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Wed, 22 June 2016
Orlando shooting was revenge against HIV-positive partner: Mateen's 'gay lover'
Timeline Refresh
23:30 Euro 2016: Portugal draw 3-3 with Hungary, scrape into knockouts
Portugal draw with Hungary 3-3 and managed to scrape through to the knockout round and finished in 3rd spot in their group.
Having finished with three draws, Portugal advanced through the backdooor after Iceland beat Austria 2-1 to advance to the last 16.
Iceland scored late winner to put Austria out of the competition.
22:56 Looking forward to fruitful outcomes at SCO Summit: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight said he looked forward to fruitful outcomes at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit for which he will be travelling to Tashkent on Thursday.
"I will travel to Uzbekistan for a brief visit to attend the SCO Summit & interact with leaders of SCO nations," he tweeted.
"India is glad to be a member of the SCO & looks forward to fruitful outcomes particularly in the field of economic cooperation through SCO," he added.
The SCO Summit will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan.
Modi said India attaches great importance to ties with Central Asia and always seeks to expand economic and people-to-people ties with the region.
The Prime Minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to.
22:54 Pak court indicts 6 LeJ men in 2009 Sri Lanka team attack case
Six members of outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhanghvi terror group were on Wednesday indicted by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in Lahore in the 2009 Sri Lankan cricket team attack case.
The LeJ suspects who have been charged by the court are Obaidullah, Javed Anwar, Ibrahim Khalil, Abdul Wahab, Zubair and Adnan Arshad.
The first three suspects were on bail while the remaining are languishing in Kot Lakhpat Jail. The suspects pleaded not guilty.
The court summoned prosecution witnesses on June 30. The court had already declared two suspects -- Mohsin Rasheed and Abdul Rehman -- proclaimed offenders.
LeJ chief, the alleged mastermind of the attack, was killed last year during an 'encounter' with the counter-terrorism department.
In March 2009, the bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked by the Taliban and LeJ militants with sophisticated weapons and grenades at Liberty Chowk, near Qaddafi Stadium Lahore.
Seven players including captain Mahela Jayawaredene, his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Chaminda Vaas had sustained injuries while six Pakistani policemen escorting policemen were killed in the attack.
22:39 Orlando shooting was revenge against HIV-positive partner: Mateen's 'gay lover'
Mateen's 'gay lover' claims Orlando shooting was revenge against HIV-positive partner
A man who says he was Omar Mateen's lover has claimed the mass murderer acted out of revenge after finding out one of his partners was HIV positive, Telegraph reports.
Mateen, 29, shot dead 49 people at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Florida, on June 12 in America's worst mass shooting.
In an interview with Spanish-language television network Univision the man, who was identified only by the name Miguel, claimed he and Mateen were "friends with benefits".
He said their relationship started after they met on a gay dating website and lasted two months until December, during which time they met between 15 and 20 times at a hotel in Orlando.
Although Mateen pledged allegiance to Isil at the time of the attack, Miguel claimed that was not his motivation.
22:17 UPA-appointed LIC chairman resigns prematurely
State-run Life Insurance Corporations chairman S K Roy, appointed by previous United Progressive Alliance government, has resigned nearly two years ahead of completion of his five-year term.
Roy, who has been with LIC since 1981, took charge as chairman in June 2013.
According to sources, Roy has officially tendered his resignation and the Finance Ministry will send it to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for acceptance.
However, the exact reason for his sudden exit could not be ascertained immediately.
He had made similar request some months ago but the Finance Ministry asked him to reconsider that, sources said.
After the approval from ACC, the Finance Ministry would begin search for his replacement, sources added.
Roy joined Life Insurance Corporation of India in 1981.
On May 31, 2013, he assumed charge as Managing Director of LIC. Prior to his elevation, he was head of the International Operations division.
Roy, who has been with LIC since 1981, took charge as chairman in June 2013.
According to sources, Roy has officially tendered his resignation and the Finance Ministry will send it to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for acceptance.
However, the exact reason for his sudden exit could not be ascertained immediately.
He had made similar request some months ago but the Finance Ministry asked him to reconsider that, sources said.
After the approval from ACC, the Finance Ministry would begin search for his replacement, sources added.
Roy joined Life Insurance Corporation of India in 1981.
On May 31, 2013, he assumed charge as Managing Director of LIC. Prior to his elevation, he was head of the International Operations division.
21:41 Now, BJP accuses AAP govt of indulging in number plate 'scam'
In a move that may trigger further tussle between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party dispensation, the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party has registered a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Branch, accusing the Kejriwal government of indulging in corruption in contract of High Security Number Plates, a charge denied by it.
Two senior BJP leaders including national secretary R P Singh and Harish Khurana recently complained to the ACB regarding the alleged 'scam' in the HSNP project.
The complaint claimed a contract between Delhi government's Transport Department and a private company was 'terminated' after which the company went into arbitration but it was allowed to issue the number plates 'under the garb of arbitration'.
"The two committees formed by Delhi government in 2014 and 2015 had found various irregularities such as procurement of the plates from unapproved source and overcharging but the company was allowed to issue the registration plates under the garb of arbitration," Khurana alleged.
Rubbishing allegations of irregularities, the AAP government said in January 2014, the then Transport Minister Sourabh Bhardwaj had formed a three-member fact-finding committee.
On the basis of the committee's report, the AAP government had terminated the contract with the company in February 2014, said a senior government official.
Singh alleged in his complaint that the scam was to the tune of Rs 300 crore.
Two senior BJP leaders including national secretary R P Singh and Harish Khurana recently complained to the ACB regarding the alleged 'scam' in the HSNP project.
The complaint claimed a contract between Delhi government's Transport Department and a private company was 'terminated' after which the company went into arbitration but it was allowed to issue the number plates 'under the garb of arbitration'.
"The two committees formed by Delhi government in 2014 and 2015 had found various irregularities such as procurement of the plates from unapproved source and overcharging but the company was allowed to issue the registration plates under the garb of arbitration," Khurana alleged.
Rubbishing allegations of irregularities, the AAP government said in January 2014, the then Transport Minister Sourabh Bhardwaj had formed a three-member fact-finding committee.
On the basis of the committee's report, the AAP government had terminated the contract with the company in February 2014, said a senior government official.
Singh alleged in his complaint that the scam was to the tune of Rs 300 crore.
21:26
JUST IN: Explosion in Hetero Drugs manufacturing unit at Nakkapalle (Vizag, Andhra Pradesh) killed one employee and injured two today evening.
21:07 34 per cent voter turnout in Anantnag bypolls
Ignoring boycott calls from separatists and militant groups, nearly 34 per cent electorate today exercised their franchise in the bypoll in Anantnag assembly constituency where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and seven other candidates are in the fray.
The voter turnout was five per cent less than the last assembly elections. The polling, which began early this morning on a dull note apparently due to the ongoing holy fasting month of Ramadan, picked up pace as the day progressed with the final poll percentage standing at 34 per cent.
The bypoll in the constituency was necessitated by the demise of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year. The polling ended peacefully, Chief Electoral Officer Shantmau said.
Out of total 84,067 electors, including 4,229 migrants voters, a total of 28,446 cast their votes during the polling period which started at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm, he said.
He said out of 42,840 male voters and 41,227 female voters, 15,384 male, 13,062 female and 638 migrant voters exercised their franchise.
Shantmanu said 13 polling booths were also set up at Jammu for migrant voters, one each at Udhampur and Delhi, adding that three additional Observers were also deployed for these three locations.
The voter turnout was five per cent less than the last assembly elections. The polling, which began early this morning on a dull note apparently due to the ongoing holy fasting month of Ramadan, picked up pace as the day progressed with the final poll percentage standing at 34 per cent.
The bypoll in the constituency was necessitated by the demise of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year. The polling ended peacefully, Chief Electoral Officer Shantmau said.
Out of total 84,067 electors, including 4,229 migrants voters, a total of 28,446 cast their votes during the polling period which started at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm, he said.
He said out of 42,840 male voters and 41,227 female voters, 15,384 male, 13,062 female and 638 migrant voters exercised their franchise.
Shantmanu said 13 polling booths were also set up at Jammu for migrant voters, one each at Udhampur and Delhi, adding that three additional Observers were also deployed for these three locations.
19:53 1 arrested in Udta Punjab leak case in Delhi
The Mumbai police have made their first arrest in the Udta Punjab leak case in Delhi.
Sources have said that the arrested person has no links with the CBFC.
19:36 Modi to leave for Tashkent tomorrow to attend SCO summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Tashkent tomorrow to attend the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan.
The prime minister will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to.
The two-day annual plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group will begin in Seoul tomorrow during which India's application for membership of the elite nuclear trading club may come up for deliberation.
Asked at the media briefing whether the PM will discuss the NSG issue with Xi, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta refused to give a direct answer but said usually a "full review" of the bilateral ties takes place on such occasions.
19:15 Indian-origin driver jailed for falling asleep at wheel
A 31-year-old Indian-origin delivery van driver has been jailed for two years and four months by a UK court after he fell asleep at the wheel, killing his work colleague.
Malkit Chaukria was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving of 29-year-old Aaron Ryan at Gloucester Crown Court in south-west England yesterday. Judge Michael Cullum also banned Chaukria from driving for four years and two months during sentencing and criticised his transport firm employer for sending the driver out for such long hours that he fell asleep at the wheel.
"You did not set out to kill Mr Ryan in any way - he was your friend. But his death was utterly avoidable," The judge told Chaukria. "Tiredness when driving kills - we all know that.
The hours you were expected to drive were utterly irresponsible and it is obvious to me that your employer bears a high degree of moral responsibility for what happened," Cullum said.
19:15 Indian-origin driver jailed for falling asleep at wheel
A 31-year-old Indian-origin delivery van driver has been jailed for two years and four months by a UK court after he fell asleep at the wheel, killing his work colleague.
Malkit Chaukria was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving of 29-year-old Aaron Ryan at Gloucester Crown Court in south-west England yesterday. Judge Michael Cullum also banned Chaukria from driving for four years and two months during sentencing and criticised his transport firm employer for sending the driver out for such long hours that he fell asleep at the wheel.
"You did not set out to kill Mr Ryan in any way - he was your friend. But his death was utterly avoidable," The judge told Chaukria. "Tiredness when driving kills - we all know that.
The hours you were expected to drive were utterly irresponsible and it is obvious to me that your employer bears a high degree of moral responsibility for what happened," Cullum said.
19:02 France reiterates support for India's NSG entry
Just in: France reiterates its support for India's entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). France considers that Indias entry into 4 multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR,The Australia Group,The Wassenaar Arrangement) and will bolster international efforts on combatting proliferation, the France Foreign Ministry says.
18:53 Aveek Sarkar resigns as Group Editor ABP, Telegraph
Media baron Aveek Sarkar resigned as Group Editor of The Telegraph and Anandabazar Patrika. Sarkar said the resignation was just part of a succession plan and that he would continue as chairman of the group, reports News 18.
TMC leaders had accused him running a relentless smear campaign against the party.
However, ABP group sources maintained that his resignation had nothing to do with the TMC.
Anirban Bhattacharya has been appointed as the new editor of the Anandabazaar Patrika while Rajagopalan has been appointed as the new editor of "The Telegraph".
The Kolkata-based ABP group is one of the oldest media empires in India.
TMC leaders had accused him running a relentless smear campaign against the party.
However, ABP group sources maintained that his resignation had nothing to do with the TMC.
Anirban Bhattacharya has been appointed as the new editor of the Anandabazaar Patrika while Rajagopalan has been appointed as the new editor of "The Telegraph".
The Kolkata-based ABP group is one of the oldest media empires in India.
18:48 Women's Commission summons Salman on June 29
The Maharashtra State Commission for Women summons Salman Khan over his 'rape' remark on June 29 at 2 pm.
Taking suo moto cognisance of Salman Khan's comment that he felt like a "raped woman" while playing a wrestler in his upcoming film 'Sultan', National Commission for Women chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam today sought a public apology from the Bollywood actor and asked for an explanation. Dubbing Salman's comment as 'irresponsible and careless', Kumaramangalam told ANI that the actor would be summoned if his explanation is unsatisfactory
The Shiv Sena today urged directors respecting women to boycott the Bollywood super star till he tenders an "unconditional apology" for his comment.
"I have not seen a celebrity who can get more shameless than Salman Khan. He has a destructive nature from the beginning. He shoots endangered animals, kills people living on footpaths and now this (remark on rape). People still, ironically, consider him a hero," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told PTI.
Salman had landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for his upcoming wrestling-themed film "Sultan", sparking demands for an apology from the actor.
Taking suo moto cognisance of Salman Khan's comment that he felt like a "raped woman" while playing a wrestler in his upcoming film 'Sultan', National Commission for Women chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam today sought a public apology from the Bollywood actor and asked for an explanation. Dubbing Salman's comment as 'irresponsible and careless', Kumaramangalam told ANI that the actor would be summoned if his explanation is unsatisfactory
The Shiv Sena today urged directors respecting women to boycott the Bollywood super star till he tenders an "unconditional apology" for his comment.
"I have not seen a celebrity who can get more shameless than Salman Khan. He has a destructive nature from the beginning. He shoots endangered animals, kills people living on footpaths and now this (remark on rape). People still, ironically, consider him a hero," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told PTI.
Salman had landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for his upcoming wrestling-themed film "Sultan", sparking demands for an apology from the actor.
18:27 Brexit jitters drag shares of companies with UK exposure
Shares of companies with exposure to the UK witnessed selling pressure, falling by up to 2.5 per cent, ahead of the crucial 'Brexit' referendum. Tata Motors scrip fell 2.58 per cent to Rs 472.50, Bharat Forge went down 2.39 per cent to Rs 737.75, Hindalco dipped 1.01 per cent to Rs 122 and Tata Steel (0.55 per cent to Rs 332) on BSE.
Tata Motors was the worst performer among the 30-Sensex bluechips. Shares of Tata Motors declined on worries that its luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover's sales may get hit if Britain votes to leave the European Union. Shares of Tech Mahindra lost 0.94 per cent and Infosys fell by 0.61 per cent.
Tata Motors was the worst performer among the 30-Sensex bluechips. Shares of Tata Motors declined on worries that its luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover's sales may get hit if Britain votes to leave the European Union. Shares of Tech Mahindra lost 0.94 per cent and Infosys fell by 0.61 per cent.
18:27 Read a lot of my obits, don't write me off as yet: RBI guv defends policies
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan defends the policies taken during his tenure especially the refusal to cut interest rates. At an event in Bengaluru, Rajan who caused a stir over his decision not to accept a second term, said that the slowdown in credit growth has been largely because of stress in PSU banks and not by high interest rates. "Have seen a slowdown in lending by PSU banks vs private sector banks. The level of interest rates is not the problem. Due to bad loans, public sector banks are unwilling to lend more. In times of drought private banks are lending more, but the ability of lenders to collect loans is poor.
He also referred to the reams dedicated to controversy over his tenure saying, "I feel like in last few days I've read lot of my obituaries. Don't write me off as yet. I'm still here for two-and-a half months in this job.
After that I'll be still around somewhere in the world, probably a lot in India so don't write me off. "
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today dismissed Subramanian Swamy's attack on Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and strongly defended him saying the government has full confidence in him and his advice is of "great value" to it. "Well, the government has full confidence in CEA Arvind Subramanian. His advice to government from time to time has been of great value. "
He also referred to the reams dedicated to controversy over his tenure saying, "I feel like in last few days I've read lot of my obituaries. Don't write me off as yet. I'm still here for two-and-a half months in this job.
After that I'll be still around somewhere in the world, probably a lot in India so don't write me off. "
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today dismissed Subramanian Swamy's attack on Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and strongly defended him saying the government has full confidence in him and his advice is of "great value" to it. "Well, the government has full confidence in CEA Arvind Subramanian. His advice to government from time to time has been of great value. "
18:17 Man says he was Orlando shooters gay lover
A man who claimed to be Orlando shooter Omar Mateen's gay lover came forward, giving an interview while wearing a disguise to Univision on Tuesday. The man, identified only as "Miguel,' says he met Mateen through the gay dating app Grindr and described their two-month relationship as "friends with benefits' where they met 15 to 20 times at an Orlando hotel, the last time in Dec. 2015. Read more
18:09 Rajan's exit will not cause panic reaction: CII
Dismissing doomsday theories, industry body CII today said the exit of RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan will not cause a panic reaction as the Indian economy is very strong and robust.
"His (Rajan's) leaving the office is not going to cause a panic reaction, and also not cause a flight from rupee and all those doomsday scenarios that they have been talked about," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee Banerjee said.
"As an economy we are a strong robust, complex and diverse economy that's beyond the scope of anyone," he added.
CII President Naushad Forbes said the industry is confident of the government appointing a competent person to work and steer RBI to greater heights. "We are confident that the government will quickly appoint somebody very competent to work and steer RBI to greater heights," he said.
Forbes further said Rajan has done a fine job and the industry was confident that the next Governor will be as strong and equally do a fine job. Interestingly, following the Rajan's announcement to exit RBI in September, the rupee had tumbled by 61 paise to a low of 67.69 on Monday but later recovered to end down by 23 paise.
Since Monday, the rupee has lost 40 paise against the US dollar mainly due to forex outflows from debt.
"His (Rajan's) leaving the office is not going to cause a panic reaction, and also not cause a flight from rupee and all those doomsday scenarios that they have been talked about," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee Banerjee said.
"As an economy we are a strong robust, complex and diverse economy that's beyond the scope of anyone," he added.
CII President Naushad Forbes said the industry is confident of the government appointing a competent person to work and steer RBI to greater heights. "We are confident that the government will quickly appoint somebody very competent to work and steer RBI to greater heights," he said.
Forbes further said Rajan has done a fine job and the industry was confident that the next Governor will be as strong and equally do a fine job. Interestingly, following the Rajan's announcement to exit RBI in September, the rupee had tumbled by 61 paise to a low of 67.69 on Monday but later recovered to end down by 23 paise.
Since Monday, the rupee has lost 40 paise against the US dollar mainly due to forex outflows from debt.
18:04
Sensex today
17:45 Govt's 1st and only response to Swamy's attacks on Rajan, Subramanian
The government's first formal response, in nothing less than a press conference, to defend the PM's Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian and in an aside, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan.
"Arvind Subramanian's advice to government has been invaluable, don't agree with Subramanian Swamy's remarks on the chief economic advisor or Rajan," Finance minister Arun Jaitley said. "His (Arvind Subramanian's) advice to the govt from time-to-time has been of great value. Party has said it doesn't share Dr Swamy's view on Arvind Subramanian," Jaitley said.
He also said that in the context of the discipline of Indian politicians, how far can you attack people holding office whose discipline does not permit them to respond. "To what extent should we take this?" Jaitley said alluding to Swamy's attacks on both Dr Rajan and Arvind Subramanian.
Jaitley also denied suggestions that the government and the BJP did not defend RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in the face of Swamy's attacks, but did not elaborate.
On cue, BJP president Amit Shah piped in saying, the BJP disagreed with Swamy's remarks on the chief economic advisor.
After waging war on Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, Swamy on Wednesday said that he has a list of 27 people with him, who are working within the government and need to be 'fixed'.
Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats 'loyal' to the Congress, Swamy said that he Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses.
Speaking to ANI after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen.
"He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don't even know if he is a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said.
Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified.
"I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time. I have a list of 27 people in the government and I will slowly, one by one, fix them soon," he added. Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets.
"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi.
"Arvind Subramanian's advice to government has been invaluable, don't agree with Subramanian Swamy's remarks on the chief economic advisor or Rajan," Finance minister Arun Jaitley said. "His (Arvind Subramanian's) advice to the govt from time-to-time has been of great value. Party has said it doesn't share Dr Swamy's view on Arvind Subramanian," Jaitley said.
He also said that in the context of the discipline of Indian politicians, how far can you attack people holding office whose discipline does not permit them to respond. "To what extent should we take this?" Jaitley said alluding to Swamy's attacks on both Dr Rajan and Arvind Subramanian.
Jaitley also denied suggestions that the government and the BJP did not defend RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in the face of Swamy's attacks, but did not elaborate.
On cue, BJP president Amit Shah piped in saying, the BJP disagreed with Swamy's remarks on the chief economic advisor.
After waging war on Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, Swamy on Wednesday said that he has a list of 27 people with him, who are working within the government and need to be 'fixed'.
Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats 'loyal' to the Congress, Swamy said that he Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses.
Speaking to ANI after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen.
"He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don't even know if he is a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said.
Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified.
"I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time. I have a list of 27 people in the government and I will slowly, one by one, fix them soon," he added. Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets.
"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi.
17:10 Pakistani qawwali legend Amjad Sabri shot dead in Karachi
Legendary Pakistani Qawwali singer Amjad Sabri was shot dead in Karachi today by unidentified gunmen. Reporting his murder, Pakistani website Dawn.com said Sabri was gunned down in his car in Karachi's Liaquatabad area.
One of Pakistan's most famous singers, Sabri was known for his renditions of mystic poetry.
Sabri was embroiled in a controversy last year when he claimed that that Bajrangi Bhaijaan violated copyrights by using the qawwali Bhar Do Jholi without obtaining the rights.
16:55 Debris found from Australian island not from missing flight MH370
Possible aircraft debris found on South Australia's Kangaroo Island is not from missing flight MH370.
The object was examined at Australian Transport Safety Bureau laboratories in Canberra and found not to be consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft.
The Malaysia Airlines flight, a Boeing 777, disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people on board and is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.
15:54 Have a list of 27 people I need to fix: Subramanian Swamy
After waging war on Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that he has a list of 27 people with him, who are working within the government and need to be 'fixed'.
Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats 'loyal' to the Congress, Swamy said that he Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses.
Speaking to ANI after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen.
"He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don't even know if he is a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said.
Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified.
"I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time. I have a list of 27 people in the government and I will slowly, one by one, fix them soon," he added. Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets.
"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi.
Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats 'loyal' to the Congress, Swamy said that he Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses.
Speaking to ANI after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen.
"He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don't even know if he is a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said.
Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified.
"I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time. I have a list of 27 people in the government and I will slowly, one by one, fix them soon," he added. Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets.
"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi.
15:47 New RBI chief by July, deputy governor front runner
A new Governor for RBI may be appointed before the start of the monsoon session of Parliament next month even as former RBI Deputy Governor Rakesh Mohan appears to be emerging as the front runner for the job.
Sources in Finance Ministry said the government is close to picking the successor of Raghuram Rajan, who last week announced his decision not to seek a second term after his current term comes to an end on September 4.
The appointment, they said, was likely by mid-July.
Currently India's Executive Director in the Washington- based International Monetary Fund, Mohan is being mentioned in official circles as the front runner to bag the coveted job in Mint Street.
Others who are said to be in the fray for the RBI top job include SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, former RBI deputy governor Subir Gokarn and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das. RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian were also considered to be in reckoning. Mohan, who studied at Imperial College, University of London as well as Yale University, holds a Ph. D in Economics from Princeton. He was Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from September 9, 2002 to October 31, 2004 and July 2, 2005 to June 10, 2009.
During the period 31 October 2004 to 2nd July, 2005, he was Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. He was also Chief Economic Advisor in Ministry of Finance during 2001-02. Sources said the appointment to RBI will be made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in consultation with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Sources in Finance Ministry said the government is close to picking the successor of Raghuram Rajan, who last week announced his decision not to seek a second term after his current term comes to an end on September 4.
The appointment, they said, was likely by mid-July.
Currently India's Executive Director in the Washington- based International Monetary Fund, Mohan is being mentioned in official circles as the front runner to bag the coveted job in Mint Street.
Others who are said to be in the fray for the RBI top job include SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, former RBI deputy governor Subir Gokarn and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das. RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian were also considered to be in reckoning. Mohan, who studied at Imperial College, University of London as well as Yale University, holds a Ph. D in Economics from Princeton. He was Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from September 9, 2002 to October 31, 2004 and July 2, 2005 to June 10, 2009.
During the period 31 October 2004 to 2nd July, 2005, he was Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. He was also Chief Economic Advisor in Ministry of Finance during 2001-02. Sources said the appointment to RBI will be made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in consultation with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
15:37 Headlines at this hour
-- Cabinet approves biggest-ever auction of spectrum, says Fin min. More than 2300 MHz spectrum is available for auction across 7 bands.
-- Cabinet clears Rs 10,000 cr fund of funds for startups.
-- Leader of Opposition in UP Assembly Swami Prasad Maurya announces decision to quit BSP. Says Mayawati is not Dalit ki beti, but Daulat ki beti.
-- Cabinet clears Rs 10,000 cr fund of funds for startups.
-- Leader of Opposition in UP Assembly Swami Prasad Maurya announces decision to quit BSP. Says Mayawati is not Dalit ki beti, but Daulat ki beti.
15:24 Pakistan continues to sell nuclear materials to N Korea and China knows
Pakistan is continuing to sell nuclear materials to North Korea, while at the same time urging the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), according to highly placed U.S. sources who are involved with the tracking of nuclear commerce.
In an ANI exclusive, the report said that entities of the Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) have been continuing to supply restricted items such as ' Monel ' and ' Inconel ' material to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions.
The sources said that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities have also found their way to North Korea, with the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) recently receiving a written complaint that supplies of a Chinese company, Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited, to Pakistan were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities.
The Chinese Government hushed up the matter as it could have consequences for Beijing's bid to support Pakistan at the NSG. But this information leaked out of North Korea and came to the knowledge Of Western Governments who are members of the NSG. In another alarming revelation, informed sources said Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing On producing nuclear weapons. Sources said the Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces which find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores.
Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea. When asked if this evidence of Pakistan's illicit nuclear trade with North Korea has been brought to the notice of NSG nations, U.S. sources said all proof and evidence which confirms the violation of sanctions against North Korea and more so the ongoing dangerous nuclear trade has been brought to the notice of "those who need to be informed at the NSG level."
Behind the scenes Pakistan is aware that it's nuclear trade with North Korea has been uncovered, but is counting on China to keep the global pressure at bay, said sources. Giving details of North Korea's nuclear commerce links with Pakistan, informed sources mentioned that two North Korean diplomats - Kim Yong Choi and Jang Yong Son --posted in the North Korean Embassy in Tehran visited Pakistan eight times between 2012 and 2015.
They were associated With the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation ( KOMID ) - an entity sanctioned several times by the United Nations Security Council since 2005 for its involvement in North Korea's Weapons of Mass Destruction ( WMD ) programme.
These diplomats met with Pakistani officers involved in the nuclear program. They were tracked and investigated by the Western authorities as yet another proof of Pakistan's continuing nuclear links with North Korea. Based on Western inputs on these links, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1718 Committee, which is monitoring the implementation of sanctions against North Korea, sought information from Pakistan in November 2015 regarding the frequent visits of the two North Korean diplomats from Tehran to Islamabad and Karachi.
At first, say informed sources, Pakistan denied it, but when confronted with photographs and other recorded evidence, Pakistan acknowledged that the two North Korean officials under investigation had indeed visited Islamabad and Karachi.
Highly placed sources said that the West has so far kept this information under wraps in recognition of Pakistan's value in the war against terror. But now, when Pakistan has gone into overdrive to upset the equilibrium of the NSG, Western nations of the grouping are saying that Islamabad needs to "look at itself in the mirror " and ask "how can it run with the hare and hunt with the foxes", meaning it can't claim to fulfill the NSG's requirements, and at the same time, sell nuclear weapons materials to North Korea.
In an ANI exclusive, the report said that entities of the Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) have been continuing to supply restricted items such as ' Monel ' and ' Inconel ' material to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions.
The sources said that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities have also found their way to North Korea, with the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) recently receiving a written complaint that supplies of a Chinese company, Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited, to Pakistan were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities.
The Chinese Government hushed up the matter as it could have consequences for Beijing's bid to support Pakistan at the NSG. But this information leaked out of North Korea and came to the knowledge Of Western Governments who are members of the NSG. In another alarming revelation, informed sources said Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing On producing nuclear weapons. Sources said the Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces which find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores.
Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea. When asked if this evidence of Pakistan's illicit nuclear trade with North Korea has been brought to the notice of NSG nations, U.S. sources said all proof and evidence which confirms the violation of sanctions against North Korea and more so the ongoing dangerous nuclear trade has been brought to the notice of "those who need to be informed at the NSG level."
Behind the scenes Pakistan is aware that it's nuclear trade with North Korea has been uncovered, but is counting on China to keep the global pressure at bay, said sources. Giving details of North Korea's nuclear commerce links with Pakistan, informed sources mentioned that two North Korean diplomats - Kim Yong Choi and Jang Yong Son --posted in the North Korean Embassy in Tehran visited Pakistan eight times between 2012 and 2015.
They were associated With the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation ( KOMID ) - an entity sanctioned several times by the United Nations Security Council since 2005 for its involvement in North Korea's Weapons of Mass Destruction ( WMD ) programme.
These diplomats met with Pakistani officers involved in the nuclear program. They were tracked and investigated by the Western authorities as yet another proof of Pakistan's continuing nuclear links with North Korea. Based on Western inputs on these links, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1718 Committee, which is monitoring the implementation of sanctions against North Korea, sought information from Pakistan in November 2015 regarding the frequent visits of the two North Korean diplomats from Tehran to Islamabad and Karachi.
At first, say informed sources, Pakistan denied it, but when confronted with photographs and other recorded evidence, Pakistan acknowledged that the two North Korean officials under investigation had indeed visited Islamabad and Karachi.
Highly placed sources said that the West has so far kept this information under wraps in recognition of Pakistan's value in the war against terror. But now, when Pakistan has gone into overdrive to upset the equilibrium of the NSG, Western nations of the grouping are saying that Islamabad needs to "look at itself in the mirror " and ask "how can it run with the hare and hunt with the foxes", meaning it can't claim to fulfill the NSG's requirements, and at the same time, sell nuclear weapons materials to North Korea.
15:12 Hope no film goes through it: 'Udta Punjab' director on censors
Director Abhishek Chaubey says there is an immense sense of relief to see his film "Udta Punjab" in theatres on time and intact, something which looked impossible while they were at loggerheads with the censor board. Chaubey, who wanted to make a anti-drug movie, said the CBFC's version of his film was so different that he even thought of removing his name from the credits.
"I am just happy and relieved that we could relese the film on June 17 considering all that happened. The version that was cut was so different that I thought if this is the film that is going to come out then should I even give my name to it?" Chaubey told PTI in an interview.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had demanded 89 cuts from the drug drama that is set in Pujab. The producers had to finally move the Bombay High Court where it was cleared with just one cut and a revised disclaimer.
"I am just happy and relieved that we could relese the film on June 17 considering all that happened. The version that was cut was so different that I thought if this is the film that is going to come out then should I even give my name to it?" Chaubey told PTI in an interview.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had demanded 89 cuts from the drug drama that is set in Pujab. The producers had to finally move the Bombay High Court where it was cleared with just one cut and a revised disclaimer.
14:57 Don't agree with Swamy, BJP responds to 'sack Subramanian' tweet
As BJP leader Subramanian Swamy went after his new target Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, the Finance Ministry on Wednesday defended his appointment, saying it knew of his stance on key issues like IPR before hand.
The BJP said, "Do not agree with Subramanian Swamy's views on govt's Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. This is his personal opinion."
The Finance Ministry knew of his stance on key issues like Intellectural Property Rights (IPR) before choosing him, they said adding the ministry was not giving credence to Swamy's remarks on Subrmananian.
After targeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Swamy has now trained his guns on the CEA, demanding his sacking."Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!,' he tweeted.
The BJP said, "Do not agree with Subramanian Swamy's views on govt's Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. This is his personal opinion."
The Finance Ministry knew of his stance on key issues like Intellectural Property Rights (IPR) before choosing him, they said adding the ministry was not giving credence to Swamy's remarks on Subrmananian.
After targeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Swamy has now trained his guns on the CEA, demanding his sacking."Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!,' he tweeted.
14:22 Prez tweets pics 'Abode of Gods'
President of India @RashtrapatiBhvn Dehradun, India More pictures of beautiful Uttarakhand, also known as Dev bhoomi or abode of the Gods.
President Pranab Mukherjee's scheduled visit to the Kedarnath shrine in the Rudraprayag district of Uttaranchal was cancelled at the last moment today due to bad weather conditions in the area.
His chopper could not land in Kedarnath because of the weather. The President had left from his residence Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning. According to the schedule, he was supposed to reach Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun at 8:40 am and visit the shrine at 10 am, but the flight was cancelled due to inclement weather. The President is now on his way back to Dehradun.
The President's visit comes on the third anniversary of the terrible Kedarnath floods of 2013 and Chief Minister Harish Rawat personally wanted the president presence to usher in a sense of normalcy.
President Pranab Mukherjee's scheduled visit to the Kedarnath shrine in the Rudraprayag district of Uttaranchal was cancelled at the last moment today due to bad weather conditions in the area.
His chopper could not land in Kedarnath because of the weather. The President had left from his residence Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning. According to the schedule, he was supposed to reach Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun at 8:40 am and visit the shrine at 10 am, but the flight was cancelled due to inclement weather. The President is now on his way back to Dehradun.
The President's visit comes on the third anniversary of the terrible Kedarnath floods of 2013 and Chief Minister Harish Rawat personally wanted the president presence to usher in a sense of normalcy.
14:16
David Cameron @David_Cameron It's great to see Daniel Craig is planning to Vote Remain on Thursday.
14:11 Xi, Modi to meet on sidelines of SCO summit in Tashkent
President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent beginning tomorrow during which India is expected to seek China's support for membership of the NSG.
"We will release relevant information in due course," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said today. The spokesperson said the two leaders would be meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in the capital city of Uzbekistan.
During his meeting with Xi, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. Hua, however, refuted perception that China is blocking India's entry into the NSG.
"We will release relevant information in due course," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said today. The spokesperson said the two leaders would be meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in the capital city of Uzbekistan.
During his meeting with Xi, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. Hua, however, refuted perception that China is blocking India's entry into the NSG.
13:55 US support for India's NSG bid part of 'greater design': Pak NSA
Pakistan's National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has alleged that America's efforts to include India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was part of a "greater design" to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia.
"It's [part of] a greater design," Janjua said at a seminar on 'Pakistan's case for NSA membership' yesterday. Janjua said the current move by the US to induct India into the 48-nation exclusive nuclear club should be seen in the context of 'global power politics trends'.
He then listed "contain China, prevent the resurgence of Russia and keep the Muslim world in a controlled chaos" as some of the leading trends in the current global power politics, The Express Tribune reported.
The paper reported that it is unprecedented that a top Pakistani official publicly made such a candid statement about a sensitive issue. Talking about the implications of these developments, Janjua cautioned that American policies would ultimately bring Pakistan even closer to China.
Pakistan is upset at the US decision to aggressively campaign for India while ignoring Islamabad's aspirations to become an NSG member, the paper said. Last month, Pakistan formally applied for NSG membership, setting the stage for a showdown with India at the elite grouping's plenary session Seoul.
"It's [part of] a greater design," Janjua said at a seminar on 'Pakistan's case for NSA membership' yesterday. Janjua said the current move by the US to induct India into the 48-nation exclusive nuclear club should be seen in the context of 'global power politics trends'.
He then listed "contain China, prevent the resurgence of Russia and keep the Muslim world in a controlled chaos" as some of the leading trends in the current global power politics, The Express Tribune reported.
The paper reported that it is unprecedented that a top Pakistani official publicly made such a candid statement about a sensitive issue. Talking about the implications of these developments, Janjua cautioned that American policies would ultimately bring Pakistan even closer to China.
Pakistan is upset at the US decision to aggressively campaign for India while ignoring Islamabad's aspirations to become an NSG member, the paper said. Last month, Pakistan formally applied for NSG membership, setting the stage for a showdown with India at the elite grouping's plenary session Seoul.
13:48 On govt table: I-Day 'gift' for refugees
The Modi regime has set itself an August 15 deadline to grant citizenship to hundreds of Hindu minority refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Union home ministry sources have said.
The ministry is working on a bill to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, and grant citizenship to refugee Hindus in line with a promise made by the BJP in its 2014 general election manifesto. At public rallies ahead of that election, Narendra Modi had promised to host persecuted "Hindus" from "any country" in the world. Read more
The ministry is working on a bill to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, and grant citizenship to refugee Hindus in line with a promise made by the BJP in its 2014 general election manifesto. At public rallies ahead of that election, Narendra Modi had promised to host persecuted "Hindus" from "any country" in the world. Read more
13:29 Probe panel to conduct hearing on Mathura violence
A one-member judicial commission set up to probe the Jawahar Bagh incident will hold a hearing on the Mathura violence which left 29 people including two policemen dead on Saturday, officials said today. The secretary of the probe commission and Retired District and Sessions Judge, Pramod Kumar Goyal said if any person, group, or institution has any information about the incident, they should send an affidavit within 30 days. The person may attach photos, video clippings, and other written material along with the affidavit, he said.
13:16 Were Priyanka's armpits photoshopped? The star tweets her answer
Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra has shared a picture of herself flaunting her armpits, in reply to the trolls claiming they are "too perfect" in the latest photoshoot of a lifestyle magazine. The 34-year-old "Quantico" star, who is currently vacationing in Paris, took to Instagram to share the photo.
"Heres another "pit-stopping" picture to add to the debate. #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp #nofilter #armpitdiaries," she captioned the photo.
Wearing a casual striped top and shades, the actress has posed with her hands behind her head.
Priyanka's cover for a men's magazine recently faced a lot of flak on Twitter for photoshopping her armpits. Twitter users called it a unrealistic expectation and yet another way to body shame.
On work front, Priyanka will next be seen playing an antagonist Victoria Leeds in "Baywatch" movie, which also stars Dwayne "The Rock Johnson" and Zac Efron.
"Heres another "pit-stopping" picture to add to the debate. #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp #nofilter #armpitdiaries," she captioned the photo.
Wearing a casual striped top and shades, the actress has posed with her hands behind her head.
Priyanka's cover for a men's magazine recently faced a lot of flak on Twitter for photoshopping her armpits. Twitter users called it a unrealistic expectation and yet another way to body shame.
On work front, Priyanka will next be seen playing an antagonist Victoria Leeds in "Baywatch" movie, which also stars Dwayne "The Rock Johnson" and Zac Efron.
13:11 India NOT on NSG agenda: China
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar who is headed for Seoul to push for India's bid for NSG membership at the plenary of the 48-nation grouping on June 23-24.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying says China will play a constructive role in the discussions on India's NSG membership, but India not on NSG agenda. The NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on India and Pakistan's membership in the grouping.
According to Indian government sources, the Foreign Secretary is watching the situation "very closely" and, depending on the "feedback" from the official-level meeting of NSG ahead of the crucial plenary on Thursday and Friday in the South Korean capital, he may travel to Seoul to give a "final push". The official-level session of NSG started on Monday.
PM Modi is likely to meet Chinese President Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Government sources say New Delhi sees this as a huge opportunity for India to persuade Beijing for support in the NSG.
Jaishankar is skipping the Tashkent meeting to head for Seoul, where the 48-member nuclear club is holding a plenary meeting, for a last-minute diplomatic push for India's inclusion.
China has repeatedly stressed that the grouping is divided over India and admitting new members is not on its agenda.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying says China will play a constructive role in the discussions on India's NSG membership, but India not on NSG agenda. The NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on India and Pakistan's membership in the grouping.
According to Indian government sources, the Foreign Secretary is watching the situation "very closely" and, depending on the "feedback" from the official-level meeting of NSG ahead of the crucial plenary on Thursday and Friday in the South Korean capital, he may travel to Seoul to give a "final push". The official-level session of NSG started on Monday.
PM Modi is likely to meet Chinese President Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Government sources say New Delhi sees this as a huge opportunity for India to persuade Beijing for support in the NSG.
Jaishankar is skipping the Tashkent meeting to head for Seoul, where the 48-member nuclear club is holding a plenary meeting, for a last-minute diplomatic push for India's inclusion.
China has repeatedly stressed that the grouping is divided over India and admitting new members is not on its agenda.
12:59 Mani Shankar Aiyar left out from Pak High Commission's Iftar bash
Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar, a regular at Iftar dinners hosted by the Pakistani High Commissioner, has not been invited for the June 25th bash. Aiyar, who no longer enjoys a Rajya Sabha berth, probably thought that it was not important to his relationship with the Pakistanis with whom he has had a longstanding warm relationship.
The Lahore born former diplomat and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's confidante has made a name for himself for being a strong proponent of strong ties between India and Pakistan.
He is the one who first said that India and Pakistan should have uninterruptible talks, something that is trashed by the hawks of Lutyen's Delhi. Aiyar has visited Pakistan often and been part of several track 2 initiatives. But he drew flak recently when on a talk show in Pakistan he seemed to appeal to the civil society of Pakistan to throw out the BJP from office if it wanted good ties with India.
The Lahore born former diplomat and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's confidante has made a name for himself for being a strong proponent of strong ties between India and Pakistan.
He is the one who first said that India and Pakistan should have uninterruptible talks, something that is trashed by the hawks of Lutyen's Delhi. Aiyar has visited Pakistan often and been part of several track 2 initiatives. But he drew flak recently when on a talk show in Pakistan he seemed to appeal to the civil society of Pakistan to throw out the BJP from office if it wanted good ties with India.
12:27 President's visit to Kedarnath cancelled
President Pranab Mukherjee's scheduled visit to the Kedarnath shrine in the Rudraprayag district of Uttaranchal was cancelled at the last moment today due to bad weather conditions in the area.
His chopper could not land in Kedarnath because of the weather. The President had left from his residence Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning. According to the schedule, he was supposed to reach Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun at 8:40 am and visit the shrine at 10 am, but the flight was cancelled due to inclement weather. The President is now on his way back to Dehradun.
The President's visit comes on the third anniversary of the terrible Kedarnath floods of 2013 and Chief Minister Harish Rawat personally wanted the president presence to usher in a sense of normalcy.
His chopper could not land in Kedarnath because of the weather. The President had left from his residence Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning. According to the schedule, he was supposed to reach Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun at 8:40 am and visit the shrine at 10 am, but the flight was cancelled due to inclement weather. The President is now on his way back to Dehradun.
The President's visit comes on the third anniversary of the terrible Kedarnath floods of 2013 and Chief Minister Harish Rawat personally wanted the president presence to usher in a sense of normalcy.
12:08 Complaints against me in RS polls frivolous: Subhash Chandra
Media baron Subhash Chandra, who won the recent Rajya Sabha election from Haryana with BJP's backing, on Tuesday said that complaints against him for alleged fraud to secure victory in the polls were "an abuse of the process of the law" and "frivolous" in nature.
"The present complaints are an abuse of the process of the law and are simply counterblast to losing the elections," he said in a statement issued here. Chandra also said that the complaints were based on "whimsical assumptions" without a shred of evidential backing.
"Election Commission in Delhi had reviewed the proceedings post counting and after going through the same had given clearance to declare the results. The same is clearly reflected in the videos that were reviewed by the Election Commission," he said. Chandra said the theory that he cheated by magically exchanging the pen provided by Election Commission to cast the vote was wrong.
"It is a matter to record that the entire election process was transparent and no one, during the vote counting process, could have been certain as to the fact that Congress votes could be rejected/declared invalid as there was no mark to identify as who had marked which ballot," he added.
The fall of events and complaints followed after the election results were aimed at maligning my reputation and goodwill as an elected candidate, he said.
On June 17, lawyer R.K. Anand, who was also in the fray, lodged a complaint with Chandigarh Police against Chandra, BJP legislators Aseem Goel and Bhai Jai Parkash, certain officials from the returning officer's office and other "unknown persons".
"The present complaints are an abuse of the process of the law and are simply counterblast to losing the elections," he said in a statement issued here. Chandra also said that the complaints were based on "whimsical assumptions" without a shred of evidential backing.
"Election Commission in Delhi had reviewed the proceedings post counting and after going through the same had given clearance to declare the results. The same is clearly reflected in the videos that were reviewed by the Election Commission," he said. Chandra said the theory that he cheated by magically exchanging the pen provided by Election Commission to cast the vote was wrong.
"It is a matter to record that the entire election process was transparent and no one, during the vote counting process, could have been certain as to the fact that Congress votes could be rejected/declared invalid as there was no mark to identify as who had marked which ballot," he added.
The fall of events and complaints followed after the election results were aimed at maligning my reputation and goodwill as an elected candidate, he said.
On June 17, lawyer R.K. Anand, who was also in the fray, lodged a complaint with Chandigarh Police against Chandra, BJP legislators Aseem Goel and Bhai Jai Parkash, certain officials from the returning officer's office and other "unknown persons".
11:39 Arbaaz on Salman's rape metaphor: If he feels he needs to apologise, he will
Salman Khan was embroiled in a controversy after he made an insensitive statement at a press meet recently. The 50-year-old actor invited the wrath of people when he compared himself to a raped woman. When asked about his gruelling wrestling training and shooting schedule for Ali Abbas Zafar's Sultan, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor said that he wasn't able to walk straight and felt liked a raped woman.
While Salman's father Salim Khan took to Twitter to apologise on behalf of his on, there has been no public apology from the Wanted actor. When his younger brother Arbaaz Khan was asked about Salman's rape metaphor, he said that he hopes that his brother's intention wasn't bad. And if he feels he needs to apologise, he will do that.
"There is no doubt that in what Salman said, the intention was not bad. Sometimes you say something out of context but your intention is not bad. But if you become oversensitive over it then you can create a controversy out of anything," Arbaaz told IANS.
"I am sure that Salman must have realised that the comparison he made was not appropriate and for that, if he feels that he needs to apologise, he will apologise. I don't think I am entitled to say that he has to apologise or not," Arbaaz said at the logo launch of his film Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai.However, the Prem Ratan Dhan Payo actor immediately retracted the statement and said, "I don't think I should have" and explained that he found it hard to walk.
"I hope that he would give a clarification as a controversy has been created. People look up to him and he has a lot of following. So if he has made a statement that does not look appropriate or does not sound good to the ears, I think in time he will give a statement," Arbaaz added.
Meanwhile, National Commission for Women has demanded an apology from Salman within seven days.
While Salman's father Salim Khan took to Twitter to apologise on behalf of his on, there has been no public apology from the Wanted actor. When his younger brother Arbaaz Khan was asked about Salman's rape metaphor, he said that he hopes that his brother's intention wasn't bad. And if he feels he needs to apologise, he will do that.
"There is no doubt that in what Salman said, the intention was not bad. Sometimes you say something out of context but your intention is not bad. But if you become oversensitive over it then you can create a controversy out of anything," Arbaaz told IANS.
"I am sure that Salman must have realised that the comparison he made was not appropriate and for that, if he feels that he needs to apologise, he will apologise. I don't think I am entitled to say that he has to apologise or not," Arbaaz said at the logo launch of his film Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai.However, the Prem Ratan Dhan Payo actor immediately retracted the statement and said, "I don't think I should have" and explained that he found it hard to walk.
"I hope that he would give a clarification as a controversy has been created. People look up to him and he has a lot of following. So if he has made a statement that does not look appropriate or does not sound good to the ears, I think in time he will give a statement," Arbaaz added.
Meanwhile, National Commission for Women has demanded an apology from Salman within seven days.
11:31 Now, Swamy joins hands with Adityanath to target Mother Teresa
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday extended support to his party MP Yogi Adityanath, who accused Mother Teresa of being part of a 'conspiracy to Christianise India', saying the views are not isolated, as there have been books published in this regard.
"You see the issue of Yogi Adityanath expressing his view is not an isolated view. It is a view which has been reduced to books, there is a writer Christopher Hitchens, who has written a best seller book and if you go to Google you would get a lots of books about her," Swamy told ANI.
Citing an example, Swamy said once a prominent crook, who robbed the pensions of middle class people in California was caught and a trial was taking place and Mother Teresa wrote a letter asking not to prosecute him, as he has given her millions of dollars to further the cause of Christianity in India.
"The judge responded that he was surprised that Mother Teresa was coming on his behalf, as he has robbed the pension of hard working people and in the name of Jesus Christ, asked him to return the money, so that relief can be given to the people," he said. "That is how she was given a rebuke. Why would a religious leader write of a criminal?" he asked. Yogi Adityanath, had earlier accused Mother Teresa of being part of a 'conspiracy to Christianise India'. According to reports the BJP MP while speaking at a religious meeting in Basti accused Mother Teresa of being a part of a conspiracy to convert Hindus to Christianity.
"You see the issue of Yogi Adityanath expressing his view is not an isolated view. It is a view which has been reduced to books, there is a writer Christopher Hitchens, who has written a best seller book and if you go to Google you would get a lots of books about her," Swamy told ANI.
Citing an example, Swamy said once a prominent crook, who robbed the pensions of middle class people in California was caught and a trial was taking place and Mother Teresa wrote a letter asking not to prosecute him, as he has given her millions of dollars to further the cause of Christianity in India.
"The judge responded that he was surprised that Mother Teresa was coming on his behalf, as he has robbed the pension of hard working people and in the name of Jesus Christ, asked him to return the money, so that relief can be given to the people," he said. "That is how she was given a rebuke. Why would a religious leader write of a criminal?" he asked. Yogi Adityanath, had earlier accused Mother Teresa of being part of a 'conspiracy to Christianise India'. According to reports the BJP MP while speaking at a religious meeting in Basti accused Mother Teresa of being a part of a conspiracy to convert Hindus to Christianity.
11:25 Hyderabad techie working for TCS drowns in US
A 25-year-old Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) network engineer from
Vanasthalipuram drowned in a water body in Arizona in the US on Sunday.
The victim, identified as Namboori Sri Datta of Kamala Nagar in Vanasthalipuram, was a network engineer with Tata Consultancy Service (TCS). As a TCS employee, Sri Datta had been working on-site at CVS Health in Tempe, Arizona for the past three years. Read more
The victim, identified as Namboori Sri Datta of Kamala Nagar in Vanasthalipuram, was a network engineer with Tata Consultancy Service (TCS). As a TCS employee, Sri Datta had been working on-site at CVS Health in Tempe, Arizona for the past three years. Read more
11:02 Witnessed with immense pride the skill of our scientists: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation following the successful launch of the PSLV-C34.
In a series of post on Twitter, PM Modi said: "20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment."
"Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives."
"Over the years we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists."
"Saw with immense joy that students from institutions in Pune & Chennai played a role in the making of satellites. This touched me."
"As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science."
"Witnessed with immense pride and delight the brilliant moments on TV & took photos for my Instagram account."
Image: The prime minister tweeted this TV grab of him watching the PSLV-C34 putting the 20 satellites into orbit
10:55 Multi-agency group submits 3 reports on Panama leaks to govt
The multi-agency group probing Panama papers, which named around 500 Indians who have allegedly stashed money in offshore entities, has submitted three reports to the government.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has also been updating the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up under the directions of the Supreme Court to monitor cases related to black money, according to the Revenue Department.
"So far 3 reports have been submitted by the multi-agency group (MAG) to the government. The SIT on black money is being regularly updated on such issues," according to a Revenue Department document.
The government had in April formed MAG to investigate whether the money deposited in tax haven Panama are legal or illegal.
MAG comprises officials from the RBI, I-T department, Financial Intelligence Unit and Foreign Tax and Tax Research.
10:53 Tech Mahindra acquires UK's BIO Agency in all-cash deal
Tech Mahindra today said it has acquired UK-based BIO Agency in an all-cash deal for an enterprise value of up to 45 million pounds, a move that will augment the Indian IT firm's digital services portfolio.
"The consideration is the enterprise value of 40 million pounds plus surplus cash not exceeding 5 million pounds as at the completion date. The payment of 22 million pounds and the surplus cash will be made upfront and the balance as deferred payments based on company performance," Tech Mahindra said in a statement.
The consideration would be cash and Tech Mahindra will acquire 100 per cent of shares in BIO, it added.
Tech Mahindra said the transaction is expected to close in the first week of July 2016.
"The acquisition brings forth a synergy that will open up more clients for BIO globally (especially in Europe and the US), scaling their offering geographically and enabling new services and deeper Digital Change," it said.
10:42 After wanting chief eco adviser out, Swamy targets GST bill
Fresh from opposing chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, it has come to light that Dr Subramanian Swamy is also opposed to the Goods and Services Tax bill, which is on top of the agenda for the Modi government in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
In a communication to the Prime Minister's Office, Dr Swamy is said to have listed out the GST's negatives.
The buzz in Delhi's political circles is that he may abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha as and when it happens, since it is "a Congress bill'. Why should I vote for it, he has begun to ask in private conversations.
Naturally, the BJP leadership is worried over his fresh salvo. Watch this space!
10:26 We have accomplished a major landmark today: ISRO
"We have accomplished a major landmark today," he adds.
The launch gives us immense confidence for us to carry out more complex missions, carry larger number of satellites, says B Jayakumar, ISRO mission director on successful launch of record 20 satellites from Sriharikota.
Congratulating ISRO scientists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives."
10:25
Just In: MeT detartment issues heavy rain alert for seven places of Uttarakhand: Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Nainital, Pauri, Haridwar and Dehradun
10:16 Modi thanks Chinese people for participating in yoga events
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to the Chinese people who turned up in large numbers to participate in yoga events on the International Day of Yoga.
"Glimpses of International Day of Yoga celebrations across China. My gratitude to all those who joined these celebrations in large numbers," he posted on Chinese microblog Weibo which is akin to Twitter.
"I joined a Yoga Day programme in the city of Chandigarh, where I spoke about the benefits of yoga," he said.
Modi has thousands of followers in his Weibo post, opened ahead of his visit to China last year.
Over the years, yoga has become immensely popular in China.
10:00 Swamy now wants Arvind Subramanian, Modi's chief economic adviser, sacked
After targeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, BJP parliamentarian Subramanian Swamy's next target seems to be Arvind Subramanian, the Chief Economic Adviser to the government.
In a series of tweets today, Swamy targetted Subramanian saying: "Modis chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian had opposed India on IPR till recently."
"Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!"
"Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC."
"Now PTs can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/ Fin Institutions."
Swamy cited a Times of India report in 2014 which said that Arvind Subramanian had urged the US to 'initiate disputes against India before the World Trade Organization'.
Subramanian, the report said, had pointed out to the fact that pharmaceutical companies in India sought frivolous patents and then sought extensions on these patents by 'tweaking existing drugs', which they then termed as innovations.
09:35
Just In: Maharashtra Agriculture department advises farmers to delay sowing kharif crops
09:32 ISRO launches 20 satellites in a single mission
Indian Space Research Organisation's trusted workhorse PSLV-C34 lifted-off with 20 satellites at 9.26 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.
In its 36th flight, the PSLV-C34 will launch the 727.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation and 19 co-passenger satellites together weighing about 560 kg at liftoff into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.
This will be the fourteenth flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with the use of solid strap-on motors).
The co-passenger satellites are from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as two satellites from Indian University/Academic Institute.
The total weight of all the 20 satellites carried onboard PSLV-C34 is about 1288 kg.
09:18 Jaguar shot dead after Olympic torch ceremony
BBC reports: A jaguar has been shot dead shortly after it was used in an Olympic torch relay at a zoo in the Brazilian city of Manaus, the army said.
The female jaguar escaped its handlers after the ceremony on Monday and attacked a soldier, a spokesman said.
Four tranquiliser darts failed to stop it and a soldier shot it with a pistol.
Organisers for the Rio Games said it had been a mistake to exhibit the Olympic torch next to a chained wild animal.
Animal rights groups have condemned the killing, with some questioning why the animal was involved in the Olympic event.
09:03 Yoga at world's highest battlefield
Indian Army's Fire and Fury Corps based at the Siachen Glacier took part in the second International Day of Yoga on Tuesday, along with several other high-altitude forward locations in Leh and Kargil.
Apart from giving an impetus to physical fitness, the event also spread awareness on benefits of Yoga amongst the soldiers.
The Indian Army has incorporated Yoga Asanas into the daily routine of the soldier in High Altitude Areas deployed in harsh climatic conditions.
Practice of Yoga by soldiers in such an environment helps them to combat various diseases such as high altitude sickness, hypoxia, pulmonary odema and the psychological stresses of isolation and fatigue.
The respiratory adaptations of Pranayama help the soldiers to better adapt to the low oxygen environment in High Altitude Areas.
08:59 Two-day international conference on yoga kicks off today
Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari will inaugurate a two-day international conference on 'Yoga for Body and Beyond' organised by the Ministry of AYUSH at Vigyan Bhawan 11 am on Wednesday, in which 70 delegates from 32 countries will participate.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Professor H R Nagendra will address the valedictory session of the conference on Thursday.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik will be the Guest of Honour in both the sessions.
Apart from international resource persons, about 70 international delegates from 32 countries have confirmed their participation in the Conference. The countries include Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria, Malaysia, Spain, Russia, Portugal, Australia, Belgium, China, Egypt, Iceland, Japan, Kuwait, Korea, Kenya, Slovenia, Uzbekistan and the UAE.
08:52 Voting starts in Anantnag on dull note; Mehbooba Mufti in fray
Voting for the by-elections to this south Kashmir Assembly seat started Wednesday morning on a dull note.
An overcast sky and the urge to sleep longer than usual after the morning prayers during the ongoing month of Ramadan kept most people indoors.
Voters were seen in twos and fours walking leisurely towards the polling stations.
Reports from the rural areas also said early voter enthusiasm and queues of people outside polling stations were conspicuous by their absence.
Authorities, however, said voting was likely to pick up as the day progresses.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is contesting elections from Anantnag to enter the state legislature -- a mandatory requirement for any chief minister of the state to fulfil within six months of being sworn in.
08:05
A record 46.5 million people register for Britain's European Union membership referendum tomorrow.
08:03
President Mukherjee to visit Uttarakhand to pay obeisance at Kedarnath Dham of Rudraprayag district today.
07:50 Navy to hold mock search and rescue exercise today
Indian Navy will conduct a search and rescue exercise today near Kochi, Kerala in a bid to assess its preparedness to deal with a situation of military/civil aircraft crash over the land.
The entire exercise involving a mock crash will be coordinated by Naval Air Station, INS Garuda under the Southern Naval Command Headquarters here, a release said.
The aircraft crash would be simulated at the Alleppey Helipad, it said.
The exercise will be conducted in three phases -- Initiation of SAR (Search and Rescue) organisation, search of aircraft crash site and rescue of survivors and salvage of the aircraft, where all aircraft of Southern Naval Command and Coast Guard aircraft will take part.
Specialised crash and salvage team of the air station will participate in the last phase and the exercise would be concluded after completion of activities in the late hours today, the release added.
07:49 Team India coach: Advisory committee to submit report to BCCI today
The three-member high-profile Cricket Advisory Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India is likely to submit its report to the BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke on selection of a new coach for Team India.
The committee including Sachin Tendulkar (via video conference), Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, interviewed as many as seven candidates in a marathon session on Tuesday during which the candidates revealed their individual roadmaps on Indian cricket.
The final announcement on the new coach is likely to be made by the BCCI president on June 24 on the sidelines of the Board's Annual Conclave in Dharamsala.
07:49 Cabinet may consider mega spectrum auction plan today
The Union Cabinet is likely to discuss today the mega-spectrum auction plan in which airwaves worth Rs 5.66 lakh crore will be put for sale.
"The Cabinet is likely to take up spectrum auction proposal. The timeline for auction will be prepared after the Cabinet approval," a source said.
Government expects to raise at least Rs 64,000 crore from the auction of about 2300 Mhz of spectrum and Rs 98,995 crore from various levies and services in the telecom sector.
According to sources, the main document of auction, notice inviting application, is likely to be issued by July 1, followed by pre-bid conference on July 6 and bidding from September 1. However, the same has not been officially confirmed.
As per rules approved by inter-ministerial panel, the auction would include sale of most premium 700 Mhz band at a price of Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz. The cost of delivering mobile services in this band is estimated to be around 70 per cent lower than 2100 Mhz band, used for providing 3G services.
04:14 Hope Obama's successor would take India-US ties further: White House
The White House hopes that the outgoing US President Barack Obama's successor would understand the significance of India-US ties and take it further.
"Hopefully, the President's successor in the oval office will be somebody who recognises how important it is to build on the strong US-India relationship that's been established under the leadership of President Obama and Prime Minister Modi," the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, was just at the White House a couple of weeks ago.
"That gave both leaders an opportunity to spend time together and to, not just deepen their personal relationship, but actually strengthen the relationship between our two countries," he said in response to a question.
"In the seven months that the President has remaining in office, I'm confident that he will continue to work closely with Prime Minister Modi to advance our shared goals," he said.
Earnest said there is a shared commitment between India and the US to fight against terrorism.
"There is a shared commitment to the idea that using violence or threat to accomplish a political goal, goes against everything that we believe in," he said.
"It goes against everything that we stand for and it is a testament to the world's two largest democracies that we are committed to resolving our differences -- our political differences through a political process, that something is messy, that sometimes is less than efficient, that sometimes takes longer than it should," he noted.
"But a commitment to resolve our differences peacefully and in the context of an established political process and the rule of law, is something that binds the United States and India as the commitment to these principles is important," Earnest said.
"That is why the United States and India have been able to work effectively to combat terrorism and we obviously value that a counter-terrorism relationship between our two countries and our cooperation on those issues has been enhanced under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and as a result of the effective working relationship between Prime Minister Modi and President Obama," the White House Press Secretary said.
04:09 North Korea launches missile but test appears to have failed
North Korea has launched another medium-range rocket, but the latest test appears to have failed, according to US and South Korean officials.
An official from South Koreas defence ministry told AFP that the North fired an unidentified missile off its east coast shortly before 6am on Wednesday morning.
The launch appears to have failed, the official said, without elaborating.
The US military also detected the missile launch, Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman from the US militarys Pacific Command, told Reuters.
Earlier, Japanese and South Korean media quoted military officials saying Pyongyang was readying another launch of its mid-range Musudan ballistic missile.
Read more about it HERE
03:35 New York approves unisex bathrooms in nod to transgender people
The New York City Council on Tuesday approved a law requiring single-stall public bathrooms to be gender neutral in a show of support for transgender people, the bill's main sponsor said.
The council voted 47-2 for the measure, which will take effect Jan. 1.
Many New York City restaurants already mark their single-stall bathrooms without gender designations or as apt for both sexes, but the new law is meant to make the practice standard and recognize transgender people, Councilman Daniel Dromm said."This sends a message that New York City supports the transgender community and understands the issue," Dromm said.
A law passed by North Carolina that requires people to use the public bathroom matching their gender assigned at birth rather than their gender identity triggered wide criticism and led a parade of celebrity performers to boycott the state.
Read MORE
03:28 Yoga underscores deep ties between India and the US: WH
Yoga, practiced by millions of Americans daily, underscores deep cultural ties between India and the US, the White House has said on the occasion of second International Day of Yoga.
"There are millions of Americans who benefit from the studious pursuit of yoga and there are many mental and physical health benefits associated with those who pursue this practice regularly," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
"It underscores the deep cultural ties between our two countries. It certainly is a way that the American people have benefited from the rich and ancient culture of India," Earnest said.
In December 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution with a record number of 177 co-sponsoring member states to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
02:50 Sanjay Valvani, accused of insider trading found dead
Sanjay Valvani, the Visium Asset Management partner charged with insider trading last week, was found dead in an apparent suicide at his Brooklyn home.
New York City police were called to his home on Monday night, where they found a knife near his body. Valvani died after an apparent, self-inflicted slash to the neck, a spokeswoman said.
We mourn the tragic loss of Sanjay, a devoted father, husband and friend, Jacob Gottlieb, Visiums founder, said in a statement Tuesday.
The stunning development follows Valvanis arrest last week on insider trading charges, which led to Visiums decision to liquidate four of its hedge funds. Valvani, a top lieutenant of Gottliebs, reaped more than $32 million from trades in drug companies using secret tips, according to federal prosecutors. Valvanis lawyer said he was innocent of the charges.
At Visium, Valvani oversaw a portfolio of specialty-pharmaceutical stocks. His performance was so good that rivals at other hedge funds would question Visium employees at conferences about Valvanis confidence in his trades, a former colleague said. Valvani managed as much as $2 billion, including borrowed money, before he was put on leave in April.
02:40 Obama denounces Senate failure to act on gun measures
President Barack Obama has denounced the Senate's failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida.
Obama says on Twitter that the Senate failed the American people and that gun violence requires more than moment of silence.
The White House has said previously that tweets from his account are from Obama himself.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the vote is a "a shameful display of cowardice" He told CNN that the Republican-led chamber's blocking of four gun control proposals yesterday does nothing to keep extremists from acquiring guns.
Earnest said lawmakers lament gun violence but "don't do anything about it." He said that while no bill can prevent all gun violence, "why wouldn't we do more?"
02:11 EU agrees to extend Russia economic sanctions: sources
The European Union's Brussels envoys agreed on Tuesday to extend until the end of January the energy, financial and defense sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, but formal approval is still pending, diplomatic sources said.
After more than two years of sanctions imposed over Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Kiev and a pro-Russian insurrection in eastern Ukraine, more EU politicians are now urging a softer stance toward Russia, a key trade partner and energy provider.
The initial decision on Tuesday must still be formally approved by the bloc's ministers after France and Britain asked for time to receive comments from their parliaments, although these have no power to block it.
That could come as early as Friday or be delayed. Italy has asked to defer formal approval until after EU leaders meet in Brussels on June 28-29, calling for the summit conclusions to say they would "debate" their stance on Russia in October.
Read HERE
01:34 Trump would send US economy back into recession: Clinton
Republican presidential presumptive nominee Donald Trump would throw the United States economy back into recession, his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday as she unveiled her economic policies which she claimed would result in creation of jobs and put back the country on the path of prosperity.
"If Donald Trump were to get behind the wheel of the American economy, he would very likely drive us off a cliff, and working families would bear the brunt of the impact of lost jobs, lost savings and lost livelihoods," Clinton said in a major speech on her economic policies in Columbus, Ohio.
"That's the natural conclusion when you look at Trump's policy proposals, his rash and reckless temperament, and his record in the private sector of doing harm to working families and small businesses," she said.
In a blistering attack on Trump, Clinton underlined that according to liberals and conservatives the real estate tycoon's ideas would be disastrous.
"The Chamber of Commerce and labour unions. Mitt Romney and Elizabeth Warren, economists on the right, the left and the center all agree: Trump would throw us back into recession," she said.
"Trump would take us back to where we were before the crisis. He'd rig the economy for Wall Street again. That will not happen on my watch, I guarantee you," Clinton said.
"The US does not do business Trump's way, and it matters when a presidential candidate talks like this, because the world hangs on every word our president says," she said.
01:31 'P V Narasimha Rao was elected for PM's post by Cong MPs, not nominated'
Contrary to the popular perception, P V Narasimha Rao was elected as the Prime Minister by Congress MPs in 1991 and not nominated to the post, senior journalist Sanjaya Baru said.
"On 19th May (1991) Sharad Pawar announced that he was a candidate. Arjun Singh announced that he was a candidate and Narasimha Rao also announced that he was a candidate. On 20th June 1991, the Congress Parliamentary Party elected Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister, because majority of the members from entire south India, even Orissa and Bengal, wanted Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister.
"Only the MPs from Maharashtra supported Sharad Pawar. Some of the MPs from north India supported Arjun Singh. So, Narasimha Rao was an elected Prime Minister. He was not nominated. He was not selected," Baru said.
Baru, who has worked as media adviser to the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was speaking at a panel discussion to mark the 25th anniversary of Rao becoming the Prime Minister. Baru's new book "1991-the year that changed India" would be released next month.
Former RBI Governor I G Patel was Rao's first choice for Finance Minister's post and he approached Manmohan Singh after Patel declined the offer, Baru mentioned.
Dismissing the claims that Rao only implemented suggestions on the economic reforms programme, he said it was Rao who decided to implement the policies.
"Various committees submitted a series of reports suggesting various policy changes. None of these policy changes were implemented during the five years when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. He had 400 MPs in Parliament... It was Narasimha Rao who decided to implement those policies."
Alleging that Congress refused to recognise Rao's role in steering the country in difficult times, Baru claimed that the party even removed him from history books.
Former CBI director Vijayarama Rao said Rao did whatever he could to prevent the demolition of Babri masjid in Ayodhya.
Narasimha Rao's grandson Subhash, a BJP leader, hoped that the Centre would bestow Bharat Ratna on the departed leader.
00:48 Record numbers register to vote in British EU referendum
A record number of voters have registered for Britain's European Union membership referendum on Thursday with 46.5 million people signed up to cast their ballots, the body overseeing the vote said.
"The provisional size of the UK and Gibraltar electorate indicates a UK record of 46,499,537," the Electoral Commission said in a statement.
The previous record was in last year's general election when the number was 46,354,197.
As with British parliamentary elections, Irish citizens living in Britain -- a population estimated at around 500,000 people -- are allowed to vote.
Commonwealth citizens, including nationals of European Union member states Cyprus and Malta, can also vote.
The commission said 24,117 people had registered in Gibraltar.
The deadline for registering was June 7 but this was extended by two days after a rush of last-minute sign-ups caused the official registration website to crash.
Around 132,000 of the 525,000 people who did successfully register on June 7 were aged under 25, compared to around 13,000 from the 65 to 74 age group.
Opinion polls have shown a clear generational divide, with younger voters more in favour of staying in the EU while older voters tend to favour a Brexit.
Younger people are also traditionally seen as less likely to vote, meaning that high registration numbers could favour the "Remain" side.
00:42 Orlando gunman visited club on night of attack, left and returned
The Orlando gunman went to the Pulse nightclub earlier Saturday night and then left before returning to carry out his attack as the gay club prepared to close early Sunday morning, law enforcement officials say.
The gunman paid the entry fee, obtained a wrist band, and entered the club, the officials said. Investigators believe he may have been checking the club security. Surveillance video, cell phone tracking along with witness interviews have helped the FBI to build a timeline of his whereabouts on the night of the attack. But they are still working to determine what he was doing for a two-hour period between when he left the club and returned.
The day before, he had bought three plane tickets for him, his wife, Noor Salman, and child to travel from West Palm Beach to San Francisco in July. Investigators don't know why, if he was planning an attack, he made travel plans.
When the gunman left his home Saturday in Fort Pierce about a two-hour drive away from Orlando, he was angry and he carried a bag with his guns, his wife has told investigators.
She said she pleaded with him to not leave, grabbing him by the arm, she told investigators in an interview. She didn't know he was planning the attack, she said.
She tried multiple times during the night to send him text messages and to call him.
The wife has now retained an attorney to represent her, law enforcement officials said. Her initial questioning came before she got a lawyer.
00:16 Man performs yoga for 69 hours aiming to enter record book
In his bid to enter Guiness Bookof World Records, a 45-year-old man successfully completedperforming yoga continuously for 69 hours on the second International Day of Yoga on Tuesday in nearby Pollachi.
The attempt by Dr V Gunasekaran titled 'Longest Yoga Marathon (Male)' began at 5 pm on June 18 and ended at 2 pm on Tuesday.
Gunasekaran said that he took break for five minutes every one hour, as allowed, during which he consumed fruits and performed 200 asanas in the course of attempt.
Though the adjudicator from the Guinness was not present, there were videos, photographs, timekeeper and nearly 1,000audience during the four days, which will be sent for the entry into the record book, Gunasekaran said.
The attempt by Dr V Gunasekaran titled 'Longest Yoga Marathon (Male)' began at 5 pm on June 18 and ended at 2 pm on Tuesday.
Gunasekaran said that he took break for five minutes every one hour, as allowed, during which he consumed fruits and performed 200 asanas in the course of attempt.
Though the adjudicator from the Guinness was not present, there were videos, photographs, timekeeper and nearly 1,000audience during the four days, which will be sent for the entry into the record book, Gunasekaran said.
00:09 Top headlines at this hour
WH denounces 'coward' senators for rejecting gun control bills
Euro: Blaszczykowski strike sends Poland into last 16
Euro: Germany beat Northern Ireland 1-0 to win group
Yoga is not a religious activity, embrace it: PM Modi
Bihar toppers scam: Lalkeshwar Singh, Usha Sinha sent to JC
Girri ends fast after Rajnath visits him at protest site
'Pak has successfully thwarted India's NSG bid'
Read yesterday's live commentary HERE
Euro: Blaszczykowski strike sends Poland into last 16
Euro: Germany beat Northern Ireland 1-0 to win group
Yoga is not a religious activity, embrace it: PM Modi
Bihar toppers scam: Lalkeshwar Singh, Usha Sinha sent to JC
Girri ends fast after Rajnath visits him at protest site
'Pak has successfully thwarted India's NSG bid'
Read yesterday's live commentary HERE
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