by an extremist couple that sparked fears of a backlash against Muslims.

No one was hurt in the blaze at the mosque in Houston that destroyed the interior of the small house of worship located in a shopping mall, local media reported.

The fire had 'multiple points of origin' and 'appears suspicious,' a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told local media.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations urged authorities to probe possible foul play.

Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called for an uprising in Saudi Arabia and pledged to attack Israel, in an audio recording attributed to him.

During the 24-minute recording, Baghdadi's first in seven months, the terror group chief referred to the 34-nation anti-IS coalition announced by Saudi Arabia on December 15.

"They announced lately a coalition... falsely called 'Islamic', and announced its goal is to fight the caliphate," said the speaker in the recording circulating among pro-IS Twitter users.

"If this coalition were Islamic, it would have announced victory and aid to the people of Syria," he said.

He called on Saudi citizens to 'rise up against the apostate tyrants, and avenge your people in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen'.

Baghdadi also pledged to attack Israel, saying IS has 'not forgotten Palestine for a single moment'.

"And soon, soon with God's permission, you will hear the footsteps of the mujahedeen... We are getting closer to you day by day," he said.

The recording did not appear to be accompanied by multilingual transcripts, which has been in the case with other Baghdadi audio messages.

00:04 Top headlines at this hour

Such visits will be more frequent: Modi told Sharif
India, Pakistan foreign secretaries to meet on Jan 15
Vajpayee's initiative must be taken forward: Advani on Modi's Pak visit
PM's 'birthday diplomacy' surprised us all: Rajnath
Go to court if DDCA probe panel is illegal: Kejriwal to Centre

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