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Wed, 27 April 2016
Make in India most important initiative by PM: Shah Rukh
Timeline Refresh
23:35 Make in India most important initiative by PM: Shah Rukh
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan today hailed the Centre's 'Make in India' programme, terming it as the most important initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that is generating jobs in the country.
"Make in India is perhaps the single most important initiative by our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which propels companies in India and abroad to make it in our own country and our own land, thereby creating job opportunities, skill enhancement," the actor told reporters.
Shah Rukh, 50, was speaking at the launch of BJP leader Shaina NC's coffee table book, 'Movers and Makers' which is a tribute to Make in India. The 'Fan' star said the introduction of new technological enhancement through Make in India will be beneficial for several generations. "For me, the biggest turn on is the introduction of new technology, which I believe is going to create a new era for our generation and generations to come," he said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the book as the best documentation of the seven-day event, 'Make in India Week', held in Mumbai in February this year and said he became nostalgic while reading the book.
23:33
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has tweeted: Jalddoot 18 on way to #Latur with 25 Lacs litres water.We keep working, to the best of our abilities to ensure that their thirst is quenched.
23:03 Crime, forensic teams visit National Museum of Natural History
Crime and forensic teams of police today visited the National Museum of Natural History which was gutted by a massive fire in which thousands of plant and animal specimens were destroyed.
Half a dozen personnel from crime and forensic branches accompanied by fire services personnel visited the building this afternoon. The forensic personnel picked up samples while the staff of the building was questioned by other members, a senior police officer said.
The building was taken over by police after firefighters completed cooling of the charred edifice in a marathon operation, the officer said. A case under section 436 of IPC (mischief caused by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) has been registered against unnamed persons in connection with the incident.
The police is probing the incident from all possible angles, including arson and sabotage. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and forensic investigation can throw up clues leading to the exact cause of the blaze.
21:50 Parliament passes two bills to repeal 1053 redundant laws
Parliament today passed two bills to repeal outdated 1053 old laws which had become redundant legislations.
The Appropriation Acts (Repeal) Bill 2015 that seeks to repeal 758 old appropriation acts which have lost relevance and The Repealing and Amending (Third) Bill, 2015 to repeal 295 enactments and to amend certain other enactments were passed by the Rajya Sabha today by voice vote.
The two bills were earlier passed by Lok Sabha in May last year.
Moving the Bills for passage, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said "government has identified 1,741 absolete laws for repealing. This is the fourth bill, as two bills have earlier been passed by Parliament."
He said, "As many as 1,159 laws have been repealed so far which have become redundant. This is a record in the history of legislative activity of Parliament."
Earlier members from opposition parties also supported the Bills and sought their passage.
Appropriation Acts are intended to operate for a limited period of time -- authorising expenditures for the duration of one financial year.
Though these Acts are not usually included in any list of Central Acts, either by the Law Ministry, or elsewhere, these laws still technically remain in the books.
The bill is also in consonance with the recommendations of the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha to have a repeal clause in the Appropriation Acts.
21:42 Shashank Manohar to step down as BCCI President
Shashank Manohar has decided to step down as Board of Control for Cricket in India President.
Manohar, who became the BCCI president last year after the position was left vacant due to death of Jagmohan Dalmiya, is expected to be elected as the International Cricket Council chairman soon.
He was instrumental in bringing sweeping reforms to Indian cricket over the last few months.
21:36 'Panama Papers' to go public May 9
The "Panama Papers" trove of leaked documents revealing the vast extent of global tax evasion will be made available to the public on May 9, the organisation behind the leak said today.
The searchable database will include information about more than 200,000 secret companies, trusts and foundations based in 21 tax havens "from Hong Kong to Nevada in the United States," said the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
Since early April, the ICIJ-coordinated limited release through roughly 100 media outlets of the "Panama Papers" have become a worldwide scandal, spurring numerous investigations and the resignation of Iceland's prime minister and a Spanish minister.
About 11.5 million leaked documents of the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, reveal the large-scale use of offshore entities to conceal assets from tax authorities.
In its statement, the ICIJ said that the public release next month "is the next step in our ongoing year-long investigation" and that it will continue to publish more stories in the coming weeks and months.
21:28 1,450 non-Kashmiri students sent back from NIT Srinagar: Govt
The government today informed Parliament that National Institute of Technology, Srinagar authorities facilitated the return of 1,450 non-Kashmiri students to their native places in the wake of the unrest on the campus.
"NIT authorities facilitated the travel of 1,450 non-local students who wanted to leave the campus for their native places," Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
The NIT has the total student strength of over 2500.
He said the incident pertains to the case, when at the NIT Srinagar, clashes broke out on April 1 between outstation and local students following India's defeat to West Indies in the T-20 cricket World Cup semi-final on March 31.
"With intervention of local police and civil authorities normalcy was restored. However, on April 5 some non-local students marched towards the exit gate and were stopped from going out of the campus by police personnel resulting in a scuffle and police resorted to lathicharge and fired few tear gas shells in which 6-7 students were injured," he said.
Chaudhary said the state government has ordered a magisterial enquiry and the NIT has also constituted a fact finding committee to look into the matter.
The Minister added that the Jammu and Kashmir government has established a 24X7 helpline at police station Nageen, Srinagar to address security concerns of the students.
21:14 AgustaWestland issue: Jaitley, Naidu hold talks with Cong leaders
Two top ministers today held parleys with senior Congress leaders in a bid to broker peace after the ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over BJP leader Subramanian Swamy dragging Sonia Gandhi's name in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal.
Sources said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu held confabulations with Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Deputy Leader of Congress in the House Anand Sharma over lunch.
Naidu had invited them for the meeting, the sources said.
Normalcy returned to the House after an hour washout of the business in the morning.
20:43 Islamic State fighters told to save power, cut costs
According to a media report, Islamic State is facing cash and manpower shortages, the deputy commander of the counter-ISIS coalition said Tuesday.
His statement was reinforced by newly obtained internal IS documents. The cache shows the group struggling for funds -- some of which are used to pay for sex slaves -- and calling on fighters to use less electricity and stop driving official cars for personal use. The fighters, meanwhile, seem to be suffering low morale, in some case seeking doctors' notes to avoid serving on the frontlines, CNN said.
Maj. Gen. Peter E. Gersten told reporters that attacks on IS finances and personnel had reduced the number of foreign fighters joining IS from 1,500-2,000 per month a year ago to 200 per month today.
"We're actually seeing an increase in now the desertion rates in these fighters. We're seeing a fracture in their morale. We're seeing their inability to pay. We're watching them try to leave Daesh," Gersten said, using another name for ISIS.
20:30 Guj OBC Commission mulls conducting survey of Patel community
In a significant development related to the ongoing Patel quota agitation, the Gujarat Other Backward Class Commission has reportedly started a process of preparing a questionnaire for the survey of more than 14 lakh households of Patel community in the state in order to check whether they can be given OBC status.
Till now, at least seven different sub-communities of Patels have given their application to the Commission for the inclusion of Patels as the OBC, said renowned sociologist Gaurang Jani, who has been appointed as a
member of the Commission as the 'subject expert'.
"After the Patel quota agitation started in August last year, at least seven applications from Patel community have been received by the Commission. The Commission has started its exercise to prepare a questionnaire to carry out the survey of the community to prepare a report," said Jani, a professor of Sociology with Gujarat University.
20:25 Sushma Swaraj showing signs of improvement: AIIMS
The condition of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was admitted to AIIMS with fever, chest congestion with features of pneumonia, is showing signs of improvement, the hospital today said.
"A medical team of specialists is looking after her. Her current condition is stable and she is showing signs of improvement," a statement issued by AIIMS said.
A medical board has been constituted to formulate the combined treatment strategy for the minister.
Swaraj, 64, was admitted to the Cardio-Neuro Centre of AIIMS on April 24.
20:10 China hopes Indo-US military corporation "conducive" to peace
China today said it has taken note of growing military cooperation between India and the US and hoped that it would be "conducive" to regional peace and stability.
"We have noted the recent frequent military cooperation in the region between some countries," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing in Beijing, replying to a question about US official's reported comments about cooperation between India and Washington to track submarines in the Indian Ocean.
"Hope relevant cooperation is conducive to peace and stability," she said.
Earlier China reacted guardedly to India's decision to open up military bases to the US for logistics during this month's visit of US Defence Secretary Ash Carter to New Delhi.
"India is also an influential country in the world and India has been upholding independent diplomatic policy. India will make up its diplomatic policies based on its own interests," another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang has said, reacting to India's decision to sign logistic supply agreement, which enables troops of both the countries to avail their military bases for logistics.
19:44 AgustaWestland not blacklisted under UPA rule: Govt
AgustaWestland was not blacklisted during the UPA rule, top Modi government sources claimed today, asserting it was the NDA dispensation which had put on hold all acquisition proposals with the VVIP chopper scam-tainted firm.
The sources said the government will now seek a report from the CBI, which had registered a case in 2013 in connection with the scam, and initiate moves to blacklist AgustaWestland and its mother company Finmeccanica in wake of fresh information that has come out.
Congress had yesterday claimed AgustaWestland was blacklisted under UPA rule but "removed" from the blacklist by the Modi government.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma had said, "The chopper deal was scrapped. Action was taken by the UPA government. A K Antony, the then Defence Minister, had made a statement in Parliament and AgustaWestland was blacklisted."
However, the government sources said, "The only punitive action taken by the Congress was in January 2009, just before the Lok Sabha elections, when the UPA govermment encashed the bank guarantee. They never blacklisted the company as claimed by them".
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier in the day challenged the Congress to show the order by the UPA government confirming the blacklisting.
19:42 Indian men's hockey team clubbed with Germany, Holland in Rio
India's men's hockey team was today handed a tough group for the Rio Olympic Games as it has been pooled with defending champions Germany, European Champions Netherlands and Pan-American Games champions Argentina in the six-team Pool B.
Indian team will open its campaign against first-time qualifiers Ireland on the August 6. Team's first real test will come against Germany on August 8 before they clash with Argentina (August 9), the Netherlands (August 11) and Canada (August 12).
The top four teams from each pool will qualify for the knock-out stage, beginning August 14.
Australia, Great Britain, Belgium, New Zealand, Spain and Brazil form Pool A.
19:09 Sussanne Khan: I support Hrithik, pics are photoshopped
The best character certificate that Hrithik Roshan could ever ask for. The superstar, embroiled in a legal battle with his Krrish co-star Kangana Ranaut, has most of the patriarchal film industry supporting him, but support from this one person will certainly tip the scales in his favour.
His ex wife, Sussanne Khan tweeted this morning, lending voice and support to Hrithik. She said, "@sussannekroshan pictures are photoshopped and untrue stories carry 2 much weight.another pic for d rec. I support @iHrithik in this."
The tweet came after a leaked picture of Hrithik and Kangana in what can barely be called an 'intimate' position went viral yesterday. The picture taken at a party shows the actors in a clinch.
However, today Hrithik's lawyer slammed it saying it was fake and heavily photoshopped. Also, a series new images from the same party have gone viral since this morning where other B-Town celebs are also seen in attendance. In fact, Sussanne Khan was at the same party along with Dino Morea (who has been photoshopped from the 'leaked' picture), Arjun Rampal and others.
Pic: The image Sussanne Khan tweeted of the same party where Hrithik and Kangana were supposedly 'intimate'.
His ex wife, Sussanne Khan tweeted this morning, lending voice and support to Hrithik. She said, "@sussannekroshan pictures are photoshopped and untrue stories carry 2 much weight.another pic for d rec. I support @iHrithik in this."
The tweet came after a leaked picture of Hrithik and Kangana in what can barely be called an 'intimate' position went viral yesterday. The picture taken at a party shows the actors in a clinch.
However, today Hrithik's lawyer slammed it saying it was fake and heavily photoshopped. Also, a series new images from the same party have gone viral since this morning where other B-Town celebs are also seen in attendance. In fact, Sussanne Khan was at the same party along with Dino Morea (who has been photoshopped from the 'leaked' picture), Arjun Rampal and others.
Pic: The image Sussanne Khan tweeted of the same party where Hrithik and Kangana were supposedly 'intimate'.
18:40 Agusta quid pro quo: NO meeting between Modi, Italy PM, says MEA
The union government's statement on AgustaWestland: There was no bilateral meeting between PM Modi and his Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi at UNGA in September 2015," the MEA said on the AgustaWestland issue. "Various cases under Prevention of Corruption Act, PMLA is being pursued against James Christian Michel (Agusta deal middleman) by India," the MEA said.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley denied reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi striking a deal with his Italian counterpart to free two Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen for information on the "Gandhi family'.
Jaitley also said the investigation in the VVIP chopper scam is in an "advanced stage'. The remarks came after Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned if a deal was struck between Modi and his Italian counterpart, Matteo Renzi.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley denied reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi striking a deal with his Italian counterpart to free two Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen for information on the "Gandhi family'.
Jaitley also said the investigation in the VVIP chopper scam is in an "advanced stage'. The remarks came after Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned if a deal was struck between Modi and his Italian counterpart, Matteo Renzi.
18:15 Army expresses regret for 'underwear' exam
The Army today told the Patna High Court that it regrets conducting a recruitment examination at Muzaffarpur for candidates in their underwear. The decision to ask candidates to wear only their underwear was taken to prevent cheating and promised to take all precaution so that such an incident does not recur.
An affidavit was submitted by Director, Army Recruitment Board, Muzaffarpur, V S Godhara and a division bench of acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Samrendra Pratap disposed off the PIL after it.
Central government counsel S B Sanjay submitted the affidavit on behalf of Godhara expressing regret over the incident. "Regret such incident. What happened should not have happened. Assured that respondent will take all precaution so that no such occurance happens in future," the affidavit submitted in the HC read.
On February 28, some 1,100 candidates were made to take off their clothes first and then sit only in underwear in an open field at Muzaffarpur for examination for the post of army clerks in a bid to prevent copying. The incident had invited angry reaction.
Reacting to the images splashed across the media, the Defence Ministry had asked Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhaag to explain. Colonel V S Godhara of Army Regional Office had at that time defended the action citing previous instances of candidates hiding slips of paper and mobile phones in their undergarments. The Patna High Court too had taken notice of these pictures and filed a suo motu public interest litigation.
An affidavit was submitted by Director, Army Recruitment Board, Muzaffarpur, V S Godhara and a division bench of acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Samrendra Pratap disposed off the PIL after it.
Central government counsel S B Sanjay submitted the affidavit on behalf of Godhara expressing regret over the incident. "Regret such incident. What happened should not have happened. Assured that respondent will take all precaution so that no such occurance happens in future," the affidavit submitted in the HC read.
On February 28, some 1,100 candidates were made to take off their clothes first and then sit only in underwear in an open field at Muzaffarpur for examination for the post of army clerks in a bid to prevent copying. The incident had invited angry reaction.
Reacting to the images splashed across the media, the Defence Ministry had asked Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhaag to explain. Colonel V S Godhara of Army Regional Office had at that time defended the action citing previous instances of candidates hiding slips of paper and mobile phones in their undergarments. The Patna High Court too had taken notice of these pictures and filed a suo motu public interest litigation.
17:57 Nifty races to 6-mth high, Sensex edges up ahead of expiry
The market benchmark Sensex added to its yesterday's rally by gaining 57 points today and the NSE Nifty pulled off a nearly 6-month closing high on increased buying in oil and gas and IT amid persistent foreign inflows and solid quarterly numbers so far. The 50-share NSE Nifty rose 17.25 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 7,979.90 at the close -- its biggest closing since November 4, 2015.
17:55 1984 riots:Court asks CBI to write to Canadian High Commission
A Delhi court today directed the CBI to write to the High Commission of Canada for information regarding a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, in which Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was given clean chit by it, and complete further investigation in two months.
The CBI filed a status report regarding further probe in the matter before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shivali Sharma who asked the agency to also file the reply of High Commission of Canada.
During the hearing, the agency sought four months' time to complete the probe saying they have to get the details from Canada and they had earlier approached the Canadian High Commission orally.
The CBI filed a status report regarding further probe in the matter before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shivali Sharma who asked the agency to also file the reply of High Commission of Canada.
During the hearing, the agency sought four months' time to complete the probe saying they have to get the details from Canada and they had earlier approached the Canadian High Commission orally.
17:50 ULFA leader killed in Assam
Self styled Sergeant Major Rongmon Asom, a senior leader of ULFA, neutralised in Tinsukia, Assam. An AK-81 assault rifle along with a magazine and some other items recovered. A thorough search operation is currently in progress.
17:34 Is there deliberate misinformation on bullet trains, asks railway minister
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today wondered in the Lok Sabha whether there was a "deliberate misinformation" campaign against the introduction of bullet trains, saying these were not in conflict with the 'normal' trains.
Responding to a series of questions during the Question Hour on slow speed of trains, he wondered whether there was a "deliberate misinformation" being spread that bullet trains and 'normal trains' were at conflict.
He clarified that funds for the proposed bullet train will come from Japan.
He suggested that the technology to be used for bullet trains will come in handy for improving the services of normal trains and that the integration of signalling, tracks and availability of rolling stock would help enhance train speed.
The minister said once the dedicated freight corridor comes up, the load of goods trains will go down from the Kolkata-Delhi trunk route, the busiest in the world.
Prabhu said the work done on dedicated freight corridor in a year was more than what had been done in the last six years, adding that the Prime Minister was also monitoring its progress.
Yesterday too while replying to a debate on the rail budget, the minister had brushed aside criticism of the proposal to introduce expensive bullet trains, saying the government has managed to secure a soft loan of Rs. 1 lakh crore from Japan at an interest as low as 0.1 per cent for a period of 50 years.
Responding to a series of questions during the Question Hour on slow speed of trains, he wondered whether there was a "deliberate misinformation" being spread that bullet trains and 'normal trains' were at conflict.
He clarified that funds for the proposed bullet train will come from Japan.
He suggested that the technology to be used for bullet trains will come in handy for improving the services of normal trains and that the integration of signalling, tracks and availability of rolling stock would help enhance train speed.
The minister said once the dedicated freight corridor comes up, the load of goods trains will go down from the Kolkata-Delhi trunk route, the busiest in the world.
Prabhu said the work done on dedicated freight corridor in a year was more than what had been done in the last six years, adding that the Prime Minister was also monitoring its progress.
Yesterday too while replying to a debate on the rail budget, the minister had brushed aside criticism of the proposal to introduce expensive bullet trains, saying the government has managed to secure a soft loan of Rs. 1 lakh crore from Japan at an interest as low as 0.1 per cent for a period of 50 years.
16:55 Peter & co stay put in jail
Just in: Sheena Bora murder case: Judicial custody of Indrani Mukerjea, Peter Mukerjea, Shyamvar Rai and Sanjeev Khanna extended till May 9.
Hearing on Peter Mukerjea's bail plea adjourned till May 3.
Hearing on Peter Mukerjea's bail plea adjourned till May 3.
16:54 Cong defies BJP to produce order blacklisting Augusta
In the Lok Sabha, the BJP fielded union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy to keep the AugustaWestland debate alive in Parliament. Expectedly, Rudy attacked the Congress leadership.
Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar on Wednesday challenged the Congress to produce the date and order of the UPA Government blacklisting the AugustaWestland helicopter deal. According to a defence ministry spokesperson, the claim by the Congress does not hold water as there is no file or an order by the UPA Government. South Block has therefore dimissed the Congress contention.
Meanwhile, read the translated order of the judgement on the deal by the Italian court.
Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar on Wednesday challenged the Congress to produce the date and order of the UPA Government blacklisting the AugustaWestland helicopter deal. According to a defence ministry spokesperson, the claim by the Congress does not hold water as there is no file or an order by the UPA Government. South Block has therefore dimissed the Congress contention.
Meanwhile, read the translated order of the judgement on the deal by the Italian court.
16:37 Ahead of Augusta day in Parl, Sonia gets emotional at CWC meet
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today sought to know why the BJP government is gunning for her on the AugustaWestland helicopter matter
Sonia Gandhi got emotional when she interacted informally with all Congress Working Committee members before Parliament convened this morning.
Her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the person Congress rank and file believe can change the fortunes of the party, was present at 10 Janpath before the meeting began and stayed on after the meeting ended.
Former defence minister and a close Gandhi aide AK Antony expressed doubts about whether AugustaWestland had indeed been blacklisted
by the UPA. There were efforts to contact TKA Nair in Kerala to really understand the issue. Nair was former PM Manmohan Singh's advisor.
In fact, before the CWC meeting, Congress loyalist Ahmed Patel reached out to former NSA Shiv Shankar Menon to ascertain the facts and figures of the case.
After the meeting ended, Sonia Gandhi wanted to issue a written press statement but her advisers suggested she meet a few friendly TV journalists and give her bytes.
Sonia told news channels that the Congress had nothing to hide. "Let them take my name, I am not afraid. Why hasn't government conducted an inquiry in two years," she asked.
Sonia Gandhi got emotional when she interacted informally with all Congress Working Committee members before Parliament convened this morning.
Her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the person Congress rank and file believe can change the fortunes of the party, was present at 10 Janpath before the meeting began and stayed on after the meeting ended.
Former defence minister and a close Gandhi aide AK Antony expressed doubts about whether AugustaWestland had indeed been blacklisted
by the UPA. There were efforts to contact TKA Nair in Kerala to really understand the issue. Nair was former PM Manmohan Singh's advisor.
In fact, before the CWC meeting, Congress loyalist Ahmed Patel reached out to former NSA Shiv Shankar Menon to ascertain the facts and figures of the case.
After the meeting ended, Sonia Gandhi wanted to issue a written press statement but her advisers suggested she meet a few friendly TV journalists and give her bytes.
Sonia told news channels that the Congress had nothing to hide. "Let them take my name, I am not afraid. Why hasn't government conducted an inquiry in two years," she asked.
16:27 President's Rule to continue in Uttarakhand, no floor test on Apr 29: SC
The Supreme Court has extended President's Rule in Uttarakhand indefinitely and ruled out a floor test on April 29. The next hearing for the case has been set for May 3. The court had earlier asked the Centre seven tough questions.
The Centre introduced President's Rule on March 27, one day before Harish Rawat was to take a trust vote. The Centre argued that Rawat had lost the right to rule when he presented the state's budget in March and nine Congressmen voted against it, though, it added, it was wrongly declared passed by the Speaker.
The Centre introduced President's Rule on March 27, one day before Harish Rawat was to take a trust vote. The Centre argued that Rawat had lost the right to rule when he presented the state's budget in March and nine Congressmen voted against it, though, it added, it was wrongly declared passed by the Speaker.
15:27 SC asks Centre 7 questions on President's Rule in Uttarakhand
The Supreme Court today had seven tough questions as it asked the Centre to explain its decision to place Uttarakhand under President's Rule. Among the questions were:
1 Could the Governor have sent the message in the present manner under Article 175 (2) for conducting floor test, asks SC in one of its questions.
2. Is disqualification of MLAs by the Speaker a relevant issue for the purposes of invoking President's rule under Article 356, asks SC.
3. Can proceedings in the Assembly be considered by the President for imposing Central rule?
4. When does the President's role come into the picture with regard to the Appropriation bill?
5. Can a delay in the floor test be a ground for proclamation of President rule?
The Centre introduced President's Rule on March 27, a day before Harish Rawat was to take a trust vote. The government had argued that Rawat had lost the right to rule because when he presented the state's budget in March, nine Congressmen voted against it and the bill was defeated, though it was wrongly declared passed.
Rawat and the Congress say the Centre misused President's Rule to get rid of an elected government led by an opposition party.
1 Could the Governor have sent the message in the present manner under Article 175 (2) for conducting floor test, asks SC in one of its questions.
2. Is disqualification of MLAs by the Speaker a relevant issue for the purposes of invoking President's rule under Article 356, asks SC.
3. Can proceedings in the Assembly be considered by the President for imposing Central rule?
4. When does the President's role come into the picture with regard to the Appropriation bill?
5. Can a delay in the floor test be a ground for proclamation of President rule?
The Centre introduced President's Rule on March 27, a day before Harish Rawat was to take a trust vote. The government had argued that Rawat had lost the right to rule because when he presented the state's budget in March, nine Congressmen voted against it and the bill was defeated, though it was wrongly declared passed.
Rawat and the Congress say the Centre misused President's Rule to get rid of an elected government led by an opposition party.
15:08 And the RedInk winners are...
The Mumbai Press Club's RedInk Award for Excellence in Indian Journalism -- 2016 were presented on Tuesday evening at a glittering awards night in Mumbai with veteran business journalist TN Ninan being conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Ravish Kumar the Journalist of the Year Award for his consistent and down to earth reporting on politics and issues that concern the common man. The other award winners are:
Posthumous Award for Brave Reporting: Jagendra Singh
Science & Innovation
Print Gunjan Sharma, The Week
TV Pallava Bagla, NDTV
Human Rights
Print Meher Ali, The Wire
TV Rana Yashwant, India News
Crime
Print Gunjan Sharma, The Week
Print Pavithra S Rangan, Outlook
TV Mukesh Singh Sengar, NDTV
Politics
Print Vivekananda Nemana & Suresh Ghattamaneni, Grist Media
TV Seemi Pasha, India Today
The Big Picture
Winner B Muralikrishnan, Mathurbhumi Daily
Runner-Up Sibu K B, Malayala Manorama Daily
Runner-Up Kamal Kishore Kamboj, The Press Trust of India
Business
Print Madhavankutty Pillai, Open Magazine
Environment
Print Anirudha Ghoshal & Pritha Chatterjee, The Indian Express
Sports
Print Jonathan Selvaraj, The Indian Express
TV Aamir Rafiq Peerzada, NDTV
Health & Wellness
Print Lhendup Gyatso Bhutia, Open Magazine
TV India News Team, India News
TV Sunetra Choudhury, NDTV
Lifestyle & Entertainment
Print Sumana Ramanan, The Caravan
TV Ezaz Ahmed, India News
Pic: Jagendra Singh of Shahjahanpur Samacharwas set on fire and died as a result of his injuries in June last year. The journalist had exposed the local MLA and UP minister for Dairy Development, Ram Murti Verma, for his links with illegal sand mining. He was killed allegedly at the behest of the minister. Singh was given a posthumous award for Brave Reporting.
Posthumous Award for Brave Reporting: Jagendra Singh
Science & Innovation
Print Gunjan Sharma, The Week
TV Pallava Bagla, NDTV
Human Rights
Print Meher Ali, The Wire
TV Rana Yashwant, India News
Crime
Print Gunjan Sharma, The Week
Print Pavithra S Rangan, Outlook
TV Mukesh Singh Sengar, NDTV
Politics
Print Vivekananda Nemana & Suresh Ghattamaneni, Grist Media
TV Seemi Pasha, India Today
The Big Picture
Winner B Muralikrishnan, Mathurbhumi Daily
Runner-Up Sibu K B, Malayala Manorama Daily
Runner-Up Kamal Kishore Kamboj, The Press Trust of India
Business
Print Madhavankutty Pillai, Open Magazine
Environment
Print Anirudha Ghoshal & Pritha Chatterjee, The Indian Express
Sports
Print Jonathan Selvaraj, The Indian Express
TV Aamir Rafiq Peerzada, NDTV
Health & Wellness
Print Lhendup Gyatso Bhutia, Open Magazine
TV India News Team, India News
TV Sunetra Choudhury, NDTV
Lifestyle & Entertainment
Print Sumana Ramanan, The Caravan
TV Ezaz Ahmed, India News
Pic: Jagendra Singh of Shahjahanpur Samacharwas set on fire and died as a result of his injuries in June last year. The journalist had exposed the local MLA and UP minister for Dairy Development, Ram Murti Verma, for his links with illegal sand mining. He was killed allegedly at the behest of the minister. Singh was given a posthumous award for Brave Reporting.
14:42 Shoe-wielding protestors heckle Phantom director Kabir Khan in Pak
Indian filmmaker Kabir Khan, who directed blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Phantom, faced an awkward situation at Karachi airport when a group of people besieged him to protest against his films portraying Pakistan as 'a haven of terrorists'.
Khan was in Karachi for a day-long visit to participate in a conference on Tuesday. He had to catch a flight for Lahore when he encountered angry protesters at the airport this morning.
As Khan got off his vehicle at Jinnah International Airport Karachi, people encircled him, raising slogans against the director. People kept chanting, Make a film on subversive activities of RAW in Pakistan." He was welcomed with shame, shame slogans, implying that the protesters already knew his departure timings.
Visibly confused Khan was immediately taken inside the lounge by airport security officials.
Khan responded saying, "To media on both sides: 12 screaming lunatics with a mobile phone camera is not news. Please don't give them the attention they want. Ignore."
You have killed several Muslims in India. Why dont to direct a film on RAW, shouted one of the protesters. Yesterday, a protest was also staged outside a hotel where Kabir stayed.
Kabir Khans flick Phantom had caused a controversy in Pakistan and movie was banned for screening across the country for depicting the country as a safe haven for terrorists".
Khan was in Karachi for a day-long visit to participate in a conference on Tuesday. He had to catch a flight for Lahore when he encountered angry protesters at the airport this morning.
As Khan got off his vehicle at Jinnah International Airport Karachi, people encircled him, raising slogans against the director. People kept chanting, Make a film on subversive activities of RAW in Pakistan." He was welcomed with shame, shame slogans, implying that the protesters already knew his departure timings.
Visibly confused Khan was immediately taken inside the lounge by airport security officials.
Khan responded saying, "To media on both sides: 12 screaming lunatics with a mobile phone camera is not news. Please don't give them the attention they want. Ignore."
You have killed several Muslims in India. Why dont to direct a film on RAW, shouted one of the protesters. Yesterday, a protest was also staged outside a hotel where Kabir stayed.
Kabir Khans flick Phantom had caused a controversy in Pakistan and movie was banned for screening across the country for depicting the country as a safe haven for terrorists".
14:04 Belgium extradites Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam to France
Belgium has extradited Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam to face trial in France, the BBC reports.
He was wounded and arrested in a dramatic raid in Brussels on 18 March after four months on the run.
The 26-year-old French national was born in Brussels and lived there before the Paris attacks.
Some 130 people were killed and dozens wounded in co-ordinated attacks carried out by so-called Islamic State in Paris on 13 November.
The federal prosecutor said Salah Abdeslam had been "surrendered to the French authorities this morning (in execution of the European Arrest Warrant issued by France on 19 March 2016)".
He was wounded and arrested in a dramatic raid in Brussels on 18 March after four months on the run.
The 26-year-old French national was born in Brussels and lived there before the Paris attacks.
Some 130 people were killed and dozens wounded in co-ordinated attacks carried out by so-called Islamic State in Paris on 13 November.
The federal prosecutor said Salah Abdeslam had been "surrendered to the French authorities this morning (in execution of the European Arrest Warrant issued by France on 19 March 2016)".
13:49 Priyanka slams Trump, says generalising people really primitive
Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, a star of "Quantico" -- an American TV series on fighting terror -- has slammed Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's call to ban Muslim immigrants from the US.
Priyanka shared her views about the battle against extremism, which has come up repeatedly in the 2016 presidential race, at the TIME 100 gala on Tuesday night in New York, reports Time.com.
"I just think you can't put a ban on anyone. Generalising a type of people is really primitive," Priyanka said.
She said that the fight against terrorism had grown so complex that "you can't put a face on it any more".
Priyanka's name has been featured in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the world alongside Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, singer Nicki Minaj and Trump.
After her role of FBI agent Alex Parrish in Quantico, which is aired on Star World and Star World HD in India, Priyanka bagged a role in "Baywatch' alongside Hollywood A-listers Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron.
Priyanka shared her views about the battle against extremism, which has come up repeatedly in the 2016 presidential race, at the TIME 100 gala on Tuesday night in New York, reports Time.com.
"I just think you can't put a ban on anyone. Generalising a type of people is really primitive," Priyanka said.
She said that the fight against terrorism had grown so complex that "you can't put a face on it any more".
Priyanka's name has been featured in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the world alongside Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, singer Nicki Minaj and Trump.
After her role of FBI agent Alex Parrish in Quantico, which is aired on Star World and Star World HD in India, Priyanka bagged a role in "Baywatch' alongside Hollywood A-listers Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron.
13:15
Fire breaks out in Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's chamber in the state assembly.
13:12 AugustaWestland scam answered
All that you wanted to know about the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam but didn't know where to look. Read
12:59 The fearful Bengali now epitomises Tagores home state
"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high," wrote Rabindranath Tagore, exemplar par excellence of the Bengal Renaissance. Yet fear is the key in the current assembly elections. Violence has marked almost every phase of the rather insulting six phase assembly poll. So far three CPM activists have died.
Read Sagarika Ghose's column on the Bengal polls here.
Read Sagarika Ghose's column on the Bengal polls here.
12:49 No IPL in Maharashtra in May, says SC striking down MCA plea
The Supreme Court rejects the plea of the Mumbai Cricket Association and the Maharashtra Cricket Association against the Bombay High Court order to shift IPL matches out of the drought-hit state. So Maharashtra will be off-limits for IPL matches in May. The Supreme Court gave its nod to an earlier verdict that said 13 matches must
be moved out of the state which is dealing with the worst drought in
several decades.
The plea was mentioned before a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, which listed the matter for hearing on April 25.
The cricket association, in its plea, said treated sewage water would be used for its pitches and not potable water.
The Bombay high court had, on April 13, ordered shifting of all IPL matches scheduled in Maharashtra after April 30 to another state in view of severe drought conditions in the state.
As per the high court's order, 13 matches, including the final in Mumbai, scheduled for May 29, cannot be held in Maharashtra.
The high court's direction came despite an assurance by the Board of Control for Cricket in India that IPL franchises of Mumbai and Pune had agreed to contribute Rs five crore to the Chief Minister's drought relief fund.
The plea was mentioned before a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, which listed the matter for hearing on April 25.
The cricket association, in its plea, said treated sewage water would be used for its pitches and not potable water.
The Bombay high court had, on April 13, ordered shifting of all IPL matches scheduled in Maharashtra after April 30 to another state in view of severe drought conditions in the state.
As per the high court's order, 13 matches, including the final in Mumbai, scheduled for May 29, cannot be held in Maharashtra.
The high court's direction came despite an assurance by the Board of Control for Cricket in India that IPL franchises of Mumbai and Pune had agreed to contribute Rs five crore to the Chief Minister's drought relief fund.
12:32 RTI activists murder: NaMo Brigade founder in constant touch with killers, says police
The Mangaluru police on Tuesday opposed the anticipatory bail plea of NaMo Brigade founder Naresh Shenoy claiming that his call details revealed he was in constant touch with the men already arrested for the murder of an RTI activist on March 21.
It said the presence of a Toyota Qualis linked to him near the crime scene and the statements of the three arrested accused clearly showed Shenoy's involvement in the murder.
Shenoy (39) is the prime suspect in the murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga. He has been missing for a month, and has sought anticipatory bail.
Read more
It said the presence of a Toyota Qualis linked to him near the crime scene and the statements of the three arrested accused clearly showed Shenoy's involvement in the murder.
Shenoy (39) is the prime suspect in the murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga. He has been missing for a month, and has sought anticipatory bail.
Read more
12:27 In Kashmir, cricket teams named after militants
Burhan Lions, Aabid Khan Qalandars and Khalid Aryans. These three local cricket teams, which played in a tournament that concluded Sunday in Tral, share more than just a love for the sport -- they are all named after alleged militants.
The tournament, one of the organisers said, was held in the memory of Khalid Muzaffar Wani, brother of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Khalid was killed by the Army last year when he had gone to meet his brother in the forests of Pulwama, a militant stronghold.
The Army had called Khalid a militant and said he died in an encounter.
Read more
The tournament, one of the organisers said, was held in the memory of Khalid Muzaffar Wani, brother of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Khalid was killed by the Army last year when he had gone to meet his brother in the forests of Pulwama, a militant stronghold.
The Army had called Khalid a militant and said he died in an encounter.
Read more
12:03 Let them take my name, I have nothing to hide: Sonia reacts to chopper scam
Congress President Sonia Gandhi reacts: We have nothing to hide. Let them take my name, I am not afraid. Why hasn't government conducted an inquiry in two years."
This comes after RS BJP MP Subramanian Swamy names Sonia in the AugustaWestland scam. The RS chairperson however got the remarks expunged saying, "The name of the member of the other house can't be taken. Since this is your first day, I am not admonishing you. But the name would be expunged."
Sonia Gandhi is a Lok Sabha MP.
This comes after RS BJP MP Subramanian Swamy names Sonia in the AugustaWestland scam. The RS chairperson however got the remarks expunged saying, "The name of the member of the other house can't be taken. Since this is your first day, I am not admonishing you. But the name would be expunged."
Sonia Gandhi is a Lok Sabha MP.
11:55 Just horsing around
Meanwhile, drama outside Parliament as well... BJP MP Ram Prasad Sharma comes to Parliament on a horse in protest against the Delhi government's Odd-Even scheme. On Monday, MPs across parties asked that they be exempt from the rule.
11:50 Agusta in Parl: Subramanian Swamy names Sonia Gandhi in RS
Update on what's happening in Parliament:
-- Rajya Sabha adjourned briefly following Cong uproar over certain remarks by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy who has just been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Swamy named Sonia in the RS, but her name was expunged from the RS proceedings.
-- Arun Jaitley says reports in the newspaper that PM Modi made the Italian PM are untrue.
-- Congress MPs protest in the Well of the House after Subramanian Swamy speaks and force an adjournment.
-- Rajya Sabha adjourned briefly following Cong uproar over certain remarks by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy who has just been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Swamy named Sonia in the RS, but her name was expunged from the RS proceedings.
-- Arun Jaitley says reports in the newspaper that PM Modi made the Italian PM are untrue.
-- Congress MPs protest in the Well of the House after Subramanian Swamy speaks and force an adjournment.
11:39
So, who is Christian Michel? Michel is a British businessman who was paid millions of dollars by AgustaWestland. A large portion of the money paid by AgustaWestland to Michel is "completely disproportionate" to the work he did for the company -- that's how the Milan Court of Appeals describes a man Indian investigators have been seeking. Interpol issued a red corner notice against Michel on India's request in December 2015.
11:34 Never met any Gandhi: Christian Michel
In an interview to 'The Hindu', the accused middleman in the VVIP helicopter deal James Christian Michel on Tuesday said he was willing to answer all questions from Indian investigators in order "to clear' his name, but insisted he had never met Congress president Sonia Gandhi or a "single Gandhi' in his life.
11:12 There is NO case, my party will respond, says Manmohan on chopper scam
Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh has responded to the allegations of bribery in the AugustaWestland chopper deal during the UPA government. Ahead of the Parliament convening on day 3, Dr Singh said, There is no case, my party will respond."
The BJP and Congress are headed for an escalating confrontation over allegations of bribery in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal during the UPA regime, with Sonia Gandhi clearly being the target of the ruling party's attack.
Reports from Italy based on a court judgement citing notes from middlemen that around Rs 120 crore were paid to some political leaders in the deal provided fodder to the BJP which has decided to attack the Congress leadership both inside and outside Parliament.
A note from a middleman reportedly describing Gandhi as the "driving force" behind the deal was seized upon by BJP, but the Congress hit back saying that integrity of Gandhi and the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was unquestioned.
The top brass of the BJP including its President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other parliamentary leaders met here to chalk out a strategy.
The issue also figured in the BJP Parliamentary Party where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present. Congress would also be targeted on the controversial Aircel Maxis deal and the affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case.
Dismissing allegations, AK Antony, the defence minister in the UPA government, asked the Modi government to fast track the probe into the chopper scam and find out the truth as the UPA government had cancelled the contract and ordered a CBI investigation into it.
"When the primary allegation came out in the media, we immediately ordered a CBI inquiry. We cancelled the contract and fought the case in the Milan court. We won the case and
got back all the money we paid in advance by bank guarantee," he told reporters.
"The Indian government has gained more (information) now. My request to the Indian government is that the probe has been going on for a long and hence please speed up the inquiry and find the truth," he said.
The Congress party also hit back at the BJP leaders and said they reject all allegations against Gandhi and Singh "with the contempt they deserve".
"No one should be making loose comments against the Congress President and the former PM, whose integrity and intellect was never in question," party deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told the media.
Sharma also claimed that a businessman "close to" Modi has entered into an MoU with AgustaWestland. But he refused to name him.
The BJP and Congress are headed for an escalating confrontation over allegations of bribery in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopter deal during the UPA regime, with Sonia Gandhi clearly being the target of the ruling party's attack.
Reports from Italy based on a court judgement citing notes from middlemen that around Rs 120 crore were paid to some political leaders in the deal provided fodder to the BJP which has decided to attack the Congress leadership both inside and outside Parliament.
A note from a middleman reportedly describing Gandhi as the "driving force" behind the deal was seized upon by BJP, but the Congress hit back saying that integrity of Gandhi and the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was unquestioned.
The top brass of the BJP including its President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other parliamentary leaders met here to chalk out a strategy.
The issue also figured in the BJP Parliamentary Party where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present. Congress would also be targeted on the controversial Aircel Maxis deal and the affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case.
Dismissing allegations, AK Antony, the defence minister in the UPA government, asked the Modi government to fast track the probe into the chopper scam and find out the truth as the UPA government had cancelled the contract and ordered a CBI investigation into it.
"When the primary allegation came out in the media, we immediately ordered a CBI inquiry. We cancelled the contract and fought the case in the Milan court. We won the case and
got back all the money we paid in advance by bank guarantee," he told reporters.
"The Indian government has gained more (information) now. My request to the Indian government is that the probe has been going on for a long and hence please speed up the inquiry and find the truth," he said.
The Congress party also hit back at the BJP leaders and said they reject all allegations against Gandhi and Singh "with the contempt they deserve".
"No one should be making loose comments against the Congress President and the former PM, whose integrity and intellect was never in question," party deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told the media.
Sharma also claimed that a businessman "close to" Modi has entered into an MoU with AgustaWestland. But he refused to name him.
11:04 The curious case of Mr Isa's visa
The decision to revoke the visa issued to Chinese dissident Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa has averted a bigger diplomatic face-off with Beijing. It has also put an uncomfortable spotlight on the Central government's handling of such a sensitive issue. There is, first, the question of how Mr. Isa's application slipped through the cracks of India's much vaunted 'e-visa' system.
Read more
Read more
11:02 The Malegaon reminder
On September 8, 2006, three bombs shattered the calm in Malegaon town on the occasion of Shab-e-Baraat, a day when believers are out and about late in the evening.
A mosque was attacked, and the intent was immediately clear: to create inter-community tension. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested a group of Muslim men from Malegaon and Mumbai. This week, all nine accused have been acquitted by a special MCOCA court, which said there was not sufficient ground to proceed against them.
It is, at one level, evidence of the balance of justice weighing in on the side of the innocent, though how to recompense a person for five years of wrongful confinement in jail is a question the judicial system must grapple with. Read more
A mosque was attacked, and the intent was immediately clear: to create inter-community tension. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested a group of Muslim men from Malegaon and Mumbai. This week, all nine accused have been acquitted by a special MCOCA court, which said there was not sufficient ground to proceed against them.
It is, at one level, evidence of the balance of justice weighing in on the side of the innocent, though how to recompense a person for five years of wrongful confinement in jail is a question the judicial system must grapple with. Read more
10:59 A lifetime with Left vs fear and loathing
Fear and loathing, more than any thought of a "tactical alliance" or "electoral arithmetic", is driving hundreds upon thousands of grassroots workers like Bonani to make " jot (alliance)" not just the newest buzzword in the Bengali vocabulary but a living, throbbing reality. If Trinamul men instil fear with their unabashed "tolabaji (extortion)" and the impunity with which they walk the streets and leer and jeer at women of all ages, Bonani reserves her loathing for their leader and her antics.
There's change in Bengal at the grassroots... read the story here.
There's change in Bengal at the grassroots... read the story here.
10:51 'Anybody who does not agree with them is anti-national'
"The judge said that anybody who does not believe in the RSS ideology is not acceptable to you. You have terminated his contract because he thought differently.
"The Modi government has no accomplishment to show. Therefore, they are using the tool of nationalism to divert the country's attention from very serious things like farmers suicides and the water crisis.
"You cannot simply dismiss anyone because they are not willing to raise a slogan and not think like you."
Magsaysay Award winner Professor Sandeep Pandey, of the Benares Hindu University is ecstatic after the Allahabad high court directed BHU to reinstate him. In January, Dr Pandey was sacked from his job and termed an 'anti-national' and a 'Naxalite' by BHU authorities. A PhD in mechanical engineering from Berkeley University in the US, Dr Pandey was a visiting professor at IIT-BHU for mechanical and chemical engineering classes. Dr Pandey spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com after his reinstatement. Read
"The Modi government has no accomplishment to show. Therefore, they are using the tool of nationalism to divert the country's attention from very serious things like farmers suicides and the water crisis.
"You cannot simply dismiss anyone because they are not willing to raise a slogan and not think like you."
Magsaysay Award winner Professor Sandeep Pandey, of the Benares Hindu University is ecstatic after the Allahabad high court directed BHU to reinstate him. In January, Dr Pandey was sacked from his job and termed an 'anti-national' and a 'Naxalite' by BHU authorities. A PhD in mechanical engineering from Berkeley University in the US, Dr Pandey was a visiting professor at IIT-BHU for mechanical and chemical engineering classes. Dr Pandey spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com after his reinstatement. Read
10:34 Censor Board may soon lose power to make cuts
Restricting the scope of the Censor Board to "categorising" films according to the audience's age and maturity, the Shyam Benegal panel has recommended that certification should be specific with new categories like adult with caution, UA12 and UA15.
The panel submitted its report to I&B minister Arun Jaitley. If adopted, this could change the film certification process and do away with the `censor board' nomenclature. This comes in the wake of Central Board of Film Certification chief Pahlaj Nihalani's controversial decisions. "We are recommending that CBFC should not be using scissors on any film," Benegal said.
Read more HERE
10:05 Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi may reunite for Rio Olympics
In what could be a huge delight for Indian tennis fans, two stalwarts of the game '" Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi could be seen playing together in upcoming Rio Olympics 2016. According to sources, the duo met few days ago in Mumbai where both of them expressed their willingness to play together.
Not to forget, the duo has represented India in several Olympics. Paes, who won an Olympic medal in 1996 Atlanta Olympics, is hoping to set a world record by becoming the only tennis player to play seven Olympic Games.
09:52
While we prepare for a stormy day in Parliament as BJP sharpens its attack on the Congress over the AgustaWestland deal, here's all you need to know about the chopper scam.
09:48 Sonia holds strategy meet at 10 Janpath
Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party prepares to corner the Congress in Parliament today over the AgustaWestland deal, Sonia Gandhi has called for a strategy meet at her residence at 10 Janpath. Mallikarjun Kharge, Anand Sharma, RS Surjewala, Jyotiraditya Scindia are attending the meet.
The BJP plans to attack Sonia after the Italian court judgment states how the firm lobbied with Sonia Gandhi and her close aides besides the then National Security AdviserM K Narayanan and the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Gandhi was described as the "driving force" by the judge behind the deal.
09:11 I am victim of "political conspiracy", says alleged VVIP chopper middleman
Offering himself up for interrogation by Indian agencies CBI and ED who are investigating the Rs 3,565 crore VVIP chopper deal, the alleged middleman James Christian Michel insists he is the victim of "political conspiracy'.
Speaking in a rare interview to The Hindu from Dubai, where he is based, Michel says he has written to PM Modi with the offer to be questioned in the scam that has raised a storm in parliament on Tuesday.
Read the full interview HERE
08:55 Kanhaiya Kumar set to pen book, 'Bihar to Tihar'
Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who spent 20 days in prison on sedition charges, will pen his journey from a village in Bihar to the jail stint in a book titled 'Bihar to Tihar', reports the Times of India.
Kanhaiya, 28, whose spunky speech to students after getting conditional bail went viral on social media, said that had signed a contract with a publisher for the book that will come out both in Hindi and English. "I will be completing the book before the start of the next semester," he said.
08:18 BJP to corner Congress on AgustaWestland deal in Parliament
The BJP is all set to corner the Congress in Parliament on the AgustaWestland deal. Subramanian Swamy will reportedly raise AgustaWestland issue in Rajya Sabha. On the other hand, Meenakshi Lekhi will raise it in Lok Sabha.
The BJP is also planning to attack the Congress on the Ishrat Jahan case with Anurag Thakur raising the issue in the Lower House, while Bhupender Yadav will bring it up in Rajya Sabha.
07:58 Major fire at bio-diesel company in Vizag
A massive fire broke out at Biomax Fuels Limited, a bio-diesel manufacturing unit in the Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone, Duvvada area. No casualties were reported in the incident, they said.
"Eight fire engines reached the spot and two fire engines with chemical foam were requisitioned from HPCL and Eastern Naval Command to put off the fire," District Fire Officer J M Rao said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and the fire tenders were unable to reach the storage area
03:16 Hillsborough inquests: 96 fans unlawfully killed, jury concludes
After more than two years, a British inquest into the 1989 Hillsborough soccer stadium tragedy in which 96 men, women and children died, has delivered its verdicts on a series of key questions. It is the longest case heard by a jury in British legal history.
Read this story HERE
01:27 Bill Cosby loses appeal bid, criminal case to resume
Bill Cosby is going to be back in court on May 24 to face criminal charges in his alleged drugging and assault of Andrea Constand back in 2004. A Pennsylvania judge set the new date and 9:30 am start time for a preliminary hearing today after the state's superior court rejected Cosby's appeal and lifted the stay on the matter on Monday.
Read this story HERE
00:43 NIT students hold protest in Jammu for second day
Non-local students of National Institute of Technology, Srinagar held a protest in Jammu for the second consecutive day today. They were joined by students of Jammu University.
The NIT students have been demanding action against police officials involved in baton charging non-local students and permanent deployment of CRPF on the campus.
The NIT students, supported by the National Students Union of India, held a protest rally in Jammu and raised slogans criticising Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
The protest rally started from the central library of Jammu University and ended at Bikram Chowk. A group of non-local students also boycotted classes which started on Tuesday, saying they will continue their protest till their demands are met.
"We will accept nothing less than action against the police officials involved in baton charging the non local students for raising the national tricolour. The police resorted to baton charging on non-local students who were raising slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai," said an agitating student.
00:33 Prince's sister says he had no known will
Tyka Nelson, one of Prince's sisters, filed an emergency motion on Tuesday in Carver county district court to have a special administrator appointed to oversee the late musician's estate, saying that to the best of her knowledge, he left no will.
Prince died on Thursday at Paisley Park in Chanhassen. Sources told the Star Tribune they are investigating the role opioids may have played in his death.Authorities said there was no foul play in his death.
Read this story HERE
00:32 Top headlines of the last 24 hours
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