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LIVE! Cancelling talks with Pak right step: Kargil war hero’s father

11:29  Storm hits Golden Globe Race, navy sends warship to rescue injured officer:  

The Indian Navy today said all efforts were being made to rescue its officer, who has been injured after his vessel was hit by a vicious storm mid-way across the south Indian Ocean while taking part in the Golden Globe Race.

 

Commander Abhilash Tomy of the navy, representing India in the Golden Globe Race 2018 on an indigenously built sailing vessel ‘Thuriya’ suffered a back injury Friday after the yacht was dismasted.

“All out efforts are being made to rescue Abhilash Tomy. Indian Naval stealth Frigate, INS Satpura operating in the Indian Ocean has been dispatched for the rescue mission,” a defence spokesman said.

The Indian Navy commander is in the south Indian Ocean, approximately 1,900 nautical miles from Perth in Australia, and the Australian Rescue Coordination centre at Canberra is coordinating the rescue mission in conjunction with many agencies including the Australian Defence Department and the Indian Navy, he said quoting information received from organisers.

Commander Abhilash was dismasted in extremely rough weather and sea condition, with wind speeds of 130 kmph and 10 metre high waves.

 

He was in 3rd position and has sailed over 10,500 nautical miles in the last 84 days, since commencement of the race on July 1.

According to a report issued from the Les Sables d’Olonne, France Friday night, the 70 knot winds and 14 metre high seas have left the yachts of Indian Navy’s Tomy and Ireland’s Gregor McGuckin dismasted, and have twice knocked down the yacht of second-placed Dutchman Mark Slats.

 

Both McGuckin and Slats report that they are okay, but 39-year-old Tomy, a commander in the Indian Navy making his second solo circumnavigation, has been injured, it had said.

It had also said other entrants were asked to make towards Tomy’s position if possible, and added that the weather was extreme.

The nearest yacht happens to be that of Gregor McGuckin’s Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance, some 90 miles to the southwest of Tomy’s Thuriya, but she too was dismasted in the same storm.

 

Commander Tomy, who became the first Indian to have circumnavigated the globe in 2013, is the only Indian participating in the Golden Globe Race that involves a gruelling 30,000-mile solo circumnavigation of the globe. — PTI 


10:57  Alec Baldwin will return to ‘SNL’ as Donald Trump:  

Actor Alec Baldwin will be back as President Donald Trump in the upcoming 44th season of “Saturday Night Live”.

 

The news was revealed during James Andrew Miller’s Origins podcast focused on the new season, which kicks off September 29. The premiere will be hosted by Adam Driver and feature a performance by Kanye West.

“Trump is insane. I think most people know, the guy he is insane. We have a man who is president who is insane. You can’t go far enough with this idiot. You can’t go far enough. You can’t go far enough” Baldwin said.

Lorne Michaels, the executive producer of “Saturday Night Live,” told Miller that he was glad to have Baldwin return to the role. 

“I think there is probably no other actor who is looking to take that and follow Alec. And I think, for a new cast member to come in and try that would be a really tough thing to do,” Michaels said.

Baldwin’s return had been in doubt given comments he had made during SNL’s Season 43. “Every time I do it now, it’s like agony. Agony. I can’t,” he had said. 

 

Trump responded to his comments soon after, tweeting, “Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch.”

Baldwin tweeted right back, “Agony though it may be, I’d like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride.” — PTI 


10:32  UPDATE – Franco Mulakkal discharged from govt hospital:  

Priest Franco Mulakkal, arrested by the police over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, was today discharged from the government hospital in Kottayam where he was admitted following complaints of chest pain, officials sources said.

   

The 54-year-old clergyman would be produced in a magistrate court in Pala later in the day.

He had complained of pain in his chest while being taken to Kottayam Police club from the Crime Branch office in Thrippunithura in Ernakulam district Friday night, they said.

He was under observation in the cardiology section of the Medical College Hospital for over 6 hours after his blood pressure shot up, they said.

Sources said ECG and other cardiac related tests were performed. His health condition is said to be normal. — PTI

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10:30  Cancelling talks with Pak right step: Kargil war hero’s father:  

NK Kalia, father of Captain Saurabh Kalia, who lost his life in Kargil war, today said the government’s move to call off a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi is a right step.

Speaking to ANI, NK Kalia said, “India has taken the right step. No talks should be held with Pakistan till the time it proves that it has sincere intentions.”

He further stated that Pakistan has always posed a problem for India whenever an agreement aiming to strengthen the relationship was signed.

“I am afraid that in the future too they (Pakistan) will not improve themselves. Had this meeting would have taken place, it would have been another futile exercise and sheer wastage of time and energy,” he added.

He also said that “this bold move by the Indian government will be welcomed by the all the patriotic people of the country”.

Captain Saurabh Kalia along with five other soldiers of his patrolling team were held as a prisoner of war by the Pakistan Army, kept in captivity where they were tortured, then killed.

On Friday, New Delhi called off the meeting with Pakistan just a few hours after two Special Police Officers and one policeman in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed by the terrorists. While announcing its decision, Ministry of External Affairs said that the true face of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had been revealed in the wake of the brutal killings.

On September 18, mutilated body of Border Security Force Head Constable Narender Singh was also found with multiple bullet injuries on his torso and neck.

The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the United National General Assembly in New York. The meeting was proposed by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. — ANI

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10:24  PM in Odisha to launch several projects :  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Odisha today to launch half-a-dozen projects, including a fertiliser plant at Talcher, and inaugurate Jharsuguda Airport and UDAN in the state.

 

Modi, who proceeded to Talcher after arriving in Bhubaneswar, will lay the foundation stone and commence work for the country’s first coal gasification based fertiliser plant at Talcher in Angul district, officials said.

The fertiliser plant is being developed by Talcher Fertilisers Limited, a joint-venture of GAIL, Coal India Ltd, Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd and Fertiliser Corporation of India Ltd, they said.

The plant, to be commissioned by 2022, will ensure easy availability of urea in Odisha as there is no urea plant in the state.

During his one-day visit to the state, Modi will also dedicate to the nation mines of the NTPC and the Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd and railway tracks for transportation of coal.

Garjanbahal open cast mine of MCL, to be inaugurated by Modi, has coal block reserves of 230 million tonnes with annual production capacity of 13 million tonnes. It will generate direct employment opportunity for 894 people and

indirect job opportunities for 5,000, officials said.

The prime minister will launch the 53.1-km Jharsuguda-Serdega railway line constructed by MCL, which can be used for passenger traffic.

Modi will dedicate to the nation Dulanga Coal Mining Project of NTPC in Sundargarh district. This is the second mine of the the state-run company to be operational and its first in Odisha.

Coal produced from this mine will be used in the under-construction 1600-MW Darlipali Super Thermal Power Plant of NTPC in Sundargarh district, the officials said.

On the new airport in Jharsuguda, the officials said it has been developed for all-weather operations, including night operations for A-320 type aircraft.

Jharsuguda will be the second airport of Odisha to be operational and provide connectivity to Bhubaneswar, Raipur and Ranchi under the central government’s UDAN scheme. — PTI 

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09:40  Nun rape case: Arrested priest hospitalised after complaint of chest pain:  

Priest Franco Mulakkal, arrested by the police over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, has been admitted to a government hospital Kottayam after he complained of chest pain, official sources said Friday night.

   

He complained of chest pain when he was being taken to Kottayam Police club from the Crime Branch office in Thrippunithura in Ernakulam district Friday night, they said.

 

The vehicle carrying the priest was directed to the Medical College Hospital when it reached Ettumanoor at around 11 pm after the Bishop complained of chest pain, sources said.

 

He is is under the observation in the cardiology section of the college after his blood pressure shot up, they said.

 

Sources said his ECG and other cardiac related tests are being performed at the hospital.

 

Earlier, Mulakkal’s medical check up was done at the Government Taluk Hospital in Thrippunithura Friday night, immediately after his arrest.

 

In her complaint to the Kottayam police in June, the nun had alleged that Bishop Mulakkal raped her at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and later sexually exploited her on several occasions. 

 She said she had to approach the police as the church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman.– PTI

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09:19  UN chief Antonio Guterres to visit India in October:  

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres will travel to India early next month, his first trip to the country as head of the world body that coincides with the commencement of events marking the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Secretary-General will arrive in New Delhi on October 1. His visit coincides with the beginning of events to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2 next year, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq told reporters here Friday.

 

On October 1, Guterres will formally open the new UN House in New Delhi and on October 2, the Secretary-General will participate in the closing session of the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention.  

During the visit, he will meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on October 3. 

He will also meet with Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan before giving a lecture at the India Habitat Centre on Global Affairs on the theme ‘Global challenges, global solutions’.  

The Secretary-General will also take part in the General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance. In the afternoon of October 3, he will visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar and will return to New York on October 4.

Guterres had visited India in July 2016, just months ahead of the election for Secretary General. During his visit then, he had met Swaraj.

Replying to a question on Guterres’ trip to the Golden Temple, Haq said that the visit is essentially a personal one as the UN chief wanted to see the holy Sikh pilgrimage site.

When asked if Guterres will be asked questions about the 1984 Sikh riots, Haq said it was a bit “premature” to mention the topics he will bring up.

Haq also expressed the world body’s gratitude to the Indian government for its contribution of USD 1 million to install solar panels and a green roof on the Conference Building of the United Nations Secretariat. 

The contribution was received by Under-Secretary-General for Management Jan Beagle, who said that “India’s generous contribution sends a strong message promoting innovation for action on climate change, and to enable greater efficiencies”. 

 The initiative will help the Secretariat reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainable energy, Haq added. — PTI 

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08:43  Rahul Gandhi to visit Amethi on Sep 24:  

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be on a two-day visit to his Parliamentary constituency Amethi, beginning September 24, a party leader said on Friday.

During the visit, the Congress chief will take part in the district vigilance and monitoring committee meeting at the collectorate in Gauriganj, said Yogendra Misra, the district unit president of the party.

He will also meet party workers and locals, Misra said.

Gandhi’s political representative in Amethi Chandra Kant Dubey told PTI that after landing at Choudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow at 10 am on September 24, the Amethi MP will drive to Nigoha near Fursatganj to address a gathering of women on the Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana.

Later, the Congress president will inaugurate some projects at Jais under Tiloi assembly segment completed through MP-LAD fund, Dubey said, adding that Rahul will meet farmers in evening at Gauriganj, the district headquarter of Amethi.

In the night, Rahul will stay at Musafirkhana, where he will meet party activists and different delegates to discuss political developments, Dubey said.

The next day, he will chair a meeting of the District Development and Monitoring Committee (earlier known as District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee) on the premises of collectorate at Gauriganj, the district headquarter, he said.

Union minister Smriti Irani paid two single-day visits to Amethi in the first week of this month during which she criticized the Amethi MP for his alleged negligence of Amethi.

Smriti had unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha poll from Amethi as BJP nominee against the Congress leader. — PTI 

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08:33  Our choice to go with Reliance: Dassault clarifies on Rafale deal :  

After former French president Francois Hollande’s bombshell that the Indian government had proposed Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence as the India partner in the multi-million dollar Rafale jet deal and not given them a choice, Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, said it has decided to make a partnership with the Reliance in accordance with the policy of ‘Make in India’.

 

“This partnership has led to the creation of the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd joint-venture in February 2017. Dassault Aviation and Reliance have built a plant in Nagpur for manufacturing parts for Falcon and Rafale aircraft,” the company said in a statement.

“This is Dassault Aviation’s choice, as CEO Eric Trappier had explained in an interview published in MINT newspaper on April 17, 2018. This partnership has led to the creation of the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL) joint-venture in February 2017,” the company stated.

The French aviation company also said that contracts were signed with companies other than Reliance as well, as part of the offsets contract under the Rafale deal.

“Other partnerships have been signed with other companies such as BTSL, DEFSYS, Kinetic, Mahindra, Maini, SAMTEL,. Other negotiations are ongoing with hundred-odd other potential partners,” the firm divulged.

The Congress has been accusing massive irregularities in the deal, alleging that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government when it was negotiating procurement of 126 Rafale jets.

   

The Congress has also alleged that the government was benefitting Reliance Defence through the deal as the company has set up a joint venture with Dassault Aviation to execute the offset obligation for the deal.

 

The opposition parties have also alleged that the Reliance Defence was formed just 12 days before the announcement of the Rafale deal by the prime minister on 10 April 2015. The Reliance group has rejected the charges.

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00:16  3-yr-old girl sexually abused by conductor of school van in Bhopal:  

A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused in a school van by its 17-year-old conductor, who was detained, police said Friday.

The incident took place on Thursday afternoon when the girl, a pre-nursery student, was returning home in the Ayodhya Nagar area in Bhopal in the school van, they said.

The girl told her mother about the incident when she took her for a bath, Inspector Baljeet Singh said.

When her mother asked more questions, the girl named the school bus conductor as the culprit, he said.

The accused was taken into custody Thursday night, the officer added.

“The accused is 17 years and 6 months old as per his school mark-sheet. We sent him to the juvenile correctional home today,” he said.

A case under the amended section 376 AB of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with punishment for rape of a girl under the age of 12, and also under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered, the inspector said.

The officer also said the accused was sent for counselling (as required in the case of juvenile offenders) before he was sent to the correctional home.

During counselling, the accused expressed remorse and said he would not commit such an act again, he said.

According to the police officer, the accused said pornographic material he had seen a few days ago led him to commit the crime.

Further probe is underway, he added.  — PTI

Source: Rediff