KAPIL SHARMA IS HOSPITALISED... HERE'S WHAT HAPPEN

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The ace comedian has been admitted to a hospital but is now stable...
There's bad news for Kapil Sharma. The ace comedian has been hospitalised in Andheri on Wednesday morning after he complained of uneasiness.
Kapil is under the scanner, ever since his fight with Sunil Grover became the talk of the town. The TRPs of his comedy show too have been on a declining spree. Now, on Wednesday evening around 4 pm, he started feeling unwell and was admitted to a hospital near his house.
He was suffering from low blood pressure. The channel confirmed the news to BollywoodLife.com/. According to the report, Kapil is recovering well and stable now. But it is doubtful if he will attend the Dadasaheb Phalke Awards tomorrow where he will be presented with the honour for the second time.

God bless him!! 

KATRINA AND SALMAN IN THIER NEXT MOVIE

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Bollywood Actors Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, who are currently busy in the shooting of Abbas Zafar’s upcoming film Tiger Zinda Hai. The movie is a sequel of Kabir Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger which featured the same cast.

Rumours are spreading in the industry that the Bollywood Ex Couple will be starring in a movie which will be bankrolled by Karan Johar’s production. According to a source,“While KJo’s next directorial will be with Ranbir Kapoor, he wants to produce a film with Salman and Katrina in the lead as he finds their chemistry sizzling”. The source further added, “The pre-production work on the film has begun”.

The Namastey London actress will be next seen alongside Ranbir Kapoor in this year’s most hyped movie Jagga Jasoos which is slated to release on July 14, 2017. Jagga Jasoos is helmed by Anurag Basu. Also, Salman Khan will be next seen in Kabir Khan’s Tubelight which is slated to release on June 25, 2017.

RESEARCH SCHOLAR BEATEN FOR ATTENDING BEEF FEST AT IIT-MADRAS

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IIT-Madras has ordered an inquiry into an "altercation" between two students over the "Beef Fest".

A research scholar at IIT-Madras was thrashed by a group of students on Tuesday, reportedly because he had led Sunday's "beef fest" at the IIT-Madras (Indian Institute of Technology) campus against the Centre's cattle trade rules last week.

At the fest, around 80 students reportedly discussed the Central government's recent ban on sale of cattle for slaughter at cattle markets and ate beef as a mark of protest. Slaughter of cow and calf is banned in Tamil Nadu but there is no bar of slaughter of buffaloes, ox or bull. 

The incident took place at the hostel mess around lunch when Sooraj R was asked by another student why got involved with the "beef fest". Around the same time, five-six other people surrounded Sooraj and started beating him up. Sooraj's received injuries in his right eye and was taken to hospital by his friends.

Later, a group of students protested outside the institute campus against the violence.

By evening, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also condemned the violence against a Malayali student and asked his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi K. Palaniswami to take necessary action.

An IIT Madras spokesperson said the institute had ordered a probe into the clash among two students. "Appropriate action will be taken after the inquiry," the spokesperson said, describing the fight as an "altercation" between two students. "Both students suffered injury and were given first-aid," the spokesperson said.

News of the fight came around the same time that the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court suspended the Centre's controversial rule that would have made it difficult for the Muslim-dominated meat industry to source meat. The court directive would be in force for four weeks.

Neighbouring Kerala, one of the first states to react to the Centre's cattle rules, had complained to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Centre has overstepped its jurisdiction in introducing restrictions on sale of cattle.

Animal husbandry is a state subject under the constitution. But the environment ministry had introduced the restrictions under a central law for prevention of cruelty to animals.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister the E Palaniswami hasn't spoken his mind on the central move, but opposition DMK led by the party's working president MK Stalin had announced one for May 31 against the Centre's "snatching away" the fundamental right to choice of food.

BABRI CASE, CONSPIRACY CHARGES AGAINST L.K.ADVANI AND OTHERS

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The Supreme Court had directed that BJP leaders including LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, would face trial for conspiracy charges in Babri case.

Senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Union Minister Uma Bharti and Murli Manohar Joshi were charged with criminal conspiracy by a court in Lucknow today in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case. They had argued against the framing of charges against them, asserting that they had no role in the mosque razing and had tried to stop it, but their discharge petition was rejected. The special CBI court, asked to wrap up the case within two years, will now start trial against these leaders. Mr Advani, 89, made his second court appearance in the case in 25 years.

Before going to court, Mr Advani stopped at the VVIP guest house in Lucknow where he was greeted with flowers by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Uma Bharti, the Water Resources Minister, told reporters: "I don't consider myself an accused...There was no conspiracy, it was an open movement like it happened against the Emergency."
The BJP backed its leaders. "We are sure that our leaders are innocent and will come out unscathed," said Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu.
The special court was given a month by the Supreme Court to frame conspiracy charges against Mr Advani and a dozen other leaders in the Babri demolition case, and was asked to deliver its verdict within two years.
The leaders were already facing trial for making provocative speeches from a platform near the Babri mosque before it was pulled down by karsevaks, or right-wing volunteers, on 6 December 1992. Stating that the two cases cannot be separate, the court transferred the hate speech case from a Rae Bareli court to Lucknow for a joint trial.
The conspiracy charge against Mr Advani and others was dropped by the special CBI Court in 2001, which sought to distinguish between the main demolition case and the case related to the hate speeches. The decision was endorsed by the Allahabad High Court in 2010.


Restoring the charge last month, the Supreme Court described the demolition of the 16th century mosque as a "crime" which shook the "secular fabric of the Constitution".
The court had also strongly rebuked the CBI for a delay of 25 years in the trial and said, "The accused persons have not been brought to book largely because of the conduct of the CBI in not pursuing the prosecution of the aforesaid alleged offenders in a joint trial, and because of technical defects which were easily curable, but which were not cured by the State Government."
The demolition of the mosque followed a nationwide movement led by Mr Advani and others for a temple at the site where the mosque was constructed by the Mughals. Many Hindus believe that the mosque was built over the birthplace of Lord Ram; they want a temple to be built there.
The razing of the Babri Masjid incited nationwide riots between Hindus and Muslims; around 2,000 people were killed.

CHINA IS WARNING INDIA AFTER THE LAUNCH OF INDIA'S LONGEST BRIDGE... KNOW WHY?

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PM Modi last week opened the country's longest bridge over the Brahmaputra river that connects Assam's easternmost region with Arunachal Pradesh.

 China on Monday asked India to be "cautious" and exercise "restraint" over building infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh, days after a bridge that links it to neighbouring Assam was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet. India has repeatedly rejected that stand, asserting that the border state is an integral part of India. 

"We hope India adopts a cautious and restrained attitude on the issue before the final settlement of the border issue with China to jointly control disputes, safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas," the Chinese Foreign Ministry told news agency IANS.

"China's position on the eastern section of the Sino-Indian border areas is consistent and clear," a statement in Chinese said.

PM Modi last week opened the country's longest bridge over the Brahmaputra river that connects Assam's easternmost region with Arunachal Pradesh.

The 9.2 km Dhola-Sadiya bridge will cut the distance and travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by 165 km and five hours.

The bridge, built to accommodate tanks, will ensure swift movement of Indian troops in Arunachal Pradesh which will bolster India's defence along the China border.

Last month, China protested strongly to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing considers the 81-year old spiritual leader a separatist. India said the visit was to promote religious harmony and had no political colouring. The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising that was crushed by Chinese troops, trekked through the Himalayas and entered India through Arunachal Pradesh.

North korea is firing missiles in japenese sea

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A spokesman for the Japanese government said it had strongly protested the launch to Pyongyang. There were no reports of damage, he said.

Besides its regular ballistic missile test-launches, the North carried out two nuclear tests last year. Photograph: STR/AFP/Getty Images
North Korea has fired another missile off its east coast, South Korea’s military said,as the regime seeks to build nuclear-tipped ICBMs that can reach the US mainland.
The missile landed inside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, in the Sea of Japan. Yoshihide Suga, a spokesman for the Japanese government, said it had strongly protested the launch to Pyongyang. There were no reports of damage, he said

“This ballistic missile launch by North Korea is highly problematic from the perspective of the safety of shipping and air traffic and is a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions,” Suga told reporters in televised remarks.
“Japan absolutely cannot tolerate North Korea’s repeated provocative actions. We have strongly protested to North Korea and condemn its actions in the strongest terms.”
A statement by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch came from around the eastern North Korean coastal town of Wonsan. The military said it was a short-range Scud missilethat flew about 450km (280 miles).
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, without citing a source, said the projectile is believed to be a ballistic missile, but the South Korean military said it was still analysing what exactly the North launched.
North Korea is still thought to be several years away from its goal of being able to target US mainland cities with a nuclear ICBM, but each new test puts it closer to success.


The North’s nuclear and missile programs are perhaps the biggest foreign policy challenges to the new leaders in allies Washington and Seoul.
US President Donald Trump has alternated in his public statements between bellicosity and flattery. But his administration is still working to solidify a policy to deal with North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
A new liberal president in Seoul, Moon Jae-in, has signalled he will be flexible in expanding civilian exchange with North Korea. But many analysts say Moon won’t likely push for any major rapprochement projects because North Korea has gone too far on its nuclear program.
Besides its regular ballistic missile test-launches, the North carried out two nuclear tests last year — in January and September. Outside analysts believe North Korea may be able to arm some of its shorter-range missiles with nuclear warheads, though the exact state of the North’s secretive weapons program is unknown.
Moon has made tentative steps toward engaging the North by restarting stalled civilian aid and exchange programs as a way to improve strained ties.
South Korea said recently that it will allow a civic group to contact North Korea about potentially offering help in treating malaria, the first government approval on cross-border civilian exchanges since January 2016.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA QUOTED SHAHRUKH AS HER EX

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Priyanka Chopra was on the show, Dirty Laundry, recently where she spoke about her favourite wardrobe residents that have lived there through the years. But one special jacket caught everybody's attention.
While taking the jacket out, Priyanka admitted, "I was little unsure about it, but your show is called Dirty Laundry so I might as well... This is a jacket that I literally live in. It's my airport jacket but it belonged to an ex-boyfriend."
While what she thought was a completely harmless statement, viewers recognised that a similar jacket belonged to Shah Rukh Khan!
There have been many rumours of the two dating in the past.

Further, when host Laura Brown asked why did she keep the jacket, PC replied, "Things get exchanged. It stopped being his after it stayed back in my house and I kind of wore it. He asked back for it, and I said 'no'."
But the story flipped in favour of the rumour when Priyanka liked (hence acknowledged) a tweet about that being SRK's jacket and soon unliked it. A twitter user @Inspiremaryam went on to tweet with relevant screenshots, "Okay so @priyankachopra just LIKED and then UNLIKED my tweet which spoke about @iamsrk being her ex-bf! What just happened guys?"
So, was the jacket really SRK's? All we can say is Priyanka is probably at home thinking "Whoops!"

INDIA TO LAUNCH ROCKET FOR MANNED MISSION NEXT WEEK

If successful, the indigenously-made GSLV MK-III could become India's vehicle of choice to launch "Indians into space, from Indian soil using Indian rockets".Scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO have developed an indigenously-built rocket - the largest ever made in India - that could soon be used to take "Indians into space from Indian soil" for the first time ever. The rocket, said to be as heavy as 200 full-grown Asian elephants, could catapult India into the big league of sending manned-missions to space. The rocket will be tested in the first week of June.

Standing tall on the rocket port at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh is the country's latest rocket called the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III or GSLV MK-III. It is the heaviest rocket ever made by India and is capable of carrying the heaviest satellites made till date.

With this rocket, ISRO will have the potential to enter the world's multi-billion dollar launch market. "We are pushing ourselves to the limits to ensure that this new, fully self-reliant Indian rocket succeeds in its maiden launch," said ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar.

The GSLV MK-III, which was earlier named the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or LVM-3, will make its maiden launch in June. It will be tested at least half a dozen times. If successful, it could become India's vehicle of choice to launch "Indians into space, from Indian soil using Indian rockets". The rocket is capable of placing up to 8 tons in a low Earth orbit, which is enough to carry India's crew module.

ISRO has already prepared plans of hoisting a 2-3 member human crew into space as soon as the government gives it a sanction of about 4 billion dollars. Should the plan for a manned-mission materialise, India would become only the fourth country after Russia, United States and China to have a human space flight program. ISRO has said that the first Indian to go into space (from an Indian launch) could be a woman astronaut.

"In principle, it will be the GSLV MK-III or its variant that will be human rated in future," Mr Kumar said.

The rocket port in Sriharikota is buzzing with activity as engineers from ISRO get set to launch the new indigenously-made rocket. It is the heaviest fully-functional rocket to reach the launch pad - weighing 640 tons or almost 5 times the weight of a fully loaded Jumbo Jet airplane.

The new rocket is capable of carrying satellites of four ton class into the geosynchronous orbit and opens a whole new window through which ISRO can now explore the universe. It is estimated that the new rocket costs around Rs 300 crore.

India already has two operational rockets -- the workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV that can hoist satellites of 1.5 tons into space and was the preferred vehicle for India's maiden mission to Moon and Mars.

PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCE 500 MILLION USD ASSISTANCE TO MAURITIUS

NEW DELHI: India today announced a USD 500 million line of credit to Mauritius as the two countries resolved to deepen ties in a range of areas including the maritime domain.

The two countries also signed a maritime security agreement after extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth.

In a statement, Modi said he and Jugnauth agreed that effective management of conventional and non-conventional threats in the Indian Ocean is essential to pursue economic opportunities.

The bilateral maritime accord will strengthen mutual cooperation and capacities, he said.

A total of four agreements were signed after the talks between the two leaders.

"The agreement today on the USD 500 million line of credit to Mauritius is a good example of our strong and continuing commitment to the development of Mauritius," the prime minister said.

The two countries also decided to ramp up cooperation in a number of areas including trade and investment.

"India is proud to participate actively in the ongoing development activities in Mauritius," Modi said.

CELINA GOT TWINS AGAIN

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     Actress Celina Jaitly is expecting twins with her hotelier husband Peter Haag, who are due in October this year. The 35-year-old actress is already a mother to five- year-old twin sons, Winston and Viraaj.
Celina, who has entered her second trimester, says they were "initially shocked" when they got to know they were pregnant with twins again. "Doctor was doing ultrasound and Peter asked the doctor if it is twins this time too. Doctor said yes and we both were initially shocked," Celina told PTI in an exclusive interview over phone from Dubai.
"We were exhilarated because the first thing that came in our mind was that we are the chosen one. We are God fearing and we feel God chooses special people to be parents of multiple children."
Both Celina and Peter love kids and are aware of the challenges as parents.
The "No Entry" actress says, "My mother always advised me that there is no perfect way to be a mother and father, but there are a million ways to be a good parent.
"I have always believed there are no rules to be parent.
My husband is 100 per cent involved in the pregnancy and we both take our responsibilities seriously as parents."
Celina says motherhood has helped her discover a lot about herself.
"I feel more patient, complete and sexier than ever. I have more respect for mothers."
Celina will soon visit India to shoot for an ad campaign.
"I am back to work and I will be back to India to shoot for an ad campaign. I am also working on a book which will be out next year," she says.

AMIT SHAH:IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT FOR EVERYONE IN INDIA BECAUSE OF ITS POPULATION

Brushing aside concerns over unemployment on the third anniversary of the Narendra Modi government, BJP chief Amit Shah said, 'We are promoting self-employment.'

BJP President Amit Shah on Friday said the Narendra Modi government is the "most decisive and transparent" the country has seen, without a single case of corruption against it, and its rule in the last three years has ended casteism, family rule and appeasement politics. Addressing a press conference to mark the third anniversary of the Modi government, Mr Shah said what could not be achieved in the last 70 years was achieved by this government in the short period. He also brushed aside concerns over unemployment, saying it was not possible to give jobs to every person in a country of 125 crore.

"We have tried to give new perspective to employment as it is not possible to provide employment to everyone in a country of 125 crore people. We are promoting self-employment and the government has made eight crore people self-employed," Mr Shah told reporters. The comments came amid renewed attack by the Opposition on the government's employment numbers.

"Modi government had promised to give employment to two crore youths annually but actually it had been able to give jobs to only 1.35 lakh people in 2015 and in 2016 too it could give jobs to about as many people," Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference yesterday.

But slamming the previous Congress-led UPA government, Mr Shah said the earlier political establishment was marked by policy paralysis and a string of scams. In contrast, even the opposition parties have not been able to level a single charge of corruption against the Modi government, he claimed.

"The BJP government under Modiji is the most decisive and transparent government, not a paralysed government," Mr Shah said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is celebrating three years in office this month in events scheduled for three weeks. The programmes have been titled MODI Fests (Making of Developing India Festivals), which allow the BJP to push the Prime Minister's name while also acronym-ing, a favourite tactic of the party.

WHOLE BOLLYWOOD ATTENDS KARAN JOHAR'S PARTY SEE PICS

Karan Johar's Birthday Bash: The younger generation was represented by Shah Rukh's son Aryan, Saif's daughter Sara Ali Khan and Jhanvi Kapoor - Sridevi's daughter

New Delhi: It was Karan Johar's 45th birthday on May 25, which of course called for a party - the sort only KJo can host. Karan's birthday bash had a guest list of 128 invitees comprising Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and his wife Twinkle Khanna (who is the filmmaker's best friend), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her husband Abhishek, Katrina Kaif and more. Meanwhile, the younger generation was represented by Shah Rukh's son Aryan, Saif Ali Khan's daughter Sara Ali Khan and Jhanvi Kapoor - Sridevi's daughter. In pictures shared on social media, Shah Rukh and Aryan can be seen hanging out with Sara at the party. Dressed in casuals, the Khan men posed with Sara, who looked absolutely stunning in white.

Now lets get inside party:

Ahead of the party, Akshay and Twinkle were spotted in their car - partly colour-coordinated. Aamir also arrived with his wife, filmmaker Kiran Rao. Aishwarya, who looked pretty in black, was accompanied by her husband Abhishek. Hrithik Roshan, whose ex-wife Sussanne Khan arrived separately, also checked in.

The men's section was also represented by Shahid Kapoor, Ranbir, Arjun Kapoor, Rana Daggubati, Farhan Akhtar, Harshvardhan Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Tusshar Kapoor

Karan Johar blew out 45 candles on his birthday on Thursday. Karan last directed Ae Dil Hai Mushkil while Badrinath Ki Dulhania remains his last produced film. He will next be producing Dragon, Ayan Mukerji's film, starring Ranbir and Alia. Karan Johar's Dharma Productions was also in charge of distributing the Hindi version of Baahubali 2, all versions of which have made over Rs 1,500 crores worldwide.

Belated happy birthday, Karan Johar!

A BILLION DREAMS MADE ME CRY: SACHIN SAYS, A BILLION DREAMS REVIEW

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Cast: Sachin Tendulkar, Anjali Tendulkar, Sara Tendulkar, Arjun Tendulkar, Mayuresh Pem, MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag

Director: James Erskine

Rating: 4 stars

The year was 2009. Stand-up comedy was barely a crawl in India, and from those pioneering early sets performed late at night in Bombay, I remember only one gag. At the time, bullying politicians were divisively calling for Maharashtrian signboards everywhere and for 'outsiders' to leave, going against the welcoming heart of maximum city. It was in this charged atmosphere that a bright young comic called Rohan Joshi said he, as a Maharashtrian wounded by this communality, would nevertheless offer a couple of words on behalf of Maharashtrians everywhere. The night was full of barely amused and judgemental drinkers, and Joshi was very, very green, but with two words he brought the house down, rousingly and immediately. "Sachin Tendulkar."

In our lives and times, India has leaned on that name. Hard. It is a name we have used as mythology and as mantra, as hope and as heroin.

It is also a name, I have argued for quite some time now, that does not belong in a movie. The narrative is too superhuman, too peerless, too free of greys and conflict to actually make for stirring cinema. A movie about him would end up paying obeisance, not telling a tale. It would capitalise Him, and likely be closer to Jai Santoshi Maa than to Dhoni. A rise and rise and rise does not a story make.

Sachin: A Billion Dreams is thankfully not a biopic. This is a documentary not merely about the man with that name, but one narrated by him, one where he tells his own story in his own words. It is not journalistic or incisive or probing. It feels, instead, intimate - as intimate as it can feel, anyway, for a film where an audience claps and cheers alongside those who clapped and cheered live, years ago. Which is to say: it is us today applauding in time with us yesterday.

An example of how personal this feels: I have never, ever heard an audience of the press break into unanimous and spontaneous applause at a film's intermission. Yet, technically speaking, it is unexciting filmmaking. Director James Erskine clunkily strings together a greatest-hits narrative by numbers, with a constantly swelling background score, too many reverential voices and zero contrarians. AR Rahman's music is overwrought - though the fan-favourite Maa Tujhe Salaam is used quite spiffily - and the changing aspect ratio is distracting, as is the tragically un-remastered video footage. There are no narrative flourishes, and the voiceover is overtly literal, featuring shots, for instance, of a lady huffing tiredly up the stairs while Tendulkar tells us his mother never tired. This is a film that unapologetically panders to the fans, one that preaches to the choir.

MAMATA BANERJEE'S FORMULAE TO PRESIDENT AFTER METTING MODI

Sources said Trinamool Congress' support will depend on who the opposition's candidate is and whether a consensus can emerge around the person's name.

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A day before opposition parties meet in a big show of strength over lunch hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss a joint candidate to field for President, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has pitched for a consensus candidate - one supported by both opposition parties and the government.

It was not a complete surprise. Ms Banerjee had just emerged from a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one that she insisted focused "only on the development of Bengal and not on politics." Before that meeting, sources close to her said her Trinamool Congress' support will depend on who the opposition's candidate is and whether a consensus can emerge around the person's name.  

"The President is the custodian of the Constitution and it will be very good for the entire country if we have a consensus candidate much like APJ Abdul Kalam," said Ms Banerjee, reiterating that she did not discuss the presidential election with the Prime Minister. 

"It's for the PM to decide and understand the need for a consensus," she said.

The Congress is yet to comment on Ms Banerjee's latest stand, no doubt a trifle nonplussed. But sources said the new Mamata Banerjee formula will be discussed at tomorrow's lunch meeting in Parliament House. Ms Banerjee is in Delhi primarily to attend Mrs Gandhi's lunch, which is being as a symbol of opposition unity on the day the Modi government completes three years in power. The appointment with the Prime Minister was reportedly confirmed only yesterday.

The West Bengal chief minister had during a visit to Delhi last week met Mrs Gandhi and reportedly backed the plan to field a joint opposition candidate to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's nominee. She had also met Aam Aadmi Party convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, not the best of friends with the Congress, into the Opposition initiative. 

Bihar politician Lalu Yadav, also in Delhi for Mrs Gandhi's lunch, confirmed that finalising a candidate was on the agenda of Opposition leaders, who will meet tomorrow over lunch and then next weekend in Chennai for DMK chief M Karunanidhi's 94th birthday.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the other opposition leader who had suggested a consensus candidate - he pitched for a second term for President Pranab Mukherjee and said the government should take the lead on that - is not attending Mrs Gandhi's lunch party. His senior colleague Sharad Yadav will represent their Janata Dal United; Mr Kumar RSVPed to say that he had prior engagements. 

President Mukherjee, whose term ends in July, indicated today that he is not in the race for a second term. "I have exactly two months to go. July 25, a new President will assume office. I am sending back officials who have worked with me, back to their ministries and departments," the President said while speaking at a event in Delhi. 

President Mukherjee is believed to have indicated that he would only consider a second term if nominated by the government. The ruling National Democratic Alliance has not announced a candidate yet, but the BJP is keen to put one of its own in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. All Presidents except Dr Kalam, who was a scientist, have had Congress links before they took over as President, including President Mukherjee. 

INDIA'S LONGEST BRIDGE INAUGRATION TOMORROW BY NARENDRA MODI

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Guwahati: India's longest bridge, over nine kilometres long, will be inaugurated tomorrow in Assam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his government completes three years in office. The bridge is among a series of infrastructure projects that PM Modi has fast-tracked since taking charge after a landslide win in 2014. Launched a decade ago under the government of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, PM Modi's biggest challenge is to see these projects to completion without the years-long delays that have beset many key endeavours in Asia's third largest economy.

The Dhola-Sadiya bridge is being built over the Lohit river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
In Assam, the bridge is located in Sadia, 540 kilometres from the state capital of Guwahati. Its other end is in Dhola, 300 kilometres from Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal.
It about 9.2 km in length - that's nearly 30 per cent longer that the famous Bandra-Worli Sealink in Mumbai.
Once opened, the bridge will reduce travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by up to four hours. There is no operational airport in Arunachal.
The strategic importance of the bridge for the military is huge. With the bridge, troops will be able to enter Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, much more quickly and easily.
The bridge has been designed to withstand the weight of 60-tonne battle tanks.
There is no existing bridge in the region that is strong enough to allow the travel of tanks to Tinsukia, from where troops usually enter Arunachal.
Construction began in 2011, when the Congress governed Assam. The cost of the project is about Rs 950 crore.
So far, there is little road connectivity between Assam and Arunachal - a strategy aimed at making it difficult for military incursion from China. Currently, the only route for people looking to travel from this part of Assam to Arunachal is by boat.
Construction of this bridge was included in Rs 15,000 crore-package sanctioned by the centre in 2015 to improve road connectivity in the border state.

TERRORIST SALMAN ABEDI'S BROTHER ARRESTED IN LIBYA ON MANCHESTER'S ATTACK

 The investigation into a suicide blast that killed at least 22 people at a pop concert dramatically widened Wednesday, with security services on two continents rounding up suspects amid fears that the bombmaker who devised the bolt-spewing source of the carnage remains at large.

The arrests stretched from the normally quiet lanes of a northern English town to the bustling streets of Tripoli, where Libyan officials said they had disrupted a planned attack by the suspected bomber's brother.

But by day's end, British authorities acknowledged that they remained vulnerable to a follow-up attack, with the nation's state of alert stuck at "critical" - the highest possible level.
The sight of soldiers deploying at London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street underscored the gravity of a threat that was known in general terms before Monday night's explosion but has come sharply into focus in the 48 hours since.
The morning after the attack, police had said they believed that the suspect, 22-year-old Salman Abedi, a British citizen, had carried it out alone and had died in the blast he triggered.
But in their statements Wednesday, authorities expressed growing confidence that Abedi - who had recently returned from a trip to Libya and may have also traveled to Syria - had been only one part of a web of plotters behind Britain's worst terrorist attack in more than a decade.

"It's very clear that this is a network we are investigating," Greater Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said.

Hopkins said police were moving quickly to disrupt the group, carrying out raids across the city and arresting four people, including Abedi's older brother, Ismail. A fifth suspect was later apprehended carrying "a suspicious package" in the town of Wigan, about 20 miles west of Manchester.

INDIA BECOMES THE LARGEST POPULATION IN THE WORLD CLAIMED BY RESEARCHERS

Yi Fuxian, a researcher's bold claim suggests India is now the world's largest country.

What's the most populous nation in the world? For years, the answer to that question was simple and rarely disputed: China. But this week an academic has sparked widespread discussion around the world by making a bold claim - that China's official population estimates were wrong and in fact India was now the world's largest country.

This potentially radical suggestion was made Monday by Yi Fuxian, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, during an event at China's Peking University.

According to the South China Morning Post, Yi suggested that China had only 377.6 million new births from 1991 to 2016, far less than the official figure of 464.8 million. This meant that China's official population estimate, currently at 1.38 billion, was wrong, Yi said. Instead it should have been 90 million lower - a gap roughly the same as Germany and Belgium's population combined.

That would make it 1.29 billion, and lower than India's estimated 1.32 billion population, according to Yi. 

Multiple media outlets in China, India and beyond quickly picked up the news. If Yi was right, the implications would certainly be big. Not only would it mean that India had already overtaken China as the world's largest nation - something the United Nations had estimated to happen in 2022 - but that China's population growth slowdown was worse than many thought and being hidden from the public.

Reached via email, Yi said the controversy was "no surprise" to him, but added that he had already noted his belief that China's official estimates were wrong in the 2013 edition of his book, "Big Country with an Empty Nest," which took a critical look at China's family-planning policies.

In fact, Yi says he was sure the estimates were wrong far earlier. "In 2003, I knew China official announcement population data is much higher than the real population," Yi wrote from Taiyuan, China.

Among the many notable elements of Yi's claim is where he's making it from: mainland China.

The academic, born in Hunan province, had moved to the United States in 1999. After moving to take up graduate studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (he later worked as a fellow at the Medical College of Wisconsin and moved on to the University of Wisconsin Madison as a scientist in 2002), Yi quickly became a vocal critic of China's family-planning policies, including its "one-child" rule.

MODI'S MONETISATION EARNS 600 CRORES FROM BENAMI PROPERTY

Income Tax department last week set up 24 dedicated units across the country to track benami properties to intensify the operation against benami properties

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Scaling up the operation against black money and corruption, benami, or proxy-owned property worth 600 crores has been seized by the Income Tax department over the last six months under a refurbished law that lets the government takeover properties bought in fake names. In all, the tax authorities have detected over 400 benami transactions in 240 cases.

The benami prohibition law was first enacted 1988 back but was not implemented for over 28 years because of technical problems in the law. The gaps were finally fixed last year; it stipulates a seven year jail term for people who violate this law.

In the weeks after he made the surprise decision to scrap 86 per cent of the currency notes on November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared the government would go after benami properties next.

Tax officials found a driver with land worth Rs 7.7 crore in Madhya Pradesh' Jabalpur, a professional in Mumbai who had been buying properties in the name of shell companies that exist only on paper and a former employee of a jeweller who had nine properties registered in his name, all of them belonging to the jeweller.

The tax department said immovable properties valued at 530 crores were attached in 40 cases alone. In these cases, the properties were located in Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

But it is only during the last one month that the IT department has stepped on the gas.

IT department said searches had been carried out at locations linked to 10 "senior government officials" in the last one month to "unearth black money earned through corrupt practices and introduce accountability and probity in public life".

The list got longer on Wednesday. Over 100 tax officials carried out searches at premises of senior Uttar Pradesh officials including Vimal Kumar Sharma, the additional chief of the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority and Mamta Sharma, regional transport officer in western Uttar Pradesh's Meerut.

PRESIDENT MUKHERJEE'S LETTER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH II RELATED TO TERRORIST ATTACK ON MANCHESTER

President Mukherjee condemn on the attack and said this "We stand in solidarity with the people and the Government of the United Kingdom in this difficult hour."

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President Pranab Mukherjee, in a written message to British Monarch Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday conveyed his condolences over the terror attack in Manchester that killed 22 people, an official said.

Expressing shock and condemning the attack, President Mukherjee said: "We stand in solidarity with the people and the Government of the United Kingdom in this difficult hour." 

"This is not an attack just against the UK and its people; it is an attack against the humanity and the values that we all live for."

Calling the attack "a grim reminder" for a need to "intensify the global fight against terrorism", President Mukherjee said: "India is fully committed to working with the UK and the international community in defeating these evil forces."

Police named 22-year-old Salman Abedi as the suspected bomber behind the attack at Manchester Arena after an Ariana Grande concert that also injured 59 persons on Monday night.

The ISIS militant group has claimed responsibility for the second assault in Manchester in the last 20 years.

SONU NIGAM QUITS TWITTER AFTER HIS FRIEND ABHIJEET'S ACCOUNT IS SUSPENDED

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New Delhi: Singer Sonu Nigam has announced in 24 tweets posted this morning that he's quitting Twitter, citing a lack of respect for freedom of speech. Everyone is entitled to their opinion argued Mr Nigam, 43, a day after his colleague Abhijeet Bhattacharya's account was suspended for his abusive tweets against female Twitter users like Shehla Rashid, a JNU student and activist who has made allegations of sex trafficking by some BJP leaders. Sonu Nigam also referenced actor and BJP parliamentarian Paresh Rawal who has been lacerated online after tweeting that author Arundhati Roy should be 'tied to army jeep.' Mr Nigam said in his tweets that he is deleting his account because Twitter is 'one-sided' and 'everyone is angry.'

Sonu Nigam advised us to take screenshots of the 24 tweets he posted announcing his departure from Twitter - so we've done just that. Mr Nigam had nearly 6.5 million followers on the micro-blogging site.

Sonu Nigam only just recently weathered a storm online after complaining about being woken early morning by the azaan or the Muslim call to prayer, describing it as 'gundagardi' in a series of tweets. He refers to this controversy - which ended in him shaving his head on camera in defiance of a cleric's offer of a cash reward to anyone who tonsured the singer - in the tweets above that talk about him being labelled 'anti-Muslim.'

Mr Nigam's accounts on Facebook and Instagram are still active. Twitter, often accused of being soft on trolls and hate speech, suspended the account of Sonu Nigam's colleague Abhijeet Bhattacharya on Tuesday, after an offensive tweet about Shehla Rashid was reported.

WOMEN ABUSER ABHIJEET BHATTACHARYA'S TWITTER ACCOUNT SUSPENDED DUE TO HIS OFFENSIVE TWEETS

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New Delhi: Bollywood's renowned singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya is known for his controversial tweets. On Tuesday, micro-blogging site Twitter suspended his account after he posted a series of 'offensive tweets', especially against women, reports news agency PTI. On May 22, Abhijeet Bhattacharya reportedly abused some women Twitter users, including JNU student activist Shehla Rashid, after which a complaint was filed. "There is rumour she took money for two hours and didn't satisfy the client... Big racket," he tweeted about the JNU student. After the singer's account was suspended by Twitter, Shehla Rashid thanked everyone for their support. She wrote: "Sincere thanks to everyone for the support. Abhijeet had to delete his tweet. His Twitter account has also been suspended."

Abhijeet Bhattacharya told PTI that author Arundhati Roy and people supporting JNU were behind the suspension of his account. ""Yes, I just saw it. They are trying to block Paresh Rawal also. All Arundhati and JNU group behind this after Paresh Rawal and I tweeted against Arundhati for her anti-India stand," he said.

On being questioned on whether if he would try to reinstate his Twitter account, Abhijeet told PTI, "I (don't) care a damn... entire nation is with me."

However, several Twitter users have extended their support for Abhijeet Bhattacharya and questioned the micro-blogging site for its biased behavior.#IStandWithAbhijeet is trending on Twitter.

Written by INDIA'S EVERYTHING 

ISIS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANCHESTER'S CONCERT BLAST

The ISIS statement did not give any details about the attacker or how the blast was carried out.

The bombing appeared intended to inflict the maximum possible damage on young concertgoers - many of them in their early teens - who were making their way out of the Manchester Arena. Police said the blast occurred about 10:30 p.m., minutes after pop star Ariana Grande had finished her set.

ISIS claimed Tuesday one of its "soldiers" carried out a deadly blast in Manchester that killed at least 22 people, including teenagers and others streaming out of a pop concert.

The Islamic State statement did not give any details about the attacker or how the blast was carried out late Monday. The statement was posted on the online messaging service Telegram and later noted by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant websites.

The Islamic State often quickly proclaims links to attacks, but some previous claims have not been proven.

British Prime Minister Theresa May called the carnage a "callous, terrorist attack."

"This attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice deliberately targeting innocent defenseless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives," she said, speaking outside of Downing Street, where flags are flying at half mast.

She called it among the worst terrorist incidents in Britain and "the worst ever to hit the north of England."

Authorities believe they know the identity of the assailant, she added, "but at this stage of their investigations, we cannot confirm his name."

In a statement, the Greater Manchester Police said that they arrested a 23-year-old man in south Manchester in connection with the attack as hundreds of police swarmed through the city in the aftermath of the blast. 

Sunny deol's son welcomes by shahrukh, salman to bollywood

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 Sunny Deol's son Karan Deol and his debut project Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas is a new interest which is keeping movie buffs busy. Karan Deol, 25, is the third generation of Deols to have joined Bollywood - he is the grandson of legendary actor Dharmendra and has received a warm welcome by celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Rishi Kapoor and others on Twitter. Mr Kapoor, who has worked with Dharmendra in films like Katilon Ke Kaatil and Sitamgar, tweeted saying: "Best of luck to Dharmendra ji's grandson and Sunny Deol's son Karan Deol on his first day of his debut film Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, you go boy."

Two of the Bollywood Khans welcomed Karan in their own way. "Welcome to the Hindi film industry, congrats," wrote Salman while SRK had a message for Sunny Deol. "All the best papa. He looks as tough and gentle as you. May all good things come his way." Sunny Deol is directing Karan in his Bollywood debut Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas. Sunny Deol has previously directed 2016 movie Ghayal Once Again, a sequel to 1990's Ghayal.

Karan also received shout-outs from his father, and uncle Bobby Deol. "Finally the day is here! Karan's first day at shooting Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas. Overwhelmed! Bhaiya donning the director's hat," tweeted the Badal actor

DANGAL IS READY TO BEAT DOWN BAAHUBALI'S EARNING RECORD

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DANGAL IS GIVING NECK TO NECK COMPETETION TO BAAHUBALI

Dangal’s surprising but huge success in China has propelled Aamir Khan to join Baahubali 2 bandwagon. Dangal’s worldwide collection stands at Rs 1501 crore. Still, it’s not enough to dethrone SS Rajamouli film’s claim as India’s biggest blockbuster. Baahubali 2 is staying ahead of Dangal and now both film’s collections will be closely monitored by trade pundits. Baahubali 2’s has collected Rs 1565 crore after doing well in several overseas markets. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala shared the latest figures from both films and there is a difference of mere Rs 64 crore between both films’ overall collection. The tweet reads, “SS Rajamouli’s film WW BO: Till May 21st, 2017 #Baahubali2 – ₹ 1,565 Crs #Dangal – ₹ 1,501 Crs.”

Baahubali 2’s Hindi version is doing decently amid new releases, Half Girlfriend and Hindi Medium. The film collected Rs 6.35 crore and Rs 7.80 crore on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Baahubali 2’s Hindi version has collected Rs 478.30 crore and it is now inching towards Rs 500-crore mark. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted the latest figures, “#Baahubali2 [Week 4] Fri 4.15 cr, Sat 6.35 cr, Sun 7.80 cr. Total: ₹ 478.30 cr Nett. HINDI. India biz. HIGHEST GROSSER EVER.” Taran also shared, “#Baahubali2 continues to dazzle… Crosses ₹ 475 cr mark… Now eyeing ₹ 500 cr… PHENOMENAL…

PM MODI CONDEMNS 19 Dead In Suspected Terror Attack At Ariana Grande Concert In Manchester

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 An explosion described by police as a likely terrorist attack ripped through a crowd of teenagers and other concertgoers late Monday after a performance by an American pop singer in the English city of Manchester, leaving at least 19 people dead and about 50 others injured.

Initial evidence at the scene suggested the attack may have been a suicide bombing, according to two U.S. security officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. British authorities, who were meeting in emergency sessions in Manchester and London, did not immediately confirm those reports.


The bombing appeared intended to inflict the maximum possible damage on young concertgoers - many of them in their early teens - who were making their way out of the Manchester Arena. Police said the blast occurred about 10:30 p.m., minutes after pop star Ariana Grande had finished her set.

"This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise," the Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.

British Prime Minister Theresa May issued a statement in the early hours of Tuesday saying that authorities were "working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack."

If confirmed as a terrorist attack, it would be the worst strike on British soil since 2005, when Islamist extremists bombed the London subway and a bus, killing 54 people.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said late Monday that there was "no information to indicate a specific credible threat involving music venues in the United States," but added that Americans may see "increased security in and around public places and events as officials take additional precautions."

Britain has been on high alert for a major attack for several years, with authorities saying that a mass-casualty attack was likely.
Manchester police said they were working closely with national authorities to determine the cause of the explosion. Among the priorities for investigators will be to figure out whether it was part of a broader plot.

Cellphone video showed chaotic scenes of people screaming and running in the aftermath of the blast. The arena was packed with attendees and pink balloons that had fallen from the ceiling during the final song. Initially, concertgoers said they thought popping balloons had set off a panic.

But witnesses later reported seeing the prone bodies of those who had been wounded and killed, as well as others who were streaked with blood and were staggering away from the scene. Some were injured in the rush to get out, with people being trampled as thousands rushed to escape.

LEGAL ACTION TAKEN AGAINST NEERJA MAKERS BY NEERJA'S FAMILY

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Sonam Kapoor's movie Neerja won two awards at the 64th National Film Awards including Best Feature Film in Hindi and Special Mention for the 31-year-old actress. However, the makers of the film could be headed for a legal battle with the Neerja Bhanot's family. Family of the braveheart is contemplating legal action against the producers of Neerja, reports news agency PTI. Neerja's family alleges that the makers of the film did not honour their commitment to share 10 percent of the box office collections. "Neerja always said do your duty come what may and never tolerate injustice. this is what I can tell you at this stage," PTI quoted Neerja's brother Aneesh Bhanot as saying.

Neerja, directed by Ram Madhvani, earned an estimate of Rs 125 crore worldwide. The film featured Sonam Kapoor as the title character, with Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tiku and Shekhar Ravjiani in supporting roles.

Neerja is based on airhostess Neerja Bhanot's life, who died while trying to save ave the passengers on board a hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986. Neerja Bhanot was awarded the Ashoka Chakra for her bravery and sacrifice in 1987. She was the youngest person to receive it.

"Neerja has been a turning point in my life not because of the movie but the kind of person she still is in my life. Kindness is something very rare these days, and that is something she has taught me," IANS quoted Sonam as saying.

Neerja bagged six awards at the 62nd Filmfare Awards including Best Film (Critics), Best Actress (Critics) (Kapoor), and Best Supporting Actress (Shabana Azmi).

Ambani's mother is the Lucky charm behind MUMBAI INDIANS winning in IPL 10

ABHISHEK BACHCHAN tweet about the "prayer women" 

Magnificent death bowling saw Mumbai Indians clinch an incredible one-run victory against Rising Pune Supergiant in a thrilling Indian Premier League final at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday. The game was indeed the closest final in the history of the tournament.

The match was heading towards a tense finish when 7 runs were needed off 4 balls and it looked like RPS will clinch their maiden title. That was the moment when the camera was panned towards an 'aunty' who was seen lost in prayer in the Mumbai Indians' stand.

Within minutes her photo went viral and Twitterati named her 'Prayer Aunty'.

Finally, Mumbai won the thrilling final by just one run and lifted their third IPL trophy. Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan took to micro-blogging site Twitter to reveal the identity of the 'Prayer aunty'.

"That is Mrs. Ambani's mother. Popularly referred to as "nani". The lucky charm," junior Bachchan wrote on his Twitter handle.

This was MI's third IPL trophy in 10 editions and even more special for their skipper Rohit Sharma, who is the only captain to have won a hat-trick of titles. Rohit has in fact now won four IPL titles (one for Deccan Chargers in 2009

Chasing a target of 130 runs, RPS could only manage to post 128/6 in their 20 overs.

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was the most successful bowler for Mumbai with figures of 3/26, while young pacer Jasprit Bumrah also played a crucial role, returning with figures of 26/2 in his four overs.

For Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it was yet another final that ended in a defeat -- fifth in seven summit clashes.

WAR MAY BE START AFTER MISSILE LAUNCH BY NORTH KOREA DENOUNCE BY US

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North Korea 'Confirms Warhead Guidance' In Missile Test Denounced By US

North Korea said on Monday it had successfully tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile, confirming reliable late-stage guidance of the warhead, indicating further advances in its ambition to be able to reach the United States.

The North fired the missile into waters off its east coast on Sunday, its second missile test in a week, which South Korea said dashed the hopes of the South's new liberal government under President Moon Jae-in for peace between the neighbours.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test of the Pukguksong-2, which also verified the functioning of a solid-fuel engine, and ordered it for deployment in field action, the KCNA state news agency said.

Pyongyang has defied all calls to rein in its nuclear and missile programmes, even from China, its lone major ally, saying the weapons are needed for defence against US aggression.

The UN Security Council is due to meet on Tuesday behind closed doors to discuss the latest test, which defies Security Council resolutions and sanctions, at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea, diplomats said on Sunday.

The test could also alter the dynamics of Moon's plan to review a controversial deployment of the THAAD US anti-missile system in the South that is angrily opposed by China, which sees its powerful radar as a threat to its security. "Saying with pride that the missile's rate of hits is very accurate and Pukguksong-2 is a successful strategic weapon, he approved the deployment of this weapon system for action," KCNA said, quoting Kim.