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Rajasthan model's killer gets Mumbai police custody till October 22
A Mumbai court on Tuesday remanded in police custody till October 22 Muzammil Sayed, the prime accused in the killing of an upcoming model and actress from Rajasthan, officials said.
The victim, Mansi Dixit, 20, hailing from Kota, was closely known to the accused and had visited his house in Malad suburb of north-west Mumbai late on Monday night, police said.
She had come to Mumbai to try her luck in Bollywood and lived in a rented flat in Andheri after managing to secure small roles in some films and also some modelling assignments. She came in contact with Sayed through social media, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-11) S.P. Nishandar.
On Monday evening, Sayed - who hails from Hyderabad - had called her to his flat in Oshiwara where they reportedly had a heated argument over some business issues.
Apparently, in a fit of rage, he strangled Dixit with a rope and killed her. Then, he stuffed her body in a large bag and called for a cab to the Mumbai international airport.
A..
Delhi signs MoU with British Council for English skilling
Suresh Prabhu: No country can benefit from global trade decline
Arun Jaitley repeats 'clown prince' jibe at Rahul Gandhi
Sumitra Mahajan: Digital divide can threaten global peace
Although technology offers easy access to information and connectivity, digital divide could pose a threat to global peace, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said on Tuesday.
"Technology and innovation offer us easy access to information, improved lifestyle, connectivity, communication, social networking and entertainment but at the same time it may also lead to job losses, increased loneliness, addiction and psychological disorders. Further, digital divide can pose a threat to global peace," Mahajan said in her address to the General Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva.
She is leading an Indian parliamentary delegation comprising Nagendra Singh, Anil Desai, Harish Chandra Meena, Hari Babu Kambhampati, Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh and Heena Gavit to attend the 139th IPU assembly in Switzerland.
Speaking on the theme "Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in the age of innovation and technological change", Mahajan said that the entire humanity is..
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh confident of greater cooperation from Israel
Pinarayi Vijayan says, Devotees' rights will be protected at Sabarimala
Indian companies to buy Iranian oil in November: Minister
Digvijay Singh: Congress loses votes when I give speeches
Pollution control action plan comes into effect in Delhi-NCR
5 dead in Bengal bus accident
Man falls from train, railway personnel reach spot hours later
A commuters' representative alleged Monday that there was a delay by railway officials in attending to a man who fell from a train along the Diva-Kalamboli stretch in neighbouring Thane district.
The Central Railway (CR), however, said there was no delay on officials' part, but the spot was inaccessible by road. The man, identified as Naushad Ali (24), died after falling from the Konkan Kanya Express around 12.50 Sunday. Advocate Adesh Bhagat, a member of Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee, a panel of commuters' representatives set up by the CR, claimed that Ali's body was attended only in the morning.
"Officials of Diva railway station were alerted about the mishap at 2.30 am, but no railway police or other railway official could attend to the victim as they had no ambulance," Bhagat said.
"Finally, the Jan Shatabdi Express was given a special halt at Diva station where GRP, RPF jawans along with a porter boarded it and reached the spot after 6 am," he said.
Even then..
Mumbai road accident deaths: Two-wheelers account for most fatalities
It's hardly a surprise but we now have a proof that two-wheelers account for maximum deaths in road accidents in Mumbai. A statistics with the Mumbai police has put motorcycles in No 1 spot in maximum fatal incidents in Mumbai in the last four years, followed by cars which are not far behind. fatalities in hit and run cases are at number three. In hit-and-run accidents, the vehicles involved speed away from the spot, making it difficult to know the type of vehicle.
Apart from the three categories, lorry, dumpers, auto-rickshaws, tempos and public transport buses and private buses contributed to other fatal accidents in the city from 2015 to 2018 (till May) as per the statistics from Mumbai police under RTI. While fatal accidents in the city have reduced from 586 in 2015 to 529 in 2016, 467 in 2017 to 157 till May end in 2018.
Two wheelers/cars - As per the stats, 162 people died in road accidents involving motorcycles in 2015, in 2016 the death toll in motorcycle accidents in Mu..
Govandi to New York: Teen raises local issues on global platform
Saleha Khan was in Std VIII when her family urged her to discontinue her studies owing to financial constraints. Her story isn't uncommon in Govandi, where girls are married off early and discouraged from completing school, let alone pursue higher education. But, even then, Saleha, now 18, had dreams that couldn't confine her to her neighbourhood in Bainganwadi. And she is seeing those through, bit by bit, by convincing her parents to allow her to go to college.
Last month, she was selected as one of the delegates for the Goalkeepers '18, an event organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in New York on September 25-26.
The second-year B.Com student at Oriental College of Commerce in Sanpada was among the five picked from India and one of the 250 young leaders selected from 55 countries. She also attended the 73rd United Nations General Assembly meeting during her stay there.
Saleha Khan with Melinda and Bill Gates
Making wavesAt the event, work carried out by the delegate..
Mumbai: Govt steps in to handle crowds at Lalbaugcha Raja
Goa BJP's web site hacked, 'Pakistan Zindabad' message posted
An old website of BJP's Goa unit was hacked Monday by unknown persons, who posted the message 'Pakistan Zindabad' on it, a party functionary said.
The identity of the group which possibly carried out the cyber attack "Team PCE" and an individual's name "Mohammad Bilal" were also posted on the web page, after it was hacked.
The hacker, after defacing the website, left the message "mailto:catch.if.you.can@hotmail.com".
A BJP functionary attached to the party's IT cell said the website in question was an old one. He added that the new website has anti-hacking security measures in place.
He said the BJP had integrated its state units with the new website, which remained unharmed in the cyber attack.
BJP Goa general secretary Sadanand Tanavade refused to divulge details in connection with the cyber attack.
The party has not filed a police complain as yet, functionaries said.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day ..
Minister Harsh Vardhan urges people to join fight against pollution
Kerala High Court grants bail to rape accused Bishop Mulakkal
#MeToo: Alok Nath files Re 1 defamation suit against Vinta Nanda
FIR filed against Kanhaiya Kumar for misbehaving with doctor, nurses
'Narendra Modi's Beti Bachao campaign mere slogan'
NGO files PIL in Delhi HC to regulate Netflix, Amazon Prime Video conte
A PIL has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking framing of guidelines to regulate the functioning of online media streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime video, alleging that they show "uncertified, sexually explicit and vulgar" content. The petition was listed for hearing on Monday before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao, but was not taken up as the judges did not sit.The petition, by an NGO, has been listed for hearing on November 14. NGO Justice for Rights Foundation, in its plea, has claimed that online media streaming plaftforms, also including Hotstar, show content which is "unregulated and uncertified" for public viewing. In its petition filed through advocate Harpreet S Hora, the NGO has said that television series like Sacred Games, Game of Thrones and Spartacus, shown on online media streaming platforms like Netflix, contain "vulgar, profane, sexually explicit, pornographic, morally unethical and virulent" content which often "depict ..
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar advised week's rest
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been advised to take a week's rest by doctors, a statement by his office said on Monday.
Parrikar, who has been undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, was suddenly discharged and arrived in Goa on Sunday.
"Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's condition has improved further. He had a chat with his family members today morning. Doctors have advised him to take rest for a week," the statement said.
Parrikar was admitted to AIIMS on September 15. He has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and now Delhi for the last seven months.
On Sunday, state Power Minister Nilesh Cabral told the media here that he was awaiting a miracle to ensure Parrikar's quick recovery.
"However he may be, we only hope that he recovers fast, a miracle happens and he leads us in the future. That is all we ask," Cabral said.
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International ..
Rahul Gandhi prays at Pitambara Peeth in Madhya Pradesh
Hundreds throng Shilpgram on Day 1, but it will be open only for 6 hrs
At least 1,000 people turned up on Sunday evening for the grand opening of the Shilpgram, the city's first arts and crafts village at Jogeshwari East. While the authorities had dilly-dallied on the inauguration for more than a year after the park's completion, fortunately, nobody was left waiting yesterday, as Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray turned up two hours early for the opening ceremony.
While the park was finally opened after mid-day's sustained coverage of the delay, the handicraft stalls are yet to begin business. That, however, did not diminish the pleasure for visitors, who enjoyed the sprawling grounds immensely.
Visitors take selfies with life-size sculptures depicting village life
Some visitors had come with their entire family after hearing that a "fancy garden" was being opened in the area, while others sauntered in out of sheer curiosity, after observing the large crowds outside the Meenatai Thackeray Udyan, or Shilpgram.
The light and sound show at the fountain a..
Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun, granted bail
Kochi: Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is accused of raping a nun, was on Tuesday granted bail by the Kerala High Court. The court has laid down conditions for the bail, directing him to surrender his passport and asking him not to enter Kerala. The prelate, who was in charge of the Jalandhar diocese, was arrested three weeks ago- on September 21 after three days of questioning in Kerala, over the charges of raping a nun of his congregation, Missionaries of Jesus, repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.
He became the first Indian Catholic bishop to be arrested in a case of the alleged sex crime against a nun. He, however, refuted the allegations, terming them "baseless and concocted."
After the arrest, the senior Catholic priest was sent to police custody and was produced before the Pala Judicial Magistrate Court in Kerala's Kottayam, where he was sent to judicial custody till October 6.
Bishop Mulakkal's bail plea was rejected by a lower court last week, following which he moved the hi..
'Modi govt should show courage and start Ram temple construction'
'Padmaavat' returns as Durga puja theme in two pandals
Sabarimala row: Malayalam actor booked for his remarks against women
Malayalam actor Kollam Thulashi has been booked by the Kerala police for his controversial remarks against women during an NDA protest meeting over the Sabarimala Temple issue, police said on Sunday.
Addressing the protesters in Kollam on Friday, Thulashi, a BJP supporter, had allegedly said, "Women in the restricted age group who visit the Lord Ayappa Temple should be ripped apart."
An FIR was registered on Saturday against Thulashi under IPC section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), and section 119 (A) of Kerala Police Act, which deals with acts in public places degrading the dignity of women.
He was booked on a complaint from local DYFI leader Rateesh, police said. Facing condemnation over his remark, the actor later had claimed that he made it in an emotional state of mind and expressed regret. The BJP-led NDA had organised the protest against the LDF government's decision not to file a review petition against the Supreme Court's ve..
MMRDA invites tenders for security of monorail again
What a rollercoaster week!
mid-day campaign: How pedestrians can reclaim their footpaths in Mumbai
With the majority of the footpaths in the city being used illegally for parking vehicles, as shown by mid-day's two-week series, we managed to find two areas that have kept the law-breakers off the pedestrian space – one at Bellasis Road in Mumbai Central and the other on the Mahim-Matunga stretch.
After numerous examples of footpaths outside prominent places turning into parking spots, we end our series on a hopeful note - presenting two fine examples of ideal pavements, which are built in such a way that there is no scope (rather, space) for two-wheelers to even get on them.
Bellasis Road, Mumbai CentralRecently, the Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with the help of an NGO expert group, World Resources Institute (WRI), finalised Bellasis Road to have it developed as a 'model road'. The civic body is spending about Rs 30 crore on this project, which includes a sizeable footpath along this stretch.
WRI, after conducting a study of several city roads, suggested some meas..
AAP names Lok Sabha in-charge for last two Delhi seats
Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced its candidates for the last two Lok Sabha seats in the capital, completing the process for all the seven constituencies.
While Brijesh Goyal will be in-charge of New Delhi constituency, Rajpal Solanki will hold the seat of west Delhi, Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai told the media.
Goyal has played an active role in the anti-sealing drive and is a key part of the AAP's traders wing, Rai said.
Solanki has been working in the education and health sectors and was managing the Venkateshwar Hospital in Dwarka and many other schools in the area, Rai said.
The other five Lok Sabha in-charges of AAP are Pankaj Gupta (Chandni Chowk), Dilip Pandey (North East Delhi), Raghav Chadhha (South Delhi), Atishi Marlena (East Delhi) and Guggan Singh (North West Delhi).
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This story has been source..
Fuel prices continue to rise, PM Modi to meet oil company heads
Rahul Gandhi concerned as activist fasting for Ganga hospitalised
'Rahul Johri dropped his pants, assaulted me'
Judge's wife dead, son critical, gunman arrested
The wife of an Additional District Judge in Haryana, who was shot at by her husband's Haryana Police security guard on Saturday, succumbed to her injuries in a hospital, police said on Sunday.
Ritu, 38, died overnight, forensic expert and doctor Deepak Mathur told IANS.
The judge's son Dhruv, 18, who too was shot at, was very critical and admitted to a private hospital.
Haryana Police Constable Mahipal Singh, who fired the shots, hailed from Mahindargarh and was attached to the judge, Shrikant, for nearly two years.
He was arrested while trying to flee to Faridabad.
The judge was not in the government car when the incident occurred in Sector 49 on Saturday.
"Ritu suffered two bullet injuries in her chest. She died of excessive blood loss," Mathur told IANS.
To investigate the killing, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the DCP East of Gurugram has been set up, a police officer said. The SIT will also include three ACPs and SHO of Sector 50 police station.
Catch up on ..
Mastermind of fake Indian Territorial Army recruitment racket arrested
A 39-year-old mastermind of a fake Indian Territorial Army recruitment racket was arrested from Uttarakhand's Haridwar, police said Saturday.
Yogender alias Bunty, a resident of Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, was heading an inter-state racket that was cheating the unemployed rural youths on the pretext of arranging jobs in the Army, the Indian Railways and the ONGC, they said.
On May 3, one Sudheer, a resident of Charkhi Dadri, registered a complaint alleging that he was cheated of Rs 5 lakh by the gang for a job in the Army, said Ram Gopal Naik, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).
The gang used to take fake physical tests in Army grounds and fake medical examination in Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt area, along with the fake interviews, Naik added.
They would also give fake joining letters, he said.
Police zeroed in on the gang and arrested its five members -- Amit Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Pradeep, Devender and Sandeep. During their interrogation they disclosed that Yogender was the mastermin..
Delhi air pollution: Emergency plan to kick in from Monday
Jyotiraditya Scindia: Congress still in driver's seat in Madhya Pradesh
Rajnath Singh to celebrate Dussehra along Indo-Pak border
55 cases of Zika virus confirmed; WHO team to visit Jaipur soon
Crawford Market's fountain restoration coming apart due to apathy
The first phase of the restoration of Crawford Market is not even done, and it is already coming apart, thanks to vandalism and next to no maintenance. One of the three fountains at the market, restored just last year, is already damaged. Some have dumped garbage on the 153-year-old fountain, while others have spat on it and even scribbled on the stone plinths.
Just last year, the fountain was restored at a cost of Rs 5 lakh. At the time, there were several layers of oil paint that had to be scraped off before the structure could be refurbished, said an official from the civic body's building maintenance (BM) department.
The fountain, restored just last year, is already laden with garbage, scribbles and spit stains (circled)
The ornamental artefact dates back to 1865, and is the only one of three fountains at Crawford Market that is located inside the market building; the other two stand on either side of the 147-year-old structure. Today, the fountain is laden with discarded plasti..
Bombay High Court stays MERC's decision on its hearings and recordings
Rafale Deal: Dassault-Reliance venture is just 10% of offset obligation
Mumbai Congress leaders meet Rahul Gandhi, demand Nirupam's removal
A movement within the Mumbai Congress, for demanding city unit chief Sanjay Nirupam's removal, has gained momentum with senior leaders making a plea to party president Rahul Gandhi, that a change in command would be good for the party.
Nine leaders met Gandhi in the capital on Friday afternoon for over 40 minutes in which they read out reasons for raising the demand. State in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot were present at the meeting. The first step in the anti-Nirupam drive was completed in Mumbai a fortnight ago, when the local leaders had met here. Kharge had collected the inputs to take the issue before the party president.
According to sources, senior leaders Eknath Gaikwad, Naseem Khan, Kripa Shankar Singh, Janardan Chandurkar, Amin Patel, Baba Siddiqui, Bhai Jagtap, Madhu Chavan, and city youth unit president Ganesh Yadav interacted with Gandhi.
'Doesn't consult seniors'One of the attendees said the meeting was very positive. "The party pres..
Jain women to march in silence for holy mountain
Women from the Jain community are planning to take to the streets in protest to save Mount Shikharji, in Jharkhand. The Jain community across the country is planning to come together to appeal to save the mountain.
Entangled in red tapeIt has been three years and the Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das's commitments are still entangled in red tape and bureaucracy, the community said, and there has been no formal action by the government to move the matter further. The lack of action by the Jharkhand government in declaring Shikharji 'a place of worship' is leading to the commercial exploitation and unplanned, rampant urbanisation of the mountain, violating the spiritual sanctity of the place, the community said.
On Saturday, Jain women will be stepping out in a silent protest. On Monday, the entire community members will take out a silent march in Pune city beginning 8.30 am from Oswal Bandhu Samaj area in Swargate till Council Hall in Pune.
Yogesh Parmar, a Jain community member,..
Separatist shutdown hits life in Valley over killing of Ph.D scholar
Deccan Queen and Panchavati Express passengers to get library
mid-day Impact: Mahalaxmi kids won't be relocated to Gorai yet
Shashi Tharoor's counsel tells Delhi court that few files inaccessible
Certain files in the hard disk relating to Sunanda Pushkar death case were inaccessible, counsel for Congress leader Shashi Tharoor informed Delhi's Patiala House Court on Friday.
Earlier, the Delhi Police had handed over the copies of documents, including electronic evidence, to the counsel of Tharoor in connection with the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar. Tharoor had earlier requested for the documents.
Earlier on May 14, the Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet in the court, in which it named Tharoor as an accused, under sections 306 (Abetment of suicide) and 498A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Tharoor, however, had dismissed the charge sheet terming it "preposterous".
Sunanda was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.
On June 5, the trial court had taken cognisance of the police charge sheet and issued summons to Tharoor.
On May 14, police charge-..
Everyone must treat women with respect and dignity, says Rahul Gandhi
Narendra Modi pays tribute to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia on her birth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia on her 99th birth anniversary, saying she was blessed with a futuristic vision and was a source of inspiration for several people.
"We remember Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia on her Jayanti. She devoted her entire life to public service. Formidable, compassionate, always accessible to people and blessed with a futuristic vision for the nation, she is a source of inspiration for several people," Modi said in a series of tweets.
For Karyakartas of the Jana Sangh and BJP, no words can do justice to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia's monumental efforts to build these parties.She resisted the Emergency tooth and nail, overcoming all forms of intimidation, bullying and dirty tricks of those in power then. pic.twitter.com/ob1NjMzo7E
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 12, 2018
Hailing Scindia for her efforts to build the parties, Modi said: "For Karyakartas (workers) of the Jana Sangh and BJP, no wor..
Air India diverts flight to Mumbai after freak accident in TN
Mid-day.com impact: Garbage collectors get safety equipment from BMC
mid-day.com impact>> In the ongoing mid-day.com series 'Heroes of Mumbai,' we showcased BMC cleanup marshal, Dadarao Patekar, who has been sweeping and cleaning the streets of Mumbai for over two decades. In the interview, the sweeper-turned cleanup marshal, Dadarao Patekar shared his grievances of how the sweepers and the garbage collectors lacked basic safety equipment such as face masks and hand gloves required for their daily job.
The interview had a huge impact after it was showcased online on mid-day.com, with BMC, the civic body of Mumbai where Dadarao is employed taking notice of the ordeal and swinging into action. As a result, Dadarao and many other sweepers and clean up marshalls were provided with face masks and hand gloves by the BMC.
The video of Dadarao's story in 'Heroes of Mumbai' series has gone viral. After receiving the face mask and hand gloves an elated Dadarao said, "After seeing our interview on mid-day.com, Satyajit Patil, who..
I-T dept searches premises of media baron Raghav Bahl
The Income Tax Department searched media baron Raghav Bahl's home and office on Thursday in connection with a case of alleged tax evasion, officials said. A team of I-T sleuths raided Bahl's premises in Noida early morning and are looking for documents and other evidence related to a case of "bogus long term capital gains (LTCG) received by various beneficiaries", they said.
Bahl, who was in Mumbai, said in a statement that he was on his way to Delhi and his wife and mother were confined to the residence and not allowed to speak to anybody. "I have got little else to go on right now," he said in a statement to the media.
Apart from Bahl, three other "beneficiaries" and professionals, J Lalwani, Anoop Jain and Abhimanyu, are also being searched as part of the same action, officials said. Officials said their business links to offshore entities are being investigated.
Editors' Guild saysThe Editors Guild of India expressed concern saying it believed that "motivated" I-T raids would se..
'PM Narendra Modi is a corrupt man'
Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier
She's mineKajol seems in a hurry to leave with veteran artiste Asha Bhosle after the screening of her upcoming film. Pic/Shadab Khan
Canadian consul general for a dayOn International Day of the Girl yesterday, a 17-year-old from Kalwa walked through the doors of The Consulate General of Canada not with a visa application, but to take over the role of Consul General for the day. Shimpi Paswan, who is persuing a bachelors degree in accounting and finance from JK College, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, is a change-maker with the Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action (SNEHA), Mumbai, as part of the United Nations Population Fund programme on empowering adolescents. It was a packed day for Paswan, as the Consulate General had partnered with municipal schools for a film screening. It was also part of a panel discussion that took place at the National Gallery of Modern Art. The day ended with Paswan participating in a photo-op against important city buildings that were lit up in pin..
Vadodara based Parul University offers 4-year BSc Agriculture program
Mumbai: 38-year-old man commits suicide by hanging himself
Cyclone Titli makes landfall in Odisha, crosses coast
Very severe cyclonic storm Titli which is being referred to as a Category 2 hurricane, made landfall in Odisha's Gopalpur on Thursday with surface winds reaching 126 kmph, the Met said. There has been no casualty yet.
Heavy rains were dumped in at least eight districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore as Titli with high-velocity winds crossed the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coasts leaving behind uprooted trees and displacing three lakh people.
Gajapati district is the worst affected till now. Road communication from district headquarters to various parts like Mohana and Kashinagar was disrupted, said Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi.
Odisha's Balasore received very heavy rainfall of 117 mm and Paradip recorded 111 mm of rains. Gopalpur, where the cyclone made its landfall, has so far received 97 mm of rain, and hefty showers were further expected over the region, said Skymet Weather.
Power supply and telephone line..
Mumbai: St Xavier's accused of mishandling student's harassment plaint
Nirmala Sitharaman leaves for France, to visit Dassault plant
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday evening left for France on a three-day visit that would see her visiting the Dassault Aviation production plant that manufactures Rafale fighter jets besides other engagements.
Sitharaman, who will be in France till October 13, is leading a high-level delegation, which includes the Secretary, Defence Production.
The Minister will be holding talks with her French counterpart Florence Parly on various bilateral issues pertaining to defence cooperation including expanding bilateral maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, sources in the Defence Ministry said.
Last year, the French Defence Minister had visited India.
Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, whose party has been levelling allegations of crony capitalism and compromising national interest in the Rs 59,000-crore Rafale deal against Narendra Modi government, raised questions over the timing and purpose of Sitharaman's visit.
"The Supreme Court has asked ..
Congress won't make false promises, says Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi raises questions on Nirmala Sitharaman's France visit
HAL officer's wife, daughter commit suicide following domestic row
Police officer commits suicide; shoots himself with service revolver
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi demands sacking of MJ Abkar
Three Kashmiri students nabbed in Punjab with AK-47, explosives
I'm not a harasser, being attacked and vilified, says Chetan Bhagat
Bestselling author Chetan Bhagat, who has been facing a lot of flack after screenshots of his WhatsApp conversations were leaked on social media, asserted on Wednesday that he is being "attacked and vilified".
"I want you to know that I am suffering because my name is being dragged into needless controversies, and my family and I are being harassed. In the garb of the #MeToo movement, which definitely has genuine cases, I am being attacked and vilified. Let me tell you upfront -- I am not a harasser. Never was, never will be," Bhagat said in an elaborate four-page statement.
The bestselling author, whose latest book "The Girl in Room 105" released on Tuesday, said that the screenshots in question were of "a flirtatious, but friendly and polite conversation".
He maintained that such "baseless allegations" affect his wife, 70-year-old mother, his elderly in-laws and his twin teenaged sons.
"Each of them suffer in their own way," he added, before mentioning that #MeToo movement "is le..
Himalayan vulture Booboo rescued in Reay Road gets blessing from Church
It was Tuesday with a twist for St John the Evangelist Church (Ballard Estate) yesterday morning. The church had an unusual parishioner. Fr Joe D'Souza said with a laugh, "I have been holding Blessing of the Pets for 21 years now all over parishes in the city. Yet, one of the most unusual pets I have had to bless is this vulture called Booboo, which was brought into my church yesterday."
Beak tapedThe Blessing of the Pets, the annual ritual will be held on October 14 at this SoBo church, yet the D'Souza family (no relation to Fr Joe D'Souza) brought in their pet, the vulture 'Booboo' yesterday, "as the forest department in Nashik has instructed them that Booboo has to be released in the wild today [Wednesday]. They will be taking the vulture to Nashik," explained Fr. Joe. He said he blessed Booboo, "after I was assured that his beak is taped," he added mirthfully. "I put my hand on the big bird's head and blessed the vulture. I made the sign of the cross thrice, for the Father, the So..
SC asks Centre for details of Rafale decision making process
TISS director: We've committed ourselves to raising more funds
'Alok Nath stripped in front of me and manhandled me'
After decades of playing the 'Sanskaari Babuji' on screen, Alok Nath has turned out to be the complete opposite of that persona. A day after Tara writer Vinta Nanda opened up on her sexual assault by him, an associate who worked on Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999) has now spoken exclusively to mid-day, accusing the actor of misconduct and assault on the set of the family drama, nearly two decades ago.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, recalled her ordeal during the last schedule of the film in Mumbai. She stated, "We were shooting for a night scene and I had taken a change of costumes to him. Once I handed him the clothes, he started stripping in front of me. I was taken aback, and tried to make my way out of the room as soon as possible. When I tried to run out, he grabbed my hand and manhandled me. I remember yanking my hand out of his grip and rushing out of the room."
Though shocked and traumatised at the turn of events, the survivor added that she refrain..
Here is what ails footpaths outside two major city hospitals
Heavy parking on footpaths seems to be the norm outside major city hospitals with no space to walk on it, and along many stretches, even blocking access to the main gates of hospitals. Forget ramps or safe passages for the disabled, there seems to be little space even for pedestrians, with most taken up by parked vechicles.
Bombay hospital, Marine linesPedestrians walking in the lane next to Bombay Hospital at Marine Lines have to risk walking on the road, keeping a wary eye out for vehicles zipping past, because the pavement running along the boundary wall of Pratishtha Bhavan is full of parked cars.
In front of a 'no parking' sign; cars parked on footpath opposite Bombay Hospital
Footpaths along the entire stretch near Metro theatre, too, are crowded with bikes. "Two-wheelers are parked on the footpath around Harvic restaurant and opposite Metro theatre, while another set of motorbikes stands on a no-parking stretch along Anandilal Podar Marg," a resident said. Kandivli resident K..
Sushna Swaraj mum on MJ Akbar allegations; media groups clean house
The #MeToo movement has thrown down the gauntlet to the very top of the media industry as well as the central government, as several new allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against M J Akbar, a renowned former editor and now Minister of State for External Affairs. At least six women journalists and writers have spoken out against Akbar, alleging that he would call them to his hotel room at night for interviews, or sometimes turn up at their homes uninvited. Meanwhile, Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs, has dodged all requests for comments on whether any inquiry or action will be initiated against the central minister.
Hotel room predatorAmong other publications, Akbar was the founding editor of the Asian Age, and it was during his tenure there that these alleged incidents took place. The floodgates opened after a senior journalist revealed that Akbar was the subject of 'To the Harvey Weinsteins of the world', an article she had written last year, when the #MeToo moveme..
Ailing Goa CM Manohar Parrikar to celebrate Diwali in Goa: BJP MLA
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer in a Delhi hospital, will be celebrating Diwali in Goa, BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar said on Tuesday.
Speaking to IANS on Tuesday, soon after meeting Parrikar at the national capital's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where the former Defence Minister has been admitted since last month, Patnekar, said: "It was very nice to see our Chief Minister after such a long time. He has assured me that he will be celebrating this Diwali (in November) in Goa and he will be arriving in his state soon."
Interestingly, speaking to reporters last week, Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Michael Lobo, who is also a BJP MLA, had said that the Chief Minister's health was deteriorating.
"He can hear less, it seems right now, at this stage of staying in AIIMS. We all are praying very hard that he comes out of his sickness. But till today there is no positivity that he is co..
FMCG should use Hindi, regional languages on products
'Fight against climate change has to become a social movement'
Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle biggest ocean polluters, says Report
Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle are among the companies that contribute most to ocean pollution with single-use plastics, according to a study presented on Tuesday by the "Break Free from Plastic" initiative. The environmental movement, launched in 2016, has helped clear the coasts of 42 countries around the world of discarded plastics.
"These brand audits offer undeniable proof of the role that corporations play in perpetuating the global plastic pollution crisis," said Von Hernandez, the Global Coordinator of Break Free From Plastic, at the presentation of the study in Manila.
Between September 9 and 15, over 10,000 volunteers carried out 239 plastic cleaning actions on coasts and other natural environments in 42 countries, Efe news reported. They collected more than 187,000 pieces of plastic, of which more than 65 per cent were from products by Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle. But companies such as Danone, Mondelez, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever, among others, were also mentioned in ..
Owaisi: BJP govt in Gujarat failed to stop exodus of migrant workers
Haji Ali dargah trust gets away with mobile tower, cuts radiation risk
The landscape around the popular and crowded Haji Ali juice centre looks transformed, thanks to an entire cluster of mobile towers atop the Haji Ali Dargah Trust office that has now been removed. The towers, which were emitting worrying amounts of radiation at that frantically busy spot, have disappeared from view. For a few years, the tower cluster seemed omnipresent and in fact, was one of the most visible signs above the famous juice centre. The Dargah office is next to the centre. The towers used to yield Rs 80 lakh annually to the dargah trust.
Vanishing actSuhail Khandwani, Haji Ali dargah trustee said, "We have finished removing all the towers, sometime ago. We had been sent a notice by the Collector that the Trust needed to pay some rent to them from the proceeds of the income we got from the Towers. Then, of course, we are also aware that radiation from mobile tower antennae is harmful to health. We have thousands of devotees visiting every day, it is better if we remove the ..
Vijay Rupani hits out at Rahul Gandhi over migrants leaving state
Sharad Yadav: Gujarat government must go over attacks on workers
Rahul Gandhi says govt must act over migrants being attacked in Gujarat
19 smuggled exotic birds seized in Pune
Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seized here 19 exotic birds of various species which were allegedly smuggled into India for sale, an official said Monday. The seized avians include 15 birds of species Agapornis, commonly known as 'Love birds' of African origin, one Sun parakeet, two great Billed parrot of Philippines origin and one white cockatoo of Indonesian origin, he said.
The birds were seized from the premises of one Dominic Sequira, a resident of Vadgaon Sheri, the DRI official told PTI. "On the basis of specific information, the Pune unit of the DRI, with assistance of officers of the Pune Customs Commissionerate, on October 7 recovered illegally imported foreign exotic birds," he said. The birds were handed over to the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park here for safe custody.
"The above mentioned live exotic birds command very high price, as they are sold in illegal markets after being smuggled," said the officer. All these birds appear to have been..
HC allows CBI to file closure report in Najeeb Ahmed's disappearance
Sena MP Sanjay Raut fetes Hindutva lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar
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