Harbhajan Singh Became Father to a Baby Girl

New Delhi: Crickter Harbhajan Singh and wife actress Geeta Basra became parents to a baby girl on Thursday morning. Reports are that Geeta gave birth to their daughter at a London hospital. The news was confirmed by Singh’s mother Avatar Kaur but the official announcement is yet to come from the new parents.

Teammates, fans, family and relatives poured their best wishes to the new parents, both over phone and on social media platforms.

However, the most amusing one came from Virender Sehwag, who took to Twitter to bless the newborn and congratulate his pal. “Congrats @harbhajan_singh & @Geeta_Basra on bcmng proud parents. Bhajji,maidan me to Baap pehle hi tha,ab Papa b ban gaye. Blessings2NewBorn,” he said on his Twitter post. Virat Kohli also joined the run and wished all the best on their new bundle of joy in Punjabi on Twitter.

Sources said, both the mother and the baby are healthy and sound after delivery.  

The couple had tied their knot last year, on October 29, after five years of courtship. The gala wedding ceremony was held in Jalandhar, Punjab. Geeta’s pregnancy news was already in the news since last year. The actress was last seen in public during the IPL matches, but in ‘baggy clothes.’ Geeta was shifted to his parents’ home in the UK on May where she had her baby shower last month.  

3 Died Suffering from Japanese Encephalitis in Manipur

Imphal: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) outbreak in Manipur, the north-eastern state of India, has took its toll by killing of three people, leading one in critical condition due to the disease. Following the wake of the disease, the Manipur state government has asked all the schools and other educational institutes to shut for the next seven days.

Reports are the first death due to JE caused on Wednesday and the state is overwhelmed with cases of viral fever. The state government has also formed a Rapid Action Committee to fight the outbreak.

Japanese Encephalitis is a mosquito-borne disease, with symptoms including fever, headache, vomiting, confusion and difficulty in moving. Experts say that JE later include brain-swelling, coma and later to death.

Manipur’s Churachandpur district is leading the list for being the most cases with viral fevers and dengue cases. 1,219 cases of viral fever were reported and 7,500 people have been administered the JE vaccine in the district, sources stated. “The situation is aggravated by clogged drains and low lying areas which are inundated by rain water in the past few weeks,” said Okram Ibomcha, director, Health department, Manipur.

  

International Tiger Day 2016

Data say that the number of tigers the world have now, is the lowest of all time. The bright side of the study is that India is now home to half of the tiger population now and comprises 1706 tigers in its jungles. The total number of tigers now barely reaches 4000, which used to be 10,000 a century ago without reservation, roaming free in the wild, data released by World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature.

During the last century, the world has seen slaughtering, poaching, killing and the circumstances of weather and lifestyle changes into them, eliminating 97 percent of tigers. Also, between 2000 and 2014, authorities seized around 1590 parts of tigers across Asia, killed for several reasons, including medicinal purposes.

Reports are that among the nine species of tigers only six exist now. The extinct three species are, Bali Tigers, Caspian Tigers and Javan Tigers. The remaining species- Siberian Tigers, Bengal tigers, Indochinese tigers, Malayan tigers, Sumatran tigers, South China tigers are struggling hard to live.  

The Bengal tigers’ population is largest in the Sunderbans, the huge mangrove jungle, recently victim to several natural circumstances, leading trouble to the tigers too. Human interference is coupled with natural calamities, as both of the species are dependent on the jungle for their food and livelihood. According to WWF, the daily conflict, could result into extinction and wipe all the tigers in the next five years.

In 2010, July 29 was first celebrated as the International Tiger Day in an international summit. The aim was to bring back the attention that the world is not left with much of the members of the species. The objective was set of this day to ‘protect and expand’ tigers with organizations like WWF, IFAW and Smithsonian Institute join hands to raise awareness.

On the International Tiger Day, conservationists urged tourists across the world not to click selfie with the captivated animals. Thailand's Tiger Temple has seen the maximum obsession of it, which was recently closed after ‘authorities found 40 dead tiger cubs in a freezer on-site.’

Organizations across the world have shared inspiring quotes and slogans, arranged awareness programs and body painting events today. Photography and collage exhibition are also made part of the initiative in parts of India to mark the day, sources said.

Police Confirms Aabesh’s Death an Accident, Family Urges CM for ‘Fair Investigation

Kolkata: One day after the police has claimed that 17-year-old Aabesh Dasgupta was not murdered and died because of accident, five family members, including mother and grandmother of Aabesh met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence.

“Going through the CCTV footage and examining the circumstantial evidence, there appears no foul play or conspiracy involved. The visceral examination reports are still awaited, but investigations so far reveal the death to be accidental,” as Vishal Garg, Joint Commissioner (Crime) of the Kolkata Police has said.

It was late on Thursday when the investigating officers of Kolkata Police for the first time said that the initial investigation done by the sleuths confirmed that the mysterious death of the teen is only an accident. Reports are that police suspects that Dasgupta succumbed to his injuries, caused by a broken bottle that went through his underarms, creating life-taking scar.

Reports are that the police have gone through CCTV footage, where Aabesh was seen carrying a liquor bottle and walking towards the apartment’s playground. Investigating officers has said that he must have tried to climb on the fence to reach the playground but fell down. However, the footage does not show the latter part. The explanation has not satisfied the Dasgupta family and they are infuriated that the police have ‘informed the media before them’.

On July 24, Aabesh was found at the car parking area at 6 Sunny Park, a residential complex at Ballygunge, the southern fringe of the city. He was later declared dead by the hospital authority. However, the Dasgupta family alleged the death as a murder and denied the theory of accident from the very first day. Aabesh’s mother Rimjhim Dasgupta also said that the ‘case was being influenced to protect the accused.’

Following the fateful death of the teenage boy, a Facebook page, called justice for Aabesh was created. An online petition was also started to ‘ensure a fair and transparent investigation’ of the death.

Pope Francis Visits Auschwitz Concentration Camp during Poland Trip

Krakow: On Friday, Pope Francis visited the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, prayed for the dead and spent solitary times. The Auschwitz camp has seen the killing of more than 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, when Poland was Nazi occupied.

The pope is on his five-day Poland visit to mark 1050 years of Poland’s adoption of Christianity. It was the third day of his visit when the pontiff went to the extermination camp, met the camp survivors, kissed them on their cheeks and spoke to them softly, as reports revealed.

Following his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis visited the Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz but refrained from speaking about the sufferings and dismays.   

“I would like to go to that place of horror without speeches, without crowds – only the few people necessary. Alone, enter, pray. And may the Lord give me the grace to cry,” the Pope said before starting his five-day long journey. Reports are that the pontiff wrote only a sentence in the Auschwitz guest book: “Lord, have pity on your people. Lord, forgive so much cruelty.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Pope attended the World Youth Rally and urged kindness for the migrants. 

Third Installment of Munnabhai All Set to Hit the Floors, Delayed Only for Sanjay Dutt’s Biopic: Arshad

Mumbai: Munnabhai-famed actor Arshad Warsi on Thursday told reporters that the third installment of the Rajkumar Hirani directed series in waiting for Sanjay Dutt’s biopic to go on floors.

“That (starting Munna Bhai 3) is an issue as Raju (Hirani) has to start the Sanjay Dutt biopic and it is getting pushed ahead. Until and unless he (Hirani) decides he wants to do Munnabhai part three first and then the Sanjay Dutt biopic… if that happens then we will go first,” Arshad said.

While the first two parts of the Munnabhai-series saw accomplished both by regular viewers and critics, the audience are now waiting for the third part to get hooked with.

The Munnabhai-series includes two films- Munnabhai M.B.B.S (20003) and Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006). The key roles, Munna, aka Murli Prasad Sharma and Circuit, were made everlasting by Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi.

Reports are that the biopic of Sanjay Dutt was scheduled to release on June and is now postponed to next January. However, Warsi paid no heed to the rumor that he and Dutt won’t be seen in the third part. “I don’t think it will happen. I doubt,” he added.

However, the confusion on release dates of both of the films is due to Dutt’s jail sentence in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. The actor came out of jail in February this year and started working on the pending films. 

One Day PSU Bank Strike Hit Operations

New Delhi: Around 80,000 branches and over a million of employees of public sector banks went on a one-day strike on Friday claiming to discontinuation of the proposed merger of ‘State Bank of India associates with the parent and other issues,’ reports revealed. Among the PSUs, only ICICI bank is working according to their schedule and has not taken part in the strike.

The United Forum of Banks Unions (UFBU) had previously informed its customers and stakeholders of the strike and stated that services like cheque clearance, withdrawal and cash deposit will get affected on Friday.

The normal banking operations were interrupted while traders were unable to complete transactions worth of Rs 26 lakh. Rs 19,000 crore worth of cheques could not be cleared, said C H Venkatachalam, United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) General Secretary.

On july 26, UFBU and Chief Labour Commissioner went for a conciliation meeting which ended futile. “The unions were ready for meaningful discussion, but the government only tried to justify their present policy decision on banking reforms and hence, there was no meeting point, said Venkatachalam.

687 Indian Athletes Banned Since 2009: NADA

A whopping number of 176 athletes were banned by the National Anti Doping Agency in 2012. That number has steadily decreased thanks to stringent measures adopted by the agencies.

In 2016, 72 athletes were under the scanner for doping-related offenses. 56 out of those however carried over violations committed last year.

Track and field athletes (266) and weightlifters (169) are the key contributors to these numbers.

The recent problems faced by Narsingh Yadav and Inderjeet Singh has brought the issue of doping back into the spotlight.

The verdict in the Narsingh Yadav doping case is expected to be out either on Saturday or Monday. Both sides have presented their cases at the hearing in the last 48 hours. The Mumbai-based wrestler may not make it to Rio even if the concerned agencies give him a clean chit. Meanwhile, the chief of anti-doping agency Navin Agarwal has rubbished allegations by shot putter Inderjeet Singh of sample tampering. Singh, 28, had charged that his samples were tampered with. 

Speaking on the issue, former NADA chief Mukul Chatterjee said, “Emphasis must be on smart testing of athletes and preparing their biological passports to keep track. The whereabouts clause should be strictly followed and emphasis should be given to out-of-competition tests. There's still a need to make the athletes aware of the evils of doping. Parents and coaches must be made aware of the menace. That can help in checking use of banned substances.”

Considering the fact India in 2014 was only behind Russia and Italy in the doping offenders’ list​, the government and authorities need to step in to prevent any more damage.

New Drug May Serve As A Boon In Treating Both Diabetes And Bone Loss

In what could serve as a boon to millions of people across the globe, researchers have developed a new class of compound that has shown promise in treating both diabetes and bone disease.

In addition to its more obvious ills, Type-2 diabetes is a condition closely associated with bone fractures, increasing the risk of fractures twofold. To make matters worse, certain anti-diabetic drugs further increase this risk, particularly in postmenopausal women, severely limiting their treatment options.

But the new dual-targeting drug candidate, referenced as “SR10171”, could treat both diabetes and bone disease. “SR10171 improves bone mass regardless of body mass index, normal to obese,” said co-lead researcher Patrick Griffin, professor at the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US.

The compound increases bone mass by protecting and increasing the activity of bone cells in various stages of normal bone maintenance, utilizing mechanisms that overlap those that regulate whole-body energy metabolism.

Over the past decade, Griffin and his colleague, TSRI Associate Professor Theodore Kamenecka, have focused on the details of molecules that increase sensitivity to insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar). Using newly discovered information, the researchers made significant advances in developing a family of drug candidates that target a receptor known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPARγ), a key regulator of stem cells controlling bone formation and bone resorption and a master regulator of fat.

“So you could use such a drug to treat osteoporosis whether patients are diabetic or not,” Griffin added. The drug increases bone mass by expanding bone formation (deposition of new bone) and bone turnover (a normal process of replacement of old bone).

A proper balance of these two processes is critical to healthy bone maintenance, and this balance is frequently negatively affected in diabetic patients. In animal models treated with the compound, fat formation in the bone marrow was successfully blocked independent of their metabolic state (healthy or diabetic), showed the study published online in the journal EbioMedicine.

Illicit Poppy Cultivation Now A Principal Source Of Funds For Terror Outfits At Border

Kolkata: Illicit poppy cultivation in the border districts of West Bengal and smuggling of the contraband across the border to Bangladesh and elsewhere are worrying intelligence authorities because it has turned out to be among the principal sources of funds for terror outfits like the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.

CID sources told PTI that the strategic position of these districts facilitated rise in illegal cultivation of poppy, which “has become a major fund generating business drawing several hundreds of youths into it”.

Apart from Malda district’s Ratua, Kaliachak and Baishnabnagar, poppy is also allegedly secretly grown at Nowada and Beldanga in Murshidabad district besides Dubrajpur, Ilambazar and Kankartala in Birbhum district.

Such cultivation was also found in Patrasayar, Indas, Onda and Barjora in Bankura and Ketugram, Mangolkote, Kaksa, Purbasthali, Katwa, Galsi and Laodaha in Burdwan, sources said. “Much evidence is there that the money earned from this cultivation goes to the terror groups through different channels including hawala. The money might have also gone to suspected ISIS agents through JMB,” source said.

According to a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) report compiled in 2011-2012, the agency had destroyed poppy crops cultivated in around 714 acres of land in the state, out of which 711 acres lay in the Malda district while the other three were in Hooghly and Burdwan districts.

The CID source said that illegal poppy cultivation had spread to villages on the zero line where the Border Security Force had almost no reach. According to him, the link between FICN and poppy was helping the growth of terror networks in the state.

The youths involved in illegal poppy cultivation are also being used in drug-peddling, besides smuggling fake currency. According to the source, there is a close connection between the fake currency rackets and cultivators of illegal poppy in the state.

Hillary Clinton Accepts Nomination To Run For President

Washington DC: As Hillary Clinton made history as the first woman to accept a major party’s presidential nomination, she told Americans that their country was “at a moment of reckoning” with “powerful forces ... threatening to pull us apart”.

Addressing the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night, Clinton called for unity, saying it is up to Americans “to decide whether we're going to work together so we can all rise together”.

To much applause, she told supporters of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders that they shared the same cause. In a speech that resonated with the audience, the former secretary of state and first lady rebutted many of the messages delivered by the Republican’s presidential nominee Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this time last week.

Having visited more than 100 countries, Clinton presented herself as a more experienced candidate, a bulwark against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), and as a leader who will know how to deal with Russia and Iran, and guide a nation that she knows is frustrated and anxious.

“We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have,” she told the convention.

Even though Clinton spoke of threats at home and abroad, her boarder message was one of hope - a stark contrast to the dark image painted by Trump in his acceptance speech of an America lacking “law and order” and marred by “terror”.

Snapdeal Partners With Uber For An In-App Integration

New Delhi: Online marketplace Snapdeal has announced that it has entered into a “first-of-its kind” in-app integration with online transportation network company Uber, an on-demand smart mobility app.

Through this integration, Uber aims to make travel even quicker and easier for Snapdeal customers who will now be able to request an Uber directly through the Snapdeal app. Snapdeal had also recently announced the launch of a range of services on its platform, allowing customers to book flights, order food and even pay bills directly through its app.

By integrating the Uber API, Snapdeal aims to give its customers a holistic experience. When a user books a flight or a hotel from within the Snapdeal app, they can now travel to the airport or the hotel using Uber, booked from right within the Snapdeal app, without having the Uber app installed on their devices.

The new feature is currently available for Android versions 4.0 and above. It will soon be rolled out for other platforms, Snapdeal said in a statement. “We are committed to building the country’s most reliable and frictionless digital ecosystem. Our partnership with Uber is an important step in that direction,” said Tony Navin, senior vice president of partnerships and strategic initiatives at Snapdeal.

The new feature comes a few weeks after Snapdeal, run by Jasper Infotech Pvt. Ltd, launched a range of services including flight and bus ticket bookings, hotel reservations and food ordering, making it the first e-commerce marketplace to introduce such services on its platform.

Eminent Indian Writer Mahasweta Devi Dies At 90

Kolkata: Eminent writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi passed away at a city nursing home on Thursday following prolonged illness, an attending doctor said. She was 90. The Ramon Magsaysay winner is survived by her daughter-in-law and grandchild. Mahasweta Devi’s son pre-deceased her two years ago.

The Jnanpith, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shri and Ramon Magsaysay awardee had been suffering from age-related illness for a long time and had been admitted in the hospital for around two months.

Mahasweta Devi was known for a lifetime of dedicated work for the welfare of tribals in different parts of India - especially lodhas and shabars.

“The reason and inspiration for my writing," she had said, "are those people who are exploited and used, and yet do not accept defeat”.

In recent years, she raised her voice against forcible land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram. “My India” she once said, “still lives behind a curtain of darkness”. Over the years, several of her novels have been turned into films. Award winning films Hazar Chaurasi ki Ma and Rudali were based on her novels.

As the news of social activist and writer Mahasweta Devi’s demise spread, many dignitaries and political leaders took to Twitter to express condolence and pay homage.

Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj took to Twitter to express condolence and said that the works of the writer had “left a lasting impression” on her life.

However, something went terribly wrong when the accolades were wrongly attributed. Swaraj while paying homage Mahasweta Devi mentioned names of two books, Pratham Pratishruti and Bakul Katha. Both these books were not written by Mahasweta Devi but by Ashapurna Devi.

Given to Swaraj’s wide following and popularity on Twitter and Mahasweta Devi trending, the post drew quick attention and the External Minister was trolled for confusing the works of the two authors, following which she deleted her second tweet.

Mahasweta Devi was one of the first Indian writers to address the concerns of Dalits and tribals, especially women.

Wilson Hills

Located in a densely forested region close to the Pangarbari Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, Wilson Hills is one of the most underrated hill stations in India. It is one of the few hill stations in the world from where it is possible to catch a glimpse of the sea.

Wilson Hills was named in memory of Lord Wilson, the Governor of Mumbai from 1923 to 1928, by Vijay Devji, the last King of Dharampur. Lord Wilson and King Vijay Devji had planned to develop the area into a hill station, but the project failed to take place. A monument to their memory remains on the peak.

Wilson Hills has an average elevation of 750m (2500 feet). The Wilson Hills are popular during the summer months as it enjoys a cooler and less humid climate than the surrounding area. It is near Dharampur Tahsil and is also the nearest hill station to Surat.

The valleys in the region with lush meadows are scintillating. Shankar Waterfall where water gushes from atop is mesmerizing. There are nearly five viewpoints in Wilson Hills, some of them are Marble Chatri Point, Steep Valley Point, Ozone Valley point, Sunset and Sunrise points.

The nearest airport is in Surat, located around 130 km from Wilson Hills. The nearest railhead is Valsad on the Surat-Mumbai main line.

Places of interest in the area are Marble Chatri Point, Steep Valley Point, Ozone Valley Point, Barumal Temple, Lady Wilson Museum, Bilpudi Twin Waterfalls, Jalaram Dham Faladhara, District Science Centre, among others.

Wilson Hills is undoubtedly one the rarest of rare hill stations you will ever come across and it offers you a view that is spectacular at the very least.

Eleven London 2012 Olympics Weightlifters Fail Doping Tests

London: On Wednesday, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) said that 11 weightlifters, including six medalists, produced positive samples in the second wave of doping retests from the 2012 London Olympics.

Russia’s five-times European champion Nataliya Zabolotnaya was among three silver medallists from the London Games to fail tests along with compatriots Alexandr Ivanov and Svetlana Tzarukaeva. Zabolotnaya finished second in the women’s 75kg event in London, repeating her silver-medal performance in Athens eight years earlier. Ivanov was world champion in 2010 and 2013 in the 94kg category, while Tzarukaeva won the world title in 2011 in the 63kg event.

Other London medalists to fail tests included Iryna Kulesha of Belarus, Armenia’s Hripsime Khurshudyan and Moldova’s Cristina Iovu.

The IWF said the 11 athletes have all been provisionally suspended.

All the athletes who tested positive were found to have used the banned anabolic steroid Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Friday that 45 athletes had failed dope tests after their samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and London 2012 were reanalyzed.

The second wave of retests included 138 samples from London 2012, involving athletes from two sports and nine countries. The London 2012 retests produced 15 failures.

Benami Property Bill Passed In Lok Sabha

New Delhi: On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed a comprehensive Benami Transactions Amendment Bill in an attempt to check black money, with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley assuring that genuine religious trusts will be kept out of the purview of the legislation.

Moving the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2015 for the consideration and passage, the Minister said the legislation was predominately an anti-black money measure and its purpose is to seize benami property and prosecute those indulging in such activities.

On concerns expressed by certain members about religious properties or those owned by deities or religious institutions, Jaitley said the government under this Bill will exempt such bonafide entities.

“There is Section 58 under the law which clearly states that charitable or religious organization properties, the government has power to exempt those,” Jaitley said responding to concerns of some members about the applicability of the amended law on properties in the name of holy books and deities. “If there is a genuine property which belongs to a church or a mosque or a gurdwara or a temple, section 58 says that the government has the power to exempt it,” he added.

The Minister warned that exemption to such entities, cannot be a pretext for tax evasion, adding “If you make any illegal business out of it... if you create a fake religious sect and start keeping benami property, then government won't exempt it, so please don’t do that”.

Responding to suggestions of members on why the government has not come out with a new law in place of the 1988 Act, the Minister said such a move would have given “immunity to persons who acquired benami properties during the period from 1988 to 2016”. 

Turkey Shuts Down 130 Media Outlets, Sacks Dozens Of Generals

Ankara: More than 130 media outlets have been shut down in Turkey following this month’s failed military coup shows no sign of abating, Reuters reported citing official sources. That includes 45 newspapers, 16 TV channels and three news agencies.

A total of 1,684 members of the armed forces, including 127 generals and 32 admirals, were also being dismissed from the Turkish military as result of their alleged connections to the Gulen movement, according to the decree, the second to be issued under the powers of the State of Emergency. In one of the most significant institutional changes since the coup attempt, the decree also announced that the gendarmerie and the coast guard would in future fall under the interior ministry and not the army.

The list of journalists detained keeps on growing. Forty-two arrest warrants were reportedly issued on Monday, and another 47 on Wednesday.

Those detained include staff of Zaman newspaper, which was seized by authorities earlier this year over its ties to exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, the archenemy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

But Western leaders have voiced concern Erdogan is using the post-coup purges more broadly to silence the opposition.

More than 60,000 people have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation since the failed coup.

About 1,700 hundred military personnel have been discharged – among them, almost 40 percent of all Turkish generals and admirals.

Turkish special forces were also hunting around the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris for a group of commandos thought to have tried to capture or kill Erdogan on the night of July 15.

Bharti Airtel Proposes Rs 30 Crore Pay Package To Chairman Sunil Mittal

New Delhi: Bharti Airtel has proposed a higher annual pay of at least Rs 30 crore, excluding perquisites, for its chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal.

The telecom major will, at an annual general meeting scheduled on August 19, seek shareholders’ approval for the proposed hike in pay package for Mittal as well as its managing director for India Gopal Vittal. It is proposed to reappoint Mittal for a period of five years starting October 1, 2016 at a fix pay of “Rs 210 million (Rs 21 crore) per annum or such other amount as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, provided that increment if any during the subsequent years, shall not exceed 10 per cent per annum of the fixed pay of preceding financial year”, the company informed its shareholders.

Besides this, there will be a variable pay to the tune of Rs 9 crore linked to performance and will be paid annually.  This calculation excludes perquisites which shall not exceed 50 per cent of the fixed pay in any financial year. Mittal will also be entitled to reimbursement of all legitimate expenses incurred by him in performance of his duties and such reimbursement will not form part of his remuneration, the proposal said.

In 2015-16, Mr Mittal was paid a salary and allowance of Rs 19.17 crore, a variable pay of Rs 7.5 crore and perquisites amounting to Rs 11.78 crore. Remuneration of Mr Vittal is also proposed to be revised with effect from June 1, 2016, for the remaining period of his tenure which is up to January 31, 2018. He is proposed to be given fix salary of “Rs 70 million (Rs 7 crore) per annum or such other amount as may be determined by the Board of Directors” and variable pay of up to Rs 3 crore.  In 2015-16, Mr Vittal was paid a salary of Rs 4.2 crore, a variable pay of Rs 1.95 crore and perquisites of Rs 46,323. 

Dalit Writer Amrutlal Makwana Returns Award After Una Incident

Ahmedabad:  As a mark of protest against the thrashing of Dalit youths at Una, Dalit writer Amrutlal Makwana on Wednesday returned an award given by the Gujarat government.

The 44-year-old writer had received the Dasi Jeevan Shreshth Dalit Sahitya Kruti Award for 2012-13 for his work Kharapat Nu Dalit Lok Sahitya. Makwana returned the award, including Rs 25,000 cash, at Ahmedabad District Collector’s office. “I have also given a short letter to the authorities saying that I am returning this award out of grief and pain due to the treatment meted out to Dalit youths in Una,” he said. The letter is addressed to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

Makwana, a resident of Wadhwan town of Surendranagar district, further said, “Such incidents are occurring in Gujarat on a regular basis but the government is not doing enough to ensure that Dalits get justice.What happened at Mota Samadhiyala village of Gir-Somnath district was ghastly and barbaric. Such atrocities on Dalits are condemnable and it shook me to the core. Sadly, such incidents are happening around us regularly,” he said.

On July 11, some Dalit youths from Mota Samadhiyala who were skinning a dead cow were flogged by cow vigilantes, alleging that they had killed the cow. After a video of the incident went viral, it sparked off violent protests across Gujarat.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, “Dalits and indigenous peoples (known as Scheduled Tribes or adivasis) continue to face discrimination, exclusion, and acts of communal violence. Laws and policies adopted by the Indian government provide a strong basis for protection, but are not being faithfully implemented by local authorities.”

Praveen Rana Replaces Narsingh Yadav for Rio

New Delhi: On Tuesday, the United Wrestling Federation (UWF) has named wrestler Praven Rana to replace Narsingh Yadav at Rio Olympics, in the 74-kg freestyle category in their website, after the latter tested positive in dope test earlier this week.

Reports are that the 23-year old Rana had formerly represented India in 66-kg weight category at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, replacing Sushil Kumar, who missed the games due to injury. He has won the Youth Commonwealth Games in Pune in 2008. In the seniors, Rana did his best by securing a bronze in 66kg at the Asian championships.

When asked about Yadav’s replacement with Parveen Rana, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said: “His name is sent as date of replacement was given as
July 25 and that's why the name is sent to the world body. We would still hope Narsingh is proved innocent and goes to Rio.” Following the dope test, WFI had continuously supported Narsingh and said that he is a victim of a conspiracy.

While Yadav has ‘insisted that he is a victim to a conspiracy and authorities are inquiring into it, his chances of going to the Rio Games -- starting on August 5 -- are nearly over,’ as sources said. Narsingh has tested positive twice for using a steroid, metadienone 10 days before the Olympics games.

Meanwhile, disqualified wrestler Narsingh Yadav has filed a complaint against a junior wrestler, claiming that he has mixed banned drug in food and failed in drug test. The 17-year-old trainee wrestler was also a boarder of Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi and had represented the county in many junior wrestling tournaments. Yadav has filed the police complaint against him on Tuesday afternoon.

Irom Sharmila to End Her 16-Year Long Struggle and Fast on August 9

Imphal: The 44-year-old Irom Chanu Sharmila on Tuesday announced her landmark decision, saying that she will not continue her hunger strike from August 9. The most prominent face of Manipur’s protests, Chanu was on hunger strike for the last 16 years and was forced to nose-feed for all these years.

Sharmila has informed her decisions on a district court today, adding that she wants to contest in the upcoming Manipur polls and will marry soon. Irom have to visit the court in every 15 days to mark attendance. Earlier, on 2014, two parties from Manipur had asked her to contest in Elections, but she refused.

Following her announcement of decisions, Irom’s brother Singhajit said that he was completely unaware that ‘she is going to terminate her fast.’ He was with her sister throughout her journey and struggles.

‘The iron lady of Manipur’ started her struggles after a group of army men of the Assam Rifles (AFSPA) killed 10 civilians in Malom bus stand. The 28-year old lady vowed not to eat, drink, comb her hair or look into the mirror until the Indian government ‘repeal’ AFSPA from Manipur. After three days of her strike, Irom was arrested and then shifted to Jwaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) citing health issues.

 Irom has been on hunger strike for more than 500 weeks.

While no one is sure about the exact reasons to cease her 16 year-long strike, some assumed it as her British boyfriend. Her associates said that the decision may have come due to frustration. “The government is not listening to the demands of the people. So she is changing her path from activism to politics. Her goal remains the same - revocation of AFSPA,” said another associate.  

Aabesh Dasgupta Death: Youths Present at Birthday Party Called At Lalbazar, Sleuths Verify Social Media Accounts

Kolkata: Three days after Aabesh Dasgupta’s death, the Kolkata police yesterday interrogated 22 people, including the 16 who were present in the birthday party of author Amit Chaudhuri’s daughter at a posh residential area at 6, Sunny Park, Ballygunge.

Author Amit Chaudhuri was also summoned by Lalbazar, the Kolkata police headquarters, to record his statements. As ESIN Times sources have asserted, police also recoded statements of drivers and father of a youth, who bought Aabesh to the party.

Police is also collecting evidences from electronic media and from the social media accounts of all the other 17 members present in the party. Most of the members were connected over FaceBook, Snapchat and WhatsApp group called ‘Panda 100’.

The investigating police officers said to EXIN Times: “There are conversations in the Panda 100 group that suggest that just a day before the incident Aabesh was teasing one of his friends for apparently 'losing' a girl he had been trying to befriend. This friend is the boy who took him to the birthday the next day.”

Meanwhile, a candlelight vigil was also held near Menoka cinema hall in demand of justice for Aabesh. A Facebook page saying ‘Justice for Aabesh Dasgupta’ was also created by the 17-year-old youth’s friends and relatives. An online petition has also been started requesting people to sign on it, sources said.

ISIS Followers Attacked French Church, Killed 86-Year Old Head Priest

Saint-Etienne-Du-Rouvray: Two followers of terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) on Tuesday killed the head priest of a church in France, injuring several others, during the Roman Catholic Mass. The head-priest, Rev. Jacques Hamel, 86, was stabbed and suffered a throat slit.  The deadly attack took place at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, a small French town.

This killing is another addition in the wave of terrorist attack by ISIS taking place for the last few months across the western countries.

Reports are that one of the attackers, who carried out the killing, was named as Adel Kermiche and was a 19-year-old youth. Prosecutor Francois Molins said that Kermiche was a French citizen and had served 10 months in prison. He also tried to flee twice from the country, once using one of his relative’s identities to Syria. On March 2016, he was released from the jail on condition that ‘he wears an electronic monitoring bracelet, over the objections of prosecutors who still viewed him as a risk.’

Following the attack, police found Kermiche wearing the electronic tag. Another attacker has not been identified by the police yet.

French President Francois Hollande condemned the attack on the small church city and confirmed that it was committed by the followers of ISIS. Saying the attack ‘cowardly’, the President added that more five people were taken into hostage by the two attackers.

Sources said that it is the first time a church has been attacked by ISIS.  Witnesses asserted that before leaving the church, the terrorists shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, meaning ‘God the Greatest’ in Arabic.

Pope Francis, after he had been informed with the attack, said it an ‘absurd violence’ and shared his grief. Pope Francis and President Hollande had a telephonic conversation after the attack, where the later had vowed to ‘do everything to protect churches and places of worship,’ as revealed by reports from Hollande’s office. 

Priyanka Chopra Is All Set To Host Global Citizen Festival 2016

Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra is all set to take another leap in her Hollywood journey, this time by hosting the Global Citizen Festival, 2016. Popular television anchor Seth Meyers, actors Neil Patrick Harris and Salma Hayek Pinault will co-host the annual Global Citizen Festival with Priyanka.

The gala festival will showcase artists and performers like Kendrick Lamar, Metallica, Rihanna, Major Lazer, Usher, Ellie Goulding and Selena Gomez. Global Citizen Festival ’16 will take place on September 24, Central Park, New York.

Following her selection, the proud actress said: “I'm looking forward to co-hosting the event. It's a first and that too with such an amazing group of talent.”

The actress, while sharing this news with her fans on Twitter, posted a picture of herself with singer Usher, captioning it as ‘So Fun.’ “So fun ‘ushering’ in the day with you! Lol! Super proud to be hosting #GlobalCitizen with @Usher and so many others!” said the full caption.

The annual Global Citizen Festival, which started its journey on 2012, is targeted towards wiping away global poverty by 2030. The festival was initiated to ‘raise awareness about global issues.’ The festival by the UN strictly includes ‘policy changes and contribution to girls' education, women's equality, health, water, sanitation as well as progress in the fields of environment, finance and innovation that have impacted the lives of 656 million people worldwide.’

However, in 2016 Global Citizen Festival, the focus has been allocated on women and girls, their education, development and empowerment.

Reports are that apart from hosting the festival, Chopra will also take part in UN’s initiative in India, starting this November. “The spirit of the Global Citizen Festival is dear to me," she informed. "I've been given many opportunities to travel through my work, and now, I see the world as an interconnected force. This festival is an incredible example of looking across borders and working together for the greater good,” said the Desi Girl.

Popularly called as PeeCee, Chopra started her Hollywood journey with popular American television series Quantico in 2015. Currently, she is working on the sequel of Quantico while Baywatch is waiting for release.