PAKISTAN'S MILITARY ADMITS ISIS PRESENCE IN TERRITORY

Pakistan on Thursday (Sept 1) for the first time admitted that the ISIS had a presence in the country but plans by the dreaded group to target important personalities by and attempts to organise itself have been thwarted.

‘Daesh tried to make an ingress into Pakistan, but the core of its group have now been apprehended," army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa told a press conference, using an alternate acronym for the ISIS.

In this connection, 309 arrests have been made including 25 foreigners of Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationalities, he said. They were involved in attacks on media and security personnel, and were planning attacks on government, diplomatic and civilian targets, he added.

This is the first acknowledgement by Pakistan, which has consistently denied any ISIS presence on its territory and rejected claims by the outfit of carrying out last month's suicide blast on a hospital that killed 75 people.

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MAN CREATING NUISANCE, HELD AT HOTEL WHERE KERRY WAS PUT UP

A ‘mentally unstable’ man carrying a blade was detained by the police after he tried to create nuisance at the hotel where US Secretary of State John Kerry is staying, police said on Thursday (Sept 1).

Uday Ratra, 53, a resident of northern state of Haryana, was booked after he engaged into a scuffle with the police and the hotel security staff who objected to his loitering in the lobby of the hotel last evening, police  said. 

‘He is mentally unstable. He was roaming around in the lobby of the hotel. The hotel security staff knew him as in the past too he had tried to enter the premises when foreign dignitaries were visiting,’ a senior police official said. 

When Ratra was asked to leave the hotel premises, he started quarreling with the hotel security staff, the official added. 'The police rushed to the spot and apprehended him before he could create further trouble after being informed by hotel staff.

'He was not aware of Kerry's presence. It is a co-incidence that he came to the hotel on the day. When he was searched, a blade was found on him,’ added the official.

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INDIAN RAILWAYS OFFERS RS 10 LAKH INSURANCE COVER FOR TRAIN TRAVEL

The Indian railways on Thursday (Sept 1) launched a scheme allowing a person to get an insurance cover of upto Rs 10 lakh on booking a train ticket online by paying less than one rupee.

A person booking a train ticket through the IRCTC website will be able to opt for travel insurance cover for a premium of 92 paise only. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had in his budget speech, announced that the railways will provide optional travel insurance for train journey at the time of booking.

The new facility will be available to all passengers, excluding those travelling by suburban trains while booking online irrespective of the class. The cover will not be applicable for children upto 5 years of age and foreign citizens. It will be for passengers holding tickets such as confirmed, RAC and wait-listed ones.

The scheme offers travellers/nominees/legal heirs a compensation of Rs 10 lakh in the event of death or total disabilty, Rs 7.5 lakh for partial disability, upto Rs 2 lakh for hospitalisation expenses and Rs 10,000 for transportation of mortal remains from the place of a train accident or where an untoward incident, including terrorist attack, dacoity, rioting, shootout or arson, occurs.

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CURFEW LIFTED FROM KASHMIR AFTER 51 DAYS

After 51 days, curfew was on Monday (August 29) lifted from northern Indian state Kashmir, except for few police areas, but normal life continued to be hit by the strike called by separatists.

Clashes were reported from a number of places in Srinagar city and parts of Budgam district but nobody was hurt in these incidents, police said. 

'Curfew has been lifted from Kashmir except from Pulwama town and the areas in Srinagar falling under the jurisdiction of police stations M R Gunj and Nowhatta,' police said.

The curbs were lifted following improvement in the situation, a police official said. However, the security forces will remain deployed in strength in sensitive areas of the Valley to maintain law and order,' the official said.

Curfew was clamped in entire Valley on July 9 following violence in the aftermath of Wani's killing in an encounter in south Kashmir's Anantnag district a day earlier. The violence has left 68 people, including two cops, dead and several thousand injured.

While public transport continued to be off roads, there was increased movement of private cars and auto-rickshaw.

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MUSIC COMPOSER BOOKED FOR TWEET ON JAIN MONK

Music composer Vishal Dadlani has been booked by Haryana police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on Jain monk Tarun Sagar, police said on Monday (August 29).

Ambala Cantt police registered a case against Dadlani and one Tahseen Poonawala even as Jain community members staged a protest outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in the national capital, demanding the immediate arrest of the composer.

Delhi PWD Minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain, who met Sagar in Chandigarh on Monday, said efforts were on to politicise the whole issue and that the matter should be put to rest, claiming the monk has forgiven the guilty.

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QATAR'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO LEVY EXIT TAX FROM PASSENGERS

Qatar's international airport said on Monday (August 29) that it is to charge passengers an exit tax as the energy-reliant emirate adjusts to 

falling oil prices. The 35-riyal ($10) levy is to be introduced this week, Hamad International Airport (HIA) said in a statement. The fee, to be added to airline ticket prices, will apply to tickets issued on or after August 30, as well as for travel starting on or after December 1. 'The charge is in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation principles to support the development of world leading airports such as HIA,' it said.

Almost nine million passengers passed through Doha airport in the first quarter of this year. Gas-rich Qatar, which is to host football's World Cup 2022, has warned it will run a budget deficit of more than 12 billion in 2016, its first in 15 years.

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WEST INDIES BEAT INDIA IN T-20 CRICKET MATCH AT US

Indian skipper M S Dhoni stumps West Indies batsman Lendell Simmons

West Indies beat India by one run in a remarkable Twenty20 match featuring a record haul of 489 runs in Florida on Saturday (August 27).

In the first game featuring two full-strength international teams on American soil, West Indies amassed 245 for six with opener Evin Lewis smashing a century off 49 balls on his second T20 appearance. Lewis belted nine sixes while fellow opener Johnson Charles chipped in with 79 off 33 deliveries at the Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill.

Lokesh Rahul then crashed 110 in 51 balls as India went close to reaching their target, sending the large pro-Indian crowd into a frenzy. Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on strike for the final delivery bowled by Dwayne Bravo. He needed to score two runs to clinch victory but was caught by Marlon Samuels at third man.

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PARIS LOSES 750 MLN EUROS IN TOURISM AFTER ATTACKS

Foreign tourists have kept away from Paris due to Islamist attacks, strikes and floods in the first half of the year costing the Paris region tourism industry some 750 million euros  ($849.38 million) in lost revenue, officials said on Tuesday (August 23).

‘It's time to realise that the tourism sector is going through an industrial disaster. This is no longer the time for communication campaigns but to set up a relief plan,’ Frederic Valletoux, head of the Paris region tourist board said in a statement on Tuesday (August 23).

Valletoux said massive investments were needed to protect jobs in the sector and he urged Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to quickly meet with local tourism officials.

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SINGAPORE'S FORMER PRESIDENT S R NATHAN PASSES AWAY

Indian-origin former Singapore  President S R Nathan died at a hospital on Monday (August 22), days after suffering a stroke. A veteran public servant, 92-year-old Nathan passed away  peacefully at Singapore General Hospital, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

A veteran public servant, 92-year-old Nathan passed away  peacefully at Singapore General Hospital, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statYew. ‘The Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are sad to  learn of the passing of Mr S R Nathan and would like to convey their condolences to his family,’ the statement said.

‘Arrangements for the public to pay respects and for the funeral will be announced later.’ Nathan had been warded at Singapore General Hospital since suffering a stroke on July 31.

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POSTAL COVER, COIN, STATUE TO MARK MOTHER TERESA'S SAINTHOOD

Pope Francis waves as a picture of Mother Teresa is seen

To mark Mother Teresa's sainthood  ceremony in Vatican on September 4, a postal cover, coin and statue will be dedicated to the late Roman Catholic nun. Made of pure silk, India’s Postal Deparment will release a special postal and numismatic cover of Mother Teresa, the first of its kind, on September 2.

'A five-rupee commemorative coin issued by the Indian government in 2010 to mark the centenary birth celebrations of the legend will be engraved on the cover. This is a special feature as it combines the two collectible items of coins and stamps,’ eminent philatelist Alok Goyal, who designed the stamps, said.

The collectors' item will be released in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces. The Republic of Macedonia, where Teresa was born in 1910, has also announced to release a special gold-plated silver coin on the Nobel laureate. The coin will have a face value of 100 Macedonian Denars and will be released next month.

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FLOOD SITUATION WORSENS IN INDIAN STATES

A man sits on the roof top of a submerged shop in Allahabad in India

At least 22 persons have been killed  while 23.71 lakh people affected in the floods with many areas, specially the riverine belt of 12 districts badly reeling under water in the east Indian state of Bihar.

The floods caused by a spate in rivers Ganga, Sone, Punpun, Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra and Kosi have affected 23.71 lakh people in 1115 villages in 12 districts of the state, a Disaster Management Department statement said.

A total of 1.55 lakh people have been evacuated so far, the release said adding, 179 relief camps were being run in the flood-hit areas, giving shelter to 1,07,000 people even as 160 medical teams were providing services. Besides, 49 camps were being run only for animals. 

Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal on Tuesday (August 23) visited various relief camps in the district and inspected food preparations and other arrangements.

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ANOTHER INDIAN AMERICAN BECOMES DEPUTY LONDON MAYOR

Indian-origin philanthropist Shirley Rodrigues has been appointed as London mayor Sadiq Khan's deputy for environment and energy and she will be responsible for setting up a not-for-profit company aimed at boosting recycling rates and producing low carbon energy.

‘Shirley Rodrigues brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience and is the perfect person to deliver my agenda to make London a cleaner and greener city. Rodrigues will drive forward the urgent action needed to ensure Londoners no longer have to fear the air we breathe and will address the failure to tackle the problem by the previous mayor and government,’ Khan said in a statement last week.

Rodrigues will be responsible for setting up a not-for-profit company, to be called Energy for Londoners, aimed at helping the British capital boost its recycling rates and produce more of its own, low carbon energy.

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MAHANT SWAMI: BAPS WILL CONTINUE PROPAGATING PEACE

HH Mahant Swami at the media interaction at Sarangpur

The new spiritual head of BAPS, Sadhu Keshavjivandas, affectionately called His Holiness Mahant Swami, in his interaction with media at Sarangpur on Monday (August 23) said that BAPS would walk on the path charted by his predecessor HH Pramukh Swami who passed away on August 13.

‘The world is now plagued by unrest. We are restless at every moment right from personal life to public life. All his life, Pramukh Swami had made it his mission to promote peace in people's lives and families and across the globe. BAPS will continue to strive for the same values and spread the message of peace and harmony in society. BAPS is a spiritual movement nurtured by Pramukh Swami,’ said Mahant Swami.

‘When I had taken diksha the organization was very small. Under guidance of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj it has spread across the globe and has promoted Indian culture. It was Pramukh Swami's dream to establish Akshardham at New Jersey and completing it would be my homage to my guru,’ he said.

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A LEAST 51 KILLED IN TURKEY WEDDING 'BY IS CHILD BOMBER'

A funeral of one of the victims of the blast during a wedding at Turkey

A 12 year suicide bomber killed at least 51 people at a wedding in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday (August 21), pointing the finger at the Islamic State group. Erdogan said Saturday's blast in Gaziantep near the Syria border 'was the result of a suicide bomber aged between 12 and 14 who either detonated (the bomb) or others detonated it.'

The explosion was the latest attack to rock the key NATO member in a horrific year that has seen strikes blamed on Kurdish and Islamist militants as well as a bloody July 15 botched coup. The president said the Islamic State group was the "likely perpetrator" of the bomb attack, the deadliest in 2016, that targeted a celebration attended by many Kurds.

The remains of a suicide vest were found at the scene, the chief prosecutor's office said according to broadcaster CNN-Turk. Gulser Ates, one of scores wounded in the attack, told Hurriyet the attack took place as the party was breaking up in the mainly Kurdish neighborhood.

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RIO MANAGES TO PULL OFF OLYMPICS DESPITE ALL HURDLES

A huge formation saying 'See you in 2020' at the closing ceremony of Olympics

Despite a lack of funds, deep recession and social turmoil, Rio de Janeiro unfurled South America's first Olympic Games hoping against hope that the power of sport would eclipse a seemingly endless list of problems.

Try telling one of the 80,000 Brazilians crammed into the Maracana stadium, who roared deliriously as Neymar won Brazil football gold with a crisp last-kick penalty, that this Olympics was anything but a success. Or the residents of a notorious Rio slum who watched one of their own win Brazil's first gold, in the judo arena.

Or try telling any one of the nine athletes who clinched their country's first Olympic golds, or Team GB who finished second in the medal table with their best performance in more than a century with golds across an unrivalled 15 sports. Some felt Rio failed to present the five-star experience tourists and visitors had enjoyed at London 2012, but the Games proved the city could deliver a spectacle against the odds.

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HILLARY CLINTON, US LAW MAKERS CONDOLE DEATH OF HH PRAMUKH SWAMI

HH Pramukh Swamiji with Ex President of US Bill Clinton

HH Pramukh Swami, spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) sect who passed away last week, built a global faith and community founded on Vedic values, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said.

‘Pramukh Swami didn’t just teach virtues , he lived them every day. That’s what made him a Guru to millions of devotees around the world. From the Akshardham Mandir in New Jersey to the countless temples that he blessed in the US, Pramukh Swami built a global faith and community founded on Vedic values,’ Clinton said in a statement on Friday (August 19).

Ending her condolence message with ‘Jai Swaminarayan,’ Clinton said her husband Bill Clinton was fortunate enough to visit the spiritual leader both in US and at the Akshardham Mandir in Gujarat. ‘In meeting many of his followers, I’ve been touched by his wisdom as well,’ she said.

Noting that Pramukh Swami’s deep sense of devotion led him to spend his life revitalising communities in need, Clinton said his worship of karma inspired him to promote peace and justice in India, America, and all around the world.

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UNION AND GUJARAT STATE MINISTERS FLAG OFF FIRST HAJ PILGRIMS FROM GUJARAT

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday (August 21) flagged off the first batch of 300 Haj pilgrims from Gujarat from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. Around 7,500 people from the state will go on the pilgrimage in separate batches which is the largest number of Haj pilgrims from Gujarat ever in history. The Haj Committee has facilitated the travel of 1,00,020 pilgrims to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 21 points, an official release said.

Around 36,000 pilgrims have proceeded through private tour operators, it said. The Minister of State for Minority Affairs said the holy pilgrimage will spread the message of peace, prosperity and harmony in the country and across the world.

‘India is a very large country. The largest number of Haj pilgrims is from India. The pilgrimage is a cherished desire of every Muslim in his life time. We will continue to increase the number of pilgrims in coming years,’ Naqvi said.

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7 OF FAMILY KILLED IN CLOUDBURST IN NORTH INDIAN STATE OF UTTARAKHAND

representational image rains in mumbai

Seven members of a family were killed when their house was razed to the ground by huge boulders that rolled down the hill following a cloudburst in Pauri district of Uttarakhand on Saturday (August 20).

The cloudburst occurred at around seven in the evening at Marchula village of the district following which pebbles and boulders rolling down the hillside fell over a house razing it to the ground, Pauri District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Bhatt said. Seven persons of the family were killed on the spot and two were injured, he said.

The injured were taken to Pauri for treatment, he said. The house was inhabited by 75-year-old Dipak Singh and the families of his two sons, the DM said, adding that further... 

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WRESTLER SAKSHI TO BE INDIAN FLAGBEARER AT RIO GAMES CLOSING

Indian Wrestler Sakshi Malik, who bagged the first medal for India in the Rio Olympics, was on Sunday (August 21)  announced as the country's flabbergast the Summer Games Closing Ceremony.

The announcement came after India's last medal hope Yogeshwar Dutt lost 0-3 to Ganzorig Mandakhnaran in the qualifying of the 65kg freestyle wrestling. 

Sakshi, who had become the first woman wrestler in India to win an Olympic medal with her bronze in the 58kg freestyle, became the obvious choice as  India's only other medallist PV Sindhu, who bagged a silver in women's singles badminton, left for Hyderabad on Saturday (August 20).

‘Sakshi and Sindhu have been the medallists for us and both displayed immense courage and determination during their competitions,’ said chef de mission Rakesh Gupta. ‘Sakshi started the account for us and later Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal. Sindhu, in fact came close to making it a gold. Both Sakshi and Sindhu are young and have many more Olympic Games ahead of them, we can look forward to even greater performances from them.

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INDIAN SHUTTLER SIDHU FIGHTS IT OUT AT FINALS, SETTLES FOR A SILVER

Indian shuttler P V Sindhu with her silver medal

P V Sindhu's gallant and maiden attempt to win a coveted gold medal for India ended in heart-break when she went down fighting against Spain's Carolina Marin and settled for a silver in the women's singles badminton competition of the Rio Olympics on Friday (August 19).

The 21-year-old Indian crumbled under the relentless pressure created by Marin to lose 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 in a pulsating final that lasted for an hour and 23 minutes at the Riocentre.

‘Congrats for the Silver @Pvsindhu1. Very well fought. Your accomplishment at #Rio2016 is historic & will be remembered for years,’ India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted to congratulate the silver medalist.

Sindhu said  she is happy to win a silver in the women's singles badminton event. ‘I'm really proud about it. I'm really happy. I could not win the gold. But I really worked hard. It was anybody's game,’ said Sidhu after the game. 

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