UN condoles death of 39 Indians in Iraq

 Tue, 20 March 2018
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23:54

UN condoles death of 39 Indians in Iraq

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The United Nations today condoled the death of 39 Indian nationals abducted by Islamic State in Iraq, saying the tragedy is yet another example of the 'barbarism and cruelty' of the notorious terror outfit.External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told Parliament in New Delhi that the 39 Indians...
22:39

After meeting Amit Shah, Rajbhar says will back BJP in RS polls

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A day after skipping the first year celebrations of the Yogi Adityanath government, sulking alliance partner Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party today announced its MLAs would back Bharatiya Janata Party candidates after its leader met saffron party chief Amit Shah in New Delhi.I have met BJP...
21:55

Illaiyaraja, Ghulam Mustafa Khan, 41 others given Padma awards

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Noted music composer Illaiyaraja, Hindustani classical singer Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Hindutva thinker P Parameswaran, Kerala Bishop Philipose Mar Chrysostom and 39 other prominent personalities were conferred the prestigious Padma awards for 2018 by President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi...
21:28

Only God, people behind me, not BJP: Rajinikanth

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Actor Rajinikanth today dismissed claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party was behind his political entry and said he was driven by only the God and the people.They are saying from the beginning that BJP is behind me. Only God is behind me and after that people are behind me. Okay, he told...
20:07

Maryland high school on lockdown after shooting

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A shooting erupted at a high school in the eastern United States state of Maryland today, but the event was 'contained', officials said.There were no immediate official reports of casualties in the shooting at Great Mills High School, located about a 90-minute drive southeast of Washington,...
19:31

The 39 Indians who were killed in Iraq

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The Ministry of External Affairs has released the names of 39 Indians who were killed in Iraq.Of the 39 deceased, 27 are from Punjab, six are from Bihar, four from Himachal Pradesh and two from West Bengal.Here is the list of the deceased:Dharminder Kumar (Punjab)Harish Kumar...
19:09

SCs of Veerashaiva, Lingayat sect to lose reservation if separate religion tag given: Union minister

Accusing the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government of playing politics in the name of religion, a Union minister said today that Scheduled Castes of Veerashaiva/Lingayat sects would lose reservation benefits if the demand for a separate religion tag was accepted by the Centre.This was the main...
18:49

Naidu cancels dinner for MPs over frequent disruptions in RS

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Anguished over disruptions in the working of the Rajya Sabha, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today cancelled a dinner he was to host for members of the Upper House tomorrow.According to sources, preparations for the dinner were completed last week.Naidu had even spoken to the President, the prime...
18:41

JNU professor Atul Johri arrested in sexual harassment case

Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Atul Johri was today arrested for allegedly sexually harassing several women students, police said.Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Range) Ajay Chaudhary confirmed his arrest.He was later produced in a court.Students, professors and women rights...
18:24
Update: Four terrorists killed in the encounter which broke out in Kupwara's Halmatpora, operations underway.More details awaited.
18:15

MEA left no stone unturned in trying to rescue Indians in Mosul: PM

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets on 39 Indian hostages killed in Iraq.Every Indian grieves with those who lost their loved ones in Mosul. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families and pay our respects to the Indians killed in Mosul, he  tweeted.The MEA (ministry of external...
17:51

So was Harjit Masih right all along?

The Establishment may not be particularly fond of Harjit Masih, who managed to flee Mosul after the ISIS gained control of it and spoke of the 39 other Indians who were killed long before Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj admitted to their deaths on Tuesday, but this article in Fountain Ink from...
17:49

Rajya Sabha MPs get a Carvaan radio from Naidu

Chairman of the Rajya Sabha M Venkakaih Naidu has gifted the MPs  with a Saregama Carvaan radio which has been liked by many, especially the retiring MPs.    Here's hoping it changes the tune in Parliament to a more melodious one.
17:40

You misled hostages' kin 7 times: Congress hits back at Sushma

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Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala reacts to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarj's remarks on his party.The Congress has expressed grief at the death of 39 Indians in Iraq. The Narendra Modi government has passed all limits of heartlessness, when whole world was saying they have died, the...
17:18

CBI challenges 2G case verdict in Delhi HC

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The Central Bureau of Investigation has said that it has today filed an appeal in the Delhi high court in 2G spectrum case.The trial court judgment in the case was examined and it was found that there are strong grounds for an appeal, the CBI said.More details awaited.
16:52

Army jawan commits suicide by shooting self in Samba

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An Army jawan today allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service pistol in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district.One Jawan Naresh Yadav was found dead with bullet injuries in the Maheswar area, Senior Superintendent of Police Samba Anil Magotra told PTI.The body has been...
16:52

Mrinal Pande appointed as group editor of National Herald

Just In: Mrinal Pande has been appointed group editor of the Congress party's National Herald newspaper.
16:48

Anna Hazare to return to Delhi's Ram Lila maidan with Lok Pal agitation

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For all those wondering what's up with Anna Hazare, whose anti-corruption rally at New Delhi's Ram Lila maidan, calling for the appointment of a Lok Pal, weakened the UPA government, here's an update.    Hazare will once again go on an indefinite dharna from March 23 at Ram Lila maidan...
16:36

If ruckus continues Speaker may adjourn Lok Sabha sine die on Friday

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Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has decided to adjourn the Lok Sabha sine die on March 21, Friday, at noon, if the AIADMK and TRS don't cooperate with  the chair to smoothly conduct the proceedings of the House.If the ruckus continues for the next two days it is likely that the no-confidence motion...
16:09
Here's the official break-up of the 39 Indians who have died in Iraq at the hands of the Islamic State, according to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. 1) Punjab -- 272) Himachal Pradesh -- 43) Bihar -- 64) West Bengal -- 2She also said that of the 39 people, 1 person's DNA was not yet...
16:09

We did not keep anyone in the dark, didn't give false hopes: Sushma

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After making a statement in the Rajya Sabha, announcing the death of the 39 missing Indians in Iraq, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a press conference during which she slammed the Congress for disrupting the proceedings in Lok Sabha and not letting her announce to the world about...
15:39

71-year-old Shantaram Naik heeds Rahul's youth call, quits as PCC chief

Goa Congress President Shantaram Naik today resigned from his post, saying he was inspired by Rahul Gandhi's speech at the party plenary about making way for younger leaders.    Naik, 71,  is the first senior Congress leader to resign after Rahul Gandhi announced on Sunday in his...
15:20

The end of a great junoon

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Those of us on this side of Wagah know him as the frontman for the sufi rock band Junoon who mesmerised us with songs like Saiyyoni.    Those on the other side of Wagah also know Salman Ahmad to be a loyal adherent of cricketer turned politician Imran Khan for decades.    So...
15:10

I told the truth that 39 Indians were killed: Man who escaped Islamic State

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Harjit Masih, the lone Indian worker who escaped from Islamic State captivity in Iraq, said his stand was vindicated following External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs confirmation that all 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraqs Mosul were dead. Addressing Parliament, Swaraj said all the 39...
14:39

Another Periyar statue vandalised in Tamil Nadu

A statue of social reformer and Dravidian movement icon E V Ramasamy, popularly know as 'Periyar', was found damaged in a village in Pudukkottai on Tuesday, the latest in a series of similar incidents of vandalism.  Unidentified persons cut off the head of the statue using a chisel and...
14:30

IAF aircraft crashes into Odisha's Mayubhanj

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Indian Air Force Hawk aircraft meets with accident after taking off from airbase in Kalaikunda in WB, pilot ejects safely. 
14:25

Punjab CM Amarinder 'shattered' over death of Indians in Iraq

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Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today said he was shattered at the heart-wrenching news that 39 Indians, kidnapped by the Islamic State, had been killed in Iraq.His Congress colleague Partap Singh Bajwa and Aam Aadmi Party's Kanwar Sandhu also expressed their grief and targeted...
13:59

Pakistan renews Musharraf's diplomatic passport

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Former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf was not only issued a new passport two months before the expiry of his travel document but it was again a diplomatic passport that he was entitled to being a former head of state, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal confirmed to Dawn on Monday,...
13:46

'Will believe my brother is dead when MEA contacts me'

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Gurpinder Kaur, the sister of one of the 39 Indians killed in Iraq, today said she finds it difficult to believe her brother is no more because External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had assured her for years that he is alive.Gurpinder, who heard the news on television, said she will believe her...
13:13

The truth about Facebook groups?

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'Facebook recently announced that group content will receive more prominent placement in the News Feed and that groups overall will be a core product focus to help reverse an unprecedented decline in active users in the US and Canada. The unintended consequence is that...
12:46

Notices of no-confidence motion not taken up amid protests in Lok Sabha

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Another day, another washout. Notices of no-confidence motion against the government by the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress were not taken up for a second consecutive day in Lok Sabha. On Tuesday, as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked the MPs to quiet down so that she could introduce...
12:26

Last male northern white rhino dies

The world's last surviving male northern white rhino has died after months of ill health, his carers said.Sudan, who lived at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, was put to sleep on Monday after age-related complications worsened.His death at the age of 45 leaves only two females of the...
12:20

SC Jamir bows out as Odisha governor after 5 years

Governor S C Jamir of Odisha completes his five-year tenure today, becoming the UPA government's last gubernatorial appointee to bow out of office, after spending the last four years of his term under the NDA government.    Satya Pal Malik, governor of Bihar, has been given additional...
12:08

Why was information delayed by govt: Tharoor on 39 Indians killed in Mosul

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This is saddening for every Indian. I would ask why was this information delayed by the government? They should tell how it happened, when they died. Also, the way the government gave high hopes to the families was not right, says Shashi Tharoor after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj...
11:57

Sasikala seeks parole to attend husband's funeral

Convicted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader VK Sasikala, who is currently lodged in Bengaluru's Parappanna Agrahara Jail, has applied for 15 days parole to attend her husband last rites.Reportedly, Sasikala is expected to travel to Thanjavur directly by road for the...
11:40

Amit Shah asks BJP's UP ally chief to meet him

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A day after Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party cchief Om Prakash Rajbhar threatened to boycott voting for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Tuesday asked the Uttar Pradesh minister to come to Delhi and meet him.Rajbhar, whose party is an ally of the BJP...
11:28
JUST IN: Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after ruckus erupted in the House.
11:22

39 Indian hostages in Iraq have died: Sushma confirms in Rajya Sabha

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has confirmed the worst. On Tuesday, the external affairs minister said that the 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq are dead. Deep penetration radar confirmed that all Indians were dead after all bodies were exhumed.Yesterday we got information that...
10:54

Trains resume on Mumbai's Central line as job-seekers call off agitation

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Train services on Central Line have resumed as students, who have been demanding jobs, have called off their agitation.Earlier in the morning around 7, students who were demanding jobs in railways, blocked the rail track, forcing the authorities to stop the suburban as well as express trains in...
10:27

Parliament may see chaos as as TDP, YSR Cong will pitch for no-confidence motion

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The Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress will pitch for no-confidence motion today. The notices for a no-confidence motion against the government could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Monday due to noisy protests by several parties, which washed out the proceedings in both Houses of...
10:05

UP's Robertsganj railway station renamed Sonbhadra

The Robertsganj railway station in Uttar Pradesh has been renamed Sonbhadra, an official has said.The Union home ministry has given its approval for the renaming of the British-era railway station in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.Even though the railway station falls under the district,...
09:55

'Won't budge till Goyal meets us': 30 trains on Mumbai's central line cancelled

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Massive protests erupted in Mumbai between Matunga and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. Students from the All India Act Apprenticeship Association have launched Rail Roko movement demanding permanent jobs in railways.The Mumbai Police has reached the spot.Train services have...
09:35

Uber apologises for inconvenience caused to passenger due to strike

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Transport aggregators Uber expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to the strike called on by 'some cab drivers' and stressed that the company remains committed to serve the city.We remain committed to serving the city, ensuring driver partners can continue to access...
09:05
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Commuters on the Central Railway line in Mumbai at many spots got off the trains and have begun to walk on the lines as the services have halted between Matunga and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in the city. Rediff.com's Divya Nair sent us this image of passengers on the tracks...
09:03

Sex And The City's Cynthia Nixon to run for New York governor

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After much speculation, actress and activist Cynthia Nixon announced that she is officially throwing her hat in the New York gubernatorial race.I love New York, and today I'm announcing my candidacy for governor, she tweeted Monday, along with a video.I've never lived anywhere else, Nixon says in...
08:38

Mumbaikars brace yourself, protests on tracks disrupt Central Railways

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Protesting against the confusion surrounding railway recruitment, students stopped trains on Mumbai's Central Railway during the peak hours on Tuesday. Due to the agitation between Matunga and Dadar, rail traffic has been affected between Matunga and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj...
08:24

Upset with Union ministers, Nitish Kumar says "communalism unacceptable"

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday made it clear that he is upset with two Union ministers. Please remember, neither did I compromise with corruption, nor I will compromise with those trying to divide the society. I'm for complete communal and social peace... I want to make it clear that...
08:04

Jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's husband M Natarajan passes away

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Husband of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, M Natarajan, died today at a hospital in Chennai, an official said.He was 74.It is with profound grief and sorrow that we announce the sad demise of Natarajan Maruthappa at 1.35 am today, an official release issued by Shanmuga Priyan, chief operating...
00:06

Treating J&K as a law and order problem not the way forward: Yechury

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Calling upon the Centre to initiate a process of political dialogue involving all stakeholders, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said treating Jammu and Kashmir merely as a law and order problem was not the way forward.Speaking at the two-day 11th state...