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LIVE! As Kashmir boils Rajnath holds 3rd security meeting in 3 days

16:23  Militants rob bank in Kashmir, 3rd heist in 3 days:   Militants today stormed a bank at Pulwama district in south Kashmir and decamped with around Rs 4 lakh in cash, the third such attack in as many days.

The four armed militants entered the Wahibugh branch of the Elaquai Dehati Bank at around 1.50 pm and fled after looting the money at gunpoint, a police official said.

He said the bank employees informed the police and a case has been registered.

A police party rushed to the scene and a hunt was launched to arrest the culprits and recover the stolen money, the official said.

Yesterday, unidentified gunmen barged into the Yaripora branch of the same bank and took away Rs 65,000.

On May 1, militants attacked a cash van of Jammu and Kashmir bank and shot dead five policemen and two bank security guards in Damhal Hanji Pora area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.

The policemen and security guards were returning to the district headquarters after delivering cash at a bank branch. The ultras had also looted four service rifles from the deceased cops.

Image: Four armed militants entered the Wahibugh branch of the Elaquai Dehati Bank at around 1.50 pm and fled after looting the money at gunpoint. Pic: Umar Ganie

16:05  Andhra, Telangana, MP, Rajashtan move fiscal year to Jan:  Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao have in principle agreed to toe the Union Government’s policy of advancing the presentation of state Budgets to the month of January every year. And also the change of financial years in the states from April to January.

In other words, both Andhra and Telangana will follow the calendar year and the state budgets will be presented in January.

BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have also decided to move the financial year to January from April.

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15:13  As Kashmir boils Rajnath holds 3rd security meeting in 3 days :  Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reviewed the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir for the third consecutive day today.

All top security officials including National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Director Intelligence Bureau (DIB) Rajiv Jain, and Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Anil Dhasmana were present in the high level meeting at North Block in Delhi.

The meetings come in the backdrop of recent violent attacks in the Valley, leading to the deaths of armed forces personnel and creating utter chaos in the state.

Earlier on Monday, Rajnath had reviewed the current security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the recent Sukma attack with country’s top security officials.

On Monday, two defence personnel were killed, as Pakistan violated ceasefire by opening fire on Border Security Force (BSF) posts in Jammu and Kashmir’s Krishna Ghati sector. In a barbaric act, their bodies were later mutilated by the Pakistan Army.

Earlier yesterday, Union Home Minister expressed his displeasure over ‘prolonged’ unrest in the valley in his meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra. During the meet with Vohra, Rajnath Singh also discussed the grievous attack by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir’s Krishna Ghati sector, where the bodies of two Indian soldiers were mutilated.

The Kashmir Valley has been embroiled in utter chaos and violence after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s was killed by security forces in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Kokernag on 8 July last year.

14:53  Sheena Bora murder case: Bombay HC rules Investigating Officers’ deposition about disclosures made by driver Shyamvar Rai aren’t admissible.

14:25  Kumar Vishwas has been made AAP’s Rajasthan in-charge. He also did not have to apologise despite Arvind Kejriwal’s disapproval that he aired his grievances outside the party forum. 

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14:23  Kumar Vishwas stays, AAP suspends Amanatullah Khan :  AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan suspended from the party for making anti Kumar Vishwas statments. Vishwas gets its his way with the party. After the marathon PAC meeting this morning, Vishwas said he will stand by AAP and assist it in course correction. Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said, “Amanatullah Khan has been suspended from Aam Aadmi Party for speaking against Kumar Vishwas.” He had accused Vishwas of conspiring to break the party.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener, had called a PAC meeting to discuss the issues that arose after the allegations levelled by Okhla MLA Khan on Sunday against Vishwas.

Khan reached Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal’s residence, where the PAC meet was held, tendered his resignation from the PAC and left.

File pic.

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14:04  Ramdev calls PM ‘Rashtra Rishi’:   Yoga guru Baba Ramdev today praised PM Narendra Modi’s leadership and said that the entire country was proud of him. While honouring the PM as ‘Rashtra Rishi’, Ramdev said, “PM Narendra Modi is a Rashtra Gaurav and Vishwa Nayak who has made India very proud at the world stage.”

Returning the compliment, the PM said, that by promoting yoga, Ramdev is serving the nation. “I congratulate Ramdev for popularising yoga and bringing it to the people. I can confidently say that we will not ignore or forget the heritage that we have been historically proud of.”

The work at the Patanjali Research Institute will include clinical control trials, drug screening, pharmacognosy, drug discovery, drug standardisation, drug safety, chronic diseases study, and pharmacology.

The PM also spoke about the Swachh Bharat movement saying that we have to decide and pledge ‘Mai gandagi nahin karunga. Children too have started endorsing my Swachch Bharat mission.’

Image: The PM with Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, the MD of Patanjali Ayurved.

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13:42  Blood trail shows killers returned across LoC: India summons Pak envoy:  An “outraged” India today summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and demanded action against Pakistani soldiers and commanders responsible for the beheading of two of its security force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir.

Basit was summoned by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to convey India’s “outrage at the killing and the barbaric act of mutilation of the bodies of two Indian soldiers on May one, 2017 by Pakistani army personnel,” an external affairs ministry statement said.

“It was significant that the attack was preceded by covering fire from Pakistani posts in Battal sector (in vicinity of village Battal). Blood samples of the Indian soldiers that have been collected and the trail of blood on Roza Nala clearly shows that the killers returned across the Line of Control,” it said.

Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh and BSF Head Constable Prem Singh were slain by Pakistan Border Action Team (BAT) after sneaking 250 metres into Indian territory in Poonch of J&K on May 1.

Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt had yesterday conveyed to his Pakistan counterpart that such a “dastardly and inhuman act” was beyond any norms of civility and merits unequivocal condemnation and response.

Image: Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh’s mother mourns her son’s tricolour wrapped body on its arrival at their village Vain Poin, some 40 km from Amritsar on Tuesday. Singh was killed on Monday by the Pakistan army and his body was mutilated while he was patrolling in the Krishna Ghati area of Jammu and Kashmir. PTI Photo

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13:41  Blood trail shows killers returned across LoC: India summons Pak envoy:  An “outraged” India today summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and demanded action against Pakistani soldiers and commanders responsible for the beheading of two of its security force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir.

Basit was summoned by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to convey India’s “outrage at the killing and the barbaric act of mutilation of the bodies of two Indian soldiers on May one, 2017 by Pakistani army personnel,” an external affairs ministry statement said.

“It was significant that the attack was preceded by covering fire from Pakistani posts in Battal sector (in vicinity of village Battal). Blood samples of the Indian soldiers that have been collected and the trail of blood on Roza Nala clearly shows that the killers returned across the Line of Control,” it said.

Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh and BSF Head Constable Prem Singh were slain by Pakistan Border Action Team (BAT) after sneaking 250 metres into Indian territory in Poonch of J&K on May 1.

Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt had yesterday conveyed to his Pakistan counterpart that such a “dastardly and inhuman act” was beyond any norms of civility and merits unequivocal condemnation and response.

Image: Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh’s mother mourns her son’s tricolour wrapped body on its arrival at their village Vain Poin, some 40 km from Amritsar on Tuesday. Singh was killed on Monday by the Pakistan army and his body was mutilated while he was patrolling in the Krishna Ghati area of Jammu and Kashmir. PTI Photo

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12:35  PM meets Ramdev :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the research institute run by spiritual leader Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurveda in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar. The institute claims to have developed new varieties of wheat and chilli seeds that can more than double the yield.

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12:31  BJP workers Amit Shah lunched with in Naxalbari join TMC:  In a major embarrassment for the BJP, two party workers with whom party President Amit Shah had his much publicised lunch last week at Naxalbari, have joined the Trinamool Congress.

Raju Mahali and his wife Geeta joined the TMC in the presence of West Bengal Tourism Minister Goutam Deb in Siliguri.

A red-faced BJP claimed that the two BJP workers were abducted and forcibly made to join the Trinamool Congress.

The images of Shah sitting cross-legged on the floor of Mahalis house at South Katiajote village eating rice, dal, potol bhaja (fried gourd) squash curry, salad and papad served on a banana leaf went viral.

Addressing party workers on April 25, Shah said, “I may have addressed several rallies across the country, but let me tell you nothing is more satisfying than today’s meeting in this tiny village in Bengal”.

A week later, the couple, residents of South Kotiajote in Naxalbari police station area, joined the Trinamool Congress.

Image: Amit Shah eating lunch at the Mahali home in Naxalbari last week.

12:24  FIR against Hindu Yuva Vahini:  In Bulandshahr, an FIR has been registered against six members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini after allegedly killing a man over his role in the elopement of a Hindu girl. Mann Singh Chauhan, SP City confirmed the incident saying, “An FIR has been registered, we will conduct an investigation into the matter.” 

11:59  CBI arrests Income Tax Commissioner BB Rajendra Prasad on graft charges. Rs 1.4 crore seized during searches.

11:58  Kabul: Blast near U.S. Embassy, casualties feared :  A massive blast has been reported near the United States embassy and a NATO compound in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday morning.

The blast took place close to Abdul Haq Square and several civilian casualties are being feared.

Preliminary reports suggest the blast has taken place due to a suicide attack.

According to Khama Press, eyewitnesses in Macroryan area are saying that of the security forces, apparently belonging to the coalition forces were targeted by a suicide bomber as they were crossing the area.

11:56  Not just US, China ready to play a greater role in resolving conflicts in South & Southeast Asia. Read more
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11:37  Sena’s Save Our Soldiers message to Modi: Move on from UP victory:  The Shiv Sena on Wednesday continued its assault on the Centre over the mutilation of Indian soldiers by the Pakistani Army, putting onus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reveal how serious he is about tackling the matter on an international level.

“The Prime Minster should disclose as to how many countries are supporting us on this issue. Former defence minister Manohar Parrikar’s previous remark on such issues and his resignation from his post indicates how serious the government is to tackle this issue,” said the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana.

The editorial further slammed present Defence Minister Arun Jaitley saying that just by making fancy statements the problem is not going to end, and it is high time to take serious action on the same.

“This is the same party ruling in the Centre who declared during the Congress regime to behead 10 Pakistanis if they behead one of ours. The regime has changed, but no change can be witnessed in the barbaric condition of our soldiers,” it said.

It further said that the surgical strike carried out along the Line of Control (LoC) was not enough to respond to Pakistan’s attack on Uri, Machil and Pathankot, adding that the BJP may consider the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election victory as one their greatest achievements, but the loss of the lives of Indian soldiers is the greatest defeat of the country.

Expressing grave concern over the brutal incident, Indian Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt on Tuesday raised the issue of Border Action Team (BAT) camps near the Line of control with his Pakistani counterpart.Bhatt also raised the issue of fire support provided by the Pakistani posts.

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11:23  Kumar Vishwas reaches Kejriwal’s residence for PAC meet :  Dr Kumar Vishwas reaches AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to attend the Public Action Committee meet. Amid the ongoing tussle between the senior leaders of Aam Aadmi Party, a meeting of its Political Affairs Committee has been called today at 11 am to discuss the issue.

The crisis in the Aam Aadmi Party deepened on Tuesday after senior leader Kumar Vishwas indicated he could quit the party, alleging conspiracies were being hatched against him.

Vishwas also appeared defiant despite the partys gag order of not talking to the media and said he will keep highlighting the mistakes of the Aam Aadmi Party and say what is right in the interest of the country.

Amid murmurs that he wants to head the party, the poet-turned-politician said he harbours no ambitions to become chief minister, deputy chief minister or AAP national convener.

Several MLAs too are in favour of a greater role for Vishwas in the AAP after the partys poor show in the Punjab assembly and municipal corporation of Delhi polls.

I have conveyed this to Arvind, Manish (Sisodia) and I reiterate it today that I dont want to become chief minister, deputy chief minister or AAPs national convener.

I dont want to join any political party or Swaraj India (political party founded by expelled AAP leader Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan).

I dont know what you want to do, but I dont want to do this, Vishwas told reporters outside his Ghaziabad residence, as he turned emotional.

The AAP leader was particularly upset with Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan who on Sunday had alleged that Vishwas was plotting a coup against party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and that he was an RSS-BJP agent.

He said Khan was merely a mask behind those hatching conspiracies against him.

Had Amanatullah Khan said anything like this against Arvind or Manish, he would have been shown the door in 10 minutes, Vishwas said.

Reacting to this, Deputy chief minister and senior AAP leader Sisodia said Vishwas comments are only hurting the party and affecting morale.

He doesnt talk in the PAC. He should put forth his views in the PAC, Sisodia said.

Earlier, Vishwas had differed with Kejriwal on the issue of electronic voting machines. He had refused to attribute the AAPs recent poll losses to alleged manipulation of EVMs and had instead stressed on the need to introspect.

Earlier in the day, several AAP MLAs, including Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra met Vishwas, seeking to pacify him.

However, it appeared to have yielded no results. Vishwas also remained adamant on Khan being sacked from the party.

Khan had resigned from the partys Political Affairs Committee on Monday.

File pic: Manish Sisodia, Arvind Keriwal and Kumar Vishwas in better times.

11:12  Pak’s ISI chief quietly visits Kabul to discuss intel issues:  The head of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency on Tuesday quietly visited Kabul as part of efforts by the two estranged neighbours to reset their ties particularly in the field of intelligence cooperation.

This was the first visit by Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar as Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and came at a time when relations between Islamabad and Kabul are at their lowest. Read more

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11:01  Why James Bond’s executioners are unable to finish him off :  Many of us have probably wondered occasionally, and some of us frequently, why the villains in James Bond movies don’t kill him when they can. They brag, prevaricate, and defer. They inform Bond what a nuisance he is to their plans and how much they’re going to enjoy finishing him off and living in a world without Bond. While they’re transported by their oratory, Bond extricates himself from the corner he’s painted himself into. The world in which there’s no Bond hasn’t come into existence. We have to ascribe this to the garrulity of his antagonists. We can also ascribe it to Bond’s powers as a listener (indispensable, one hears, to the seducer) and his facility for repartee. One of the reasons that the villain keeps talking is because he’s determined to out-repartee Bond (a Herculean task). More than Q’s factory-line innovations, it’s words that give Bond his longevity.

Amit Chaudhuri deconstructs the man we all love, James Bond. Read the column here.

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10:53  The Osama Bin Laden You Didnt Know:  “People are not born terrorists. Nor do they become terrorists in a single stroke. But step by step, like a farmer preparing a field for planting, their lives unfold in pattern that leaves them prepared to receive the seed of terrorism.” And so it was with Osama bin Laden.

Six years after Osama was killed by US Navy Seals in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the Quint looks at the unknown Osama: husband and father. Read

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10:42  After midnight meet, AAP to decide on Kumar Vishwas today:  Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s late night meeting with senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, who has threatened to quit over the attacks on him by a “coterie” surrounding the AAP convener, appears to have yielded little result.

At yesterday’s meeting, Vishwas insisted that stern action be taken against Okhla MLA Amantullah Khan, who had accused him of being a “RSS-BJP’ agent and plotting a coup in the party, sources said. A section of AAP MLAs also held a separate meeting with Vishwas early today but details were not immediately available.

Khan had on Monday resigned from the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

Vishwas had accused Khan of being a “mask’ and acting at the behest of a “coterie’ surrounding Kejriwal. After the emotional outburst, Vishwas had threatened to quit the party.

The chief minister and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had visited Vishwas’s Ghaziabad residence late in the night to pacify him.

The three, along with party leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh, then went to Kejriwal’s residence. The meeting continued until late in the night. The PAC is also likely to meet today to discuss the issue

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10:13  PM Modi after offering prayers at the Kedarnath shrine this morning. He gifted a miniature wooden replica of the shrine.

10:11   Army opens speculative fire along LoC:  Indian troops today opened “speculative fire” along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. Earlier, an Army officer had said that there was a ceasefire violation in the area and that details are being sought. “There was no ceasefire violation along the LoC in Poonch. It was speculative fire”, an army officer of northern command said. Speculative fire is normally used to check movement of suspicious persons along the border.
10:05  Youth elopes with girl; relative beaten to death:  A 45-year-old man, Ghulam Mohammad, was allegedly beaten to death by members of a right-wing group in Meerut on Tuesday for allegedly helping a relative elope with a girl of a different community.Mr Mohammad’s family members accused the Hindu Yuva Vahini to be behind the incident. The police, however, have not named anyone. Read more
09:53  2 dead in Kabul explosion:  Explosion reported at Massoud Square in Kabul city. Two civilian casualties, as suicide bomber targeted NATO convoy near US embassy in Kabul city, says Afghanistan media. Details awaited.
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09:52  The entrance to the Kedarnath shrine decorated as it reopens after the winter break.  

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09:48  PM offers prayers at the Kedarnath shrine. 

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09:43  PM at Kedarnath, first to offer prayers after shrine reopens:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand to reopen the Himalayan shrine which will reopen after a six month-long winter break.

He also addressed a group of supporters gathered outside the shrine this morning.

Modi is expected to spend about half hour at the shrine.

Modi, who reached Dehradun a little after 8 am, arrived at Kedarnath at 9 am. The temple is among the most important of the four Himalayan shrines on the Chardham circuit.

“Tomorrow I will be visiting Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand. I will begin my Uttarakhand visit by praying at the Kedarnath Temple,” the Prime Minister tweeted a day ahead of his visit.

Modi is also scheduled to visit and inaugurate a research centre at Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar at noon before he returns to the national capital.

“I will be inaugurating the Patanjali Research Institute at Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar tomorrow, 12 noon onwards. @yogrishiramdev,’ he said.

09:37  New IT rules to beef up Aadhaar:  To address privacy and security concerns over Aadhaar, the Centre is in the process of educating government agencies that sensitive data must not be made public, and is drafting amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Act to strengthen provisions for data protection and security. Read more
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09:35  Poonch martyr’s last rites performed after Adityanath speaks to family:   Last rites of Border Security Force head constable Prem Sagar, who lost his life in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan on Monday, were held on Wednesday after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke to the family.

Earlier, Sagar’s son had said that the last rites of his father would not be performed until the chief minister arrives at their hometown in Deoria.

The mortal remains of the braveheart were brought to his village amid slogans in his praise by hundreds of villagers, who had gathered to pay their respect to the departed soul.

The Pakistan Army on Monday had mutilated the bodies of Sagar and Naib subedar Paramjit Singh, who were killed earlier in a ceasefire violation at Jammu and Kashmir’s Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district. — ANI

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08:53  UP village to impose Rs 21,000 fine on girls using mobile phones:  The Panchayat of Mathura’s Madora village on Wednesday ordered the imposition of a hefty penalty on anyone who indulges in cow slaughter and also on girls who use mobile phones while walking on the street.

The decision was taken by former village pradhan (chief) Mohammed Gaffar, who decided that the Muslim community will support Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his campaign against cow slaughter.

However, anyone found indulging in cow slaughter or cow theft would have to shell out Rs 2 lakh, while those found selling liquor would have to cough up Rs 1.11 lakh.While, the Panchayat members also decided to impose Rs 21,000 on girls who will be seen talking on mobile phones while walking on the street, in order to reduce the rate of crime against girls and encourages elopement.

The quantum of punishment apart from the penalty would be decided by the entire panchayat. — ANI

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08:15  Pak violates ceasefire again; firing underway in Mankote:  Pakistan continued to provoke India for the second time in 48 hours, after it violated the ceasefire in Mendhar’s Mankote area in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday.

Intermittent firing is underway as Indian security forces are retaliating strongly to the provocation.

This comes after the ceasefire violation in Poonch on Monday, following which the Pakistan Army mutilated bodies of two Indian soldiers in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch area.

Further details are awaited.

Representative image.

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00:31  Clinton blames misogyny, FBI, Russia, herself for 2016 loss:  

Hillary Clinton says she is taking responsibility for her 2016 election loss but believes misogyny, Russian interference and questionable decisions by the FBI also played roles.

The former Democratic presidential nominee reflected on the presidential contest during the Women for Women International’s annual luncheon in New York.

Clinton said she was “on the way to winning” until a combination of events in the final days. She cited the FBI director’s letter to Congress resurrecting questions about her email practices and WikiLeaks’ repeated release of her campaign’s internal emails that “scared off” people.

She also said misogyny “played a role in this election,” won by Republican Donald Trump.

She conceded she made mistakes but said, “The reason I believe we lost were the intervening events in the last 10 days.” 

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00:01  British royals seek 1.5 mn euros in damages over topless Kate pics:  

Britain’s royals are seeking 1.5 million euros (Rs 10.5 crore) in damages over the publication of topless photographs of Prince William’s wife Kate, on the opening day of the trial of six media representatives for invasion of privacy.

French gossip magazine Closer and regional newspaper La Provence in September 2012 published long-lens photos of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless in the south of France, triggering outrage in Britain.

The prosecution in the invasion of privacy trial called for “very significant fines” over the grainy pictures, while a lawyer for Closer said the royal couple wanted 1.5 million euros in damages.

The pair were snapped on a break at a chateau owned by Viscount David Linley, the son of Princess Margaret, the late sister of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

One of the most intimate shots, which were offered to some publications but not published in Britain, shows the Duchess of Cambridge topless.

Source: Rediff