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Mon, 23 September 2019
Cong leader Milind Deora lauds Howdy Modi show

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23:34   Cong leader Milind Deora lauds Howdy Modi show
Former Congress MP Milind Deora has heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the latter's Houston event, where US President Donald Trump was present.

The former Union minister said Modi's address showcased India's soft power diplomacy.

"PM Modi's Houston address was a momentous first for India's soft power diplomacy. My father Murlibhai was one of the early architects of deeper Indo-US ties. Donald Trump's hospitality and recognition of Indian Americans' contributions makes us proud," Milind Deora tweeted after the "Howdy, Modi" event.

Interestingly, the Congress on Monday accused the PM of violating Indian foreign policy's "time honoured principle" of not interfering in the domestic elections of another country by "actively campaigning" for the US president at the Houston event.

Responding to the tweet, Modi on Monday recalled his friendship with former Congress leader Murli Deora, adding the commitment of Milind's late father had made ties with the United States strong.

"You are absolutely correct when you highlight my friend, late Murli Deora Ji's commitment to strong ties with USA. He would have been really glad to see the strengthening of ties between our nations," Modi said in his tweet.

Milind Deora resigned as the president of the Mumbai Congress after the party's debacle in Lok Sabha elections this year.
-- PTI
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23:15   Can be arbitrator on Kashmir: Trump meets Khan
United States President Donald Trump has done it again. 

On meeting Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, Trump said, "Want to see everyone treated well in Kashmir; I can be a good arbitrator."

Earlier in August too, the US president had offered to mediate between the two countries on the matter of Kashmir. 

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.
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22:53   Pak PM Imran Khan meets Trump in New York

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan meets US President Donald Trump in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The Khan-Trump meeting takes place a day after the US president along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed more than 50,000 Indian-Americans at the "Howdy Modi!" mega-event in Houston.

Both Khan and Modi are scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 27.

Khan has vowed to raise the Kashmir issue at the UNGA session.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Pakistan has downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
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22:40   BJP-Sena yet to seal pact for Maharashtra polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are yet to conclude their seat-sharing talks for the October 21 assembly elections in Maharashtra and there will be no announcement about a formal pre-poll pact on Tuesday, leaders from both parties said on Monday night.

The late night development came hours after a senior BJP leader, on condition of anonymity, said the two saffron allies have finalised a seat-sharing arrangement and a formal announcement will be made at a joint press meet on Tuesday.

The press meet was to be addressed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP leader had said in the evening.

However, the Sena did not confirm holding such a joint media conference with the BJP when contacted by PTI.

Later in the night, senior Sena leader Anil Parab said that no such announcement will take place on Tuesday. The decision of the BJP-Sena (on seat-sharing) will be announced once the talks are over.

Parab is also leader of the house in the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

The Sena's denial about finalising a seat-sharing pact was later confirmed by top state BJP leadership as well.

-- PTI
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22:25   Modi thanks B-town for their 'encouragement' during Howdy, Modi
After scores of Bollywood celebrities gave a shout-out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing 50,000 Indian-Americans at the 'Howdy, Modi!' event on Sunday, the PM thanked the fraternity for their "encouragement" while calling the event a "new milestone in the India-USA friendship."

Modi responded to veteran actor Rishi Kapoor who cheered for him and US President Donald Trump saying that, "Rishi Ji, thanks for your enthusiastic encouragement." 

The PM, in his tweet, also wished the actor good health as he returned from New York after seeking treatment for an unknown health condition earlier this month.

"We just missed each other by a few days since you recently left for India from the USA. I pray for your good health. Looking forward to greater participation of yours on social media," Modi wrote.

He also thanked filmmaker Karan Johar who exuded his enthusiasm on hearing the "inspiring address" from the Prime Minister.

"As a representative of 130 crore Indians, the respect and love that I get is dedicated to the nation. Thanks, Karan Johar," Modi tweeted.

Replying to actor Ajay Devgn with another warm message, he tweeted, "Indeed, Ajay Devgn. The meeting of the hearts of the people of two of the world's leading democracies in Houston is a new milestone in the India-USA friendship."

Modi called people's blessings and trust as his "biggest confidence-booster" while responding to lyricist Prasoon Joshi who hailed Prime Minister's "focused and impactful" speech.

"Knowing that the people bless me and trust me is the biggest confidence-booster ever. Prasoon Joshi," the PM replied. 

-- ANI
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22:05   You stole my dreams & childhood: Greta to UN
A visibly angry Greta Thunberg addressed a UN climate summit on Monday, accusing world leaders of betraying her generation through their inaction.
 
"You  come to us young people for hope. How dare you?" she thundered.
 
"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words, yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering, people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing."
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21:44   Criminals snatch phone, injure woman journalist in Delhi
Delhi Police has formed a special team to nab the bike-borne snatchers involved in attacking a Delhi based woman journalist, who was badly injured in a phone snatching incident on Sunday evening.

"A special has been formed to track and nab the criminals involved in the incident", Delhi Police's Public Relation Officer said on Monday. The woman journalist, Joymala Bagchi, who works with ANI, suffered injuries on her face and hand after she was attacked by two bike-borne robbers in broad daylight who dragged her out of an auto-rickshaw, snatched her phone and managed to flee.

The incident occurred on Sunday near Chittaranjan Park in New Delhi when Bagchi, who works with ANI, was travelling in an auto-rickshaw.

Bagchi suffered a fracture in her jaw and got stitches on her chin. She also suffered injuries to her hand.

Bagchi was profusely bleeding when the locals came to her rescue. She was later taken to a nearby hospital by Delhi Police and later shifted to AIIMS.

"We have received a complaint and have registered a case against the accused persons under Section 394 - for voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery," said Atul Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

-- ANI
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21:18   Concerned over detention of PC: Manmohan
Former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Monday expressed concern over the continued detention in custody of his party colleague P Chidambaram in a corruption case and hoped that the courts will render justice.
 
Chidambaram, a former Union finance minister, was arrested by the CBI for alleged corruption in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance in the INX Media case. He was later remanded in judicial custody and sent to Tihar jail. 
Singh, who along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier in the day met Chidambaram in Tihar Jail, said no decision in the country was taken by a single person and wondered how a minister simply approving recommendations can be accused of committing a crime.
He feared that if the minister is liable for approving a recommendation, the whole system of government will collapse.
"We are concerned with continued detention in custody of our colleague P Chidambaram," Singh said in a statement after meeting Chidambaram.
He said in the country's system of government, no decision can be taken by any single person and all decisions are collective decisions recorded in files.
He said a dozen officers, including six secretaries to the government, examined and recommended the proposal and Chidambaram as minister approved the unanimous recommendation.
"If the officers are not at fault, it is beyond our comprehension how the minister who simply approved the recommendation can be accused of committing an offence. If the minister is liable for approving a recommendation, the whole system of government will collapse," he said.
"We are confident, and we sincerely hope, that the courts will render justice in this case," the former prime minister said in the statement.

-- PTI
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20:55   Trump makes unscheduled appearance at UN climate summit
US President Donald Trump made a brief unscheduled appearance Monday at the UN climate summit, which he had been expected to skip entirely.
  
The US president, who has repeatedly expressed doubt about the overwhelming scientific consensus on manmade causes of global warming, was due to attend a separate conference on religious freedom.

However, he first dropped in on the climate summit, where he spent just a few minutes.

Dozens of world leaders were discussing measures to try and slow down ever-more dangerous trends in climate change. Trump, who withdrew the United States from a major international pact on reducing greenhouse gas outputs, did not speak.
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20:46   World is not doing enough: PM @ UN Climate meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the United Nation's Climate Change Summit today, besides participating in a Leaders' Dialogue on Strategic Responses to Terrorist and Violent Extremist Narratives.

Here are highlights from his address:

>> We believe that an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of preaching

>> We have provided clean cooking gas connections to millions of families. We have started 'Jal Jeevan' mission for water resource development, water conservation and rain water harvesting

>> On this year's India's Independence Day, we called for a mass movement to have freedom from single use plastic. I hope that this will raise the awareness against the usage of singe use plastic, at a global level
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20:21   Assam CM's narrow escape with chopper
A helicopter carrying Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal made an emergency landing at the Lilabari airport following trouble in mid-air on Monday, officials said.

The chief minister was unhurt.

Sonowal, who was travelling from Guwahati to Lakhimpur, had a narrow escape when the pilot of the chopper found it difficult to cross some hills at Banderdewa near Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border due to thick clouds.

The pilot tried to increase altitude but the helicopter rotated thrice in the air, the officials said.

The pilot then managed to fly the chopper to Lilabari airport and made a safe emergency landing.

The chief minister was accompanied by his media advisor Hrishikesh Goswami and district Superintendent of Police Montu Thakuria. 

-- PTI
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20:00   Hasan Minhaj denied entry to Howdy Modi event
Popular Indian-origin comic Hasan Minhaj was reportedly not allowed to enter the venue where the 'Howdy Modi' event took place.
  
About 50,000 people of the Indian-American community attended the event at the NRG Stadium here on Sunday that was jointly addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

A video is doing the rounds on social media, in which the "Patriot Act" star is seen talking to a media coordinator from the press registration desk outside the venue on phone.

In the call, which was on loudspeaker, Minhaj was enquiring the organiser about his credentials for the event.

"We're just trying to get our credentials," the comedian said.

"There are no credentials," the coordinator replied.

"But our credentials are right here," Minhaj said.

He then asked, "But you told me we were denied because of the jokes".

To this, the person on the phone replied, "No, I didn't say you were denied because of the jokes."

Minhaj said, "But some people were not happy."

The coordinator said, "Yeah, some people were not happy, but that doesn't matter to me much. The reason I can't get you in is due to the lack of space for broadcast crews."

The comic and political commentator, who is proactive on social media, is yet to respond to the reports or clarify whether he and the crew managed to enter the venue.

-- PTI
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19:24   Pak's Imran Khan to meet Trump today
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is in United States to attend the 74th session of the United Nation General Assembly on September 24 and address the session on September 27, will meet with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

The one-on-one meeting between Imran Khan and Trump is expected to take place around 10:30 pm today.

The meeting will be held at a time when Indian Prime Minister Modi along with Trump, expressed all-out support for each other during a massive gathering titled "Howdy, Modi" in Houston.

Trump assured his support to India over its ongoing fight against terrorism and did not question of expressed concerns over India's decision to revoke Article 370 that changed the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The presence of Trump at Howdy, Modi event has not gone well with Pakistan, which is eyeing at the upcoming meeting with the intent of acquiring Trump's support in its stand against India.

The agenda of talks between Imran Khan and Trump would be focused on Kashmir and Afghanistan along with issues related to regional security.

Last week, US President Trump said, "A lot of progress has been made in defusing India-Pakistan tensions."

However, Imran Khan, who calls himself Kashmir's ambassador to the world, has been gearing up for his address at the UNGA and has been engaging with different leaders and organisations, discussing the issues of curfew and lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir, which has entered the 50th day.
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18:56   Next 24 hours crucial for Sena-BJP alliance: Sanjay Raut
As uneasiness grew in the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena over a seat-sharing arrangement for the next month's assembly polls in Maharashtra, Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said a formula was almost worked out between them, and that the "next 24 hours" are "crucial" for the alliance.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the official announcement on seat-sharing deal will be made at the "right time".

When pressed for his reaction on the status of the seat-sharing deal, the chief minister said, "I am also equally concerned about the formation of the alliance with the Sena. However, official announcement will me made at the right time".

Raut told a regional news channel that the next 24 hours are crucial for the alliance between the BJP and his party.

"A seat-sharing formula has almost been worked out. It is in the final stage. Sena is known for keeping its word. When Lok Sabha elections were scheduled (in April-May this year), there was some arrangement finalised for seat-sharing," he said.

Amid reports that the Sena might have to make a climbdown on the number of seats it had initially demanded to contest, its leaders have been maintaining the arrangement will be made as per an understanding reached among party chief Uddhav Thackeray, BJP president Amit Shah and Fadnavis earlier this year.

-- PTI
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18:38   Explained: How the markets fared today
The markets fared well today and here's a clear picture of how good the day was. 
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18:17   '500 terrorists waiting to sneak into Kashmir'
Indian security forces have been given full freedom to effectively deal with any infiltration bid along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir following inputs that around 450-500 well-trained terrorists are waiting at terror launch pads to sneak into the Valley as part of Pakistan's design to trigger unrest, military sources said on Monday.
  
Some of the terrorists waiting to infiltrate into India were trained at the Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Balakot which was bombed by Indian Air Force in February, the sources said.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday said Pakistan has reactivated the Balakot terror camp very recently. 

The sources said a large group of terrorists are waiting at the terror launch-pads in Lipa valley on the Pakistani side.

According to intelligence inputs, Pakistan-based terror groups are likely to target vital installations in several key cities.

"Around 450-500 terrorists are waiting at the terror launch pads along the LoC in PoK," said a source.

They said Pakistan's plan is to create unrest in Kashmir with an aim to project to the international community that the situation in the Valley is deteriorating after India decided to withdraw special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The sources said the army remains on high alert and has been given full freedom to deal with any security challenge "effectively".

-- PTI
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17:49   Army chief rejects clampdown claim in J&K
The chief of Army staff General Bipin Rawat on Monday rejected claims of a clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that it was a facade put up by terrorists to project a false picture of "harsh measures" to
the outside world.
    
In reality, the violence and killings were down and the terrorists were being kept at bay, he told reporters.
    
While communication lines are through for the people, there is a breakdown for handlers of terrorists in Pakistan and their associates in the valley, he said.
    
Also, arrangements are in place for the security forces to talk to their families and there is no communication breakdown, he said.
    
Assuring further gradual easing of the situation, he said,"to say there is a clampdown, I don't agree with this."
    
"A facade has been created through a fear psychosis... by terrorists" and they want to project to the people of Kashmir and the rest of India that harsh measures were being undertaken which is not the truth and far from reality, he said.
    
On the claim of closure of shops, he said outlets were being operated through rear doors as terrorists threaten the shopkeepers to down shutters.
     
Hitting out at Pakistan for state sponsored terrorism and its repeated attempts to push in terrorists, especially after abrogation of Article 370, he said the neighbouring country carried out ceasefire violations to facilitate terrorists' infiltration.

-- PTI
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17:27   Great US-India partnership strengthened with Modi-Trump friendship: Nikki Haley
Hailing US and India's "great partnership", Nikki Haley, former Indian-American US ambassador to the UN, said that the friendship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has further strengthened the relationship of New Delhi and Washington.

Signifying their deepening friendship, Modi and Trump on Sunday jointly addressed the gathering of over 50,000 Indian-Americans at the 'Howdy Modi!' mega event at the NRG stadium. "The US and India have a great partnership and it has only strengthened with the friendship of @realDonaldTrump and @narendramodi," Hailey wrote while re-tweeting President Trump's tweet, "The USA loves India!".

The friendship between Modi and Trump was on full display at the event. 

In a never-seen-before display of camaraderie, the two leaders held hands and took a lap around the NRG Stadium after speaking at the grand event.

The PM also took the occasion to vouch for Trump ahead of 2020 presidential elections and said, "Ab ki baar Trump sarkar" - modifying the 'Ab ki Baar Modi sarkar' slogan coined for the 2014 BJP election campaign.

It is also worth mentioning that during his address, President Trump, after a long time, did not use his official podium, instead, he was using one that had India and USA flags. This illustrated the importance that the US president accords to India and welcoming gesture towards the contributions of the Indian diaspora in the United States.

-- ANI
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17:09   2.1 lakh more streetlights for Delhi: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said his government will implement the 'Mukhyamantri Street Light Yojana' under which 2.1 lakh streetlight will be installed across the city to light up dark spots. The three discoms will have the responsibility of installing them, he said.


Each discom will have the job of installing 70,000 streetlights, the chief minister said. Each street light will have a sensor that will light up after sunset, he said. The streetlights will be installed on a similar model as that of CCTV cameras. The scheme is likely to kick off from November 1. The MLAs will recommend the dark spots in their respective areas, he said. -- PTI
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17:00   Sensex zooms 1,075 pts; Nifty at 11,600
Extending gains for the second consecutive session, domestic equity benchmark BSE Sensex skyrocketed 1,075 points on Monday driven by continued euphoria over the government's tax booster. After soaring over 1,426 points during the day, the 30-share index ended 1,075.41 points or 2.8 per cent higher at 39,090.03. 


The broader NSE Nifty reclaimed the 11,600 level, zooming 326 points or 2.9 per cent to settle at 11,600.20. In the previous session on Friday, the BSE barometer logged its biggest single-day jump in over a decade by surging 1,921.15 points or 5.32 per cent to 38,014.62, while the NSE Nifty zoomed 569.40 points or 5.32 per cent to end at 11,274.20.


Over the past two sessions, the Sensex has gained 2,996.56 points or 8.30 per cent, while the Nifty advanced 895.40 points or 8.36 per cent. Top gainers in the Sensex pack included Bajaj Finance, L&T, Asian Paints, ITC, Axis Bank, Kotak Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC twins, Maruti and SBI, rallying up to 8.70 per cent. On the other hand, Infosys, RIL, Tata Motors, PowerGrid, NTPC, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, TCS and HCL Tech tanked up to 4.97 per cent. -- PTI


Image: The 10 biggest single-day gains. Pic: KBK Graphics
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16:58   Hotel stocks in limelight; zoom up to 20% on GST rate cut
Shares of hotel companies zoomed up to 20 per cent on Monday after the GST Council reduced tax rate for hotel room tariffs. The scrip of Taj GVK Hotels & Resorts jumped 19.98 per cent and Royal Orchid Hotels advanced 16.30 per cent on the BSE. Among others, Indian Hotels Company zoomed 8.20 per cent, ITC rose 6.95 per cent and Hotel Leela Venture advanced 3.59 per cent. 


Post market hours on Friday, the GST Council reduced tax rate on hotel room tariffs, a move aimed at giving a boost to the hospitality sector. The GST (goods and services tax) rate on hotel rooms with tariffs of up to Rs 7,500 per night has been cut to 12 per cent from the existing 18 per cent.
-- PTI
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16:41   Chopper makes emergency landing in Kedarnath
Six pilgrims on board a private helicopter had a narrow escape on Monday when the tail end of the chopper hit an object while making an emergency landing at Kedarnath helipad soon after take-off.  


The pilgrims were returning from Kedarnath to Fata in the helicopter when the pilot soon after the take off realised that it had developed a technical snag, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Harish Chandra Sharma said.


"As the helicopter was making an emergency landing on the helipad its rear portion hit an object, perhaps a railing," he said.  "Luckily, all on board the helicopter are safe," he said. Seven persons, including the pilot, were on board the helicopter when the incident took place, he said.
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16:23   Kashmir polls after normalcy returns: Govt
Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Monday said the central government is focused on the development of Jammu and Kashmir and elections will be held there once the situation returns to normalcy. 


The Minister said a survey of about 50,000 temples that are shut in Jammu and Kashmir will be done while plans are also on to open cinema theatres there.


"Assembly elections will also be held as soon as things are normal...We have successfully done sarpanch elections, now we will conduct block development council elections by November or December and then we will conduct district development council election. 


"This will give a push to our development plan for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladhak," Reddy said. Speaking to reporters, he said the newly elected 'sarpanchas' will be trained in implementing new acts, schemes and developmental work. 


"In Kashmir valley many schools are shut for several years now. They will be reopened in the days to come. About 50,000 temples are closed, some are 90 per cent destroyed, those temples will be surveyed. "There are no cinema theatres in the valley. They are shut for many years. Plan is on to open them," he added. The Centre had recently scrapped special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. -- PTI
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16:13   ABVP's march to Jadavpur University stopped by police
ABVP activists on Monday pelted stones at police officers and tried to break barricades after their protest rally to Jadavpur University here was stopped midway, sources said.


The right wing students' organisation began the rally from Gariahat area in south Kolkata to protest against the September 19 attack on Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Jadavpur University campus. As soon as the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists reached Jodhpur Park, around 2km away, police stopped them by putting up barricades on the road, the sources said.


The protesters then pelted the police with stones and tried to break the barricades, while raising slogans against the Trinamool Congress government, they added. Supriyo was last week heckled and held up for several hours by the students of Jadavpur University, where he had gone to attend a seminar organised by the ABVP. -- PTI
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15:50   Telangana guv's father is Cong candidate for TN polls
Kumari Ananthan (86), the father of Telangana governor Tamilsai Soundararajan is the Congress candidate for the Nanguneri assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu.  Ananthan paid his nomination fees of Rs 10,000 at the TNCC office in Chennai today. The central leadership of the Congress in Delhi has communicated its approval to the Tamil Nadu Congress committee and it is for MK Alagiri, the TNCC chief to announce it tomorrow.
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15:32   EC Ashok Lavasa's wife gets slapped with tax notice
Income Tax department has issued a notice to Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's wife for alleged irregularities in her IT returns. Mrs Lavasa is a banker by profession. Lavasa claims the IT notice is a routine matter and that his wife will reply to the notice. The tax department says there are questions that need to be answered. Wait and watch. 


IMAGE: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora flanked by Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa, left, and Sunil Chandra, right, during a press conference at Election Commission in New Delhi.
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15:23   PM accorded warm welcome by Indian diaspora in New York
Amidst loud chants and cheering, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded warm welcome by members of the Indian community upon his arrival in New York late on Sunday (local time).


PM Modi arrived in New York for his second leg of the seven-day visit to the US. Modi, in yellow Kurta and half jacket, was seen smiling and waving his hand while greeting the cheerful crowd in a hotel.


The slogans of "Modi..Modi.." were raised by the community.India's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Syed Akabruddin, was present along with other officials to welcome the prime minister at the JFK International Airport.


Modi will take part in the UNSG's summit on Climate Change and Leaders' Dialogue on 'Strategic Responses to Terrorist and Violent Extremist Narratives' on Monday. -- PTI
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14:54   Have faith, NRC won't be allowed in WB: Mamata
Accusing the BJP of creating panic over NRC, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed it has led to six deaths in the state. Addressing a trade unions' meet here, the TMC supremo iterated that she will not allow NRC exercise in the state.


"The NRC exercise will not be carried out in Bengal or anywhere else in country, it was conducted in Assam due to Assam accord," she asserted. 


The Assam Accord, an agreement signed in 1985 between the then Rajiv Gandhi government and the All Assam Students' Union, had ended a six-year mass movement against immigrants alleged to have settled illegally from Bangladesh.


"Shame on the BJP for creating panic over NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Bengal, it has led to six deaths. Have faith in me, I will never allow the exercise in Bengal," Banerjee said, without elaborating further. 


Criticising the saffron party for "undermining democratic values" in the country, the chief minister said, "Democracy exists in Bengal but it is under threat in several other parts of the country." The BJP is not talking about job losses or the downward spiral of Indian economy, all it wants to do is serve own political interests, she alleged.


"A rally will be taken out on October 18 against privatisation and shutting down of public sector units across the country. I will take part in it," the TMC chief stated.


Referring to the recent Jadavpur University fracas on September 19, she said the people of Bengal have seen what they (ABVP and BJP) did at the institute. " I believe protests are important in a democracy. The day protests lose their value, India will stop being India. Democracy still exists in Bengal while there is no democracy at a few places. We have seen what happened in Jadavpur University," the CM said. 


She also lambasted the media for allegedly bowing down to the BJP-led government at the Centre. "The media is not playing the role it is supposed to. Barring a few, most mediahouses have bowed down to the BJP-led government," she added. PTI


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14:20   Yogi pledges 15 more medical colleges from 2020
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that his government is striving to provide at least one medical college for every two districts in the state. He said that the government is working on the plan to establish 15 more new medical colleges from 2020.


"From 1947 to 2016, there were 12 government medical colleges in the state. Our government has taken up construction of 15 new medical colleges, 2 AIIMS, cancer institute between 2016-19. We are also adding super-speciality blocks to the already existing medical colleges," said Adityanath.


"We have started the work on 15 more new medical colleges. This when we are already working on 15, out of which we have started admission in 7 from this year," said Adityanath while addressing an event here on Monday.


"700 students are studying MBBS in these 7 new medical colleges established by us. When these students will come out they will increase the outreach of the health facility in rural areas. We are planning to give at least one medical college for two districts in Uttar Pradesh," he added. -- ANI
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14:09   Pak judge declines judicial probe into Hindu student's death
A local court judge in Pakistan has reportedly declined to hold a judicial inquiry into the death of a Hindu dental student, who was found dead in her hostel room last week, despite being asked by the home department, according to a media report. 


Nimrita Chandni, a final-year student of Bibi Asifa Dental College in Sindh province's Larkana district and a social activist, was found lying on a cot by her friends on September 16 with a rope tied to her neck.


The Larkana district and sessions judge appeared reluctant to hold the judicial inquiry into the mysterious death of Chandni despite the request made by the home department on September 18, the Dawn newspaper reported.


The Home secretary Abdul Kabeer Kazi - who is travelling abroad - has been informed by the police about the sessions judge's reluctance to initiate the inquiry. It did not identify the judge. 


"We have learnt that the sessions judge has outright declined to hold the inquiry," the paper quoted a source as saying. He said Kazi has told the Larkana police that the session judge was supposed to put it in writing if he was not willing to initiate the inquiry. One objection on the part of the judge is that the home department has directly made the request to him (the sessions judge) whereas it's the Sindh High Court registrar to have issued such a directive to him, the paper reported.


"But even for that matter, no reply has officially been communicated either to the Larkana police or home department and it was the message that has been conveyed to the police," the report said. -- PTI
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13:57   Maha: Bodies of woman, 4 daughters found floating in well
Bodies of a woman and her four daughters were found floating in a well in Maharashtra's Buldhana district on Monday, police said. The woman had left her home at Malegaon village in Mehekar tehsil on Sunday evening, saying they were going to their farm nearby, police said. 


Earlier on Monday, the bodies of Ujjwala Baban Dhoke (35) and her daughters Vaishnavi (9), Durga (7), Aruhi (4) and Pallavi (1) were found in a well near the village, police said. Police are also checking if this was a case of mass suicide, an official said. - PTI
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13:54   Army Chief should not become part of govt's poll campaign, says NCP MP
Nationalist Congress Party MP Majeed Memon on Monday questioned why Army chief Bipin Rawat is talking about Balakot now and said that he should not become part of the government's poll campaign.


The army chief earlier today had said that Balakot has been "reactivated" by Pakistan very recently. "Why he is talking about Balakot now when the election process has started. So many months have gone by and suddenly he is talking about Balakot. Rawat should not become part of the election campaign of the government. It is not appropriate for him," Memon told reporters.


The NCP leader said, "Pulwama, Balakot and Article 370, are not associated with the upcoming assembly polls. The issues of assembly polls are inflation, unemployment and GDP decline."


"People of Haryana and Maharashtra will look at these issues when they vote," he said.


Memon also hit out at top BJP leaders saying that whether it is Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Army Chief Bipin Rawat, all are talking about what Balakot and Article 370.
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13:35   Would bet on Modi to transform India: NYT columnist
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared stage with US President Donald Trump at the mega 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston where the two leaders addressed a crowd of over 50,000 people and endorsed each other. 


The event grabbed the attention of international media, especially in the US, which noted the relations between India and America.


An Op-Ed piece in the New York Times by columnist Roger Cohen termed the event as "freighted with political significance" since it came less than two months after Modi, with strong backing from Parliament, revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, eliminating the special autonomous status of the Kashmir region. 


"Trump chose to signal approval by standing side-by-side with the prime minister," wrote Cohen.Defending India's move to abrogate Article 370 Cohen said that the step "might pry open the stranglehold of corrupt local elites and offer a better future." 


Cohen has also said that he can bet on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to transform India including the "newly integrated" Kashmir region. Read Cohen's column here. 
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12:55   Houston paper covers Modi-Trump protests
The Houston Chronicle published 114 photographs of the Modi-Trump mega show. Take a look. 
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12:53   Cong accuses PM of campaigning for Trump
The Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating Indian foreign policy's "time honoured principle" of not interfering in the domestic elections of another country by campaigning for US President Donald Trump at the HowdyModi event in Houston. 


In a series of tweets, Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said Modi was in the US as India's prime minister, and not a star campaigner in the US elections.


"Mr Prime Minister, you have violated the time honoured principle of Indian foreign policy of not interfering in the domestic elections of another country. This is a singular disservice to the long-term strategic interests of India," Sharma said on Twitter after the Howdy Modi event in Texas on Sunday night.


"Our relationship with the United States of America have throughout been bipartisan, vis--vis Republicans and Democrats. Your actively campaigning for Trump is a breach of both India and America as sovereign nations and democracies," he added. 


Sharma's party colleague, P Chidambaram, who is in Tihar jail on charges of alleged corruption, also took a dig at the prime minister over his "Everything is fine in India" remark in Houston. "Bharat mai sab achha hai. Except for unemployment, loss of existing jobs, lower wages, mob violence, lockdown in Kashmir and throwing Opposition leaders in prison," Chidambaram tweeted through his family. -- PTI
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12:49   HM ponders multipurpose ID card
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday mooted the idea of a multipurpose identity card for citizens with all utilities like Aadhaar, passport, driving licence and bank accounts. Shah also said the Census 2021 data will be collected through mobile app. 


The Home Minister said there should also be a system that when a person dies, the information is updated in the population data automatically. "We can have just one card for all utilities like Aadhaar, passport, bank account, driving licence, voter card. This is a potential," he said.
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12:37   UK's 'largest repatriation in peacetime history' after Thomas Cook shuts
The 178-year-old British tour operator Thomas Cook Group Plc has collapsed under a pile of debt after talks with creditors failed, stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers, but the move will not have any impact on its India operations.


The company said in a statement that its board concluded that it had no choice but to take steps to enter into compulsory liquidation with immediate effect.


However, Thomas Cook India Ltd said in a statement that it is a completely different entity since August 2012 when it was acquired by Fairfax Financial Holdings, a Canada-based multinational with varied interests across the globe.


"Post the transfer of its entire stake in TCIL to Fairfax, Thomas Cook UK ceased to be the promoter of Thomas Cook India Ltd from the said date. Since then, Thomas Cook UK has had no stake in TCIL," said its Chairman and Managing Director Madhavan Menon.


But the collapse of Thomas Cook Group Plc forced the British government to hire charter planes to bring thousands of customers of the company back home. The company filed for administration early Monday after eleventh-hour negotiations to raise additional funding failed to result in a deal. The move saw all bookings, flights and holidays with Thomas Cook cancelled.


In what it called the 'largest repatriation in peacetime history,' the government said it will work to return all those booked to come back to Britain over the next two weeks free of cost. 
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12:17   Have waited long to greet you: Akbaruddin to PM
India's permanent representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin, who received Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport in New York on Sunday (local time), said that the members of the Permanent Mission of India to the UN have waited for long to greet the Prime Minister.


"Welcome PM @narendramodi. We @IndiaUNNewYork have waited for long to greet u," he tweeted.


After completing his engagements in Houston, PM Modi reached New York on Sunday to attend the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.


The Prime Minister will be addressing the UNGA for the second time.Apart from bilateral meetings with other delegations, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Prime Minister will also meet the Indian community in New York outside the General Assembly Hall.


Before departing for New York, Modi shared the stage with US President Donald Trump to address a massive 50,000 plus audience at the 'Howdy, Mody!' event in Houston.In their address, the two world leaders touched upon various important issues of bilateral cooperation that further fueled US-India friendship to new heights. -- ANI
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11:54   Pakistan has reactivated Balakot: Army chief
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday said Pakistan has reactivated Balakot very recently and about 500 infiltrators were waiting to infiltrate into India. 


"Balakot has been reactivated by Pakistan very recently. That shows that Balakot has been affected. It had been damaged and destroyed. And that is why people have got away from there and now it has been reactivated," he told reporters at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai. He said around 500 infiltrators were waiting to infiltrate into the country. "...some action had been taken by Indian Air Force and now they have got the people back there," he said. 


"There is a communication breakdown between terrorists in the Kashmir Valley and their handlers in Pakistan but there is no communication breakdown between people to people. Pakistan violates ceasefire to push terrorists into our territory. We know how to deal with ceasefire violations. Our troops know how to position themselves and take action. We are alert and will ensure that maximum infiltration bids are foiled," Rawat said.
-- PTI and ANI
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11:29   SBI links to repo rate, loans may get cheaper
State Bank of India on Monday said it will adopt repo rate as the external benchmark for all floating rate loans for MSME, home and retail loans, from October 1, 2019. On September 4, the Reserve Bank of India had mandated all banks to link all new floating rate personal or retail loans and floating rate loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to an external benchmark from October 1 onwards. 


The RBI gave the banks options to benchmark their floating rate loans either to repo rate, three-month or six-month treasury bills or any benchmark market interest rate published by Financial Benchmarks India Private. 


The bank has also extended the external benchmark-based lending to medium enterprises, to boost lending to the MSME sector as a whole. It had introduced floating rate home loans effective July 1, 2019, but has made some modifications in the scheme effective October 1, 2019, to comply with the latest regulatory guidelines, the release said. PTI
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11:12   Trump at 'HowdyModi' a watershed moment: PM
After a conquering Houston PM Modi thanks President Donald Trump who shared the stage at the Howdy Modi event. "@POTUS @realDonaldTrump, your presence at #HowdyModi in Houston was a watershed moment in India-USA ties. Since assuming office, you have been a steadfast friend of India and the Indian community. Your presence indicates your respect towards India and the Indian diaspora."


A large round of applause broke out at the Howdy Modi event in Houston, Texas, last night when Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar." Welcoming Trump, PM Modi said, "We have met a few times, and every time he has been the same warm, friendly, energetic and accessible. I admire him also for his sense of leadership and passion for America."


Addressing over 50,000 Indian-Americans at the NRG stadium, Modi said it was honour and privilege for him to welcome Trump in this magnificent stadium and magnificent gathering.


"We in India connected well with President Trump and with the words of candidate Trump, 'Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar', rang loud and clear," PM Modi added.


The PM is in New York today where he is expected to articulate his government's ambitions on renewable energy and make a call for a coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure at UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' High-Level Climate Action Summit on Monday.


Modi is among the first set of speakers at the Summit's opening ceremony, a highly significant gesture given that only those Heads of State, Government and Ministers are invited to speak at the summit who will have any "positive development" to announce on climate action. 


India's important role and contribution to global climate action efforts have been underlined by the fact that Modi is the fourth speaker at the Summit, after Guterres, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and President of Marshall Islands Hilda Heine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will speak after Modi.


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11:00   Man lynched, two injured over cow slaughter suspicion in Jharkhand
A differently-abled man was killed and two others were seriously injured when a mob allegedly thrashed them on suspicion of slaughtering a cow, in Jharkhand's Khunti district, police said on Monday. 


The incident happened after local residents allegedly saw Kalantus Barla, Fagu Kacchap and Phillip Horo with the carcass of a cow near a river at Jaltanga village on Sunday and beat them up, a police officer said. 


While Barla died on the way to the hospital, Kacchap and Horo are being treated at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi, the officer said. 


Police said five persons have been detained for questioning in connection with the incident, following which villagers gheraoed Karra police station on Sunday demanding their release. 


The villagers ended their gherao after Sub-divisional Police Officer Rushabh Jha assured them that the detained persons would be released if they were found innocent. -- PTI
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10:22   Karti thanks Sonia, Manmohan for visiting dad in jail
Karti Chidambaram after meeting his father P Chidambaram at Tihar Jail, Delhi: "My father and my family are extremely grateful to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former PM Dr Manmohan Singh for visiting him today and for extending their support. It's a big boost for us in this political fight."
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10:12   Legendary cricketer Madhav Apte dies
Veteran cricketer Madhav Apte died after suffering a cardiac arrest here on Monday morning, a family member said. He was 86. The former India and Mumbai opener was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital where he breathed his last at 6.09 am, his son Vaman Apte told PTI. Madhav Apte played seven Tests in which he scored 542 runs, with a lone hundred and three fifties to his credit. His highest score was 163 not out.


Read our 2015 report on Apte during the launch of his autobiography, As Luck Would Have it
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10:05   NCP keen on alliance with VBA for Maha polls: Ajit Pawar
Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar has said his party would like to forge an alliance with the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi for the next month's Maharashtra Assembly elections. The VBA contested the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year independently. 


As a result, the Congress-NCP alliance and the VBA suffered losses, Pawar said. "We are (now) trying to bring together like-minded people. We would also like to have an alliance with VBA," he said addressing a gathering here on Sunday evening. The former state deputy chief minister said out of the total eight Assembly seats in Pune city, the NCP will contest four and the Congress-three. -- PTI
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09:59   Sensex soars over 1,300 pts to reclaim 39,000
Extending its euphoria over government's economy-boosting measures, equity benchmark BSE Sensex soared over 1,300 points to reclaim the 39,000 mark in early session on Monday, driven by gains in index heavyweights HDFC Bank, ITC, L&T and ICICI Bank. 


After hitting a high of 39,346.01 points, the 30-share index was trading 1,031.58 points, or 2.71 per cent, higher at 39,046.20 at 0930 hours, while the broader Nifty rallied 263.75 points, or 2.23 per cent, to 11,537.95. 


In the previous session on Friday, the BSE barometer logged its biggest single-day jump in over a decade by surging 1,921.15 points or 5.32 per cent to 38,014.62, while the NSE Nifty zoomed 569.40 points or 5.32 per cent to end at 11,274.20. 


Bulls took over Dalal Street after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered a surprise cut in corporate tax rates. Announcing the latest set of measures to jump-start flagging growth, the Finance Minister slashed the base corporate tax for existing companies to 22 per cent from 30 per cent; and for new manufacturing firms, incorporated after October 1, 2019, to 15 per cent from 25 per cent. 



One the biggest problems ailing the investment rate was low corporate savings and, to the extent, this tax cut boosts corporate savings, this is positive structurally for the improvement in private sector investment rate, she added. Top gainers in the Sensex pack in early trade included ITC, Asian Paints, IndusInd Bank, L&T, HUL, Maruti, ONGC, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank, rallying up to 8 per cent. On the other hand, Infosys, TCS, TechM, HCL Tech, NTPC and PowerGrid tanked up to 8 per cent.


The rupee, meanwhile, traded flat against its previous close at 70.94 in early session.
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09:10   Sonia, Manmohan meet Chidambaram in Tihar
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh visited senior Congress leader and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram in Tihar jail today.

Chidambaram is in judicial custody in Tihar hail.

Chidambaram, who was the Union home minister and the finance minister during the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 from his Jor Bagh residence.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as the finance minister.
Thereafter, the ED lodged a money laundering case in this regard in 2017.
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08:46   PM Modi arrives in New York for 74th UNGA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New York to participate in the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly after delivering an electrifying address in Houston to over 50,000 members of the Indian diaspora at a mega community event also addressed by President Donald Trump.
Modi arrived at the J F K International Airport after 10 pm Sunday night and has a packed bilateral and multi-lateral agenda over the next five days, including nine key speeches at high-level summits and plurilateral engagements during the UN General Assembly session and on its sidelines.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin has said that the country's engagement and outreach at the 74th UN General Assembly will be unprecedented and will result in concrete, tangible, action-oriented outcomes. 
A total of over 75 Heads of State and Foreign Ministers will be meeting with Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan during the week across various platforms. 
Modi's day Monday will begin with the high-level Climate Action Summit hosted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the UN General Assembly chamber.
Modi is among the first set of speakers to address the summit, along with Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, President of Marshall Islands Hilda Heine and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Modi will have several bilateral meetings during his visit and will address the General Debate on September 27. -- PTI

Image: India's Permanent Representative to United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin receives Prime Minister Narendra Modi at J F K International Airport in New York. Photograph: ANI
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08:39   Trump has no plans to meet Iranian Prez at UNGA
United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he has no plans to meet Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Previously, the White House had hinted that the US President might meet his Iranian counterpart during the General Assembly amid escalating tensions between the two countries, Sputnik reported.

The Iranian mission previously stated that Rouhani was not expected to hold a meeting with Trump, responding to media reports about possible negotiations during the session.

US administration officials repeatedly said that the presidents might meet in order to ease tensions, claiming that Washington is ready for talks about a new nuclear deal without any preconditions. .

Tehran, however, said that after the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord, the US cannot be trusted and has refused to negotiate another agreement.
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07:54   Polling begins in Naxal-hit Dantewada amidst tight security
Voting for the bypoll to the Naxal-affected Dantewada assembly constituency began on Monday morning amid tight security. 

The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi in a Naxal attack in April. Polling began at 7 am and it will go on till 3 pm, an election official said.

A total of 1,88,263 voters, including 89,747 men and 98,876 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency, which has 273 polling stations.

A massive security blanket of around 18,000 personnel, including those from paramilitary forces, and drones have been thrown around the Dantewada assembly segment, which is part of the insurgency-hit Bastar region, for conducting peaceful polling, a police official said. 

The counting of votes will be taken up on September 27. Nine candidates are in the fray for the seat, which was the only one in Bastar division that the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win in last year's assembly election. 

Both the ruling Congress and the BJP have fielded candidates who have been victims of Naxal violence, with the former pitting Devti Karma, wife of senior party leader Mahendra Karma who was killed in the Jhiram Valley attack in 2013, against the latter's Ojaswi Mandavi, wife of slain MLA Bhima Mandavi.

The other candidates are Hemant Poyam (Bahujan Samaj Party), Sujit Karma (Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J)), Bhimsen Mandavi (Communist Party of India), Ajay Nag (Nationalist Congress Party), Ballu Ram Bhawani (Aam Aadmi Party), Yogesh Markam (Gondwana Gantantra Party) and Independent Sudru Ram Kunjam.

In the 2018 assembly polls, Devti Karma had lost to Bhima Mandavi by a thin margin of 2,172 votes in the Dantewada seat. 

In the 90-member state assembly, the Congress won 68 seats last year and the BJP 15. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and the BSP had bagged five and two seats respectively.
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07:35   PM asks NRIs to send at least 5 non-Indian families to India every year
Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested Indians leaving across the world on Sunday to send at least five non-Indian families to India as tourists every year. 

Addressing a gathering of members of the Indian community in Houston, he said, "Can you do something for me? It is a small request. I am saying this to all Indians leaving all over the world. You take a decision that every year, each one of you will send at least five non-Indian families to India as tourists." 

The prime minister said this after unveiling the plaque of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Eternal Gandhi Museum, inauguration of the Gujarati Samaj of Houston Event Centre and a Siddhi Vinayak temple. 

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) posted video clips of Modi's address on Twitter. 

"The Eternal Gandhi museum will be a prized cultural landmark in Houston. I have been associated with this effort for a while. It will surely make Gandhi Ji's thoughts popular among the youth: PM," the PMO said in a tweet.

Modi also thanked the Indian community in Houston for setting the stage for the "glorious future" of Indo-US ties, it said in another tweet.
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07:23   Houston trumped, PM Modi leaves for New York
Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for New York to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and participate in other "multilateral and bilateral" engagements after his "historic" visit to Houston, the ministry of external affairs said. 

"Farewell Texas! After an unprecedented and historic visit to Houston, PM @narendramodi departs for New York City to address the #UNGA74 and participate in other multilateral and bilateral engagements," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet. 

Earlier, in a grand show of friendship and common vision, the prime minister shared the stage with US President Donald Trump at the gala 'Howdy, Modi!' event. 

The two leaders pledged to fight terrorism while heaping praise on each other's achievements. 

Modi also addressed a gathering of members of the Indian community, where he requested Indians leaving across the world to send at least five non-Indian families to India as tourists every year.
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02:47   Will grow golden wings and fly away: Chidambaram
Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram ridiculed the Central Bureau of Investigation's charge that he was a flight risk.

"I am thrilled to discover that according to some people, I will grow golden wings and fly away to the moon. I hope I will have a safe landing," his family tweeted on his behalf. 

A Delhi court on Thursday extended Chidambaram's judicial custody till October 3 in a corruption case filed by the CBI.

Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 21. At present, he is in judicial custody in Tihar Jail.

He is facing a probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate for alleged irregularities in granting the clearance to INX Media to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007. 

-- ANI
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02:14   Historic day in world politics: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday called the "Howdy Modi" event presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in Texas a "historic day in world politics".

"PM Modi's popularity has soared across the globe. It is a recognition of the people of India. The grand Howdy Modi event is a testimony of New India's power under the leadership of PM @narendramodi. A historic day in world politics!" Shah stated in a tweet. 

The community summit, the first of its scale, was held at the NRG Stadium in honour of PM Modi, who is currently in the United States on a week-long official trip to address the UN General Assembly, among other engagements.

Shah said that the event was unprecedented, which has left an "indelible footprint" of a stronger India on the world map.

-- ANI
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01:49   Trump faces anti-India protesters in Houston
A group of anti-India protesters on Sunday staged demonstrations and showed protest flags to the motorcade of US President Donald Trump while he was heading to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 'Howdy, Modi' event.
  
On his way back to the airport after addressing the event, Trump again faced a few protesters who were holding Kashmiri separatist flags.

Outside the NRG stadium where the mega event took place, protesters rallied but slowly dissipated.

The protesters were carrying life-size cardboard cutouts of Modi while a group banged on drums. 

-- PTI
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01:27   USA loves India: Trump after 'Howdy Modi'
The USA loves India, US President Donald Trump said soon after wrapping up the massive 'Howdy Modi!' community event on Sunday.

Trump made the statement by quoting a tweet from the Prime Minister's Office which showed the roaring welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded on arriving at the NRG Stadium here where the mega event was held. 

The US President also found one of Raveesh Kumar's, the spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs, tweets "incredible".

"That's a Texas-sized crowd! Electric atmosphere at the NRG arena in Houston as 50,000 strong Indian Americans wait for the historic occasion when PM @narendramodi comes on stage together with US President @realDonaldTrump at #HowdyModi," Kumar had tweeted.

Sunday's event brought to focus the close bond shared by the leaders of the two largest democracies in the world. It also highlighted the positive difference made by the Indian-American diaspora in the United States. 

-- ANI
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01:15   Modi reads lines from his poem at Houston event
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recited two lines from the poem he had written a few days back to reflect India's determination to face challenges.

Modi, who addressed a large gathering of Indian-American community here in the presence of US President Donald Trump, read the lines soon after he had made a veiled attack on Pakistan over its support to cross-border terrorism. He also asked the audience to give a standing ovation to US President Donald Trump's resolve to combat terrorism.

Modi said a lot was changing in India and the country was ready to face challenges.

He said he had written a poem a few days back and he was reciting a couplet from it.

"Ye jo mushkilon ka ambaar hai, vahi to mere hosle ki minar hai (This accumulation of difficulties, that is the inspiration for my courage), Modi recited.

The PM said India was no longer satisfied with incremental change.

"It is making things possible which were considered impossible," he said.

-- ANI
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00:34  
Want to catch up on all the updates from the Howdy Modi event? 

Click HERE for all things 'Howdy Modi.
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00:33   In Houston, Modi foegoes trademark 'Bhaiyo aur Behno'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday deviated from his trademark dialogue "Bhaiyo aur Behno" and instead used "Howdy, my friends?" to address the Indian community here.
  
Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump on Sunday addressed the mega 'Howdy, Modi' event here with over 50,000 Indian-Americans present at the NRG stadium.

"Howdy, my friends?," he greeted people sitting there.

"If you ask me, 'Howdy, Modi', my answer is - everything is great in India," he said amid loud applause from the audience.

"Howdy", short for 'How do you do?', is a friendly greeting commonly used in southwestern United States

The event was organised by the non-profit Texas India Forum, with the tagline 'Shared Dreams, Bright Futures'.

The two trademark Modi dialogues which have become a synonym to the prime minister are "Bhaiyo aur Behno" and "Mitron".

-- PTI
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00:05   We have bid farewell to Art 370: Modi in Houston
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentions the K word during his address to the Indian-Americans at the NRG stadium. 

He spoke of the abrogation of Article 370 and also in a jibe to Pakistan said that countries that can't take care of themselves, shouldn't worry of other countries. 

Here's what he said:

>> Article 370 had kept people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh away from progress and rights. Terrorists and separatists were using it to their advantage. Now people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have the same rights as every Indian. The discrimination against women and Dalits has ended

>> Both houses of Parliament debated this for hours, and it was telecast live. Even though we don't have majority in the upper house, but still both the houses cleared the motion with two-thirds majority. I request you to give a standing ovation to the lawmakers of India

>> What India is doing has troubled some people who can't even manage their own country. They have made hatred towards India the centre of their agenda. They support terror, they harbor terrorists. Not just you, the whole world knows who these people are

>> Whether it is 9/11 in America or 26/11 in Mumbai, where are its conspirators found?

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