INDIA:
Shun single use plastic, says PM Narendra Modi while launching programme to vaccinate 500 mn livestock
Asking people to shun single use plastic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the wanton use of plastic posed a hazard to the environment and had led to livestock and fish being killed. Modi was addressing a gathering here after joining women in segregating plastic from waste at a 'Swachhta Hi Seva' programme.
The prime minister sat on the floor with women who pick plastic from garbage and helped them sift through the waste, driving home a powerful message in his mission to end single use plastic.
INX Media case: Criminal proceedings malafide, borne out of political vendetta, states Chidambaram in plea
Instant criminal proceedings are malafide and borne out of political vendetta, Congress leader P Chidambaram stated in a regular bail application moved on Wednesday.
The application was filed by advocate Arshdeep Singh on Chidambaram's behalf in the Delhi High Court in a corruption case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the INX Media case.
Tabrez Ansari lynching: Jharkhand Police drops murder charges against 11 accused
The Jharkhand Police on Wednesday said that the chargesheet against 11 accused persons in Tabrez Ansari lynching case has been filed under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), as the murder case (section 302) could not be made based on the findings of post-mortem report.
S Karthik, SP Seraikela Kharsawan said, "Chargesheet has been filed against 11 accused, murder case could not be made based on the findings of the post-mortem report. We have chargesheeted it as culpable homicide." "A total of 13 accused were involved in the case out of which we had arrested 11 people and post the completion of the investigation, charge sheet has been filed.
Very close to restoring normalcy, says Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Wednesday asserted that the erstwhile state is on the edge of normalcy, with restrictions almost lifted from most of the districts.
"We are very close to normalcy. If you take the entire state into account, all 10 districts of Jammu have become absolutely normal. All schools, colleges and offices are open. People are doing their jobs without any problem," he said in a press briefing after Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Asif Maqbool Bhat was killed in a shootout with police this morning.
Chandrababu Naidu was creating law and order situation: AP DGP on former CM's preventive detention
Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) D G Sawang on Wedbesd said that former Chief Mnister N Chandrababu Naidu was taken into preventive custody as he was creating tensions and disturbing law and order.
"N Chandrababu Naidu was taken into preventive custody as his actions were increasing tensions and creating disturbances to law and order in Palnadu, Guntur. Police didn't take him into preventive custody for fighting against the policies of state government," he said.
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla's remarks on Brahmins reeks of casteism: Kapil Sibal
Slamming Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla for his reported remarks eulogizing Brahmin caste, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that his mindset reeks of casteism.
"Om Birla: Speaker Lok Sabha said: "Brahmins are held in high regard by virtue of birth". It is this mindset that caters to a caste-ridden unequal India. We respect you Birlaji not because you are a Brahmin but because you are our Speaker in Lok Sabha," tweeted Kapil Sibal.
How assets will be divided between Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir
The Central government on Tuesday announced the formatrion of a three-member advisory committee to supervise the division of assets between the two newly-formed Union Territories (UTs) of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, which will formally come into existence on October 31, 2019.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the three-member advisory committee will include former Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, former IAS officer Arun Goyal and Giriraj Prasad, a former Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officer.
Video demanding Rs 5 cr from Swami Chinmayanand goes viral
The sexual harassment case against former Union Minister Swami Chinmayanand has taken a new turn with yet another video surfacing that shows four young men and a woman apparently planning to extort money from the BJP leader.
The video that went viral since Tuesday night, shows the five youths discussing a whopping amount of Rs 5 crore that they planned to get from the former Minister of State for Home Affairs, now embroiled in the exploitation case of a Law student from his varsity here.
Swami Vivekananda's message of universal brotherhood relevant even today: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said Swami Vivekananda's message of universal brotherhood, in his historic address at the convention of Parliament of Religions in Chicago, is relevant even in contemporary times. Swami Vivekananda had introduced India and Hinduism to the western world in his speech in 1893.
Paying homage to the monk, Banerjee tweeted, "Today is the 126th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's epochal speech at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. His message of universal brotherhood is relevant even today. My respectful homage to the great saint."
WORLD:
Tokyo: 17,000 stranded at airport due to typhoon
Around 17,000 passengers were stranded overnight at Tokyo's Narita Airport, an official said Tuesday, after it took a direct hit from a powerful typhoon that caused transport chaos throughout the capital.
The typhoon caused more than 100 flights to be scrapped and road and rail links to the airport were also badly affected, leaving many with no transport options to the city 70 kilometres (45 miles) to the west.
US media showing one-sided perspective on Kashmir: Indian envoy
Some sections of the American media, especially the liberal media, is focussed on a perspective on Kashmir that has being "pushed forward" by those who are "inimical" to India's interest, the country's ambassador to the United States has said.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla said New Delhi's move to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir's special status last month and bifurcate it into Union territories was done for the "benefit" of the people.
In an interview to PTI, the top Indian diplomat called Article 370, which gave special status to the state, an "anachronistic provision" that was "stifling the economy and encouraging the inflow of Pakistani terrorism".
Milk at Rs 140/litre, costlier than petrol and diesel in Pakistan
The price of milk has gone out of control across major cities of Pakistan on the day when Muharram is observed, according to Pakistani media reports. The price of milk has reached Rs 140 per litre in Karachi and the Sindh Province.
Interestingly, petrol and diesel prices in Pakistan are lower than that of milk. Petrol was selling Rs 113 per litre, while diesel was Rs 91 per litre in Pakistan, just two days ago.
Blast at US embassy in Afghanistan on 9/11 anniversary
A powerful explosion occurred near the US embassy in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, shortly after midnight on Wednesday, the anniversary of the 9/11 attack in the US. No casualties have been reported so far.
Images on social media show a plume of smoke rising near the building of the US embassy in the exclusion zone of Kabul where several other embassies are also located, Xinhua news agency reported. he blast was caused by a rocket attack, a local reporter said.
UN chief wants India, Pakistan to resolve Kashmir issue through dialogue: Spokesperson
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has had contacts with the leadership in India and Pakistan, remains very concerned about any potential escalation between the two countries over Kashmir and appeals to both sides to deal with the issue through dialogue, his spokesperson said.
Guterres met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit last month in Biarritz, France and has also spoken to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, UN chief's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a daily press briefing here on Tuesday. On Monday, Guterres also met with the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN Maleeha Lodhi on her request over the Kashmir issue.
MUMBAI:
MNS leaders and cadre confused as party yet to decide whether it will contest Maharashtra Assembly election
To contest or not to contest the Maharashtra Assembly election is the question currently running in minds of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's (MNS) leaders and cadre. While the state polls likely to be held in October or November, Raj Thackeray-led MNS is yet to decide whether the party will contest the polls or not.
MNS functionaries told DNA that they had not received any feelers so far from their leadership on whether they will be contesting the polls. The code of conduct for the elections may be announced this week. A senior MNS leader told the DNA, "There is no decision so far on contesting the elections. There are political careers at stake that is the problem in the MNS staying out of a contest."
17 rescued after portion of three-story building collapses in South Mumbai’s Fort area
17 people have been rescued after a portion of a ground-plus-three-storey building collapsed in Fort area here on Tuesday night. The incident took place at around 9 pm.
No casualties or injuries have been reported until now. Police officers have been rushed to the spot....
Mumbai businessman rapes and leaves ex-employee in brothel when asked for pending dues
A 27-year-old Goregaon (west) businessman who runs catering business arrested by the Mumbai police for allegedly raping his ex-employee and leaving her in brothel. The employee is now out of the trap and kept in a shelter home in Kandivli, as she has no relatives in Mumbai. Police arrested the accused on September 5.
According to Hindustan Times report, the employee had resigned from the accused company earlier. However, when the employee asked him for the pending dues, the accused asked her to meet at Andheri metro station on September 2. The employee went there expecting the dues to be cleared. However, an unexpected incident took place.
I might reconsider my resignation if Congress changes stand on Article 370: Kripashankar Singh
A day after former Maharashtra Minister and senior Congress leader Kripashankar Singh resigned from the party he said that he might reconsider his decision if Congress party changes its stand on Article 370.
"The party must understand that the issue of Article 370 is not the issue of any party but of the nation. Many leaders of the party have contacted me since yesterday, and I said to them that if Congress changes its stand on Article 370 and I got convinced about the changed stand I will reconsider my decision," said Kripashankar Singh.