Gali Nagaraja

The Egyptian prosecution on Saturday referred 61 affiliates of the currently-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group to military trial over terrorist activities and plots, state-run MENA news agency reported.

The defendants are accused of carrying out and plotting terror acts in response to the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, after mass protests against his one-year rule, and the following security dispersal of pro-Morsi sit-ins, which left about 1,000 people dead while thousands of others were arrested.

With all votes from the country’s 43 constituencies counted, Ireland has approved same-sex marriage with 1.2 million people voting in its favor.

At Dublin Castle, Returning Officer Riona Ni Fhlanghaile on Saturday declared that a total of 1,201,607 people (62.1 percent) voted in favor with 734,300 (37.9 percent) against, giving a majority of 467,307. The total valid poll was 1,935,907, reports Xinhua.

The biggest Yes support will be in Dublin, where it is topping 70 percent in some areas.

Saudi Arabia has said that the suicide bomber at the mosque attack killing 21 worshipers was a Saudi national and a member of Islamic State (IS), Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that Saudi bomber Saleh bin Abdulrahamn Al Qashami was a fugitive when he was a member in an terrorist cell under IS.

The cell was discovered this month and 26 Saudi members were arrested.

The ministry said that five members of the cell were involved in shooting at a Saudi soldier in the west Riyadh this month.

Kane Williamson and BJ Watling helped New Zealand to take 134 runs lead against England on the third day of the Lord’s Test.

Starting the day at 303-2, New Zealand lost Ross Taylor early after adding 34 runs to the over-night score.

Williamson, who began the day at 92, didn’t have to wait long for the landmark which came from 148 balls. This was his first century against England and 10th overall.

New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum however, seemed to play a limited over-match, scoring a quick 42 of just 38 deliveries, before becoming the victim of Mark Wood.

At least 61 members of the Islamic State (IS) militant group were killed in US-led airstrikes and clashes with Iraqi security forces in Iraq on Saturday, while security forces freed a small town as they are advancing to recapture a major city in Anbar province from the IS, security sources said.

The Congress on Saturday accused the NDA Government of by passing defence procurement procedure in the multi-crore Rafale deal.

Briefing the media, senior Congress leader former defence minister A.K Antony alleged questioned the Centre’s move to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault in fly-away condition in the absence of inter-governmental agreement with France.

He also said that the deal was opposed by several top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party during the UPA regime.

The death toll due to the prevailing heat wave has reportedly risen to 128 in Telangana and 95 in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs one lakh compensation to the victims.

“We are taking all precautions how to minimize deaths due to heat wave. We are announcing Rs 1 lakh as compensation for each victim,” Naidu told media persons.

Meanwhile, many cities in Odisha recorded more than 45 degree Celsius day temperature resulting in over 23 deaths.

The trial of a nine-seater seaplane was held in Goa by the state tourism department on Saturday.

With the trial, Goa became the second state in the country to avail the services of seaplane, after Maharashtra. It was first started in the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The seaplane will be operated by Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Private Limited (MEHAIR), which will start commercial operations in the tourist destination in coming months.

The plane took off from the airport in Panaji and landed on Mandovi river during the trial.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa on assuming office.

“PM @narendramodi congratulates Jayalalithaa ji on taking oath as CM of Tamil Nadu and conveys his best wishes to her and her team,” a tweet from the PMO said.

AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa was sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time on Saturday, within a fortnight of the Karnataka High Court acquitting her in a corruption case.

Iraqi security forces and allied militias on Saturday retook control of a small town east of Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, after heavy clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants, a provincial security source said.

The troops backed by brigades of Shia and Sunni militias, known as Hashd Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), managed to free the town of Huseibah al-Sharqiyah, east of Ramadi, after fierce clashes with the IS militants who seized the town late on Thursday, the source told Xinhua news agency.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday justified the BJP’s decision to split with the Shiv Sena on the eve of the assembly election last year, saying it helped the BJP learn its true might.

“It was unexpected. We did not know that we would have to face elections independently without our old ally (Shiv Sena), on the eve of the elections. But, if we had not taken that decision, we would never have realised our true might,” Fadnavis said, at the inaugural of the three-day BJP state executive conference which got underway here.

The BJP would not join hands with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the state assembly polls, former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said here on Saturday.

“There was no possibility of friendship or an alliance of the BJP with Nitish Kumar…,” Modi told reporters.

He said Nitish Kumar was not reliable. “We had experienced it,” he said.

The BJP leader said RJD chief Lalu Prasad has realised that Nitish Kumar will betray him and the Congress anytime.

BJP today dubbed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as “controversywal”, accusing him of creating controversies over the issue of posting of officials and using it as “diversionary tactic” to prepare himself to “run away” from his responsibilities.

The party also said that Kejriwal had become a little addicted to making allegations which have absolutely no truth in them, as the Delhi government led by him had nothing to show in its 100 days of being in power.

A day after advising those “dying” to eat beef to leave for Pakistan, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today sought to defend his stand saying faith of millions should not be hurt over choice of eating.

“This is not a matter of controversy. If one talks about cows, definately crores of people revere it, they worship it and call it ‘Gomata’. I am a Muslim and in my locality if somebody says that I will sell pork, I will not say anything but all the Muslims in that locality will throw him out.

India should not join the US in its intervention in Syria or Iraq as this may create a problem for the country, Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today said.

“America is sharp in diplomacy and it may want India to associate with its global policy and thought, and join them in what they are doing in Syria and Iraq,” Khurshid told reporters at the party office here.

Man of the match Mukhtar Ahmed’s smashing knock helped Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in the first T20 international played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Playing an international game on their home soil after six years, Pakistan finally achieved the target of 173, despite suffering from a few hiccups towards the end.

Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura won the toss and elected to bat first on a belter of a pitch.

The openers Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza gave a very good start before both fell with 58 runs on the board.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the wedding reception of Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s son Jaivardhan here on Friday.

Jaivardhan tied the knot with Sreejamya Shahi, the daughter of Shattrundam Shahi, a member of the royal family of Dumaria in Bihar’s Gaya district.

Jaivardhan represents Raghogarh Vidhan Sabha constituency of Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s remark on beef eaters has drawn strong reaction from the political class and also from some members of the film fraternity who have trashed it outright.

Demanding an apology from Naqvi, Janata Dal (United) leader K C Tyagi said, “This is against the nation and he must say sorry.”

US President Barack Obama on Friday signed into law a bill that gives Congress the right to review a potential deal on Iran’s nuclear programme.

The legislation would give Congress the power to review a nuclear deal with Iran for 30 days and bar Obama from lifting any Congressional sanctions against Iran during that period, Xinhua reported.

If lawmakers disapprove of the deal, and then override a likely veto from Obama, his administration would lose the current power to waive certain economic sanctions Congress has imposed on Iran.

Karnataka’s ruling Congress on Friday advised its government not to appeal against the state high court verdict, acquitting AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa in a corruption case.

“The role of Karnataka is administrative and not judicial. Our state is not a party in any way of the proceeding trial before the special judge or in appeal,” party state unit’s legal and human rights cell department chairman C.M. Dhananjaya told IANS.

The Moroccan man wanted by Tunisia over the March 18 Bardo Museum attack in Tunis, Abdelmajid Touil, told an extradition hearing in Italy on Friday that he was innocent.

“I’ve been in Italy since I arrived in February,” Touil told the judge at his first hearing in Milan’s San Vittore prison.

He was arrested earlier this week near Milan on a warrant issued by Tunisia on suspicion of involvement in the attack on the Bardo Museum that killed 21 tourists and a policeman and injured over 50 people.

Prosecutors said the Tunisian warrant accused him of helping plot and execute the attack.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reached the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the sixth time as they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by three wickets in the qualifier 2 of the Twenty20 tournament at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium here on Friday.

Put in to bat, two-time runners-up RCB could only manage a modest total of 139/8 with left-handed opener Chris Gayle top-scoring with 41. Sarfaraz Khan also played a handy innings of 31. Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra was the pick of the bowlers for CSK as he picked up 3/28 from his four overs.

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav here on Friday proposed roping in former Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal-United rebel Jitan Ram Manjhi for upcoming Bihar assembly polls, according to sources.

Sources said Lalu Prasad mooted the idea at a meeting of leaders of Janata Parivar, which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped despite being in Delhi. JD-U chief Sharad Yadav was, however, present, sources said.

The JD-U leaders played down Nitish Kumar’s absence from the meeting, saying he underwent a small eye surgery.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Jitendra Singh, on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir Government has promised to take concrete steps against anti-India activities in the state.

“As far as the BJP is concerned, we are clear about our stand. We have expressed our concern to the state government and they have assured us a fair investigation. They have promised to take concrete steps over the issue to make sure that such instances are not repeated,” said Singh.

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Friday said that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley should apologise to the nation on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government for not fulfilling the promises made to the people.