Top Stories on 12 March in a capsule
STORY OF THE DAY
Maharashtra Kisan Morcha: Protest ends, railways to run special trains for farmers
The 35,000 farmers from all across Maharashtra, ended their protest on Monday as the government agreed to fulfill their demands. Girish Mahajan said they had a positive meeting with the Kisan Sabha leaders. “They had around 12-13 demands out of which we have accepted some and will be giving a written draft on it", he said. The farmers, on their seventh day of protest reached Mumbai, with the intention of surrounding the State Assembly, demanding complete loan waiver from the government. Defending his government, CM Devendra Fadnavis, said “Since the 1st day of the protest, we tried to discuss issues with them (farmers). But they were firm on taking out the protest." The Central Railways also announced special trains being run to take the farmers back to their villages.
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Mangalore Court acquits all accused in the 2009 pub attack case
All of the people accused in the 2009 Mangalore Pub attack case, were acquitted by a first class court in Mangalore, on Monday citing ‘lack of evidence.’ On January 24, 2009 a group of 40 right wing outfit, Sri Ram Sena members had barged in a Mangalore’s Amnesia- the Lounge pub and thrashed the young men and women in there for ‘violating Indian traditions.’ SRS chief Pramod Muthalik and 30 others being arrested or the same with almost 27 witnesses testifying against them. Reacting to the verdict, Muthalik called it ‘a victory of truth.’
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Jammu and Kashmir's Finance Minster sacked over controversial comment row
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SC gives officials 6 months to probe 2G scam, Aircel Maxis deal
The Supreme Court on Monday gave a deadline to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of 6 months to complete the entire investigation on the 2G scam and Aircel-Maxis Case. The bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha said "very unfortunate" that investigation in the 2G cases has not been completed yet and "people of this country cannot be kept in dark in a serious and sensitive case like this.” The case pertains to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 by then-finance minister P Chidambaram to the the Aircel-Maxis deal.
Legendary French fashion designer Hubert De Givenchy passers away Friday, leaving an iconic fashion brads ‘House of Givenchy,’ on his name. Paying the founder an homage, the House of Givenchy issues a statement on his demise, calling him a ‘major personality in the world of French fashion.’ In a career that took place since The 2nd World War, Givenchy had boasted a clientele of famous celebrities like Hollywood actress Liz Hurley and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, wife of late US President. Le Grand Hubert," as he was often called for his 6-foot, 5-inch (1.96 meters) fram
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Centre owes Air India Rs 325 crore for VVIP chartered flight
The Central government owes national carrier Air India, a total of Rs 325 crore for the trips taken in VVIP chartered flights, according to a response given to a Right to Information (RTI) query. In the response published on March 4, Air India quotes the unpaid bills at Rs 84.01 crore for the year 2016-2017 and the remaining Rs 241.8 crore for the current financial year. The bills are classified as 178.55 crores to be paid by Foreign Ministry, the cabinet secretariat and the PMO Rs 128.84 crore and the Defence Ministry Rs 18.42 crore. The query has been filed by RTI activist and retired naval officer Lokesh Batra.
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Famed fashion designer, Hubert Givenchy passes away at 91
Legendary French fashion designer Hubert De Givenchy passers away Friday, leaving an iconic fashion brads ‘House of Givenchy,’ on his name. Paying the founder an homage, the House of Givenchy issues a statement on his demise, calling him a ‘major personality in the world of French fashion.’ In a career that took place since The 2nd World War, Givenchy had boasted a clientele of famous celebrities like Hollywood actress Liz Hurley and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, wife of late US President. Le Grand Hubert," as he was often called for his 6-foot, 5-inch (1.96 meters) fram
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Plane crash in Nepal leaves 50 dead, 23 injured
At least 50 people were killed and 23 were seriously injured in Nepal’s Kathmandu, as a USA-Bangladesh plane skidded off during landing on Monday. According to report, Nepal police spokesperson Manoj Neupane said: “31 people died on the spot, while 9 succumbed to their injuries in hospitals.” The 78 seater, Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 had taken off with 68 passengers and 4 crew members, from Dhaka, Bangladesh. The spokesperson of Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), where the crash took place, said that the aircraft caught fire after it tilted off the runway during landing and crashed onto a football ground near the airport.
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Naresh Agarwal joins BJP’ after SP rejects as Rajya Sabha nominee
Former Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal joined the BJP on Monday after being snubbed by his party in Rajya Sabha’s nomination. Agarwal was rejected to pave way for Jaya Bachchan as the nomination in the Upper House of Parliament. The seven-time MLA from Hardoi district, joined the ruling party, along with his son, in presence of railway minister Piyush Goyal. Addressing the media after his promotion, Agarwal said: “I am joining the BJP as until you are in National Party, you cannot do anything for the society.” Taking a jibe at Bachchan’s nomination, he said: "My ticket was denied and given to someone who dances in films.”
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Tamil Nadu Forest Fire: Death toll reaches to 9, Kerala bans trekking activities
The rescue operations in Tamil Nadu’s Theni went on to rescue around 30 trekkers and recovered 9 bodies, from the site of the massive forest fire. 11 of the rescued people have been seriously injured. The fire broke out on Sunday evening in Kurangini Hills, where a group of 25 women and three children was returning from a trek organised by the Chennai Trekking Club to mark Women's Day. In the wake of the tragedy, the neighboring state of Kerala, put a temporary hold on trekking activities and directed all tour operators not to take up any such requests.
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French President Macron and PM Modi inaugurate UP’s largest solar plant
French President Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, visited Varanasi, received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to inaugurate the largest solar plant in the state. Macron, along with PM Modi unveiled the 75MW solar plant in Mirzapur district, the plant that has been built in collaboration with French solar company Engie Solar, under the International Solar Alliance (ISA) program. The two leaders then took a boat ride to flag off a train between Maduadih Railway Station in Varanasi and Patna. Macron is on a four-day visit to India, where he has signed 14 MoUs and inaugurated the first ISA conference in Delhi.
