India is a country on the go; at any given moment in time, there is
much happening in the fields of politics and governance, of finance, of
development; there is constant churning in society, considerable
activity in sports and in the arts... It's almost too much to keep
track of. And hence, this effort: a real-time, constantly updated look
at the events that matter. Refresh this page for latest updates
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10:00 pm: SRK takes on Ramdev, says fast politically motivated
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan said yoga guru Baba Ramdev's proposed hunger strike against corruption is politically motivated, and added that he would not support the agitation.
"I do not know what his agenda is. As soon as somebody gets embroiled in politics and becomes a political leader, I think they develop their known way of thinking. I think what they are saying is very good, but if you have a political party, I am apolitical by nature. So I don't align myself. I think he has a political party now," Shah Rukh Khan said. Here is the full story
9:30 pm: Sri Lanka army chief says execution video doctored
Sri Lanka's army chief dismissed as "doctored" a video clip that shows soldiers shooting bound, blindfolded prisoners and abusing corpses in the final days of the country's 26-year civil war.
A U.N. expert, Christof Heyns, concluded this week the 5-minute, 25-second video was authentic and contains enough evidence to open a war crimes investigation, but asked Sri Lanka to investigate the events first. More
9:00 pm: NATO: former bin Laden associate captured
NATO said it captured a senior al-Qaida operative and former Osama bin Laden associate in northern Afghanistan.
NATO said the man was based in Pakistan and was a former associate of bin Laden, who was killed in a U.S. raid in Pakistan on May 2. NATO also said the captured man may have been with the al-Qaida leader in 2001. Full story
8:30 pm: Learn from your mistakes, BJP advises PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh must learn from his mistakes and break his silence over graft charges against central minister Dayanidhi Maran, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said.
'Manmohan Singh has not spoken (over the issue) for last three days... we have been asking him to speak... Please learn from your mistakes,' senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here, citing the example of former communications minister A. Raja, who is in jail in the 2G spectrum case. Read more
8:00 pm: Bhutia dropped from India's World Cup qualifier probables
Star striker Bhaichung Bhutia was today omitted from the 42 probables named by the AIFF for a training camp starting here from June 25 for India''s World Cup Football Qualifier against UAE in July.
With Dempo coach Armando Colaco taking charge of the team after Englishman Bob Houghton''s sacking, the AIFF today dropped as many as 13 senior players who were part of the 23 member squad for the Asian Cup in Qatar early this year. Here is the full story
7:30 pm: BJP slams Congress on black money
Supporting yoga guru Baba Ramdev's fast against illegal wealth stashed in foreign banks, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the Congress will be exposed if the list of people with black money is made public.
'I think if the list of black money account holders is released, the Congress will have a black face and they will not be able to show it,' BJP president Nitin Gadkari said. Read more
7:00 pm: Govt starts internal consultations on joining New York lawsuit
The government has started internal consultations to take a final call on whether to join or not in a New York lawsuit filed by relatives of 26/11 victims suing Pakistan''s spy agency ISI and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed for their involvement in the Mumbai carnage.
Investigators and law officers have been in a huddle to look into various aspects of the case and whether India would be benefited by impleading itself in the lawsuit filed in a federal court in New York. Full story
6:30 pm: Cong Core Group discusses Ramdev threat
Top Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, met to discuss yoga guru Ramdev's proposed hunger strike from Saturday even as back-channel efforts were underway to persuade him not to go ahead with his protest.
As Ramdev remained adamant on undertaking the fast, the Congress Core Group discussed ways to defuse the situation and prevent the recurrence of events that unfolded when civil activist Anna Hazare went on fast-unto-death in April.
Besides Gandhi and Singh, those who attended the meeting were Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony, sources said. More
6:15 pm: Japan's PM beats censure, hints at resignation
Prime Minister Naoto Kan defeated a no-confidence motion over his handling of Japan's triple disasters, but the victory may be short lived — he said he is willing to resign once the country's recovery kicks in.
Buying himself some time and warding off a challenge that threatened to split his party and send Japan's government into a deeper morass, Kan won by a margin of 293-152 in the 480-seat lower house of parliament.
Kan, in office just one year, had been criticized for not responding swiftly enough to the crisis caused by the March 11 earthquake and massive tsunami that left more than 24,000 people dead or missing. The tsunami also crippled a nuclear power plant northeast of Tokyo, setting off radiation leaks and the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. Full story
6:00 pm: Mayawati announces new land acquisition policy in UP
In an attempt to woo farmers after getting them brutally beaten by the police in the backdrop of their agitations in Greater Noida's Bhatta-Parsaul Village, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati announced a new land acquisition policy under which its role in acquiring land for private developers would only be that of a facilitator.
Mayawati, who held a farmers' Panchayat to discuss their problems, said that there would be three parts of the policy.
"One for land acquisition for National Highways and canals while second part deals with the land acquired for the purpose of development. Third relates to the land acquired by private sector for establishing power plants and other industrial units," she added. Read more
5:45 pm: Beware of govt's motive, Hazare warns Ramdev
Anna Hazare decided to associate himself with Baba Ramdev's hunger strike with a warning to the yoga guru that he should not be swayed by the overtures made by the government saying it plays "fraud" by first agreeing to demands and then backing out.
Hazare, who rattled the government in April through his fast for a stronger Lokpal that generated widespread nationwide support, said all those fighting against corruption should not be satisfied with the oral assurances of the government.
Hazare said he would join Ramdev at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, where he is to sit on a fast-unto-death protest, on Sunday, emphasising that there was no divide in the civil society on the issue of corruption. Here is the full story
5:30 pm: 2G scam:Court rejects plea against Ambani, Tata, Radia, Dayalu
A Delhi court dismissed pleas for a direction to the CBI to make Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani, Tata group Chief Ratan Tata, corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and DMK chief M Karunanidhi''s wife Dayalu Ammal, as accused in the 2G spectrum scam.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 each on Delhi-based scribe M Furquan and Ghaziabad''s scrap dealer Dharmender Pandey for filing complaints in this regard. More
5:15 pm: PM is a 'witness' in corruption cases, says TDP chief
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has become a 'witness' in the corruption scandals involving his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Addressing a news conference, he termed Singh a 'weak prime minister' and said it is because of his inefficiency that one scandal after the other is taking place.
'(Former minister A.) Raja, (DMK MP) Kanimozhi, (Congress MP Suresh) Kalmadi and now (union minister) Dayanidi Maran. We don't know how many more leaders of the ruling coalition are involved,' said the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister. Read more
5:00 pm: Hasan Ali's custody extended till June 7
A court here extended till June 7 the judicial custody of Hasan Ali, allgedly the country's top tax evader and money launderer.
'Principal Sessions Judge Sapna Joshi extended his custody till June 7 and will hear his bail plea also on the same day,' Khan's lawyer I.P. Bagaria said. More
4:30 pm: PMO examining Shunglu reports on CWG venues, organisation
Two reports of the high-level Shunglu Committee on alleged irregularities in Commonwealth Games projects and conduct of the mega sporting event are being examined by the Prime Minister''s Office for appropriate follow up action.
Officials said that the two reports received by the PMO on March 28 and 29 respectively are "under examination". So far, the Shunglu Committee has submitted six reports on CWG to the Government.
The 361-page report on Games venues has found a loss of over Rs 1,600 crore in construction and renovation of venues for the Games by different government agencies. Read more
4:00 pm: Disclose whether any compensation paid to IC-814 victims: CIC
The Central Information Commission has directed the External Affairs Ministry to disclose whether any compensation was received from Nepal and it was paid to victims of hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
The flight with 174 passengers was coming here from Kathmandu when it was hijacked on December 24, 1999 by a group of five terrorists who took the plane to Taliban-ruled Kandahar in Afghanistan.
The passengers were released after an eight day ordeal in exchange to release of three dreaded terrorists -- Maulana Masood Azhar, Sheikh Omar and Mushtaq Zargar-- by Indian government. One passenger Rupin Katyal was killed in the incident. Full story
3:30 pm: Varsities reel as Indian students ditch Australia
Australian universities and vocational training providers are worried as fewer students are signing up for their courses. The number of Indians, in particular, is reporting a sharp fall, reports IANS. The fall, to the extent of over 30 per cent, was triggered by reports of racist violence against their compatriots. Details
3:00 pm: Priyanka Chopra takes on Rahul Bose for Wed 2011
Priyanka Chopra and Rahul Bose take each other head on as they prepare for battle on the India WED Challenge. The two celebrities join hands with the United Nations Environment Programme, on the event of World Environment Day, June 5th, 2011, to spread awareness on initiatives to save our forests, and keep the planet green. To know how you can be a part of it
2:30 pm: Jaipur couple kills children, commits suicide
A couple jumped in front of a moving train after throwing their three children on the railway tracks early this morning. All of them were run over by the train, and died on the spot. Kailash Meena (35), the head of the family, was a gardener and had a troubled marriage, police said. Details
2:00 pm: Ramdev firm, cornered Cong gags leaders
With just two days to go for Baba Ramdev's fast, battle lines are drawn. It's the UPA government versus the yoga guru.
Despite government's desperate efforts to stop him, Baba Ramdev is firm on going ahead with his fast on the black money issue from Saturday.
"I have the support of the people. The campaign is against corruption, to bring a change in the system. All discussions are in the interest of the nation," he said.
1:30 pm: Krittika Biswas seeks Hillary Clinton's help
The diplomatic row over mistreatment of an Indian diplomat's daughter has reached US Secreatry of State Hillary Clinton. Krittika Biswas' lawyer Ravi Batra has written a letter to Clinton saying that there was violation of diplomatic privilege granted to the Indian Consul General Debashish Biswas' family.
The letter also demands immediate review and issuance of new interpretation that enables privileges granted by the Vienna convention.
The lawyer had earlier ruled out the need for a 'diplomatic immunity' for Krittika. IBN has the story
1:15 pm: Rana unlikely to testify in Mumbai attack trial
The Pakistani-born businessman charged with supporting a deadly 2008 militant attack on Mumbai is not likely to testify at his trial, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
US prosecutors were winding up their case against Tahawwur Rana, 50, a Chicago businessman with Canadian citizenship who is charged with supporting the raid, which killed 164 people.
The role played by Pakistan's government in the raid was being closely watched amid strains in the US-Pakistan relationship following the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by a US special forces team in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad in May. Read more
1:00 pm: PM on Yemen: Need to evacuate Indians
There is no end to violence in Yemen even after nearly four months of mass protests.
The situation is only worsening by every passing day. On Thursday Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said the situation in Yemen is worrisome and that there's a need to evacuate Indian citizens from there.
In capital Sanaa 41 people have been killed overnight in clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters who are demanding the end of 33 years of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule.
12:45 pm: Fearing closure, many Kalaignar TV employees quit
About 20 employees of Kalaignar TV have resigned in two weeks, fearing closure of the channel. Run by the Karunanidhi family, the company has been hit by the 2G scam in a big way. Reporters fear they may lose credibility by continuing in the channel, reports Tehelka. Meanwhile, the management is gung ho, and announced that it would soon launch two new channels. Details here
12:30 pm: Slowdown time for Indian telecom industry
It’s going to be uphill for the telecom industry from now on, since everyone in India who could afford a cellphone has already bought one, reports Firstpost.
“The battle is now for the subscriber who spends more time on the network using data, roaming or other value added services. Big companies are no longer chasing the subscriber looking for cheap voice call rates. They want subscribers who can give more revenues per minute… If you are a subscriber who wants to use 3G and roaming services, browse the Internet on the mobile, download music and videos, or check cricket scores, you are just the kind of subscriber these companies are after,” the website says in its analysis.
12:15 pm: I will join Baba Ramdev on June 5: Anna Hazare
Dismissing all suggestions about a rift in the civil society's campaign
against corruption, veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare on Thursday announced
that he will take part in yoga guru Baba Ramdev's movement against black
money and corruption.
"I will join Baba Ramdev on June 5. I will sit with him on the dais, discuss many issues," Hazare told reporters.
"If we all get together, then the government will have to concede to our demands," he added. Hazare made it clear that there is unity among civil society members and the perception that Ramdev is upset about the inclusion of father-son duo of Shanti and Prashant Bhushan in the Lokpal Bill drafting committee is in correct. Read more on Yahoo! India
12:00 pm: Mamata announces subsidised food for poor Bengal households
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has proposed highly subsidised rates for basic food items consumed by the poorest of the poor in certain regions of the state.
"The poor do not get food; we have decided to ensure that all do," she said while announcing a new scheme of food for the poor. "Initially the scheme, which envisages increasing the number of those eligible to get rice at Rs. 2 a kg, will be introduced in the blocks comprising the Jangalmahal area, spanning the three south-western districts of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia, she added.
11:30 am: UDF passes first trial as Cong nominee is elected Speaker
After coming to power with a slim majority last month, the UDF Government headed by Oommen Chandy in Kerala today passed its first trial in the Assembly with Congress nominee G Karthikeyan getting elected as the Speaker of the House.
A senior legislator and former minister, Karthikeyan defeated CPI(M)''s A K Balan securing 73 votes against the latter''s 68. The votes received by the rival candidates tallied the strength of their respective coalitions, which stood at 73-68 after the nominated Anglo-Indian member Ludy Luiz joined the treasury benches. Luis took oath as MLA along with the 140 elected members yesterday.
The result was announced by pro tem Speaker N Sakthan who presided over the proceedings. 61-year-old Karthikeyan, a six-time legislator, was elected in the April 13 Assembly polls from Aruvikkara segment in Thiruvananthapuram district. More
11:00 am: Shanti Bhushan requests Govt for debate on Lokpal bill
Shanti Bhushan, former union minister and member of Lokpal Bill drafting committee, has written a letter to union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee asking for a televised debate on 5th of June on the Lokpal Bill. He also said in the letter that it should not be seen as a challenge to the government. He has requested the government to participate in the public meeting where issues are discussed by people for public consultation. Bhushan refused to comment on Baba Ramdev's hunger strike from June 4. Watch the video
10:45 am: ISI scripted Mumbai attack, Qaida cleared it: Shahzad book
The 26/11 terror attacks that killed 166 people and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war was scripted by ISI officers and approved before its execution by al-Qaida commanders, according to a book just written by slain Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad.
The 40-year-old reporter in his book titled `Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taleban -- beyond bin Laden and 9/11' describes the Mumbai plan as one pushed through by Ilyas Kashmiri, a key al-Qaida ally with wide links with the Pakistan defence establishment. Shahzad, who was an authority on terrorism in Afghanistan and the neighbourhood, says in the book that the plan was authored by the Inter-Services Intelligence officers and embraced and executed by Lashkar-e-Taiba.
10:30 am: I had sought debate on PM's inclusion under Lokpal, not exemption: Ramdev
From a yoga exponent holding packed camps to an anti-corruption mascot, Baba Ramdev is threatening to overshadow Anna Hazare, the original anti-corruption hero that India had rallied behind in huge numbers. The self-styled wellness expert -- Acharyashree to his folowers -- talks to TOI about corruption, black money and his fast that sent four Cabinet ministers scurrying to the airport to receive him. Excerpts from Times of India:
10:00 am: Unable to pay for fuel, Air India grounds 60 flights
Losses are taking a huge toll over the national carrier Air India. After a major strike over pay parity with its pilots, Air India has been forced to ground 10% of its fleet to tide over the fuel companies dues.
60 Air India flights have been withdrawn both from domestic and international routes, many connecting extremely busy airports like London, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. This comes right in the middle of the peak travel season.
Air India has been unable to clear fuel companies' dues of Rs. 2,700 crore. So, last week the oil companies refused it additional credit. Now, the airline is forced to fly only on a pay-and-fly basis since it does have the money to fly its entire fleet every week.
9:30 am: What makes Baba Ramdev so influential
Baba Ramdev's threat of an indefinite hunger strike has left the government jittery. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues got into a huddle on Wednesday to try and resolve the crisis.
So what is it about Baba Ramdev that makes him seem so influential, not just among politicians and celebrities, but also the aam aadmi.
He cracks jokes, recounts stories and yes he also teaches yoga to politicians, to Bollywood and even to British Lawmakers. Ramkishan Yadav, now better known as Baba Ramdev, is the new age guru.Read more on IBN Live
9:00 am: Conducted survey of German Bakery: Headley
Mumbai attack accused David Headley testified on Wednesday that he had conducted a surveillance of the German Bakery in Pune, which was bombed in 2010.
He also testified that he identified Chabad houses or Jeiwsh establishments in Delhi, Pushkar and Pune as potential bombing targets.
Meanwhile, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is accused of providing a cover for his good friend David Coleman Headley, is not likely to testify in his trial. NDTV has the complete
A devotee lights oil lamps on the eve of Shani Jayanti at a temple on the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Temple authorities say that the program has been organized to thwart corruption and terrorism and to invoke Hindu God Shani's grace for the welfare of the people and the strength of the nation. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
8:30 am: Rift in UPA over VIP treatment for Ramdev
There are divisions between the UPA government and the Congress over the red carpet rolled out for Baba Ramdev. Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh has said that the Yoga guru is no saint but an entrepreneur.
Baba Ramdev's proposed hunger strike starting Saturday has left the government feeling jittery. On Wednesday, the government's decision to send four Union ministers and the cabinet secretary to dissuade him - invited much criticism. The Congress party though distanced itself from the move. Full story on IBN
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10:00 pm: SRK takes on Ramdev, says fast politically motivated
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan said yoga guru Baba Ramdev's proposed hunger strike against corruption is politically motivated, and added that he would not support the agitation.
"I do not know what his agenda is. As soon as somebody gets embroiled in politics and becomes a political leader, I think they develop their known way of thinking. I think what they are saying is very good, but if you have a political party, I am apolitical by nature. So I don't align myself. I think he has a political party now," Shah Rukh Khan said. Here is the full story
9:30 pm: Sri Lanka army chief says execution video doctored
Sri Lanka's army chief dismissed as "doctored" a video clip that shows soldiers shooting bound, blindfolded prisoners and abusing corpses in the final days of the country's 26-year civil war.
A U.N. expert, Christof Heyns, concluded this week the 5-minute, 25-second video was authentic and contains enough evidence to open a war crimes investigation, but asked Sri Lanka to investigate the events first. More
9:00 pm: NATO: former bin Laden associate captured
NATO said it captured a senior al-Qaida operative and former Osama bin Laden associate in northern Afghanistan.
NATO said the man was based in Pakistan and was a former associate of bin Laden, who was killed in a U.S. raid in Pakistan on May 2. NATO also said the captured man may have been with the al-Qaida leader in 2001. Full story
8:30 pm: Learn from your mistakes, BJP advises PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh must learn from his mistakes and break his silence over graft charges against central minister Dayanidhi Maran, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said.
'Manmohan Singh has not spoken (over the issue) for last three days... we have been asking him to speak... Please learn from your mistakes,' senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here, citing the example of former communications minister A. Raja, who is in jail in the 2G spectrum case. Read more
8:00 pm: Bhutia dropped from India's World Cup qualifier probables
Star striker Bhaichung Bhutia was today omitted from the 42 probables named by the AIFF for a training camp starting here from June 25 for India''s World Cup Football Qualifier against UAE in July.
With Dempo coach Armando Colaco taking charge of the team after Englishman Bob Houghton''s sacking, the AIFF today dropped as many as 13 senior players who were part of the 23 member squad for the Asian Cup in Qatar early this year. Here is the full story
7:30 pm: BJP slams Congress on black money
Supporting yoga guru Baba Ramdev's fast against illegal wealth stashed in foreign banks, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the Congress will be exposed if the list of people with black money is made public.
'I think if the list of black money account holders is released, the Congress will have a black face and they will not be able to show it,' BJP president Nitin Gadkari said. Read more
7:00 pm: Govt starts internal consultations on joining New York lawsuit
The government has started internal consultations to take a final call on whether to join or not in a New York lawsuit filed by relatives of 26/11 victims suing Pakistan''s spy agency ISI and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed for their involvement in the Mumbai carnage.
Investigators and law officers have been in a huddle to look into various aspects of the case and whether India would be benefited by impleading itself in the lawsuit filed in a federal court in New York. Full story
6:30 pm: Cong Core Group discusses Ramdev threat
Top Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, met to discuss yoga guru Ramdev's proposed hunger strike from Saturday even as back-channel efforts were underway to persuade him not to go ahead with his protest.
As Ramdev remained adamant on undertaking the fast, the Congress Core Group discussed ways to defuse the situation and prevent the recurrence of events that unfolded when civil activist Anna Hazare went on fast-unto-death in April.
Besides Gandhi and Singh, those who attended the meeting were Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony, sources said. More
6:15 pm: Japan's PM beats censure, hints at resignation
Prime Minister Naoto Kan defeated a no-confidence motion over his handling of Japan's triple disasters, but the victory may be short lived — he said he is willing to resign once the country's recovery kicks in.
Buying himself some time and warding off a challenge that threatened to split his party and send Japan's government into a deeper morass, Kan won by a margin of 293-152 in the 480-seat lower house of parliament.
Kan, in office just one year, had been criticized for not responding swiftly enough to the crisis caused by the March 11 earthquake and massive tsunami that left more than 24,000 people dead or missing. The tsunami also crippled a nuclear power plant northeast of Tokyo, setting off radiation leaks and the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. Full story
6:00 pm: Mayawati announces new land acquisition policy in UP
In an attempt to woo farmers after getting them brutally beaten by the police in the backdrop of their agitations in Greater Noida's Bhatta-Parsaul Village, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati announced a new land acquisition policy under which its role in acquiring land for private developers would only be that of a facilitator.
Mayawati, who held a farmers' Panchayat to discuss their problems, said that there would be three parts of the policy.
"One for land acquisition for National Highways and canals while second part deals with the land acquired for the purpose of development. Third relates to the land acquired by private sector for establishing power plants and other industrial units," she added. Read more
5:45 pm: Beware of govt's motive, Hazare warns Ramdev
Anna Hazare decided to associate himself with Baba Ramdev's hunger strike with a warning to the yoga guru that he should not be swayed by the overtures made by the government saying it plays "fraud" by first agreeing to demands and then backing out.
Hazare, who rattled the government in April through his fast for a stronger Lokpal that generated widespread nationwide support, said all those fighting against corruption should not be satisfied with the oral assurances of the government.
Hazare said he would join Ramdev at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, where he is to sit on a fast-unto-death protest, on Sunday, emphasising that there was no divide in the civil society on the issue of corruption. Here is the full story
5:30 pm: 2G scam:Court rejects plea against Ambani, Tata, Radia, Dayalu
A Delhi court dismissed pleas for a direction to the CBI to make Reliance ADAG chairman Anil Ambani, Tata group Chief Ratan Tata, corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and DMK chief M Karunanidhi''s wife Dayalu Ammal, as accused in the 2G spectrum scam.
Special CBI Judge O P Saini also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 each on Delhi-based scribe M Furquan and Ghaziabad''s scrap dealer Dharmender Pandey for filing complaints in this regard. More
5:15 pm: PM is a 'witness' in corruption cases, says TDP chief
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has become a 'witness' in the corruption scandals involving his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Addressing a news conference, he termed Singh a 'weak prime minister' and said it is because of his inefficiency that one scandal after the other is taking place.
'(Former minister A.) Raja, (DMK MP) Kanimozhi, (Congress MP Suresh) Kalmadi and now (union minister) Dayanidi Maran. We don't know how many more leaders of the ruling coalition are involved,' said the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister. Read more
5:00 pm: Hasan Ali's custody extended till June 7
A court here extended till June 7 the judicial custody of Hasan Ali, allgedly the country's top tax evader and money launderer.
'Principal Sessions Judge Sapna Joshi extended his custody till June 7 and will hear his bail plea also on the same day,' Khan's lawyer I.P. Bagaria said. More
4:30 pm: PMO examining Shunglu reports on CWG venues, organisation
Two reports of the high-level Shunglu Committee on alleged irregularities in Commonwealth Games projects and conduct of the mega sporting event are being examined by the Prime Minister''s Office for appropriate follow up action.
Officials said that the two reports received by the PMO on March 28 and 29 respectively are "under examination". So far, the Shunglu Committee has submitted six reports on CWG to the Government.
The 361-page report on Games venues has found a loss of over Rs 1,600 crore in construction and renovation of venues for the Games by different government agencies. Read more
4:00 pm: Disclose whether any compensation paid to IC-814 victims: CIC
The Central Information Commission has directed the External Affairs Ministry to disclose whether any compensation was received from Nepal and it was paid to victims of hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
The flight with 174 passengers was coming here from Kathmandu when it was hijacked on December 24, 1999 by a group of five terrorists who took the plane to Taliban-ruled Kandahar in Afghanistan.
The passengers were released after an eight day ordeal in exchange to release of three dreaded terrorists -- Maulana Masood Azhar, Sheikh Omar and Mushtaq Zargar-- by Indian government. One passenger Rupin Katyal was killed in the incident. Full story
3:30 pm: Varsities reel as Indian students ditch Australia
Australian universities and vocational training providers are worried as fewer students are signing up for their courses. The number of Indians, in particular, is reporting a sharp fall, reports IANS. The fall, to the extent of over 30 per cent, was triggered by reports of racist violence against their compatriots. Details
3:00 pm: Priyanka Chopra takes on Rahul Bose for Wed 2011
Priyanka Chopra and Rahul Bose take each other head on as they prepare for battle on the India WED Challenge. The two celebrities join hands with the United Nations Environment Programme, on the event of World Environment Day, June 5th, 2011, to spread awareness on initiatives to save our forests, and keep the planet green. To know how you can be a part of it
2:30 pm: Jaipur couple kills children, commits suicide
A couple jumped in front of a moving train after throwing their three children on the railway tracks early this morning. All of them were run over by the train, and died on the spot. Kailash Meena (35), the head of the family, was a gardener and had a troubled marriage, police said. Details
2:00 pm: Ramdev firm, cornered Cong gags leaders
With just two days to go for Baba Ramdev's fast, battle lines are drawn. It's the UPA government versus the yoga guru.
Despite government's desperate efforts to stop him, Baba Ramdev is firm on going ahead with his fast on the black money issue from Saturday.
"I have the support of the people. The campaign is against corruption, to bring a change in the system. All discussions are in the interest of the nation," he said.
1:30 pm: Krittika Biswas seeks Hillary Clinton's help
The diplomatic row over mistreatment of an Indian diplomat's daughter has reached US Secreatry of State Hillary Clinton. Krittika Biswas' lawyer Ravi Batra has written a letter to Clinton saying that there was violation of diplomatic privilege granted to the Indian Consul General Debashish Biswas' family.
The letter also demands immediate review and issuance of new interpretation that enables privileges granted by the Vienna convention.
The lawyer had earlier ruled out the need for a 'diplomatic immunity' for Krittika. IBN has the story
1:15 pm: Rana unlikely to testify in Mumbai attack trial
The Pakistani-born businessman charged with supporting a deadly 2008 militant attack on Mumbai is not likely to testify at his trial, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
US prosecutors were winding up their case against Tahawwur Rana, 50, a Chicago businessman with Canadian citizenship who is charged with supporting the raid, which killed 164 people.
The role played by Pakistan's government in the raid was being closely watched amid strains in the US-Pakistan relationship following the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by a US special forces team in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad in May. Read more
1:00 pm: PM on Yemen: Need to evacuate Indians
There is no end to violence in Yemen even after nearly four months of mass protests.
The situation is only worsening by every passing day. On Thursday Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said the situation in Yemen is worrisome and that there's a need to evacuate Indian citizens from there.
In capital Sanaa 41 people have been killed overnight in clashes between security forces and anti-government protesters who are demanding the end of 33 years of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule.
12:45 pm: Fearing closure, many Kalaignar TV employees quit
About 20 employees of Kalaignar TV have resigned in two weeks, fearing closure of the channel. Run by the Karunanidhi family, the company has been hit by the 2G scam in a big way. Reporters fear they may lose credibility by continuing in the channel, reports Tehelka. Meanwhile, the management is gung ho, and announced that it would soon launch two new channels. Details here
12:30 pm: Slowdown time for Indian telecom industry
It’s going to be uphill for the telecom industry from now on, since everyone in India who could afford a cellphone has already bought one, reports Firstpost.
“The battle is now for the subscriber who spends more time on the network using data, roaming or other value added services. Big companies are no longer chasing the subscriber looking for cheap voice call rates. They want subscribers who can give more revenues per minute… If you are a subscriber who wants to use 3G and roaming services, browse the Internet on the mobile, download music and videos, or check cricket scores, you are just the kind of subscriber these companies are after,” the website says in its analysis.
12:15 pm: I will join Baba Ramdev on June 5: Anna Hazare
Dismissing all suggestions about a rift in the civil society's campaign
against corruption, veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare on Thursday announced
that he will take part in yoga guru Baba Ramdev's movement against black
money and corruption."I will join Baba Ramdev on June 5. I will sit with him on the dais, discuss many issues," Hazare told reporters.
"If we all get together, then the government will have to concede to our demands," he added. Hazare made it clear that there is unity among civil society members and the perception that Ramdev is upset about the inclusion of father-son duo of Shanti and Prashant Bhushan in the Lokpal Bill drafting committee is in correct. Read more on Yahoo! India
12:00 pm: Mamata announces subsidised food for poor Bengal households
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has proposed highly subsidised rates for basic food items consumed by the poorest of the poor in certain regions of the state.
"The poor do not get food; we have decided to ensure that all do," she said while announcing a new scheme of food for the poor. "Initially the scheme, which envisages increasing the number of those eligible to get rice at Rs. 2 a kg, will be introduced in the blocks comprising the Jangalmahal area, spanning the three south-western districts of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia, she added.
11:30 am: UDF passes first trial as Cong nominee is elected Speaker
After coming to power with a slim majority last month, the UDF Government headed by Oommen Chandy in Kerala today passed its first trial in the Assembly with Congress nominee G Karthikeyan getting elected as the Speaker of the House.
A senior legislator and former minister, Karthikeyan defeated CPI(M)''s A K Balan securing 73 votes against the latter''s 68. The votes received by the rival candidates tallied the strength of their respective coalitions, which stood at 73-68 after the nominated Anglo-Indian member Ludy Luiz joined the treasury benches. Luis took oath as MLA along with the 140 elected members yesterday.
The result was announced by pro tem Speaker N Sakthan who presided over the proceedings. 61-year-old Karthikeyan, a six-time legislator, was elected in the April 13 Assembly polls from Aruvikkara segment in Thiruvananthapuram district. More
11:00 am: Shanti Bhushan requests Govt for debate on Lokpal bill
Shanti Bhushan, former union minister and member of Lokpal Bill drafting committee, has written a letter to union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee asking for a televised debate on 5th of June on the Lokpal Bill. He also said in the letter that it should not be seen as a challenge to the government. He has requested the government to participate in the public meeting where issues are discussed by people for public consultation. Bhushan refused to comment on Baba Ramdev's hunger strike from June 4. Watch the video
10:45 am: ISI scripted Mumbai attack, Qaida cleared it: Shahzad book
The 26/11 terror attacks that killed 166 people and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war was scripted by ISI officers and approved before its execution by al-Qaida commanders, according to a book just written by slain Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad.
The 40-year-old reporter in his book titled `Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taleban -- beyond bin Laden and 9/11' describes the Mumbai plan as one pushed through by Ilyas Kashmiri, a key al-Qaida ally with wide links with the Pakistan defence establishment. Shahzad, who was an authority on terrorism in Afghanistan and the neighbourhood, says in the book that the plan was authored by the Inter-Services Intelligence officers and embraced and executed by Lashkar-e-Taiba.
10:30 am: I had sought debate on PM's inclusion under Lokpal, not exemption: Ramdev
From a yoga exponent holding packed camps to an anti-corruption mascot, Baba Ramdev is threatening to overshadow Anna Hazare, the original anti-corruption hero that India had rallied behind in huge numbers. The self-styled wellness expert -- Acharyashree to his folowers -- talks to TOI about corruption, black money and his fast that sent four Cabinet ministers scurrying to the airport to receive him. Excerpts from Times of India:
10:00 am: Unable to pay for fuel, Air India grounds 60 flights
Losses are taking a huge toll over the national carrier Air India. After a major strike over pay parity with its pilots, Air India has been forced to ground 10% of its fleet to tide over the fuel companies dues.
60 Air India flights have been withdrawn both from domestic and international routes, many connecting extremely busy airports like London, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. This comes right in the middle of the peak travel season.
Air India has been unable to clear fuel companies' dues of Rs. 2,700 crore. So, last week the oil companies refused it additional credit. Now, the airline is forced to fly only on a pay-and-fly basis since it does have the money to fly its entire fleet every week.
9:30 am: What makes Baba Ramdev so influential
Baba Ramdev's threat of an indefinite hunger strike has left the government jittery. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues got into a huddle on Wednesday to try and resolve the crisis.
So what is it about Baba Ramdev that makes him seem so influential, not just among politicians and celebrities, but also the aam aadmi.
He cracks jokes, recounts stories and yes he also teaches yoga to politicians, to Bollywood and even to British Lawmakers. Ramkishan Yadav, now better known as Baba Ramdev, is the new age guru.Read more on IBN Live
9:00 am: Conducted survey of German Bakery: Headley
Mumbai attack accused David Headley testified on Wednesday that he had conducted a surveillance of the German Bakery in Pune, which was bombed in 2010.
He also testified that he identified Chabad houses or Jeiwsh establishments in Delhi, Pushkar and Pune as potential bombing targets.
Meanwhile, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is accused of providing a cover for his good friend David Coleman Headley, is not likely to testify in his trial. NDTV has the complete
A devotee lights oil lamps on the eve of Shani Jayanti at a temple on the outskirts of Mumbai, India, Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Temple authorities say that the program has been organized to thwart corruption and terrorism and to invoke Hindu God Shani's grace for the welfare of the people and the strength of the nation. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
8:30 am: Rift in UPA over VIP treatment for Ramdev
There are divisions between the UPA government and the Congress over the red carpet rolled out for Baba Ramdev. Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh has said that the Yoga guru is no saint but an entrepreneur.
Baba Ramdev's proposed hunger strike starting Saturday has left the government feeling jittery. On Wednesday, the government's decision to send four Union ministers and the cabinet secretary to dissuade him - invited much criticism. The Congress party though distanced itself from the move. Full story on IBN
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