A S Kashyap

Emma Watson, Judi Dench win Britannia awards

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British actresses Emma Watson and Dame Judi Dench were two of the six honourees at the annual Britannia Awards.

The annual ceremony was hosted by BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills here Thursday evening.

Dench was given the Albert “Cubby” Broccoli Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment, a gong named after the legendary “James Bond” movie producer, while United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador and former “Harry Potter” star Watson was awarded the British Artist of the Year prize, reports contactmusic.com.

Hrithik, Sussanne now legally divorced

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Hrithik Roshan and his estranged wife Sussanne Khan were granted divorce by the Bandra court Saturday, the Bollywood star’s lawyer said.

Lawyer Deepesh Mehta told IANS: “They are legally divorced now. Today at around 10:30 a.m., all things were done. They have got divorced in a very unique and elegant way where there is no alimony and not a single document drawn up between them. It’s all on the basis of trust, respect and faith.”

Mehta said “this is an example they have set on how a couple should part ways in an elegant and classy way.”

Best foreign short films to be screened at Kolkata fest

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As many as 157 short films, ranging from animation to independent varieties from 30 countries, will be screened at an international short film fest beginning here Saturday.

The 12th edition of Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival is organised by the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan and Kalpanirjhar Foundation.

According to R.N. Banerjee of the Foundation, there will be a special segment for films made by young filmmakers and a section dedicated to animated films.

Sahara chief shells out Rs 31 L for Tihar’s special facilities

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Sahara group has paid Rs 31 lakh to Tihar jail authorities as charges for stay of its chief Subrata Roy in an air-conditioned facility and using services like phone, internet and video conferencing for 57 days to negotiate sale of his luxury hotels abroad. Reuters file photo
Sahara group has paid Rs 31 lakh to Tihar jail authorities as charges for stay of its chief Subrata Roy in an air-conditioned facility and using services like phone, internet and video conferencing for 57 days to negotiate sale of his luxury hotels abroad.

Court reserves order in Musharraf’s high treason case

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A special court here Friday reserved judgement on dismissing the high treason case against Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf and others till Nov 21.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Faisal Arab resumed hearing of the case earlier in the day during which Musharraf’s counsel Farogh Naseem submitted a rejoinder in the court, Geo News reported.

Ryder picked for New Zealand A tour

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New Zealand selectors Friday threw a lifeline to talented batsman Jesse Ryder by including him in the 13-member A squad for four one-dayers in Dubai next month.

Ryder returns to a New Zealand combination for the first time since last summer’s series against India and can stay in fray for a chance to make it to the World Cup squad.

New Zealand A will play four 50 over matches at the Global Cricket Academy in Dubai against UAE (Nov 23), Afghanistan (Nov 26) and Ireland (Nov 29 and Dec 1).

When Modi strode down Rajpath

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday flagged off an enthusiasm-filled Run for Unity and himself briskly walked down Rajpath after paying rich tributes to free India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Modi led the nation in paying tributes to Sardar Patel on his 139th birth anniversary, being commemorated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day, and recalled his key role in unifying a newly independent India.

The prime minister first paid floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Patel at Patel Chowk in the heart of New Delhi at 7.30 a.m.

Sena shields BJP, says ceremony will wash off sins of NCP-Cong

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Notwithstanding its decision to boycott the swearing-in of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister, the Shiv Sena today provided covering fire to BJP from criticism for organising a lavish event, saying the ceremony will wash off sins of the previous government. File photo PTI
Notwithstanding its decision to boycott the swearing-in of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister, the Shiv Sena today provided covering fire to BJP from criticism for organising a lavish event, saying the ceremony will “wash off sins” of the previous government.

Ex-coal secretary HC Gupta, two govt officials get bail

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Former coal secretary and four others, including two serving government officials, were today granted bail by a Special Court in connection with a coal blocks allocation scam case PTI photo
Former coal secretary and four others, including two serving government officials, were today granted bail by a Special Court in connection with a coal blocks allocation scam case.

The five accused including H C Gupta and two senior serving government servants K S Kropha and K C Samaria appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against them and sought bail in the case.

HC refuses to interfere with Kochi Kiss fest

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Kerala High Court today refused to interfere with the proposed ‘Kiss of Love’ programme here on Nov 2, being organised to protest moral policing, after the state government assured action will be taken in the event of any illegal activities. PTI file photo
Kerala High Court today refused to interfere with the proposed ‘Kiss of Love’ programme here on Nov 2, being organised to protest moral policing, after the state government assured action will be taken in the event of any illegal activities.

Prez congratulates Pankaj Advani on achieving 12th world title in Leeds

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President Pranab Mukherjee has congratulated Pankaj Advani on achieving his 12th world title in World Billiards Championship in Leeds.

“I am extremely delighted to know that you have achieved your 12th World Title in Leeds, and become the first player to win the grand double thrice,” said President Mukherjee in his message.

“Please accept my hearty congratulations and best wishes. India is proud of your achievement, which has ensured that our flag flies high in the international arena. I wish you continued success in all your future endeavours,” he added.

President Mukherjee pays floral tributes to Sardar Patel

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President Pranab Mukherjee paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Friday on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

On the occasion, President Mukherjee also flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ event at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Around 2000 residents and staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President’s Body Guard, the Army Guard, ITBP and the Delhi Police participated in the run.

Congress, JMM break alliance in Jharkhand

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The Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Friday broke their alliance, citing issues pertaining to seat sharing as the cause, ahead of the legislative assembly polls in the state.

“Both parties were having problems with seat sharing, thus we have agreed to disagree. We broke the alliance after we were not able to come up with a workable solution,” Jharkhand Congress in-charge BK Hariprasad told ANI.

“We will fight the elections with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United). Smaller parties have also approached us and we will take a decision on them,” he added.

BJP reaches out, Uddhav relents

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Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray today agreed to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister after a last-minute call from BJP President Amit Shah inviting him to the event.

Reaching out to a sulking Shiv Sena, Shah’s call to Uddhav came a day after the Sena announced its boycott of the grand swearing-in ceremony of Fadnavis on grounds of its “constant humiliation” by BJP over government formation in Maharashtra.

Fadnavis is also understood to have called up Thackeray requesting his presence at the event this evening.

Death sentences upheld in China terrorist attack case

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A Chinese court Friday upheld the death sentences of three men implicated in a terrorist attack that killed 31 people at a railway station in Kunming, the capital city of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, earlier this year.

Iskandar Ehet, Turgun Tohtunyaz and Hasayn Muhammad were sentenced to death Sep 12 for leading a terrorist organisation and for intentional homicide, Xinhua reported.

Investigators found that the three men had been training recruits for terrorist activities, including the attack at Kunming railway station, since December 2013.

2G case: Raja, Kanimozhi, Ammal & others put on trial

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Former Telecom Minister A Raja, MP Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal and 16 others were today put on trial in a 2G scam related case by a special court which observed that charges of money laundering are prima facie made out against all of them.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini framed charges under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under the provision of the Money Laundering Act against 19 accused, including 10 individuals and nine companies, who were charge sheeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the case.

Mahatma Gandhi seems incomplete without Sardar Patel: Modi

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Mahatma Gandhi seemed incomplete without Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as he played an integral role in the freedom struggle launched by the father of the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Friday.
“Sardar Patel joined Mahatma Gandhi in the integration of farmers in the freedom struggle. He (Patel) played an integral role in the Dandi yatra,” Mr. Modi said while addressing the nation on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel being observed as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’

Modi skips event at Indira Gandhi’s memorial

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today skipped the event commemorating the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the Shakti Sthal memorial where President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and top leaders of the Congress paid floral tributes to her.

The dignitaries including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi drove to the memorial where they placed floral wreaths at the spot where she was laid to rest even as Modi flagged off a ‘Unity Run’ to mark 139th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

PM rakes up 1984 anti-Sikh violence, praises Sardar Patel

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today raked up the anti-Sikh violence that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi this day 30 years ago and said it was a “dagger” in the centuries-old fabric of India’s unity as he dedicated the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as National Unity Day.

Got up as an event to accord Sardar Patel, the ‘Iron Man of India’, his place in history, the Government said it was not an attempt to belittle the contribution of any other leader.

Sunny seas found on Saturn’s moon Titan

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NASA’s Cassini spacecraft caught a glimpse of bright sunlight reflecting from hydrocarbon seas as the spacecraft soared past Saturn’s moon Titan recently.

Earlier, Cassini had separately captured views of the polar seas and the sun glinting off them, but this is the first time both have been seen together in the same view, the US space agency said in a statement.

Titan’s seas are mostly liquid methane and ethane.

Before Cassini’s arrival at Saturn, scientists suspected that Titan might have bodies of open liquid on its surface.

1st BJP govt in Maha to be sworn-in tomorrow, Sena’s presence unlikely

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BJP President Amit Shah with Maharashtra Chief Minister- designate Devendra Fadnavis after a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI Photo
The first BJP government in Maharashtra headed by state party chief Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in tomorrow with Shiv Sena unlikely to join the new dispensation for now as talks continued between the two saffron parties for a tie-up.

SIT on blackmoney to go after offenders: Justice Shah

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Justice Shah said up till now they have decided a number of cases against the big personalities of the country. DH file photo
The Supreme Court-appointed SIT, looking into the blackmoney cases, today said it will go after the offenders “big or small” but made it clear that confidentiality about account holders abroad will not be violated.

It also said it was gathering more names other than the over 600 account holders in HSBC bank, Geneva, given by the government to Supreme Court yesterday, for investigation.

Shahi Imam invites Sharif, not Modi, for son’s anointment

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The Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari Thursday said he has not invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his son’s anointment as the next chief cleric.

Bukhari, however, said he has invited Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and also four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including two ministers.

“We have invited the prime minister of Pakistan as we have had relations with him since my father’s time, unlike with Modi, whom we have not invited,” Bukhari told IANS.

President to flag off ‘Run for Unity’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan

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President Pranab Mukherjee will flag off the ‘ Run for Unity ‘ at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow at 8: 15 a.m. to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The residents and staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President’s Body Guard, the Army Guard and the Delhi Police will participate in the run.

The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) pledge will be administered by Omita Paul, Secretary to the President, to all staff prior to the run. (ANI)

Irish national found dead near Kanpur

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The defaced body of an Irish national was found besides the railway track at Chandari station near Kanpur.

The deceased has been identified as Ivan Mainwaring.

According to the police, the death seems to be a case of being involved in a railway accident.

“It seemed that Mainwaring died after falling off a moving train,” Mahadev, the Government Railway Police (GRP) Inspector of Chandari railway station, said.