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Fri, 26 July 2019
Azam asked to appear before Speaker on Monday

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22:34   17 flights diverted at Mumbai airport as rains lash city
17 inbound flights were diverted from the Mumbai airport on Friday as the city witnessed heavy downpour, airport authorities said.

17 flights were diverted to nearby airports and four flights had to do 'go-around' before they could land, a spokesperson of the Mumbai airport said in the evening.

As the downpour revived the memories of the much greater monsoon fury the city had witnessed on July 26, 2005, there were delays of on average more than one hour in airport operations. Intense spells of rain are likely to continue in the districts of Thane, Raigad and Mumbai, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said earlier in the day.  -- PTI
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22:32   Azam asked to appear before Speaker on Monday
Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan was informed on Friday to appear before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on July 29 and tender an unconditional apology in the House for his sexist remarks against Bharatiya Janata Party MP Rama Devi, sources said.

On Friday evening, the Lok Sabha speaker's office reached out to Khan and informed him to appear before Birla on Monday, they said.

According to the sources, if Khan fails to apologise, a resolution authorising the speaker to take 'exemplary action' against him will be passed.

Leaders across party lines are of the view that a message should be sent that the House has zero tolerance towards such acts which lower the dignity and honour of women, they added.

The resolution is likely to be moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and is expected to be supported by leaders of all political parties.

Earlier in the day, members in Lok Sabha condemned the sexist remarks by Khan against the Bihar MP and demanded exemplary action against him.   -- PTI
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21:38   Heavy rains in Mumbai: Police, IMD issue alerts
Indian Meteorological Department's latest warning on rains in Mumbai and Konkan region:

'Due to the strengthening of monsoon currents & formation of low pressure area over North West Bay of Bengal, rainfall intensity is very likely to increase over North Konkan during next 48 hours.'

Mumbai is experiencing heavy rains and waterlogging in several areas for the past few hours.

'City is expecting intermittent heavy showers all through the night. We request commuters to not venture in water logged areas and also request you all to maintain distance from the sea. Please tweet to us or call on 100 in any emergency/need of help,' Mumbai Police tweeted.

International Airport Limited Public Relations Officer said nine flight diversions have taken place so far. Visibility fluctuating from time to time.

Meanwhile, part of a wall on second floor of Khakhar Building in Mumbai collapsed. No injuries reported so far.

More details awaited.  -- ANI
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21:04   BJP will give stable govt in K'taka: Shah
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Friday congratulated B S Yediyurappa after he took oath as Karnataka chief minister, and expressed confidence that the party will run a stable, pro-farmer and development-oriented government under him.

'Congrats to BS Yediyurappa, newly sworn in CM of Karnataka. I am sure under his leadership and under the guidance of PM Modi, BJP will give a stable, pro-farmer and development oriented govt in the state. I assure people of Karnataka that BJP is committed to fulfil their aspirations,' Shah, also the Union home minister, tweeted.

Yediyurappa was sworn in as chief minister of the state for the fourth time on Friday.

Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 76-year old leader at a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.  -- PTI
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20:32   Eknath Gaikwad appointed working president of Mumbai Cong
Former Lok Sabha MP Eknath Gaikwad was appointed the working president of the Mumbai Congress.

The announcement was made by All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal through a statement on Friday, with party sources claiming that one more person will be appointed to the post of working president.

Milind Deora, who had announced his resignation as Mumbai unit chief owing to the party's poor Lok Sabha showing, has been asked to continue, sources close to the former Mumbai South Lok Sabha MP said.

Sources said Gaikwad's name was suggested by Deora as part of a panel to lead the party's city unit till state assembly polls slated for this year.

Two-time MP Gaikwad was defeated in the April-May general elections by Shiv Sena's Rahul Shewale.  -- PTI
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20:17   Heavy rains in Mumbai, IMD warns of thunderstorm
India Meteorological Department, Mumbai, says that severe thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and strong surface winds exceeding 50-60 kmph will occur in Thane, Raigad and Mumbai during next four hours.

Mumbai is witnessing heavy rains accompanied with strong winds for the past couple of hours.

Heavy traffic jams were seen on several roads and highways in Mumbai.

Public Relations Officer at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai said flights are delayed by 30 minutes on average, due to heavy rains since last two hours.   -- with ANI inputs
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19:44   What happened yesterday has pained me: Naidu
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday expressed 'pain' over Thursday's incident in the upper house during voting process on Right to Information (Amendment) Bill that witnessed chaos and pandemonium after the House rejected Opposition's demand to refer the Bill to a Select Committee.

"What happened yesterday has pained me. It has pained the people of the country also. There are children in the gallery too. I don't want to elaborate on that. We should see to it that such situations and such scenes are avoided in future," Naidu said as soon as Zero Hour concluded.

He clarified that any Bill originating from Lok Sabha is taken up in this House and if any member wants to move amendments then those amendments and Bills would be taken up together for discussion.

"That has been the practice in the House since long. They would be taken up first after discussion and then, there would be voting on amendments. If the amendments are carried out, to refer it to the Select Committee, then there is no meaning in having voted on the Bill. If the amendment is negatived, then there would be voting on the Bill also. This has been the tradition," he said.

On Thursday many of the opposition members had sought for disposing of the amendments moved by the members first and then take up the Bill for discussion.

As the voting process was going on in the House, some of the members from the treasury benches were seen instructing other members.

Soon after opposition members angrily rushed towards them.

They were having some arguments with C M Ramesh, who recently quit Telugu Desam Party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

As the confrontation took a new turn with some of the opposition members objecting to Ramesh's act, Deputy Chairman Harivansh asked him to go back to his seat.

The Congress and other opposition members protested against Ramesh's action and staged a walkout.

"I have been making observations in the House from time to time. Not just during voting but even during normal times, members coming from one side, going to the minister, or somebody from that side going to the other side and trying to talk to others. These scenes are not good because live telecast is going on," he said, urging the members to follow the decorum and maintain standards in the House.

The Chairman also said he does not want standing and voting which is going on in Lok Sabha these days."We have elders here. It won't look nice making members stand and count the votes and then if there is some problem asking them to stand up again," he said.

Soon after Chairman's observation, Congress' Digvijay Singh asked the chair to reprimand the member who was involved in Thursday's incident.

Responding to Singh, MoS Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan said the video footage of the proceedings should be examined so that truth can come out. -- ANI
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19:09   SC notice to Centre, states for non-implementation of its directions against mob lynching
The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre's response on the allegation that it has not implemented a slew of directions issued last year to curb lynching and mob violence.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta issued notices to the Ministry of Home Affairs and state governments on a petition filed by an organisation, Anti-Corruption Council of India Trust.

Senior advocate Anukul Chandra Pradhan, appearing for the trust, said incidents of lynching were increasing and no step was being taken to implement the directions of the apex court aimed at tackling the menace of mob lynching.

The trust said a slew of directions passed on July 17, 2018 by the apex court to the government to provide 'preventive, remedial and punitive measures' to deal with offences like mob violence have not been implemented.

The directions were passed on the PIL by Congress activist Tehsin Poonavall who had brought the issue of rising incidents of mob lynching and cow vigilantism.

The apex court had asked Parliament to consider enacting a new law to sternly deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism, warning that such incidents may rise like a 'Typhon-like monster' across the country.

The top court had said that it was the duty of the states to strive and promote fraternity amongst all citizens, as such mob violence was being instigated by intolerance and misinformed by circulation of fake news and false stories.

The apex court had said there was a need to enact a special law as it would instill a sense of fear for law amongst those who involve themselves in mob lynching.

It had said it was the duty of state governments to ensure law and order in the society, besides ensuring that the rule of law prevailed.  -- PTI
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18:46   Yediyurappa sworn-in as K'taka CM for 4th time
B S Yediyurappa takes oath as Karnataka Chief Minister for the fourth time.

He was administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru.

Yediyurappa was wearing his characteristic green shawl and was sworn-in amid loud cheers from party workers and supporters.
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18:30   Kashmir issue should be resolved via dialogue between India, Pak: China
China on Friday said India and Pakistan should peacefully settle the Kashmir issue and other disputes through dialogue and expressed its support to the international community, including the United States, in playing a 'constructive role' to improve the Indo-Pak ties.

China's reaction came after US President Donald Trump on Monday offered to be the 'mediator' between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said 'as a neighbour to both Pakistan and India, China sincerely hopes that Pakistan and India can live in harmony'.

"We hope the two countries can peacefully settle the Kashmir issue and other bilateral disputes through dialogue, and make concerted efforts to safeguard peace and stability in South Asia," Hua said in a guarded reaction.

Trump, who is known to make inaccurate statements, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue during the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

"We support the international community, the US included, in playing a constructive role in improving Pakistan-India relations through dialogue," Hua was quoted as saying by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the official news agency of Pakistan.

India has denied Trump's claim and said Modi made no such request and Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has refuted that Prime Minister Modi ever made the request to Trump.

"I would like to categorically assure the House that no such request has been made by the Prime Minister to the US President. I repeat, no such request was made by the Prime Minister to the US President," he said in a statement to Parliament.

After Trump's remarks, the US State Department, in a damage control effort, later said it considered Kashmir a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and was ready to help only if the two countries wanted.

Over the years, China's official stand on Kashmir has been that it is an issue left over by history and should be properly addressed by India and Pakistan through consultation and negotiations.  -- PTI
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18:21   No politics of vengeance under my rule: BSY
Ahead of taking oath as Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday asserted that there would be no politics of vengeance in his rule and he would take the opposition along.

In his address to Bharatiya Janata Party workers before proceeding to the Raj Bhavan for the swearing in, he said, "We have to show the difference in the administration. There will be no politics of vengeance and I will take the opposition along."

He said the support from the Centre would help him deliver a good administration in the state.

Flaying the previous Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government, Yediyurappa said there was 'Tughlaq Darbar' and development had come to a grinding halt.

Speaking about the sudden turn of events on government formation Friday, he said the party national president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah called him in the morning and asked him to prepare for the oath.

Promising to give an honest administration, he underlined the role of BJP workers.

"The role of party workers is huge. Farmers, fishermen, potters, weavers, the tribal and the downtrodden communities have huge expectations from the new government. Without your(party workers) support, I cannot live up to theirexpectations," Yediyurappa said.

Prior to addressing the workers, the BJP leader visited the Kadu Malleswara temple right behind the BJP state headquarters Jagannath Bhavan.  -- PTI
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18:03   India has received satellite data on flood-hit regions from 8 nations: MEA
India has received satellite data on its flood-hit regions from eight nations, including the United States, China and Russia, as part of a multilateral mechanism for sharing space-based data for countries affected by natural or man-made disasters, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.

Whenever there is a natural disaster, the National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) and member space agencies of 32 other countries which are a part of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters can activate the platform, the ministry said.

"The charter then seeks the information pertaining to the disaster-hit area available with all the 33 member space agencies. This is the standard practice," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to a query on sharing of satellite data for flood relief efforts.

The NRSC represents the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a member of the charter which has been set up under the UN-SPIDER (United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response), he said.

"By combining earth observation assets from different space agencies, the charter allows resources and expertise to be coordinated for rapid response to major disaster situations," he said.

Due to the heavy floods in India, the charter was activated on July 17 by the NRSC, Kumar said.

"Under the charter, so far data has been received from eight countries, including USGS (United States Geological Survey), CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), ESA (European Space Agency), ROSCOSMOS (Russian space agency), Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA) and three others," he said.

ISRO has also provided information to other space agencies in response to similar requests, Kumar said.

Earlier, the Chinese ambassador here said his country has provided India satellite data on the country's flood-hit regions to assist in New Delhi's flood relief efforts.

'Following ISRO's request for international disaster relief support, China has provided India with satellite data on India's flood-hit regions to assist its flood relief efforts. Hope all gets well soon,' China's Ambassador to India Sun Weidong said in a tweet.

Large parts of India's northeast and Bihar are grappling with a worsening flood situation.  -- PTI
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17:52   Yediyurappa en route to Raj Bhavan to take oath
Bharatiya Janata Party state president B S Yediyurappa en route to Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru to take oath as chief minister.

He will be sworn-in shortly.  -- ANI
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17:46   Speaker will ask Azam Khan to apologise: Pralhad Joshi
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will ask Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan to apologise on the floor of the House for his sexist remarks against Bharatiya Janata Party member Rama Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Friday.

In a meeting of floor leaders of all parties chaired by the Lok Sabha Speaker, it was decided that Khan should apologise or face action.

"The Speaker will ask Azam Khan to apologise over his comments made against Rama Devi without any condition in the House. If he does not do so, the Speaker has been authorised to take action against him," Joshi said.

Several women MPs cutting across party lines have also written to the Speaker demanding stringent action against Khan.

Rama Devi said he should be suspended for entire five years from Lok Sabha.

Earlier, women members in Lok Sabha on Friday spoke in one voice condemning Khan for his sexist remarks and demanded that he apologise or else he should be suspended from the House.

During Zero Hour, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said Khan's remarks in Lok Sabha on Thursday during the debate on triple talaq bill were a 'blot' on all legislators, including men.  -- PTI
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17:43   Ahead of swearing-in, Yediyurappa offers prayers
Bharatiya Janata Party state president B S Yediyurappa offers prayers at Kadu Malleshwara temple in Bengaluru.

He will take oath as chief minister at 6 pm, today.  -- ANI
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17:37   Jharkhand minister asks Muslim MLA to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'
After unrestrained 'Ram bhakts', a BJP minister in Jharkhand was on Friday seen on national TV brazenly asking a Muslim MLA to chant 'Jai Shri Ram', insisting he was a "Ram wala" and that "Babur or Timur Lang", the medieval era Muslim conquerors, were not his ancestors. 


It all started on a lighter note when C P Singh, the state's urban development minister, and Irfan Ansari, a Congress MLA, were standing outside the Legislative Assembly surrounded by cameramen. Singh was seen wrapping his arm around Ansari's shoulders and asking him to chant the slogan hailing the Lord. "Ek baar zor se Jai Shri Ram boliye (say Jai Shri Ram vigorously," Singh told Ansari, who smilingly showed the red 'Mauli' tied on his right hand. The sacred thread is usually tied by Hindu priests on the hands of believers to ward off evil. 


But what had started as good-natured banter soon turned into a heated argument when the minister repeated his demand, saying "you also belong to Ram. Babur, Timur Lang, (Mahmud) Ghazni, (Muhammad) Ghori were not your ancestors". "Ram ka naam badnaam mat kariye. Ram sabke hain. (Don't bring a bad name to Ram. He belongs to everyone)," the young MLA shot back. "People need jobs, roads, electricity. They want drains to be cleaned. Go to Ayodhya and see the condition of Ram there," a visibly agitated Ansari said. 

As the tussle appeared getting out of hand, the two lawmakers disengaged and went their separate ways.
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17:34   Ahead of swearing-in Yeddy changes spelling
Karnataka BJP President BS Yediyurappa will be sworn in as Chief Minister for the fourth time on Friday evening, three days after the collapse of H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) government. That's right, the CM designate has changed his spelling. 


In his latest letter to Governor Vajubhai Vala, staking claim to form government, he calls himself BS Yediyurappa, and changed his spelling on his Twitter account as well.


Yeddyurappas 2018 election affidavit spells his name as BS Yeddyurappa, but sometime between being a two-day CM in May 2018 and wannabe-CM in July 2019, Yeddyurappa has dropped a 'd' and a 'i' to his name, going back to his earlier spelling of 'BS Yediyurappa.
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17:30   Yediyurappa asks departmental heads to put on hold orders issued in July
Karnataka Chief Minister-designate BS Yediyurappa has instructed heads of all departments to put on hold orders relating to new projects that were issued in the current month by the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government until further review. He has also put on hold all transfers that were cleared, but have not been executed.
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17:15   Sensex snaps 6-session falling streak
Snapping its six-session falling streak, equity benchmark BSE Sensex ended 51.81 points higher on Friday, led by select finance and private bank stocks. While subdued corporate earnings, foreign fund outflows and weak global cues continue to weigh on the markets, hopes of above-average rainfall in the next two weeks buoyed investor sentiment to some extent, traders said. 


After a choppy session, the 30-share Sensex ended 51.81 points or 0.14 per cent higher at 37,882.79. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 32.15 points or 0.29 per cent to settle at 11,284.30. During the week, the Sensex lost 454.22 points or 1.18 per cent, while the Nifty fell 134.95 points or 1.18 per cent. 


Yes Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack Friday, rallying 9.64 per cent. Bajaj Finance soared 7.20 per cent after the company posted its highest-ever quarterly consolidated net profit at Rs 1,195 crore for the June quarter. Other gainers included Hero MotoCorp, M&M, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Asian Paints and Kotak Bank, rising up to 3.21 per cent. -- PTI
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16:15   Pak yet to rehabilitate locals displaced in Kargil War
Even after 20 years, thousands of civilians, displaced due to the Kargil War, are still languishing in refugee slums while waiting for the Pakistani authorities to rehabilitate them.


Many like Zainab Bibi, who fled from Pakistan occupied Kashmir's Ganokh, are still waiting for official promises to materialise, even as life thrives on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC), according to M Ilyas Khan for BBC.


"We were at home and it was night time, around 8 pm. We saw shells exploding on the mountaintops, so we rushed to the cave bunkers," Zainab told the British broadcaster.


At least 20,000 people had to flee from Kharmang valley -- where Ganokh is located -- due to a covert operation by the Pakistani military which later turned into a full-fledged conflict. 


"It led to defeat and embarrassment, and triggered events that culminated in the country's (Pakistan) third military coup in 50 years," Khan wrote.


While the displaced population has doubled after two decades, at least 70 per cent of them are yet to return to their lands which were ravaged by the war. They haven't been compensated for their loss, even though the Pakistani Army has taken over their land. Bombs and landmines, which are still strewn across the area, further make their properties inhabitable, making many believe that they have been "abandoned" by the Pakistani government.


"This is mainly due to the absence of any government-led rehabilitation program, or because their lands have been taken over by the army," Wazir Farman, a member of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan told BBC.


Gangani, Brolmo and Badigam Bresel, which were closest to the frontline, were completely destroyed in the war. The areas are still off-limits for the displaced locals, as the Pakistani Army has set up barracks and bunkers in them.


"Protests by the villagers in Skardu in 2003 and 2004 forced the district administration to set up a team including military officials to carry out a survey of their losses. In 2010, a compensation package of 110 million Pakistani rupees (about USD 6,80,000) was worked out for the three villages, but the money has not been paid," Khan reported.


"We held meetings with the army force commander in Skardu, with the chief minister in Gilgit, we traveled to Islamabad to discuss the issue with officials of the ministries of defence and Kashmir affairs," Bu-Ali Rizwani, one displaced village elder from Brolmo said.


"The army told us the government would pay. The Kashmir ministry said the Gilgit-Baltistan government would pay. It said the army would pay. We chased the matter until 2012, and then we gave up" he added.


"In Gulatari region, the military has been delaying payment of a much smaller amount of about 1.9 million Pakistani rupees to residents whose land it acquired to build a jeep track to its forward posts in 1999. The delay has come despite a 2010 court ruling in favour of the landowners," Khan said. 
-- ANI
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15:55   Mum-Ahd Bullet train by 2023: Piyush Goyal
Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail also known as the Bullet Train Project, has been sanctioned with a target to be completed by 2023, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.In a written reply to Dr Vikas Mahatme, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that the MAHSR project of 508-kilometre length has been sanctioned by the Government.


"This project is being executed by a special purpose vehicle namely National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited, with the financial and technical assistance from the Government of Japan. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 1,08,000 crore," he said.


So far, the expenditure of Rs 3226.8 crore has been incurred on the project up to June 2019, he said in his statement.Responding to when will the Government expand the bullet train network all over the country, the Minister of Railways informed: "Bullet Train or High-Speed Rail Projects are highly capital and technology-intensive, and therefore, their proposals for other sections are subject to technical feasibility, financial and economic viability and availability of funding". -- ANI


Image: PM Narendra Modi with Japan PM Shinzo Abe. The jury is still out on whether the project is a colossal and criminal waste of expenditure or a necessity. 
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15:42   Iran releases 9 Indians detained aboard MT Riah: MEA
Iran has released nine out of the 12 Indian crew members who were detained on board a vessel named MT Riah, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.


The vessel and its crew were detained by the Iranian Coast Guard on July 13.


"Nine crew members have been released and they will be on their way to India soon. Our Mission in Iran has requested the concerned Iranian authorities for the release of remaining crew members," said MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.


This comes shortly after India availed consular access to 18 Indian crew members on board the UK-flagged Stena Impero which was seized by Iran last week.


"(They) are safe and doing fine. Will continue to push for their early release," tweeted Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday. -- ANI
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15:39   PNB reports surprise profit of Rs 1019 crore for Q1
Punjab National Bank on Friday reported a net profit of Rs 1,018.6 crore for the quarter ended June 2019 (Q1 FY20) despite a marginal rise in non-performing assets against a net loss of Rs 940 crore in a year-ago period.


Gross NPAs increased to 16.49 per cent against 15.5 per cent in the previous quarter. In Q1 FY19, the figure stood at 18.26 per cent. Net NPAs declined year-on-year to 7.17 per cent against 10.58 per cent in the year-ago period.


Provisions and contingencies stood at Rs 2,023.31 crore, down 64.8 per cent against 5,758.16 crore in the year-ago period. Sequentially, the numbers dropped 79.9 per cent. In the March quarter, the figures stood at Rs 10,071.11 crore.


Basic diluted earnings per share came in at Rs 2.21 against negative Rs 3.41 in the year-ago period. Housing loan grew to Rs 54,451 crore with year-on-year growth of 29.64 per cent. PNB generated fresh business of Rs 80,000 crore in Q1 FY20.


"The bank has reported one loan account in the power and steel sector under borrowal fraud category to the Reserve Bank of India during the second quarter of current financial year involving an amount of Rs 3,760.62 crore outstanding as on June 30, 2019," it said in a statement.

- ANI
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15:33   17 Oppn parties write to RS chairman over passage of bills without any scrutiny
Seventeen Opposition parties wrote to the Rajya Sabha Chairman on Friday raising concerns over the "hurried" passage of bills in Parliament without any scrutiny, and said that this was a departure from established practice. 


The letter has been signed by leaders of 17 parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Telugu Desam Party, Communist party of India and the CPI(M). 


"We, the undersigned parties, wish to register our anguish and serious concern over the manner in which the Government is hurriedly passing legislations without any scrutiny by Parliamentary Standing or Select Committees. This is a fundamental departure from the established practice and healthy traditions of enacting legislations," the letter said. 


It said that in the 14th Lok Sabha, 60 per cent of bills were sent for scrutiny to parliamentary committees while in the 15th Lok Sabha, 71 per cent of bills were sent for scrutiny. However, the letter said, in the 16th Lok Sabha, only 26 per cent of bills were sent for scrutiny. 


"Now, in the 17th Lok Sabha, 14 bills have already been passed in the first session. None of these bills has been referred to a Standing Committee or Select Committee for legislative scrutiny. 


"Public consultation is a long established practice where parliamentary committees scrutinise bills, deliberate, engage and work towards improving the content and quality of the legislation," the letter stated. The parties also asked Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to intervene in the matter.
-- PTI
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15:05  
17 opposition parties write to RS chairman expressing serious concerns over passage of bills in Parliament without any scrutiny.
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14:59   LS likely to pass resolution for exemplary action' against Azam Khan
Lok Sabha is likely to pass a resolution authorising Speaker Om Birla to take 'exemplary action' against SP member Azam Khan for his misogynist remarks against BJP MP Rama Devi, sources said on Friday. Leaders across party lines are of the view that a message should be sent that the House has zero tolerance towards such acts which lower the dignity and honour of women, they added. The resolution is likely to be moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and is expected to be supported by leaders across party lines. 


Earlier members in Lok Sabha on Friday condemned the sexist remarks by 
Khan against Bihar MP Rama Devi and demanded exemplary action against him. -- PTI
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14:50   Yeddy to visit National Military Memorial ahead of swearing-in
Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa will pay tributes at the National Military Memorial in Bengaluru ahead of taking oath as the 25th Chief Minister of the state.


"On this day 20 years ago, Indian armed forces defeated Pakistan in 1999 in the Kargil war. As a mark of respect to all soldiers who fought this great war, I have come here to pay my tribute to our armed forces before taking oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka," Yeddyurappa told reporters before visiting the memorial.


Earlier in the day, Yeddyurappa met Governor Vajubhai Vala to stake claim to form the government in the state, three days after the 14-month old Congress-JD (S) coalition government fell after losing the trust vote in the Assembly.He will take oath today at 6 pm.
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14:46   BJP-backed guv butchered democracy: Cong-JD-S
The Congress and JD-S Friday severely criticised the BJP and the 'BJP backed Governor' for allowing BS Yeddyurappa to form the government in Karnataka through "unconstitutional means", charging that parliamentary democracy was being "butchered" in the state. 


As Yeddyurappa staked claim to form government in a surprise move and said he had been invited to form the government, the Congress, said, "corruption icon and former jail bird" Yeddyurappa had used his "excellent horse trading skills" to subvert democracy and come to power. 


JD(S), which was the Congress' ruling coalition partner, said the Governor's decision to permit Yeddyurappa to take oath without raising any doubt was "anti-democratic." 


"Corruption Icon and Former Jail Bird Shri@ BSYBJP has used his excellent Horse Trading skills to subvert democracy and come to power," the state Congress tweeted. 


"People of Karnataka remember his disastrous tenure as CM between 2008-11, which ended with BSY in Jail," it said. 


Former chief minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said Karnataka has become "an experimental lab of the BJP." Siddaramaiah said in his tweet, "Karnataka assembly has become an experimental lab for Karnataka BJP and the BJP backed governor to try unconstitutional ways to form government.


"In what article of the constitution is the governor allowed to permit the party to form govt that doesn't have majority? It is shame!!", he said. He said the BJP has a strength of 105 which is way less than the half way mark. "In no way BJP can form the government if constitution is followed," he said adding, this only proved that BJP has no belief in the democratic values. 
-- PTI


Image: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala administers the oath to BS Yeddyurappa as chief minister of the state at a ceremony in Bengaluru in 2018. 
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14:14   Tulsi Gabbard sues Google for USD 50 million
Tulsi Gabbard, the Democratic presidential candidate and the first Hindu member of the US Congress, has sued Google for at least USD 50 million for the tech giant's "discriminatory actions" against her 2020 election campaign and stifling her free speech rights. 


Gabbard, 38, an Iraq war veteran who has been serving as the US Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district since 2013, said in a lawsuit filed on Thursday in a federal court in Los Angeles, that Google infringed on her free speech when it briefly suspended her campaign's advertising account after the first Democratic debate in June. 


Tulsi Now Inc, the campaign committee for Gabbard, said Google suspended the campaign's advertising account for six hours on June 27 and June 28, obstructing its ability to raise money and spread her message to potential voters, The New York Times reported. 


"Google's arbitrary and capricious treatment of Gabbard's campaign should raise concerns for policy makers everywhere about the company's ability to use its dominance to impact political discourse, in a way that interferes with the upcoming 2020 presidential election," the lawsuit said. 


Google, however, said it had automated systems that flag unusual activity on advertiser accounts - including large spending changes - to prevent fraud, said Jose Castaneda, a spokesman for the company. "In this case, our system triggered a suspension and the account was reinstated shortly thereafter. We are proud to offer ad products that help campaigns connect directly with voters, and we do so without bias toward any party or political ideology," he said. 


Gabbard and her campaign are seeking an injunction against Google from further meddling in the election and damages of at least USD 50 million, the report said.  -- PTI
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13:45   Book me a room on the moon: Adoor Gopalakrishnan
The moon and not Pakistan is now the favoured destination for sending dissenters. Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan on a BJP leader asking him to go to the moon if he can't tolerate 'Jai Sri Ram' slogans, says, "It is a good suggestion by this BJP friend that I should go to the moon, if he can book a room for me on moon and buy me a ticket then it will be a nice stay."
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13:37   SC issues notice to Maha govt on Mumbai coastal road project case
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government on a plea of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation seeking stay on Bombay High Court's order quashing the Coastal Regulation Zone clearances granted for the southern part of the Rs 12,000 crore coastal road project.


A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta refused to stay the Bombay High Court's order and scheduled the next hearing of the case for August 20.


On July 16, the Bombay High Court had quashed the CRZ clearances granted to the city civic body for the ambitious Rs 12,000 crore coastal road project, stating that there is a serious lacuna in the decision-making process and lack of proper scientific study.


In 2017, the project was given a green flag by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority, Expert Appraisal Committee and the Ministry of Environment and Forest. -- ANI
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13:24   LS Speaker to hold all-party meet on Azam Khan
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla says he will hold a meeting with leaders from all parties and then decide on Azam Khan. 


This comes after women members in Lok Sabha on Friday spoke in one voice condemning the sexiest remarks by SP member Azam Khan against Bihar MP Rama Devi and demanded that he apologise or else he should be suspended from the House. 

During the Zero Hour, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said the remarks of Khan in Lok Sabha on Thursday during the debate of Triple Talaq Bill were a "blot" on all legislators, including men. 


"This is a blot on all legislators including men. We cannot remain silent spectators to it. We have to speak in one voice that this is unacceptable," Irani said. 


Supporting Irani, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said either Khan should tender an apology or he should be suspended from the House. Cutting across party lines, several MPs condemned Azam Khan's remarks and demanded strict action against him. 


Who said what

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: Congress party is against disrespect of women. There have been incidents when Sonia Gandhiji was called 'Italy ki katputli' etc. in the Parliament.


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman: It is very encouraging to see everyone stand up and speak in once voice condemning what happened yesterday. We look towards you (LS Speaker) for an exemplary action against him.

To politicize an issue related to women is outrageous, we have to stand together so why the hesitation in some? Why the dilemma? Why add riders? I am not naming anyone for people (pointing towards Congress MPs) to interrupt my speech.


TMC MP, Mimi Chakraborty: Nobody can stand in the Parliament and tell a woman "look into my eyes and talk." Speaker sir, all women here are expecting something big from you on this.


BJP MP Smriti Irani: Let us not reduce this to a problem of just women. This is a blot on all legislators including men. This is not a House where men come in and 'Kisi aurat ki aankhon mein jhanka jaye'. The entire nation watched yesterday what happened. This House passed the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill. I appeal to all to speak in one voice- You cannot misbehave with a woman and get away with it by just dramatizing it.
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13:02   Budget session of Parliament extended till Aug 7
The current Budget session of Parliament, which was to end on Friday, has been extended till August 7 to help transact essential government business, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu informed the House. When the Upper House met for the day, Naidu said the sitting of the house has been extended till August 7. During the extended tenure of the session, Question Hour has been dispensed away with, he said. Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday about the extension of session.
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12:45   Rahul returns to India, visits Sheila Dikshit's residence
Rahul Gandhi today visited late Congress stalwart Sheila Dikshit's residence. Gandhi, who returned from abroad on Wednesday, was unable to attend the funeral of the former Delhi Chief Minister, who breathed her last on July 20.


The three-time chief minister passed away following a cardiac arrest.


Rahul's mother Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and brother-in-law Robert Vadra were among those who attended Dikshit's funeral at the Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi.


However, Rahul was among the early ones to condole Dikshit's demise.


Calling her the Congress' beloved daughter, Rahul had tweeted, "I'm devastated to hear about the passing away of Sheila Dikshitji, a beloved daughter of the Congress Party, with whom I shared a close personal bond. My condolences to her family and the citizens of Delhi, whom she served selflessly as a three-term Chief Minister, in this time of great grief."


Dikshit has served as Delhi's Chief Minister for three consecutive terms between 1998 and 2013. She is credited for the national capital's growing infrastructure including roads and flyovers and better public transport system. -- ANI
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12:36   Subhash Chandra Garg takes over as new Power Secretary
Senior bureaucrat and former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg on Friday took over as the new Power Secretary. The senior most officer in the Ministry of Finance, Garg was shifted to the Power Ministry on Wednesday. Thereafter he announced that he had applied for voluntary retirement from service on Thursday. 


 "Handed over charge of Economic Affairs today (Thursday). Learnt so much in the Finance Ministry and Economic Affairs Dept. Will take charge in Power Ministry tomorrow (Friday). Have also applied for Voluntary Retirement from the IAS with effect from 31st October", Garg had tweeted on Thursday. An interaction of Garg with media is scheduled later on Friday. -- PTI
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12:34   In Varun Gandhi's Pilibhit, a tigress is beaten to death
 A tigress, which injured nine people in Pilibhit, was beaten to death allegedly by some villagers in Pilibhit's Mataina village, officials said.


"We got to know about an attack by a tigress in which some people sustained injuries. Later, the people had beaten her to death. We have sent the body for post-mortem. We have also got some videos showing some people attacking the tigress. We are registering an FIR in this case," District Magistrate Vaibhav Shrivastava said.


In the videos, locals were seen beating the tigress with 'lathis'. 43 people have been named in the FIR.On allegations of negligence by the forest department in the case, Shrivastava said: "The administration was taking strict action from time to time. 


Cases of man-animal conflict are reported regularly in the areas adjacent to Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.


"Nine people sustained injuries on Wednesday evening after the tigress attacked the people working in the fields. After the incident, the tigress was cordoned off by the villagers and later beaten to death.


"The tigress attacked a man on Wednesday when he came to the field. Later, some people tried to escape from the spot when the tigress attacked them," Naveen Khandelwal, Divisional Forest Officer, Pilibhit said.


Chief Forest Guard, Bareilly, Lalit Kumar said that tigress was 6-years-old and had sustained serious injuries on mouth, legs and back. An investigation in the case is underway. -- ANI


File pic
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12:16   Pak cannot fight full-fledged war with India: Rajnath
Pakistan can neither fight a full-fledged nor a limited war with India and is waging a proxy war, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday. He was speaking in Lok Sabha on the 20th anniversary of Kargil conflict as Parliament paid tributes to Indian soldiers who drove out enemy forces and reclaimed Kargil heights. Singh said the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers cannot be forgotten. 


"Our neighbouring country (Pakistan) cannot fight a full- fledged war or a limited war with India. It is fighting a proxy war," Singh said. 


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were present in the House. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid tributes to soldiers who fought in Kargil conflict in 1999. 


Congress leader in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said there should be a discussion on Kargil war. In Rajya Sabha, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu praised the courage and gallantry of Indian soldiers and said the nation will never forget their sacrifice. Members stood in silence as they paid tributes to those who laid down their lives in the Kargil conflict. -- PTI
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12:11   Cow exhales oxygen: Uttarakhand CM
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has kicked up a row by claiming that cow is the only animal which inhales and exhales oxygen, and has asserted breathing problems can be cured by massaging it. 


A video went viral on Thursday showing Rawat extolling the medicinal properties of cow milk and urine at a function here. 


In the video, he said cows not only inhale oxygen but also exhale it. The chief minister also said that massaging a cow can cure one of breathing problems, while living in close proximity with the animal can cure one of tuberculosis. 


The chief minister's cow eulogy comes after Pradesh BJP president and Nainital MP Ajay Bhatt recently said that pregnant women can avoid cesarian deliveries if they drink water of Garud Ganga, a river in Bageshwar district. 


An official at the CMO defended the chief minister's remarks saying that he was only stating something which is a common belief in the hills of Uttarakhand. "While the medicinal values of cow milk and urine are well known, people in the hills also believe that the cow gives them oxygen," he said requesting anonymity. 


Last year, Uttarakhand Animal Husbandry Minister Rekha Arya had said the same thing -- that the cow is the "only animal that not only inhales oxygen, but also exhales it". Her remarks came on the floor of the Uttarakhand Assembly when a resolution was passed, seeking the status of "rashtra mata" (mother of the nation) for the cow.
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11:59  
BS Yeddyurappa will have to prove majority in the assembly by July 31.
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11:44   Capture of Tiger Hill: Turning point in Kargil War
Twenty years ago, over 50 days in the summer of 1999, the Indian Army fought some of the toughest battles in the annals of military history to evict the Pakistan army from the heights of Kargil.The battle to recapture Tiger Hill was a major turning point in the Operation Vijay campaign, recalls Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd). Read the column here
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11:42   Now, 61 celebs write to PM on 'selective outrage'
Two days after a group of eminent citizens, including filmmakers, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against "religious identity-based hate crimes", another group of celebrities, including Kangana Ranaut, Prasoon Joshi and Madhur Bhandarkar, have penned an open letter against "selective outrage and false narratives'.


The open letter has been signed by 61 personalities, also including classical dancer and MP Sonal Mansingh, instrumentalist Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri.


On July 23, another open letter expressing concern at the number of "religious identity-based hate crimes" in India, was penned by a group of eminent citizens to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter said that 'Jai Shri Ram' has become a provocative war cry with many lynchings taking place in its name.


The July 23 letter, which also stressed that there is "no democracy without dissent", is signed by 49 celebrities from various fields, including filmmakers Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Aparna Sen as well as vocalist Shubha Mudgal, historian Ramchandra Guha and sociologist Ashis Nandy.


"We, as peace loving and proud Indians, are deeply concerned about a number of tragic events that have been happening in recent times in our beloved country," the open letter to Modi said.


"The lynching of Muslims, Dalits and other minorities must be stopped immediately. We were shocked to learn from the NCRB that there have been no less than 840 instances of atrocities against Dalits in the year 2016, and a definite decline in the percentage of convictions," it continued.
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11:24   Will request Speaker to dismiss Azam Khan: BJP MP
BJP lawmaker Rama Devi, who was officiating the proceedings in Lok Sabha yesterday, has condemned Azam Khan's disgraceful and sexist remark against her and said she would request the Speaker of the House to dismiss him.


"Everyone must respect the person sitting on the chair in the Parliament. I tried to stop Azam Khan from giving such remarks but he was not ready to listen. Everyone knows that Azam Khan disrespects women. We all know what he had said about Jaya Pradaji. He has no right to stay in Lok Sabha, I will request Speaker to dismiss him or he must apologize," she told ANI on Friday.


During the debate on the Triple Talaq Bill in the Lower House on Thursday, Rama Devi had asked Khan to speak looking at the Chair and address the House through the presiding officer.


Khan, however, made remarks that were perceived to be sexist by the treasury benches, triggering strongly objected.


The Rampur lawmaker, in his defense, had said Rama Devi was like a sister to him.Khan did not apologize for his remark but said he will resign if he had said anything unparliamentary. He also staged a walkout along with his party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who defended his remarks. -- ANI
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11:22   Soldiers will continue to guard our borders: Army chief
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's message to India: I want to convey to our countrymen that you can be rest assured that any task given to defence services will always be accomplished no matter how difficult it is. Our soldiers will continue to man and guard our borders. 

On arms and ammunition: We are looking at modernising our inventory. Our focus is on Artillery weapon system, by 2020 we will get the Howitzers, K-9 Vajra is being manufactured in the country now and two Bofors like guns are being manufactured locally.
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11:05   Army Chief warns Pak of 'bloodier nose'
As India commemorated 20 years of the Kargil conflict, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Thursday warned Pakistan to never attempt a repeat of the "misadventure".


Speaking at a ceremony for commemoration of 20 years of Kargil Vijay Diwas in Drass, he said, "My warning to Pakistan is do not ever attempt such a misadventure any time, in the future. Anywhere, anytime do not think of it. Misadventures are normally not repeated. You'll get a bloodier nose next time.


"It was a big misadventure undertaken by the Pakistan army in 1999. They did not appreciate the will and the intent of the Indian political establishment and the Indian armed forces that we will never allow them to succeed," he said.


Referring to the advantageous position Pakistani infiltrators occupied during the Kargil war Rawat said, "No matter what heights they capture the Indian army will always get back to them and recapture those heights. This was evident during the Kargil war in 1999."


Commenting on the question of Pakistan's denial about its involvement in Pulwama terror attack, Rawat said, "We are aware of the truth. So we are not carried away by any statement. The truth is known to us. Our intelligence agencies have given ample proof about what had happened in Pulwama."
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10:50   Will take oath as CM at 6 pm today: Yeddyurappa
BS Yeddyurappa will take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister today. "I just met the Governor; I will take oath as Chief Minister today at 6 pm," he told ANI. 


Three days after the Congress-JD (S) coalition government fell after losing the trust vote, BJP's Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa staked claim to form the government today.


Speaking to the media, Yeddyurappa said he would also request the Governor to hold the oath-taking ceremony today itself.


"I am going to meet the Governor today to stake claim to form the government and I will request him to hold the oath-taking ceremony today itself," he said.


On Tuesday, the confidence motion moved by caretaker chief minister HD Kumaraswamy got 99 votes as against 105 of the opposition.


This brought an end to the 12-day high-voltage political drama which had begun in the state with the resignation of over a dozen rebel MLAs to Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.


Earlier, Yeddyurappa had said he was waiting for instructions from his party leadership on the formation of the government in Karnataka following the fall of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government. --ANI
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10:41   Akshay's books his date with Kargil Diwas
When you want do your bit on KargilVijayDiwas but don't know how...

Akshay Kumar tweets: "I'm not much into books, but today as we pay tribute to our brave martyrs on 20yrs of #KargilVijayDiwas, I've picked up #IndiasMostFearless 2 by @ShivAroor & @rahulsinghx. May we never forget our soldiers whose courage and heroism lets us live in peace, day after day."


And those fatigues...
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10:25   Capt Batra's father wants roads named after Param Vir Chakra awardees
GL Batra, father of Capt Vikram Batra who lost his life in the Kargil War says that the government is taking strong action against Pakistan as it continues to support infiltration and terrorism. "I requested the govt in Delhi to rename roads in Delhi after Param Vir Chakra awardees, but I am yet to receive a response on it."


Captain Vikram Batra of the Indian Army was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.


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10:13   Kargil 20: India failed to exact a price from Pakistan
"The Indian response in confining our action to our side of the LoC set a dangerous precedent.


"At any future date if Pakistan were to try an intrusion similarly, the world will expect India to observe similar restraint. This gave Pakistan the opportunity to bleed India to death.India failed to extract a 'price' from Pakistan for its Kargil misadventure.


"The price could be military in terms of loss of territory/soldiers/equipment or destruction of terrorist training infrastructure.


"The economic cost could have been in terms of lost loans and grants while the psychological cost could have been in terms of humiliation at the international level.


"Giving a 'face-saving' option to Pakistan, besides being a betrayal of the sacrifices of jawans, also proved disastrous for the future."


Read the column by Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) here. 


IMAGE: Then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee along with then defence minister George Fernandes, crouching, third from left, then Jammu and Kashmir governor Girish Chandra 'Gary' Saxena, standing second from left, and then army chief General Ved Prakash Malik, fourth from right, with the troops in Kargil. Photograph: Rediff.com
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10:10   Kargil: How Sonam Wangchuk and 40 men defeated 135 Pakistani troops
Colonel Sonam Wangchuk was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest honour for courage, for wresting the first victory of the Kargil War.


Leading 40 men, his unit evicted 135 Pakistani troops in a three day battle fought in two feet snow and minus 6 degrees.


The war hero tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih that what he did was nothing extraordinary, it was just his duty as a soldier. 

Read the story here. 
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10:08   Heavy rains in Mumbai today: IMD
India Meteorological Department on Friday predicted "heavy rain" in the state capital in Mumbai.


"Rainfall in last 24 hours at morning 6.30 am today in Mumbai and around. Few stations reported heavy rainfall in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Rest it was moderate as expected. Today watch for more rains," KS Hosalikar, Deputy Director General, IMD tweeted.


IMD in its Friday bulletin said that more than 3 cm rainfall was recorded on Thursday. It also predicted "heavy to very heavy rainfall" during the next five days across Maharashtra.


"Weather Forecast by IMD at 08:00 Hours - INTERMITTENT RAIN/SHOWERS WITH HEAVY FALLS IN CITY AND SUBURBS DURING NIGHT/EARLY MORNING," BMC tweeted.


Earlier, rainfall in Mumbai inundated several areas across the city including Sion, Matunga, Mahim, Andheri, Malad and Dahisar causing huge traffic snarls at major junctions. -- ANI


File pic. 
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10:05   Flypast in Drass called off
The flypast by the fighter aircraft that took part in the Kargil war has been called off due to bad weather at Drass. This day is being celebrated as Kargil Vijay Divas.
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09:55   Yeddyurappa to stake claim to form govt today
In what could be the culmination of the political crisis in Karnataka, BJPs state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa will meet the Governor on Friday morning where he is likely to present his claim to form the government.

Yeddyurappa said, "I am going to meet the Governor today at 10am to stake claim to form the government and I will request him to hold oath ceremony today itself."

Meanwhile, Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday disqualified three rebel Congress MLAs under the anti-defection law. 

The move had heightened the suspense over government formation exercise in the state two days after the collapse of the Congress-Janata Dal-Secular coalition.
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09:45  
JUST IN: President Ram Nath Kovind to now celebrate '20 years of Kargil Vijay Diwas' at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar today. He was supposed to visit Drass memorial, but due to bad weather his visit was cancelled. Three Services Chiefs will pay homage at Drass war memorial.
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09:28   Rajnath Singh pays homage to Kargil martyrs
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lays a wreath in the memory of the slain soldiers at the National War Memorial in Delhi on the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War. 

The Indian Armed Forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999. Since then, the day is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Indian Army is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War today to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay.

The army has said the occasion will be celebrated with the theme Remember, Rejoice and Renew.
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09:13   BJP leader calls for chopping off Azam Khan's head for his comments
In a controversial statement, BJP leader Aftab Advani called for chopping off Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's head for his comment over MP Rama Devi. 

"Azam Khan's comment on woman MP Rama Devi is condemnable. We strongly condemn it and want to request the government of India that his head should be chopped off and left hanging from the door of Parliament..so that people like Azam Khan such as Asaduddin Owaisi who are there should know that what happens to those who insult women," he said in the video. 

"Insult to women should not be tolerated now. First, it was Jaya Prada, and now he has made lewd comments on the MP. This is condemnable. (bahut behuda bayan hai) I have earlier said this too that this old man has gone mad (ye budhha pagal ho chuka hai). It is necessary to kill him like a mad dog. He has become harmful to our country," Aftab said. 

Alleging that Azam Khan is creating a bad atmosphere in the country, he said, "He is creating a bad atmosphere in the country. Women have to face insults due to him. Day by day, there is a downfall in the respect for women due to comments made by him which is not good for the country." 

Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan on Thursday stoked controversy in the Lok Sabha with his objectionable remarks against BJP member Rama Devi, who was presiding over the House as BJP members sought an apology from him. 

Azam Khan did not apologise and said he will resign if he had said anything unparliamentarily. He also staged a walkout along with his party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who defended his remarks. 

-- ANI
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09:01   Park dedicated to soldiers on Kargil Vijay Diwas
On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, a park dedicated to the Indian soldiers will be inaugurated at Shivamogga in Karnataka on Friday. 

The park consists of several sculptures of Indian soldiers as a mark of commemorating their sacrifices for the country.  

Roop Kumar, a hawaldar who served in the Indian Army for 15 years, said the park displays sculptures which will apprise people about the hard work soldiers do for the nation. 

"There is no such park like this in Shivamogga. The construction of this park is completed in 15 days. This park will inspire those want to serve in the armed forces," he said. 

Locals said the park has been constructed with the help of Shivamogga District Collectorate and Shilpakala Academy in Bengaluru. 

"In Shivamogga, Shilpakala Academy and District Collectorate organised a sculpture camp. The camp's theme was Indian soldiers and their sacrifices. We made sculptures of soldiers of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force," Vishal, a local said. 

Indian Army is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War today to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay. 

-- ANI
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08:27   PM Modi tweets his pictures from Kargil visit in 1999
On the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recounts his time with the soldiers in 1999 in Kargil. 

He posted a few images of his time then and wrote, "During the Kargil War in 1999, I had the opportunity to go to Kargil and show solidarity with our brave soldiers. 

"This was the time when I was working for my Party in J&K as well as Himachal Pradesh.

"The visit to Kargil and interactions with soldiers are unforgettable."

Today, the country marks 20 years since India won the Kargil war. 
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08:02   Tributes to Kargil War martyrs
Kargil Vijay Divas being celebrated at Kargil War Memorial in Dras, Jammu & Kashmir.

Photograph: ANI/Twitter
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07:48   Prez Kovind leads tributes to Kargil martyrs
On the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War, President Ram Nath Kovind, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, led tributes to the martyrs of the war. 

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "On Kargil Vijay Diwas, a grateful nation acknowledges the gallantry of our Armed Forces on the heights of Kargil in 1999. We salute the grit and valour of those who defended India, and record our everlasting debt to those who never returned."

The President will also visit Drass to attend the 20th anniversary of the Kargil victory. 
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00:24   US to resume capital punishment after 20 years
In a major decision, the Trump Administration on Thursday announced to resume capital punishment after a gap of nearly two decades and has set execution dates for five death-row inmates convicted of murdering.
"Under Administrations of both parties, the Department of Justice has sought the death penalty against the worst criminals, including these five murderers, each of whom was convicted by a jury of his peers after 

a full and fair proceeding," US Attorney General William Barr said in a statement.
"The Justice Department upholds the rule of law - and we owe it to the victims and their families to carry forward the sentence imposed by the justice system," he said.
Barr directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to adopt a proposed Addendum to the Federal Execution Protocol - clearing the way for the federal government to resume capital punishment after a nearly two 

decade lapse, and bringing justice to victims of the most horrific crimes.
The Federal Execution Protocol Addendum, which closely mirrors protocols utilised by several states, including currently Georgia, Missouri, and Texas, replaces the three-drug procedure previously used in 

federal executions with a single drug - pentobarbital.
Since 2010, 14 states have used pentobarbital in over 200 executions, and federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have repeatedly upheld the use of pentobarbital in executions as consistent with the Eighth 

Amendment, the Department of Justice said.
The five inmates who will be executed soon at a federal facility in Indiana included Daniel Lewis Lee, a member of a white supremacist group, who murdered a family of three, including an eight-year-old girl. His 

execution is scheduled to occur on December 9, 2019.
Lezmond Mitchell stabbed to death a 63-year-old grandmother and forced her nine-year-old granddaughter to sit beside her lifeless body for a 30 to 40-mile drive. Mitchell then slit the girl's throat twice, 

crushed her head with 20-pound rocks, and severed and buried both victims' heads and hands. His execution is scheduled to occur on December 11, 2019.
Wesley Ira Purkey violently raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl, and then dismembered, burned, and dumped the young girl's body in a septic pond. He also was convicted in state court for using a claw 

hammer to bludgeon to death an 80-year-old woman who suffered from polio and walked with a cane, the Justice Department said. Purkey's execution is scheduled to occur on December 13, 2019.
Alfred Bourgeois physically and emotionally tortured, sexually molested, and then beat to death his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. His execution is scheduled for January 13, 2020.
Dustin Lee Honken shot and killed five people - two men who planned to testify against him and a single, working mother and her ten-year-old and six-year-old daughters. Honken's execution is scheduled to occur on January 15, 2020. -- PTI

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