WASHINGTON: U.S. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton got the biggest boon to her bid to clinch her party’s nomination for the 2016 presidential race, after Vice President Joe Biden announced Wednesday his decision not to run for president. “The road is clear for Hillary Clinton,” Brookings Institution’s senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua. “Biden would have been a formidable opponent and would have taken several months to defeat.” Indeed, Biden’s decision eliminates Clinton’s most serious opponent and greatly simplifies her political situation, West said, adding that Clinton can now position herself for the general election and focus on issues that distinguish her from the radical elements within the Republican party. Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua that Clinton will now be able to focus most of her attention on attacking the Republican Party (GOP) and building her message rather than

Shortly after landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday morning where she was received by her father and brothers, Geeta, who was stranded in Pakistan for nearly 15 years, met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and said her heart was always in India. In pics: Homecoming for Geeta The 23-year-old deaf and mute Indian arrived in the national capital on Pakistan International Airlines flight 272 from Karachi. Dressed in a red and white suit, she seemed happy but composed. She was accompanied by members of the Edhi
Foundation which had taken care of her all these years. Geeta was about 11 years of age when she inadvertently crossed the border into Pakistan in 2003. She was spotted by the Pakistan Rangers in Lahore, and was handed over to Edhi. Bilquis Edhi, who runs the Edhi Foundation, named her Geeta. On Monday, Indian and Pakistani officials were present at the Indira Gandhi International Airport to receive her. Media in-charge at the Pakistan High Commission Manzoor Ali Memon said the commission would hold a reception for Geeta in the evening.
Memon, however, said Salman Khan-starer Hindi film ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ had nothing to do with Geeta’s homecoming as the process of bringing her back to India was launched much earlier in 2012. “It’s a message of love and affection between the two countries and has nothing to do with the movie,” he said. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Geeta has already identified one family as possibly being that of her parents.
“We will be doing DNA testing to establish conclusive proof. If the DNA tests match, Geeta will be handed over to that family. If not, we have identified suitable institutions where she will be looked after,” he said. Questions still remain over whether or not Geeta had a daughter when she disappeared, though she is believed to have been 11 or 12 when she was found in Lahore by Pakistani police. Officials said even if the DNA test proves she is not related to the family from Bihar, they will place her in a suitable institution.

Indian Fugitive Chhota Rajan wanted over a series of murders in India has been arrested in Indonesia after decades on the run, police said today. Acting on a tip-off from Australian police, Indonesian authorities detained Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, alias ‘Chhota Rajan’ yesterday as he arrived in the popular resort island of Bali from Sydney, Bali police spokesman Heri Wiyanto told AFP. The 55-year-old Nikalje, an alleged crime boss in India, had been on the run for two decades, Wiyanto said, with Interpol flagging him as a wanted man back in 1995. “We received information from police in Canberra yesterday (Sunday) about the red notice for a murderer,” he said. “We arrested the man at the airport yesterday. What we know is that this man was suspected to have carried out 15 to 20 murders in India.” Bali police were coordinating with Interpol and Indian authorities, Wiyanto said, adding it was likely Nikalje would be deported to India.

Police said Interpol in Canberra had alerted Indonesian authorities “who apprehended Nikalje at the request of Indian authorities”. The federal police confirmed last month that Nikalje was living in Australia under another identity and had been in discussions with Indian authorities, the spokesperson said, but would not provide further details. Interpol’s website states that Nikalje was born in the Indian city of Mumbai, and was wanted for multiple charges including murder and possession and use of illegal firearms.
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A powerful earthquake has struck northern Afghanistan, with tremors felt as widely as Pakistan and northern India.

The quake had a magnitude of 7.7, the US Geological survey reported, and was centered in a mountainous region 45km (28 miles) south-west of Jarm.

In Pakistan, local news channels showed people evacuating high-rise office buildings.

There have been no reports so far of casualties.

Similarily strong earthquake rocked North India, including parts of the national capital region. Initial report say the epicentre was in Northern Pakistan and the tremors have been clocked at 7.7 on the Richter scale. People were seen running out of offices in Noida. According to initial reports the epicentre has been recorded in the Hindukush mountain region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Hindu Kush earthquake is 7.7-magnitude and 42 miles from Chitral in Pakistan,” agencies quoted USGS as saying. Our bureaus in Chandigarh and Srinagar have reported the massive tremors though no reports of damage have come in. Phone lines down in Srinagar (J&K) due to the earthquake. – Buildings evacuated after strong tremors were felt in New Delhi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has been in trouble for sanctioning Rs 8 lakh from Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for a dance troupe’s visit to Thailand, on Saturday defended himself by saying that the fund is not exclusively for drought relief rather it can be used for cultural activities also. Defending his move, the Maharashtra CM further said that there was no wrongdoing in disbursing the relief fund as it can be used in eight other zones. He further said the event was not a commercial one rather it was a performing art competition. ALSO READ | Row over CM relief fund money for dance troupes Bangkok visit An RTI query filed by activist Anil Galgali found that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved Rs 8 lakh for a government employees dance troupe to participate in a competition in Bangkok in December. Taking a dig at the Maharashtra CM, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik on Friday said that the state government “which does not have funds to hel