Indian Sub-continent

Hyderabad, Aug 23; PTI:  If the Centre wants to reject the Rs 700-crore offer of the UAE to Kerala for flood relief operations, it should give a Rs 2,600-crore interim assistance as sought by the southern state, the Communist Party of India (CPI) said today.

Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, the national general secretary of the CPI -- the second biggest constituent in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala -- also accused the Centre of "standing on false prestige" on the issue of foreign aid at times of natural disasters.

Jind, Aug 24 (PTI) Three people including a woman were arrested for their alleged involvement in the rape and blackmail of a student who later committed suicide, police said.

The victim, pursuing her graduation, had blamed the trio for her death in the suicide note that she left behind. The arrests came after the victim's father lodged an FIR, they said.

In his complaint, the father alleged that the accused woman was his daughter's friend and had secretly shared her photos with her accomplices.

A former Shiv Sena corporator Shrikant Pangarkar provided provided “shelter” and “logistical support” to Hindutva terrorists in Mumbai.

The revelation came during Anti Terror Squad (ATS) questioning of three Hidutva terrorists Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar and Sudhanva Gondhalekar, arrested on Friday for making bombs with the intention to use it on Iduzzuha (Bakra-eid) day, to fan communal riots and hatred.

There were 80 Government Accountant positions in Goa, for which 8,000 candidates applied. They needed to score 50% to pass the exam; but they all failed.

According to The Indian Express,” Goa’s director of accounts, in a notification issued yesterday, said none of the candidates, who appeared for the initial recruitment examination held on January 7 this year, secured the minimum qualifying marks required to get through.”

NEW DELHI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- China and India pledged on Tuesday to further strengthen ties between the two countries and their militaries.

When meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two countries, sharing a friendship dating back to ancient times with broad common interests, should join hands and support each other in striving for win-win cooperation of mutual benefit.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), August 21 PTI:  Two Muslim youths were beaten up and paraded by a cow vigilante group under Adarsh Mandi police station in Shamli here, police said today.

Police yesterday registered a case against twenty activists of the cow protection group and also arrested their chief, said circle officer Ashok Kumar. Police are trying to identify the remaining accused persons using a video which was shot when the two youths were being thrashed.

Later police rescued them and booked them under Prevention of Cow Slaughtering Act.

Arrah (Bihar), Aug 21; PTI:  Sixteen persons, including a local RJD activist, have been arrested and eight policemen suspended after a women was assaulted and paraded naked in the state's Bhojpur district by a mob on suspicion of her involvement in alleged murder of a man, officials said today.

Chandigarh, Aug 21 (PTI) Under flak for hugging Pakistan's army chief during his Islamabad visit, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today hit back at the BJP, reminding it of trips to that country by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi as prime ministers.

He defended hugging Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the swearing-in ceremony of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as an emotional response on learning that Sikh pilgrims may now be allowed to visit the Kartarpur shrine across the border.

"Why are there double standards? he said at a press conference here.

Bhopal, Aug 21 (PTI) Opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh alleged here today that over 17 lakh fake voters were found during a scrutiny of electoral rolls across 53 assembly constituencies in the state.

The state Congress also submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission today, urging it to remove the names of these voters from the electoral rolls.

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) The CBI's Special Investigation Team (SIT) today told the Supreme Court that it had filed another charge sheet in connection with the alleged fake encounters by the Army, Assam Rifles and police in Manipur.

On July 30, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the apex court that its had filed two charge sheets before the competent court in connection with the cases.