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Sat, 22 February 2020
Ram Mandir to be ready in 3.5 yrs: Trust member

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20:56   Ram Mandir to be ready in 3.5 yrs: Trust member
The proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya will be ready within three or three-and-a-half years after the construction starts, Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, said on Saturday.
   
Giriji Maharaj said financial cooperation from all devotees for constructing the temple would be accepted.
 
"The Akshardham Temple was built in three years, the Statue of Unity was constructed within three years, then we are also thinking that in three to three-and-a-half years, the grand temple of Lord Ram will be realised there," Giriji Maharaj said at a press conference.
 
Asked whether financial cooperation from people would be accepted, he said: "With the enthusiasm with which people send bricks, now they will also donate money and Lord Ram's temple will be built with people's funds and public support."
 
"It will also bring big donations, but we will also accept small donations because Lord Ram belongs to everyone," Giriji Maharaj said.
 
According to him, the decision on when the construction would start would be taken only after time period suggested by the temple construction committee constituted under the chairmanship of Nripendra Misra.
 
The committee will submit its suggestions in 15 days. The next meeting of the trust is slated to be held in 15 days, during which discussion will be held to take a decision. 

-- PTI
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20:41   Covid-19: Over 46k screened at Mumbai airport since Jan 18
As many as 46,218 people have been screened at the Mumbai international airport till Saturday since January 18 as part of the protocol to tackle the novel coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak, the Maharashtra government has said.
 
The virus outbreak was first detected in Wuhan in China in December and has since affected thousands of people across the globe.
 
A Maharashtra government release stated that 80 of the 82 people admitted in isolation wards in hospitals in the state for suspected exposure to covid-19 have tested negative,  while two remain admitted in Mumbai hospitals.
 
Since the outbreak of the virus in China and its spread across the globe through travellers, the Maharashtra government, acting on the guidelines issued by the Centre, has been placing people in isolation wards and screening those arriving at the Mumbai international airport from places affected by the outbreak.
 
Officials said a 14-day follow-up of 207 of 288 people who arrived in the state from covid-19 affected areas had been completed.
 
As per protocol, all arrivals from China's Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, are being quarantined and tested even if they are not showing any symptoms.

-- PTI
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20:16   Folk dance, 150-ft long carpet to welcome Trump
Preparations for the welcome of United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are in full swing in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, where they are scheduled to land on their two-day visit to the country.

According to officials, a group of 19 people will play the conch, which is known as 'Sankhnaad' in Hinduism, as soon as the US President arrives at the Ahmedabad airport. This tune is believed to be the sound of 'Brahmnaad', the essence of the universe is energy, frequency and vibrations.

"When the president of US Donald Trump will come to Ahmedabad Airport we will do the 'Brahmnaad'. Our team of 19 members will do the welcome by 'Shankhnaad'. When 'Shankhnaad' is done, there is a flow of positivity. In our culture, every god and goddesses have conch in there hand," said one of the artists, Samir Pandya.

"This teaches us that when this conch is played, there is an eruption of positivity. So, when Donald Trump arrives, he will feel the positivity and get to know the Indian culture," he added.

The Trump family will also be welcomed by various Gujarati folk artists.

Around 300 members of 17 groups will perform their folk art when Donald Trump and Melania Trump will be walking on the 150 feet long red carpet.

The folk artists will be performing 'Beda Nrutya', 'Janaviya Dhol', 'Par Bedda Dance', 'Dhol Bhoongli Shehnai' and many other folk performances.

-- ANI
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19:55   Nationalism, Bharat Mata Ki Jai being misused to construct militant idea of India: Manmohan
Nationalism and the slogan of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' are being misused to construct a "militant and purely emotional" idea of India that excludes millions of residents and citizens, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday, in an apparent attack on the BJP.
   
Addressing a gathering at the launch of a book on Jawaharlal Nehru's works and speeches, Singh said that if India is recognised in the comity of nations as a vibrant democracy and, if it is considered as one of the important world powers, it was the first prime minister, who should be recognised as its main architect.
 
Nehru had led this country in its volatile and formative days when it adopted a democratic way of life, accommodating divergent social and political views, Singh said. 
 
India's first prime minister, who was very proud of Indian heritage, assimilated it, and harmonised them into the needs of a new modern India, he said
 
"With an inimitable style, and a multi-linguist, Nehru laid the foundation of the universities, academies and cultural institutions of Modern India. But for Nehru's leadership, independent India would not have become what it is today," Singh said.
 
"But unfortunately, a section of people who either do not have the patience to read history or would like to be deliberately guided by their prejudices, try their best to picture Nehru in a false light. But I am sure, history has a capacity to reject fake and false insinuations and put everything in proper perspective," he said.

The book 'Who is Bharat Mata' by Purushottam Agrawal and Radha Krishna, contains selections from Nehru's classic books Autobiography, Glimpses of World History and the Discovery of India; his speeches, essays and letters from pre and post independence years; and some of his most revealing interviews. It was first brought out in English and now its Kannada translation has been released.
 
-- PTI
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19:11   Will see what lesson Trump has for PM: Digvijay
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday took a swipe at the visit of US President Donald Trump and claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "best friend" had begun opposing India's economic policies even before setting foot in the country.
 
"Will see what lesson Modi's best friend Donald Trump gives before returning. He has already opposed India's economic policies," Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh, tweeted.
 
Four days ago Trump had said that India was not  treating the United States "very well" on the trade front and had indicated that an expansive trade deal may not be signed during his visit.
 
In January 2015, then US president Barack Obama had finished his three-day visit by prodding India on religious freedom, and had said "India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along any lines, and it is unified as one nation".
 
Singh at the time had thanked Obama for the statement and had asked Modi if he would take "friend Barack's advice" and rein in Hindu fundamentalists.

-- PTI
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19:01   Look who's coming for dinner
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, has been invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan on 25th February for the banquet being organised in honour of US President Donald Trump.
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18:39   BJP workers plan to gift Kanpur sweets to US President Trump
BJP workers are planning to gift Kanpur special and traditional sweets to US President Donald Trump during his address at Motera Stadium on February 24 in Ahmedabad.

BJP workers had given the order for the sweets to Shanti Sweet House of Kanpur's Rail Bazar.

Shop owner Ajay Gupta (Raju) is feeling proud to have received the order for the sweets.

He said, "I have received an order from BJP workers for the sweets to be presented to US President Trump. We are preparing traditional Kanpur sweets and feeling proud that we are offering him (Trump) the sweetness of Kanpur. We are also putting a slogan of Namaste Trump on sweet boxes."

Gyanesh Mishra, a local BJP leader, said, "I will go to Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad and try to present Donald Trump the special sweets of Kanpur."

Trump and his wife Melania, who are visiting India on February 24-25, will be accompanied by daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, sources on Friday informed.

-- ANI
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18:16   Road at Shaheen Bagh opened, closed again
A road, which was closed for over two months in Shaheen Bagh due to an anti-CAA protest, was opened by a group of demonstrators, only to be closed immediately, on Saturday, police said. 
   
"Around two hours ago, road number 9 in Shaheen Bagh was reopened by a group of protesters, but later it was closed by another group," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) R P Meena said. 
 
The protesters have opened a small portion of a road leading to Kalindi Kunj so that locals can pass through it with their two wheelers, police said.

-- PTI
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17:45   5,000 security forces deployed for Trump's visit in Agra: Police
Approximately 5,000 security force personnel will be deployed for the visit of US President Donald Trump to the city, said Botre Rohan Pramod, Agra Superintendent of Police, on Saturday.

"The US President will be travelling in a golf cart to Taj Mahal. Police snipers will be placed along the route to provide more security to the visiting dignitary," Botre Rohan Pramod said. He also informed that 10 companies of Paramilitary forces, Provincial Armed Constabulary and civil defence will be deployed in the city.

"While CCTV cameras are already in place, talks are on about the anti-drone system," he added.

As per government sources, US President Donald Trump will be welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Agra on February 24.

-- ANI
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17:23   Nirbhaya convict Vinay Sharma's plea rejected
A Delhi court on Saturday dismissed a plea by one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case claiming he has mental illness and needs treatment.
   
Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana rejected the plea by Vinay Kumar Sharma.
 
The plea had claimed that Sharma had sustained grievous head injury and fracture in his right arm, and was suffering from "insanity", "mental illness" and "schizophrenia".
 
Tihar jail authorities had termed his claims as a "bundle of distorted fats" and told the court that CCTV footage established that the convict had inflicted "superficial" injuries on himself and was not suffering from any psychological disorder.
 
The psychologist, who appeared on behalf of the jail, said medical checkups of all four convicts were done on a daily basis and they are all fine.

-- PTI
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16:54   Chief Minister Adityanath to welcome US President Trump in Agra
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to welcome United States President Donald Trump in Agra on February 24, government sources said on Saturday.

According to officials, Chief Minister Adityanath will remain in Agra during Trump's visit, where he is scheduled to visit the famous Taj Mahal. 

Agra Mayor Naveen K Jain will also welcome the State Guest by handing over a 'key of the city' which is made up of silver as a symbolic gesture to pay respect to Trump.

Trump, accompanied by wife Melania, daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner along with the US delegation will visit Agra on February 24.

Agra has been spruced up ahead of Trump's visit. Walls on the route from Kheria airport to the Taj Mahal are painted with images of the US flag and the US president with 'Namaste Trump" written below it.

According to the Archaeological Survey of India, the Taj Mahal will remain closed for the general public from 12 noon on February 24 during the US president's visit.

-- ANI
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16:36   Ayushmann reacts to Trump's praise for movie
Ayushmann Khurrana is surprised by US President Donald Trumps reaction to the release of his latest film, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. 

On being asked about it at Hindustans Shikhar Samagam 2020, he said It was a very surprising tweet. I want him to work for LGBTQi rights in his country. I hope the LGBTQi community in US gets his support. He should definitely watch our film, its very important for him.

Human rights campaigner and LGBTQ+ activist Peter Tatchells praised the film a tweet. Hed written, A new #Bollywood rom-com featuring a gay romance is hoping to win over older people, following the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Hurrah! 

Reacting to his tweet, Trump had written, Great!

Asked about his approach to tackling the difficult subject matter, Ayushmann said, Doing it through comedy is important because its a big taboo in small cities. The audience will come for entertainment and will take home a message. He added that he has made his career out of experiments and said, I will be over the day I stop taking risks.

The film is set in a small town, like his previous films such as Dream Girl and Bala. Ayushmann also joked that other than his 2017 film Andhadhun, the climax of which was shot in Poland, he hasnt gone beyond Haridwar. His films Bareilly Ki Barfi, Bala, Article 15 and Gulabo Sitabo have all been shot in Lucknow, the venue for this years Samagam.
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16:07   Fit for a US president
The 'Trump Collection', gold & silver plated tableware specially designed for personal use of US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump during their Delhi visit. 
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15:43   'Who's spending Rs 100 cr on Namaste Trump'
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the central government over US President Donald Trump's visit to India and asked which ministry is spending Rs 100 crores for conducting the event.

The Congress scion also raised eyebrows over the role of a commission that has been acting as the main organiser for Trump's mega-event 'Namaste Trump' at Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad. "100 crores have been spent on President Trump's visit.

But this money is being spent through a committee. The members of the Committee do not know that they are its members. Does the country not have the right to know which ministry has given money to the Committee? What is the government hiding under the guise of the Committee?" she said (roughly translated from her tweet in Hindi). The Congress leader also uploaded a clipping of a Hindi news daily regarding the issue.

Donald Trump Nagrik Abhinandan Samiti is the organiser of the 'Namaste Trump' event. The US president along with his family is scheduled to visit India from February 24-25.

-- ANI
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15:25   Rahul remains 'top leader' in Cong: Khurshid
A large section within the Congress has always felt that Rahul Gandhi must come back as party chief and he remains the "top leader" in the party, senior leader Salman Khurshid said on Saturday, asserting that Gandhi should be allowed to make his decision at a time of his choice.

Khurshid also asserted that the Congress was going through a "transitional process", but there was no leadership crisis plaguing the party as Sonia Gandhi was there at the helm.

His remarks assume significance as they come after voices emerged from several quarters within the Congress on the leadership issue with many leaders, including Shashi Tharoor and Sandeep Dikshit, demanding that the matter be finally laid to rest.

Asked about Dikshit and Tharoor's views, Khurshid said, "We have had elections in the past. We have also had people say that elections are not necessarily the best thing. There are two points of view. When we get to that point, we will cross the bridge."

He said talking about such issues in the media doesn't help the Congress.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was best suited to lead the Congress, Khurshid said, "We have all said this. It is now written in stone, it is clear. But if we accept him as our leader, let us give him the choice of decision making and the timing. Why do we want to impose (our views) on him."

-- PTI
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14:59   Uddhav Thackeray to visit Ayodhya on March 7
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya on March 7, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday.

In a tweet, Raut informed that Thackeray with scores of Shiv Sainiks will visit Ram Lalla in the afternoon.

The Maharashtra chief minister will also offer prayers on Sarayu riverbanks the same day, informed Raut on the micro-blogging site.

This will be Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya after becoming the chief minister. He was sworn in as the chief minister of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in November last year.

He has also invited everyone to be a part of this historic journey, which will include senior Shiv Sena ministers, the Thackeray family and senior leaders like Raut himself.

Shiv Sena, a former ally of Bharatiya Janata Party, is a strong supporter of the construction of a Ram Temple at the Ramjanmabhoomi site in Ayodhya. 

-- ANI
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14:53   Cong's swipe at PM on jobs over Trump visit
The Congress party has taken a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over unemployment and the economic slowdown, days before he is to receive US President Donald Trump and his family on a two-day visit to India.

"69 lakh vacancies of the 2 cr promised by Modiji have been announced. Apply now. Hurry!" the Congress tweeted.

US President Trump will arrive in Ahmedabad on Monday. From the airport, PM Modi will take him on a roadshow to the world's largest cricket stadium in the city's Motera.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner has said around one lakh people are expected to be lining up to greet the American President, though President Trump claimed he has been told by PM Modi that 10 million people are expected to turn up along a 22-km-long road in Ahmedabad.

In the tweet, the Congress also added a poster that mocked the centre over employment.

"Donald Trump Nagrik Abhinandan Samiti. Hiring Now. Job description: Waving at US President Donald Trump. Vacancies: 69 lakh. Remuneration: Acchhe din (good days)..." the Congress tweeted, in reference to PM Modi's comment after coming to power in 2014, when he said, "Good days are here."

Hitting out at the Congress, the BJP today said the opposition is unhappy when the country's stature is being raised globally. "This is a meeting of the world's largest and oldest democracies and it should be celebrated," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
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14:52   Cong's swipe at PM on jobs overs Trump visit
The Congress party has taken a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over unemployment and the economic slowdown, days before he is to receive US President Donald Trump and his family on a two-day visit to India.

"69 lakh vacancies of the 2 cr promised by Modiji have been announced. Apply now. Hurry!" the Congress tweeted.

US President Trump will arrive in Ahmedabad on Monday. From the airport, PM Modi will take him on a roadshow to the world's largest cricket stadium in the city's Motera.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner has said around one lakh people are expected to be lining up to greet the American President, though President Trump claimed he has been told by PM Modi that 10 million people are expected to turn up along a 22-km-long road in Ahmedabad.

In the tweet, the Congress also added a poster that mocked the centre over employment.

"Donald Trump Nagrik Abhinandan Samiti. Hiring Now. Job description: Waving at US President Donald Trump. Vacancies: 69 lakh. Remuneration: Acchhe din (good days)..." the Congress tweeted, in reference to PM Modi's comment after coming to power in 2014, when he said, "Good days are here."

Hitting out at the Congress, the BJP today said the opposition is unhappy when the country's stature is being raised globally. "This is a meeting of the world's largest and oldest democracies and it should be celebrated," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
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13:33   SC's mediator at Shaheen Bagh to resume talks
Supreme Court-appointed interlocutor Sadhana Ramachandran on Saturday arrived at Shaheen Bagh to resume talks with the anti-CAA protesters.

The Saturday visit of the interlocutor is the fourth in the last four days. 

On Friday, the interlocutors -- Santosh Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran -- had assured Shaheen Bagh protestors that they would take up their demand of "ensuring safety to them" to the top court.

Ramachandran had appealed to the protestors that the women sitting on protest should "think independently and not get influenced".

She asked them to "not just only open the road but also a way to the heart".

The Supreme Court had on Monday appointed senior lawyers Hegde and Ramachandran, besides former CIC Wajahat Habibullah, to hold talks with protesters at Shaheen Bagh area to convince them to hold the agitation at an alternative site.

The apex court has fixed the matter for further hearing on February 24.

Thousands of people, the majority of them women, have been holding a sit-in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed NRC at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area since mid-December last year.
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13:19   Trump's India tour: Sabarmati Ashram says US president will visit
US President Donald Trump will travel to the Sabarmati Ashram -- Mahatma Gandhi's home between 1917 and 1930 -- when he arrives in Ahmedabad Monday to begin a two-day state visit, an ashram official said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said earlier that the White House would take a call on whether Trump would visit the ashram. State officials have confirmed he will, the ashram said.

In recent years, President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan have all visited the Sabarmati Ashram with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Donald Trump's visit, his first to India as US president, is widely anticipated; he will travel to Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Agra.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised him a "memorable" welcome, and said his trip to India "will go a long way in further cementing the India-USA friendship".
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12:56   Kejriwal not invited for Melania's school visit
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will not accompany US First Lady Melania Trump to government schools during her brief visit to the national capital next week, it has been learnt.

"The chief minister and deputy chief minister have been dropped from the list of people who will be present at the school when Melania Trump visits,' sources said.

On Tuesday, Melania is expected to attend a class on the happiness curriculum, one of the flagship programmes of the Delhi government in the education sector that aims to help children relieve stress, meditate and discuss things that are troubling them.

"The Delhi government is keen on showing Melania Trump a few other programmes they have started, such as the entrepreneurship curriculum, but her visit is expected to last just an hour or so. She and her team have expressed a desire to witness a happiness class as it happens, so that is definitely on the cards," a source had earlier said.

The curriculum was started in July, 2018 by Education Minister Manish Sisodia. Under the programme, students spend 45 minutes a day mediating, telling stories and sharing their experiences. A teacher oversees the session.
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12:36   Delhi Court allows Shashi Tharoor to travel abroad
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday allowed Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor to travel to the United Arab Emirates, France and Norway between February and May 2020.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had moved an application in a Delhi court on Tuesday, seeking permission to travel abroad.

Shashi Tharoor is an accused in his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death case and is currently on bail.

The trial court while granting bail to him had imposed a certain condition that the accused shall not leave the country without prior permission of the court.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. Tharoor was later charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including for abetment to suicide and cruelty.

-- ANI
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12:12   Nirbhaya convict won't meet legal aid counsel
In a fresh twist to the Nirbhaya case, one of the four death row convicts -- Pawan Gupta -- whose legal remedies are still pending, refused to meet legal aid counsel Ravi Qazi in Tihar Jail.

Advocate Ravi Qazi, who was appointed by the court to represent Pawan Gupta, went to Tihar Jail on February 19 where he was informed by the jail authorities that the convict has refused to meet him. Pawan is the only convict among the four who has not yet filed the curative petition and other legal remedies available to him.

A court of Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Rana on February 17 issued fresh death warrants and set March 3 as date of execution of death penalty.

Ravi Qazi said that as there was no communication in the last few days, therefore, he could not move Pawan Gupta's legal remedies.

But the cloud of suspension hangs over their execution as Pawan has still not used his legal remedies. Earlier, Pawan Gupta was represented by AP Singh. The court has directed DLSA to provide Gupta a defence counsel.

The Patiala House Court on Monday issued fresh death warrants against four convicts while hearing a petition by the state and Nirbhaya's parents.

The case pertains to the brutal gang rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in Delhi. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.

-- ANI
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11:27   Kailash Kher hopes Trump joins him on stage
Singer Kailash Kher, who is all set to perform at the 'Namaste Trump' event in Gujarat's Ahmedabad Sardar Patel Stadium on February 24, said that he hoped that US President Donald Trump joins him on the stage.

"The performance to start with the song 'Jai-Jai-Kara, Swami saath dena humara' and end with 'Bam Bam Lahiri', if I have my way I would make him (Trump) also dance on this song,"Kailash Kher said. 

Disclosing why the upcoming performance is special to him, the singer said, "Ever since we sang for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reception at Sap Center, in California, there were about thirty-thousand people, after watching the entire stadium chant I told god, India is so big, and you the one taking care of it, so, why not built even a bigger stadium in India where the voice of people will buzz the entire stadium."

"And look now I'm performing at the Motera Stadium where around 1.10 lakh people will sing along 'Jai-Jai Kara, Jai-Jai Kara Swami Dena Saath Hamara' with me," he added.

-- ANI
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11:02   Remember what happened in Gujarat: BJP MLC to Pathan
Hitting out at All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Waris Pathan over his '15 crore Muslims can be heavy on 100 crore' remark, Maharashtra BJP legislator Girish Vyas has said he should remember what happened in Gujarat.
Vyas, who is an MLC and a BJP spokesperson, also urged the Muslim community to boycott people like Pathan and "teach them a lesson".
"The youths and patriots of this country and each worker of the BJP are ready to give a befitting reply to Waris Pathan in the same language he has used," Vyas said while speaking to TV9 news channel on Friday.
"We are tolerant and patient, but this not does mean that we cannot deal with them. Remember Gujarat, the incidents happened in Kalupur. If they take that into account...I feel the Muslims there today do not dare to rise again," he said.
Vyas was apparently referring to the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, in which over 1,000 people, mostly of the minority community, were killed.
"Maharashtra chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) should take action against Pathan for sedition and the Indian government should send him to Pakistan," he added.

Vyas, who is from Nagpur, dared Pathan to come to his city.
"We will make proper arrangement for you. Do you think we are wearing bangles? We are ready to deal with you. But we feel that there should not be any disharmony in the society," he said.
"We request the Muslim community to boycott such people. The community should teach a proper lesson to those who are trying to create disharmony in the society," Vyas added.
While addressing an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act rally at Kalaburagi in North Karnataka on February 16, Pathan had allegedly said, "We have to move together. We have to take Azadi (freedom), things that we don't get by asking, we have to take it by force, remember it...(We may be) 15 crore, but are heavy on 100 (crore), remember it." -- PTI

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10:56   Modi won't accompany Trumps to Taj: Sources
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to accompany United States President Donald Trump and his family members during their visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra on Monday, official sources said.
  
The US President will arrive in Ahmedabad at around noon on February 24 for a less that 36-hour visit to India. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including First Lady Melania Trump, the President's daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner and a galaxy of top US officials.
After attending an event at Ahmedabad, the Trumps will travel to Agra on Monday afternoon to visit the Taj Mahal  before arriving at the national capital for the main leg of the visit.
When asked about reports that Modi may accompany Trump to Agra, official sources said there was no such plan.
They said the visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra by the US President and his family members will afford them the opportunity to view the historical monument suitably. Therefore, no official engagements or presence of senior dignitaries from the Indian side is envisaged there, the sources said. 
Modi will be in Ahmedabad on Monday where a public reception will be accorded to the US President and the First Lady. The Prime Minister will also be present for the Delhi leg of the visit where official engagements are envisaged on February 25, the sources said. -- PTI
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09:54   China delaying clearance for IAF plane: Sources
China is delaying grant of clearance to India's proposal to send an Indian Air Force flight to carry relief material for people affected by coronavirus in the neighbouring country and bring back Indians from its city of Wuhan, official sources said Saturday.
 
India was to send a C-17 military transport aircraft to Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, on February 20 but the plane could not take off as permission was not granted for the flight.
"China is deliberately delaying grant of clearance for the evacuation flight," a high-level source said. -- PTI
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09:40   Yet to finalise trade deal with India: White House
The United States on Friday said it was unlikely that a trade deal would be inked with India during President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to the country, saying that concerns that led to India's removal from the Generalized System of Preferences persisted.
 
"The concerns that led to the revocation, suspension of India's Generalized System of Preferences access remains a concern for us. And to remind, it was really the failure of the Indian government to provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets in numerous sectors," a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call.
 
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to travel to Ahmedabad, Agra and New Delhi on February 24 and 25. 

There have been talks about India and the United States agreeing on a trade package as a precursor to a major trade deal.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who has been negotiating a trade deal with India, is not travelling with Trump on the India trip. 

In fact, he had cancelled his earlier trip to India as well.
 
"We continue to talk to our Indian colleagues about addressing these market access barriers. Our trade teams, led by the USTR, have been in touch with their counterparts over the past several weeks. That engagement will continue," the official said.
 
"The trade and economic relationship with India is critically important to the United States, and I think also access to the United States market is critical to the Indian government. We do want to make sure that we get this balance right. We want to address a bunch -- a lot of concerns, and we're not quite there yet," the official said in response to a question.
 
The high-powered American delegation led by Trump will likely have discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about these concerns and continue the discussion beyond this visit, said the senior administration official.
The official said a number of announcements coming from India in the past several weeks, are making the discussions a bit more difficult perhaps.
 
"Recent announcements on Make in India have made the protectionism concerns in India even greater. So we will be discussing those concerns. And what we see as an increase in barriers, not a decrease, this will certainly come up among the leaders," the official argued.
 
"Whether or not there will be announcement on a trade package is, really, wholly dependent upon what the Indians are prepared to do. That said we have a number of significant commercial deals, which are of great significance that we're very pleased to announce in a number of key sectors," said the senior administration official.
 
The senior administration official said "the Make in India push of the Indian government, has made the protectionism concerns" even more of a concern to the United States.
"We've seen India's budget process recently used to raise tariffs on products of interest in the United States. We continue to see important divergences on e-commerce and digital trade. So it's a pretty wide scope, frankly, of important service and goods access barriers that we need to address," the official said. -- PTI
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09:28   Pak must crack down on terrorists: US
United States President Donald Trump is encouraging a cooling of tension between India and Pakistan, the White House said on Friday, pointing out that successful dialogue between the two nations would be possible if Pakistan cracks down on terrorists and extremists on its territory.
 
"I think what you'll hear from the President is very much encouraging a reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan, encouraging the two countries to engage in bilateral dialogue with each other to resolve their differences," a senior administration official said, when asked whether Trump would offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue again during his upcoming Indian visit.
 
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will lead a 12-member American delegation to Ahmedabad, Agra and New Delhi on February 24 and 25.
 
"We continue to believe a core foundation of any successful dialogue between the two (Indian and Pakistan) is based on continued momentum in Pakistan's efforts to crack down on terrorists and extremists on its territory. So we continue to look for that," the official said.
 
"But I think the president will urge both countries to seek to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Control and refrain from actions or statements that could increase tensions in the region," said the official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.
 
Responding to a question on the Afghanistan peace process, the official said the United States would just encourage India, as it does with regional countries, to do whatever it can to support this peace process so that it can be successful and can potentially end 19 years of military, diplomatic, economic engagement.
 
"You know, that we can end the military engagement. We will be continuing our diplomatic and economic engagement, which has been there over the last 19 years. But we certainly would look to India to support this peace process -- an important country in the region, important to the overall stability of the region. So I think if the issue comes up, that is what would be the request from the president," the official said. -- PTI  
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08:39   2 LeT terrorists killed in Anantnag
Two Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Saturday. 

The encounter took place at night in the Sangam area of Bijbehara in south Kashmir, a police official said. 

The slain ultras belonged to LeT, the official said, adding that they were being identified. 

Weapons were recovered from the site of the encounter, he added. -- PTI SSB 
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08:18   Trump will raise religious freedom with Modi: WH
United States President Donald Trump will raise the issue of religious freedom with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India next week, the White House said on Friday, noting that the US has great respect for India's democratic traditions and institutions.
 
"President Trump will talk about our shared tradition of democracy and religious freedom both in his public remarks and then certainly in private. He will raise these issues, particularly the religious freedom issue, which is extremely important to this administration," a senior official told reporters in a conference call.
 
The official was responding to a question on whether the president was planning to speak to Modi on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the National Register of Citizens.
 
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to travel to Ahmedabad, Agra and New Delhi on February 24 and 25.
 "We do have this shared commitment to upholding our universal values, the rule of law. We have great respect for India's democratic traditions and institutions, and we will continue to encourage India to uphold those traditions," the official said, requesting anonymity.
 
"And we are concerned with some of the issues that you have raised," the senior administration official said, in response to the question on CAA and NRC.
 
"I think the President will talk about these issues in his meetings with Prime Minister Modi and note that the world is looking to India to continue to uphold its democratic traditions, respect for religious minorities," the official said.
 
"Of course, it's in the Indian constitution -- religious freedom, respect for religious minorities, and equal treatment of all religions. So this is something that is important to the president and I'm sure it will come up," said the official.
 
Pointing out that India has a strong democratic foundation, the official said India is a country rich in religious, linguistic, and cultural diversity.
 
"In fact, it's the birthplace of four major world religions," the official noted.
 
"Prime Minister Modi, in his first speech after winning the election last year, talked about how he would prioritise being inclusive of India's religious minorities. And, certainly, the world looks to India to maintain religious liberty and equal treatment for all under the rule of law," said the senior administration official. -- PTI 
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01:09   Coronavirus: WHO team to visit Wuhan today
A team of World Health Organisation experts would travel to Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic, on Saturday to investigate the disease outbreak, the global health body announced on Friday.

The 12-member team, which arrived in China on Monday, was initially designated to visit only Beijing, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces as the Hubei province and its provincial capital Wuhan was conspicuously absent from the list.

However, the team was finally given the permission to visit Wuhan by the Chinese government.

The death toll in China due to coronavirus has gone up to 2,236 while the overall confirmed infection cases have climbed to 75,567, the country's health officials said.

"The international experts currently in China to investigate the novel coronavirus outbreak will travel to Wuhan on Saturday," state-run Xinhua quoted a World Health Organisation announcement made in Geneva.

The experts team, which is joined by the Chinese health experts, talked to Hubei authorities during a teleconference and discussed the epidemic situation, control and prevention measures in communities and rural areas, wildlife management and drug and vaccine development, Xinhua reported.

Besides controlling the spread of the virus, a major task of the WHO team along with their Chinese counterparts is to come up with a standard medicine to cure the disease.

Chinese officials have said that more than half of the patients are being treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine in Wuhan that helped many of them to recover.

Several antiviral drugs have been applied in clinical trials against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and some have shown fairly good clinical efficacy, a Chinese official said.

Chinese researchers have narrowed down their focus to a few existing drugs, including Chloroquine Phosphate, Favipiravir and Remdesivir, after multiple rounds of screening, Zhang Xinmin, director of the China National Center for Biotechnology Development under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said.  -- PTI

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