US consulate issues safety advisory for women
By IANS
Chennai : The US consulate here Monday issued safety advisory to women going to the US on dependent visa. A pamphlet, handed to every woman, provides detailed information on resources and support available to victims of abuse in the country.
The initiative comes after a recent case of domestic violence faced by a young woman from Tamil Nadu married and settled in the US. The pamphlet is available in both Tamil and Telugu.
Working conditions at Bengal foundry unsafe: NYT
By IANS
New York : Close on the heels of US clothing chain Gap cancelling some garment orders to India over reports of child labour abuse, now Indian foundries stand to lose contracts from the US over poor safety conditions.
In a front-paged story Monday, The New York Times has highlighted horrible working conditions at a West Bengal foundry in Howrah (also called Haora) that makes manhole covers for American concerns.
Veteran freedom fighter conferred honorary doctorate
By IANS
Rohtak (Haryana) : Veteran freedom fighter and the only surviving member of India's erstwhile Constituent Assembly, Ranbir Singh Hooda, was Monday conferred with an honorary doctorate of literature degree (D.Lit) by Kurukshetra University at a special function here.
Hooda, who is the father of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, was conferred with the honorary degree on his 93rd birthday by Kurukshetra University Vice Chancellor R.P. Hooda.
President on a three-day visit to Maharashtra
By IANS
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil left here Monday evening on a three-day visit to Maharashtra during which she will attend a series of religious, educational and sports functions.
On Tuesday, Patil will attend a function at the Sai Baba Sansthan Trust at Shirdi and inaugurate the 11th Inter-University Sports Tournament at Nashik.
On Wednesday, she will unveil the plaque of the Institutional Complex of Mumbai Educational Trust at Bhujbal Knowledge City at Adgaon in Nashik.
India among 50 nations to find a way to Middle East peace
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : A US-sponsored Middle East peace conference gets underway at Annapolis, Maryland, near here Tuesday with over 50 nations, including India, trying to find a way to bring about reconciliation between Israel and Palestine.
India is being represented at the conference by Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal, the Prime Minister's special envoy for West Asia Chinmoy Gharekhan, and external affairs ministry joint secretary for West Asia and North Africa Manimekalai.
Government largest litigant: Chief Justice
By IANS
New Delhi : Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan Monday blamed the executive for the judiciary's heavy workload, saying the government was not only the largest litigant but did little to fill up vacancies in lower courts.
Blaming various governments for providing a shoe-string budget to the judiciary, he said the courts will not only be able to eliminate the entire backlog of over 25 million cases at their lowest rung, but also be able to provide timely justice if the government appoints 10,000 more judges in the lower judiciary.
Mayawati sets up anti-terror squad, asks Delhi for its PAC units
By IANS
Lucknow : Keen to beef up Uttar Pradesh's security situation in the wake of last week's terror bombings in three cities, Chief Minister Mayawati Monday announced the setting up of a special Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on the lines of Maharashtra and Karnataka and the creation of a techno-savvy intelligence wing.
Addressing a press conference here Monday evening, Mayawati disclosed that she has urged the prime minister to return to the state its 13 Provincial Armed Constabulary companies stationed for security services in Delhi.
India, Singapore begin joint air exercises
By IANS
New Delhi : The Indian and Singaporean air forces Monday began a 19-day war games aimed at improving the ground attack capabilities of their pilots.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is fielding a squadron of MiG-27 combat jets and the Singapore Air Force a similar number of F-5 fighters for the exercise codenamed Sindex-2007.
The drill, being conducted at the Kalaikunda Air Force Base in West Bengal, will conclude Dec 13.
Delhi lawyers to go on strike Tuesday
By IANS
New Delhi : The lawyers of the Delhi High Court and lower courts here will go on a strike Tuesday to protest terror attacks targeting courts in three Uttar Pradesh cities last week.
Delhi Bar Council chairman K.K. Manan condemned the blasts that claimed 13 lives, and asked the lawyer community to restrain from work as a mark of respect for those killed in the serial bombings.
"There is a unanimous decision by the bar associations of these courts to hold a strike tomorrow," said advocate Manan.
Indian Army chopper order could be scrapped
By IANS
New Delhi : The Indian Army's hopes of purchasing 197 Eurocopter Fennec modern light choppers valued at $550 million have suffered a setback as irregularities were detected in the manner in which the machine was evaluated, and the deal is now likely to be scrapped.
"The deal has not been scrapped but it would be right to assume that it could be," an official said Monday.
At issue is the machine Eurocopter sent for the trials. It was a civilian variant that the company said was similar in capabilities to the military version.
Train catches fire at Allahabad, no casualties
By IANS
Lucknow : Am empty train caught fire at the Allahabad railway station Monday afternoon but there were no reports of casualties.
Two coaches of the train were gutted before fire tenders managed to extinguish the blaze.
"Rail officials attributed the blaze to an electrical short-circuit," senior superintendent of police Dipesh Juneja told IANS over telephone from Allahabad, about 200 km from here.
Court seeks hike in damages to Delhi’s Blueline victims
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Monday favoured a hike in the compensation for victims of road accidents caused by Blueline buses and pulled up the central government for not revising the amount for the past 13 years despite the enormous increase in the cost of living.
"It is very shameful on the part of the Union of India that no change has been made in the compensation chart in the Motor Vehicles Act after November 1994," said a division bench of Justices Mukul Mudgal and Reva Khetarpal.
39 Indian fishermen arrested by Pakistan
By IANS
Karachi : Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency (MSA) and Pakistan Marines in a joint action have arrested 39 Indian fishermen and seized 7 boats for allegedly entering and fishing in Pakistani waters, Online news agency reported Monday.
The incident took place 25 nautical miles inside Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), MSA said.
The Indian fishermen were later handed over to Karachi docks police.
Climate change hurting wheat production in India: Pachauri
By IANS
New Delhi/Ahmedabad : Climate change is bringing down wheat production in India, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Rajendra K. Pachauri said in Ahmedabad Monday.
"Agriculture productivity, particularly of wheat, has shown signs of going down as a result of the climate change," Pachauri told an international conference on environmental education at the Centre for Environment Education.
Malaysia drops sedition charges against Indian activists
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Ethnic Indians in Malaysia claimed victory Monday as sedition charges against three leaders of rights group were dropped, a day after the police crushed a rally of more than 10,000 Indians immigrants.
Three key leaders of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), a Malaysia rights group, were discharged by a court after dropping sedition charges for speeches earlier this month in which they criticised preferential treatment for majority Muslim Malays, malaysiakini.com reported.
The trio had faced three years in jail.
CBI team arrives to probe March 14 Nandigram firing
By IANS
Kolkata : A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team arrived in Kolkata Monday to further investigate the March 14 police firing in Nandigram in accordance with a state high court directive.
The team would leave for Nandigram, in East Midnapore district, around 150 km from here, either Monday or Tuesday, CBI sources said.
CBI director M.L. Sharma said a 10-member team headed by an officer of the rank of a Deputy Inspector General will probe the Mar 14 firing incident in which 14 people were killed and many injured.
Lawyers protest blasts, suspend work in Madhya Pradesh
By IANS
Bhopal : Lawyers in Madhya Pradesh Monday abstained from work condemning serial blasts in three towns of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and demanded the state government provide government jobs to the kin of those killed.
The five blasts Friday in Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow killed at least a dozen people and have left more than 80 injured.
At a meeting in the Bhopal court premises, Bhopal Bar Association President Vijay Chowdhry urged the UP government to give another Rs.200,000 as compensation to the families of those killed in the blasts.
Indian Air Force to participate in US war games
By Vishnu Makhijani, IANS
New Delhi : The government has given the nod to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to participate in the Red Flag war games conducted by the US Air Force (USAF) brushing aside objections of the Communists.
"Yes, I can confirm that Rs.80 crore (Rs.800 million, $20 million) has been sanctioned to the IAF to enable it participate in the Red Flag exercise," a senior defence official told IANS, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Chinese envoy ready to bid adieu, meets BJP chief
By IANS
New Delhi : Chinese envoy to India Sun Yuxi met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh Monday as part of his customary farewell calls on political leaders.
"I came to bid my farewell. During my stay in India, I had very good relations with the BJP. I also recall a very successful visit by (then prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee," the Chinese envoy said.
"It was a courtesy call," said a BJP functionary here.
Empower women to empower nation: Pratibha Patil
By IANS
New Delhi : Educating the girl child empowers the entire family and the nation, President Pratibha Patil told a group of students from Manipur who called on her Monday.
On a national integration tour to Delhi and Agra, organised by 32 Assam Rifles, the students had an interactive session with Patil.
Patil said she felt honoured being elected the country's president and this in turn was an honour for all women in the country.
She stressed the need of educating the girl child and said empowering women means empowering the family and the entire nation.
International rights groups to visit Nandigram
By IANS
New Delhi : Two international rights organisations - Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch - Monday announced they would send a joint team to Nandigram in West Bengal to assess the ground situation and make recommendations to authorities.
The four-member team, expected to go later this week, will comprise Justice (retd) S.N. Bhargava, former chief justice of Sikkim High Court, Vrinda Grover, advocate, Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia researcher with the Human Rights Watch and Mukul Sharma, director, Amnesty International India.
Include cost of living in compensation for Blueline victims: court
By IANS
New Delhi : Coming down heavily on Blueline buses, Delhi High Court Monday told owners of the 'killer buses' to deposit the compensation for accident victims before seeking release of their confiscated vehicles. It also asked the government to calculate the cost of living index for a final compensation amount.
A division bench headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal asked bus operators to pay a compensation of Rs.100,000 each to the kin in case of death, Rs.50,000 each for grievous injuries and Rs.25,000 each for minor injuries caused by the buses.
Wanted: tiger; Reward: Rs.1,100
By IANS
Jaipur : The Rajasthan forest department has still not found a tiger missing from Ranthambore national park for more than 10 days. It has now announced a reward of Rs.1,100 to the person giving information on the missing tiger.
The forest department has launched a frantic search for the tiger "Yuvraj", that has gone missing from the famous park, about 175 km from state capital Jaipur.
India to discuss trade treaty with Malaysia
By IANS
New Delhi : India hopes to conclude a comprehensive trade pact with the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) by February and start talks for a similar pact with Malaysia in January, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said.
"I am confident that this agreement with Malaysia will take our bilateral ties to newer heights and contribute to the growth of (both) economies," Kamal Nath told a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here Monday.
State transport no fundamental right: court
By IANS
New Delhi : Denial of transport facility to citizens by a state government does not impinge upon their Fundamental Rights, the Supreme Court said Monday.
A bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan made this observation while refusing to entertain a plea by a Tamil Nadu student seeking compensation from the state government for obstructing and curtailing his right to free movement enshrined as a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution.
EU ‘closely watching’ India-IAEA negotiations
By IANS
New Delhi : Ahead of the India-EU summit Nov 30, the European Union's envoy to India Monday said that the 27-nation grouping was watching closely New Delhi's negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency, but it will be up to individual nations to decide their stand in the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
"The EU understands India's interests in civil nuclear cooperation and its growing needs of energy. The EU is following with great interest the negotiations between India and the IAEA," EU's envoy to India Daneile Smadja told reporters here.
Indian migrants’ hopes dashed in Australian polls
By Neena Bhandari, IANS
Sydney : With a six percent swing to the Australian Labor Party, hopes were dashed of Indian-origin candidates who contested Saturday's parliamentary election on lesser-known party tickets.
Two Liberal Party of Australia candidates of Indian-origin did score substantial votes, but with their party routed, there was no hope against 'Kevin07' - the star Labor leader who swept the polls with his policies on education, health, climate change and a vow to scrap work choices legislation.
Meghalaya to soon have five-star hotels, modern airports
By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : The exotic northeastern state of Meghalaya is all set to get three five-star hotels, said Meghalaya Chief Secretary Ranjan Chaterjee here Monday. The Shillong and Tura airports in the state are also being upgraded, he added.
"At the moment it's just one hotel, Pinewood in Shillong, which is good and tourists flock there. But with tourism being boosted, there are more visitors. That's why we are planning to set up more and better quality hotels," Chatterjee told IANS.
Meghalaya to soon have five-star hotels, modern airports
By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : The exotic northeastern state of Meghalaya is all set to get three five-star hotels, said Meghalaya Chief Secretary Ranjan Chaterjee here Monday. The Shillong and Tura airports in the state are also being upgraded, he added.
"At the moment it's just one hotel, Pinewood in Shillong, which is good and tourists flock there. But with tourism being boosted, there are more visitors. That's why we are planning to set up more and better quality hotels," Chatterjee told IANS.
MP CM releases 4th Human Development Report
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the Fourth Human Development Report of Madhya Pradesh titled “Human Development through Infrastructure” here today.
Uttar Pradesh lawyers strike work to protest blasts
By IANS
Lucknow : Lawyers from various bar associations in Uttar Pradesh stood together Monday to protest Friday's synchronized blasts that ripped across the local courts in Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow, leaving 13 dead and 80 wounded.
Work was paralysed in every court, including the high courts at Allahabad and Lucknow, as lawyers observed a day's strike to mark their united stand against terrorism.
India has 240 mn buildings, but few are quake resistant
By Sahil Makkar, IANS
New Delhi : India has over 240 million buildings, both residential and commercial, but few are built to be quake resistant, warns a top official of India's apex body for disaster management. And disasters - in case of strong earthquakes - are waiting to happen.
"Estimates suggest that the country has over 240 million buildings but the scary part is that most of them are not quake resistant nor can withstand high intensity tremors," N.V.C. Menon, a senior member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), told IANS.
Without Kolkata, I will die as writer: Taslima
By IANS
Kolkata : Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, who has been staying under tight security in New Delhi after she was bundled out of Kolkata following riots over her stay in India, Monday said she would die as a writer unless she could return to the city.
"I am not a rightist. I am rather a leftist and I always have believed in equality of all - men, women, poor and rich. I miss Kolkata and I would die as a writer if I am not allowed to stay there," Nasreen told the Bengali news channel Choubish Ghanta (24-hour) over phone from New Delhi.
Nursery admissions: court backs Ganguly committee again
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Monday asked all unaided minority schools in the capital to implement the Ganguly committee's recommendations.
A bench comprising Chief Justice M.K. Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna stayed the previous order, which gave unaided minority schools the liberty to not follow the recommendations of the Ganguly committee.
Justice B.D. Ahmed had on Feb 8 ruled that the unaided minority schools did not come under the purview of the Ganguly committee.
Guerrilla killed in Kashmir gunfight
By IANS
Srinagar : A separatist guerrilla was killed Monday in a gunfight with security forces in Kashmir.
The security forces laid an ambush following specific information about the movement of militants in Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, 45 km from here, said Sardar Khan, superintendent of police.
"A group of heavily armed militants walked into the ambush laid by the security forces in Gojar Pati. When the militants were challenged to lay down their arms, they started firing at the ambush party," the police officer told IANS.
Father declares son dead for marrying against his wishes
By IANS
Ranchi : A man in Jharkhand performed the last rites of his son, who is alive, for marrying a girl whose family has a history of leprosy.
Sunil Hansda, 25, a resident of Dhanbad district, around 240 km from here, married Sangita Soren at a temple this April. The couple subsequently got their marriage registered in court.
"My father is scared that children borne by Sangita will be affected by leprosy. He was against the marriage but we got married in a temple," said Sunil.
Violence mars strike by tribals, Assam on alert
By IANS
Guwahati : A 36-hour general strike called by tribals across Assam Monday was marred by violence, with strike supporters killing one person and injuring at least two others in sporadic incidents, officials said.
The strike, which began at 5 a.m. Monday, has been called by the All Adivasi (tribal) Students Association (AASA) to protest Saturday's street clashes here that left one of their community members dead and more than 200 injured.
Free medical camp by Reliance attracts several villagers
By IANS
Mumbai : Nearly a thousand villagers were treated for various ailments at a free medical camp organised by Reliance Energy Ltd. (REL) in Maharashtra's Thane district.
Villagers from 15 rural pockets of the Mira Road-Bhayander areas, about 20 km northwest of Mumbai, attended the camp held Sunday to mark the golden jubilee of the birth anniversary of Balayogi Shri Sadanand Maharaj.
IAF gets Rs.800 mn for US Red Flag drill
By Vishnu Makhijani, IANS
New Delhi : Brushing aside objections of the Left parties that support the government, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has finally been sanctioned Rs.800 million ($20 million) for participating in the prestigious Red Flag war games conducted by the US Air Force (USAF), an official said.
"Yes, I can confirm that Rs.80 crore (Rs.800 million) has been sanctioned to the IAF to enable it participate in the Red Flag exercise," the official told IANS, speaking on condition of anonymity.
‘What’s happening in India is mind-blowing’
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Despite a weak education system and big problems with infrastructure, India is racing ahead to become a major hub for research, design, and innovation, says Vivek Wadhwa, an Indian American entrepreneur-turned-academic.
With outsourcing going far beyond low level IT, innovation is increasingly happening offshore, said Delhi-born Wadhwa, a Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Law School's Labour and Worklife Programme.
But "what's happening in India is particularly mind-blowing," he said.
Earthquake jolts Delhi residents out of bed
By IANS
New Delhi : An earthquake that was described to be of "slight intensity" by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) jolted residents of the national capital and neighbouring areas out of bed at 4.42 a.m. Monday.
The quake measured 4.3 on the Richter scale, the IMD said. Its epicentre was at 28.6 degrees north and 77 degress east, 10 km from Bahadurgarh, a town right on Delhi's western border with Haryana.
India needs the nuclear deal: Upendra Chivukula
By Papri Sri Raman, IANS
Chennai : If the India-US civil nuclear pact does not go through, there will be a problem, believes Upendra Chivukula, the Indian origin deputy speaker of the New Jersey assembly.
"India is the world's largest democracy and the US tries to promote democracy. It is for this reason that the US made an NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) exception for India," says Chivukula, a Democrat, who was on a month-long India visit.
Can journalism keep pace with India’s mushrooming media?
By Sevanti Ninan, IANS
India is on an extraordinary media proliferation spree. Delhi just got its 14th morning daily in English, the tabloid Mail Today. New TV channels have been surfacing at the rate of two a month, and eight more are in the queue to make their debut in the next few months, we are told.
Declare us internally displaced: Kashmiri Pandits
By Sarwar Kashani, IANS
New Delhi : Saying they would wish to go back to their roots even if forced to "remain in exile for 1,000 years", displaced Kashmiri Pandits are demanding that they be declared internally displaced persons.
In search of their identity and home, they organised a musical concert here this weekend with the help of one of their Delhi organisations, Roots in Kashmir (RIK). The musical sojourn at Chinmaya Auditorium in south Delhi brought forth a nostalgic montage of the Kashmir valley, which is silhouetted by unceasing violence.
Kerala village conducts audit of job guarantee scheme
By Jeevan Mathew Kurian, IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala) : In official parlance, audit usually means scouring the account books in the solitude of a government office. But a village in Kerala changed all that when it scrutinised the works under a central job guarantee scheme.
The Vellamunda panchayat, around 500 km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram, conducted the social audit and scrutinised the works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the Narokkadavu ward. The works here include construction of village roads and water conservation projects.
Tremors shake Delhi, rattle people
By IANS
New Delhi : A moderate earthquake shook the national capital and surrounding areas at 4.43 a.m. Monday morning, making people jump out of their beds, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damages.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the tremor recorded 4.3 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the quake was the Delhi-Haryana border, the IMD said.
The quake rattled doors and windows, making many run out of their homes on a cold winter night. But there were no aftershocks.
10 injured as rival groups clash over Posco
By IANS
Jagatsinghpur (Orissa) : At least 10 people were injured, two of them critically, after two groups Sunday clashed in an Orissa village over South Korean steel major Posco's proposed plant in the state.
The trouble begun when activists opposed to the project attacked a priest of Nuagaon Mahabir temple at Nuagaon village for performing rituals at the Jatadhari river on behalf of a dredging company hired by the Indian Oil Corporation Thursday.
National Cadet Corps to train 100,000 more youth annually
By IANS
New Delhi : The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the world's largest uniformed youth organisation that imparts military training to over 1 million school and college students, will enrol an additional 100,000 volunteers each year, it was announced here Sunday.
The government is also considering a proposal to enhance the numerical strength of the NCC in a phased manner, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said, while delivering the annual NCC Day lecture on its 59th foundation day here.
Pratibha Patil congratulates Sharma
By IANS
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil Sunday congratulated Kamalesh Sharma on his election as secretary general of the Commonwealth grouping of 53 countries, formerly ruled by the British.
In her message, Patil stressed that she was especially very happy that Sharma has become the first Indian to be selected for the top post. "This emphasises the respect for India in the Commonwealth," Patil said.
"Your elevation to this post is a recognition of your outstanding abilities which you have shown during your long diplomatic career," she said.
Chhattisgarh’s five backward districts to be developed
By IANS
Raipur : The Chhattisgarh government plans to develop the infrastructure of rural hamlets of the state's five backward districts by investing Rs.30 million over the next one year, a senior minister said Sunday.
"Government is going to invest almost Rs.30 million in facility-deprived forested traditionally backward areas of Surguja, Jashpur, Raigarh, Korba and Bilaspur to build quality roads and canals for irrigation, construct schools and improve health facilities," Rajesh Munat, minister of state for Industry (Independent charges), told IANS.
Blueline kills one more in Delhi
By IANS
New Delhi : A speeding Blueline bus Sunday morning crushed an unidentified man in central Delhi, making him the 108th victim of the capital's notorious 'killer' buses this year.
The bus, plying on route no.300 between Central Secretariat and Noida, knocked down the man in his forties while he was crossing the Barakhamba road.
"The driver fled from the spot and a team has been formed to arrest him," said a police officer at the Connaught Place police station.
Chhattisgarhi language to get official status
By IANS
Raipur : The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to table a bill to give official language status to Chhattisgarhi in the winter session of the state assembly beginning Monday.
"The people of Chhattisgarh have been seeking official language status for Chhattiagarhi for the past several years, now the government has decided to bring in a legislation in the assembly beginning Nov 26-Dec 7," a senior minister told IANS Sunday.
Chhattisgarhi is an Indo-Aryan language having an estimated 12 million speakers mostly in rural areas.
Assam suspends 135 junior doctors for ignoring patients
By IANS
Guwahati : The Assam government Saturday suspended 135 junior doctors from the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) after they refused to attend to patients.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the action against the doctors, who were doing their internship at the GMCH, was taken after they went on a wildcat strike Saturday morning.
The protest was over an unruly scene after family members of a patient who died at the hospital accused doctors of negligence.
Indian soldier dies in crossfire along LoC
By IANS
Jammu : An Indian soldier was killed Sunday in what has been officially described as "hostile fire" near the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.
However, some officials said that it was "fire from across the border", exactly four years after India and Pakistan declared a ceasefire in 2003.
Brigadier General Staff (BGS) of Information and Warfare in Northern command Abhijit Guha said that an Indian Army soldier died in firing on Nangi Tekri post in mountainous Poonch district, about 220 km Northwest of Jammu.
For global peace women must stand together: Pratibha Patil
By IANS
New Delhi : Generation of social awareness and public education is crucial for access to justice for women, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil said.
Speaking at the inaugural function of the National Conference on Access to Justice for Women in the capital Sunday, Patil said the subjects of discussion in the conference are not only close to her heart but also important for national development.
Rajasthan forms committee to protect wildlife areas
By IANS
Jaipur : The Rajasthan government has constituted a three-member committee to frame guidelines for demarcating eco-sensitive zones around national parks and sanctuaries that will act as buffer zones to protect the ecosystem.
The committee has one member each from the forest department, pollution control board and mining department, which will submit a report to the government by January end.
Fire in two places in the capital, 2 killed
By IANS
New Delhi : Two children were killed in a fire that broke out in a slum in south Delhi Sunday.
With 20-25 tiny houses huddled together, the slum behind the Shalimar theatre near Ashram caught fire at around 3 pm.
Fire department sources said that two charred bodies of children were recovered but according to eyewitnesses bodies of at least four children were found after the fire was doused.
Balloon blast hurts seven in Orissa
By IANS
Puri : At least seven persons sustained burn injuries and were admitted to a hospital here after an advertisement balloon burst Sunday.
The balloon burst when some people were trying to release it in the open sky near the venue of the five-day Puri Beach festival now underway.
The injured have been admitted to the district government hospital. While one person is serious others have sustained minor burn injuries and are out of danger, a district intelligence official told IANS.
Defence delegations from France, Italy, Colombia visiting India
By IANS
New Delhi : For the first time, high-level defence delegations from France, Italy and Colombia are simultaneously visiting India, an indication of the country's growing clout globally.
French Army chief Gen. Bruno Cuche, Italian Chief of Defence Staff Adm. Giampaolo Di Paolo and Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos will arrive Monday and hold discussions with Defence Minister A.K. Antony and other officials on a broad range of issues.
20 Killed and 200 Injured in Clash between Locals and Tribal Demonstrators in Guwahati
By Wali Laskar
Guwahati, Assam : According local sources more than 2o people were killed on Saturday after a rally of Adivasi Students Union (ASU) turned violent here. And about 200 people have been injured in the incident. According to State Principal Secretary (Home) Subhas Das, 60 of the injured were hospitalised.
Indefinite curfew has been imposed in parts of Guwahati and army has been deployed.
Security stepped up in Agra
By IANS
Agra : Two days after the bomb blasts that rocked Uttar Pradesh, security arrangements has been beefed up in the city of the Taj Mahal.
Concern over terrorist activities is writ large all over.
"With a massive tourist influx, we have to step up vigil and streamline intelligence network," S N Singh, inspector general police (Kanpur zone), said after a thorough security review Saturday.
He said that there was urgent need for all round alert and vigil and there should be no laxity whatsoever after the blasts.
Court to assess impact of plastic bags on environment
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court has constituted an expert committee headed by a retired judge to study the extent of damage plastic bags can cause to environment.
A division bench Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Veena Birbal Friday directed formation of the committee headed by Justice (Retd) R.C. Chopra for the study with the help of experts and environmentalists and to submit the report in three months.
Tension prevails in Darjeeling over GNLF shutdown
By IANS
Kolkata : Tension continued to prevail in West Bengal's northern hill district Darjeeling Sunday as an indefinite shutdown called by Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) to protest over the attack on its leader by rival party supporters entered its second day.
"The situation is tense in the hills and section 144 is still being imposed there. There's a total shutdown, which impacted life in Darjeeling, Kerseong and Kalimgpong subdivisions Sunday," West Bengal Inspector General R.J.S Nawla told IANS on telephone.
MP Govt. signs accord with Hyderabad’s EMRI for free medical aid to citizens
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: In the presence of former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Madhya Pradesh Governor and Chief Minister Dr. Balram Jakhar and Shivraj Singh Chouhan respectively an agreement was signed by the Madhya Pradesh Government and Emergency Management and Research Institute, (EMRI), Hyderabad to provide free modern emergency services to citizens throughout Madhya Pradesh here on Sunday.
Kamalesh Sharma as Commonwealth boss: a vote for India
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : Kamalesh Sharma takes up the job of Commonwealth secretary-general after a successful stint as Indian high commissioner in London, having been particularly in demand on the lecture circuit in tandem with India's growing economic clout.
HuJi hand suspected in Uttar Pradesh blasts
By Sharat Pradhan, IANS
Lucknow : Investigating agencies suspect the hand of Bangladesh-based terrorist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HuJi) behind the synchronised bombings that ripped across three prominent Uttar Pradesh towns leaving 13 dead and 80 wounded on Friday.
While none is willing to go on record, highly placed sources in the police said they had reason to believe HuJi involvement in the blasts.
Curfew lifted in Guwahati after mob violence
By IANS
Guwahati : Authorities in Assam's main city of Guwahati Sunday lifted a curfew after normalcy returned a day after one person was killed and 230 others were injured when tribals demanding Scheduled Tribe status clashed with locals.
"The situation is normal now and hence the decision to lift the curfew orders, although security presence in the troubled areas would continue," a police official said.
Local residents and activists of the All Assam Adivasi Students' Association (AAASA) clashed in the city streets Saturday afternoon.
Ishmeet is the first ‘Voice of India’
By IANS
Mumbai : Casting a magic spell on the audience with his medley of Punjabi folk songs, Ishmeet Singh was adjudged winner of STAR's "Voice Of India" television talent hunt reality show.
"The name of the winner is Ishmeet," legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar declared, reading out the name after Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit Nene opened the envelope, to delighted clapping and whistling by the huge crowd at the Andheri Sports Complex Saturday evening.
Tamil Nadu wants stringent anti-crime law
By IANS
Chennai : The Tamil Nadu government is considering enacting a stringent law on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MACOCA), following a spate of attacks on political leaders in the state.
Senior police and home department officials had at a recent meeting with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi proposed a legislation on the lines of MACOCA, police sources said Saturday.
A bill is likely to be tabled in the January session of the state assembly, sources said.
New e-mail targets Pakistani cricket team, some cities
By IANS
New Delhi : A day after television channels received an e-mail warning of the serial terror blasts in Uttar Pradesh, a private television channel here Saturday received another e-mail claiming to target the visiting Pakistani cricket team and warned of terror strikes in some cities.
Tents in desert environs charm Pushkar tourists
By Anil Sharma, IANS
Pushkar (Rajasthan) : For a week, this Hindu holy town was transformed into a city of tents. In all shapes and sizes, with some even offering five-star comforts, the tents made for a unique experience for tourists who came to visit the colourful Pushkar camel fair that started Nov 18.
Every two to three kilometres, one could find camping sites where both the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) and private tourism agencies had erected ordinary as well as luxurious tents - numbering 1,220 in all.
Sikh groups to file plea against Bachchan, 200 others
By IANS
Chandigarh : Film star Amitabh Bachchan, senior Congress leaders and police officials figure in a list of 200 persons against whom Sikh organizations will file a fresh petition in the Supreme Court, seeking action against them for their role in anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984.
The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and New York-based 'Sikhs for Justice' Friday announced that fresh individual petitions would be filed against each of these 200 persons in the apex court to bring them to justice.
Uphaar victims’ kin to appeal against sentence
By IANS
New Delhi : The Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) said it would approach the Delhi High Court against the two-year jail term handed down to Uphaar theatre owners Sushil and Gopal Ansal in the fire tragedy that snuffed out 59 lives 10 years ago.
The Ansals were granted bail by the court of Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal after they furnished a personal bond of Rs.25,000 each.
DDA, Delhi Metro asked to explain constructions on riverbed
By IANS
New Delhi : Delhi High Court Friday asked the city's land licensing agency Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to explain the reasons for violating a judicial order by allowing concrete constructions on the ecologically fragile Yamuna river-bed.
A bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Rekha Sharma directed DDA and DMRC to file the reasons for carrying out such large-scale constructions - such as the Commonwealth Games Village and metro station - by flouting the court orders.
Infiltration increasing from Pakistan: Army chief
By IANS
Chandigarh : Infiltration from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir has increased in recent weeks, Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor said here Friday.
Here to address a conference on "Changing dimensions of international security and its implications for India", Kapoor said that subversive elements are trying to get into the country.
"You would have noticed that of late there have been attempts to increase infiltration by the other side. The situation is very much under our control but infiltration still continues," Kapoor said.
Spicejet flight has near miss at Delhi airport
By IANS
New Delhi : More than 200 passengers of a SpiceJet flight headed for Goa had a narrow escape at Delhi airport Friday when the pilot was asked to abort the takeoff after another plane was spotted on the same runway.
The SpiceJet flight was forced to return to the bay at around 11 a.m. after the air traffic controller (ATC) alerted it about the other airliner on the runway.
"Our pilot immediately applied the brakes and returned to the bay. Around 210 passengers, including five journalists, were on the plane," said a SpiceJet spokesperson.
National Defence Academy completes 75 years in 2009
By IANS
Khadakwasla (Maharastra) : India's premier defence academy, the National Defence Academy (NDA), will celebrate its diamond jubilee in January 2009.
President Pratibha Patil will be the chief guest on the occasion, which will be attended by all the service chiefs, said Air Marshal T.S. Randhawa, commandant, NDA at a press meet here Friday.
Meanwhile, 234 young cadets will pass out from the NDA Nov 29 after successfully completing their training. This will be the 113th course to pass out, said Randhawa.
India ill-equipped to handle natural disasters: Ramadoss
By IANS
New Delhi : Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here Friday the country is not equipped to handle natural disasters, and added that initiatives like a toll-free number, which will help one get access to an ambulance within 10 minutes, will change all of that in a few years' time.
Leicester may get to house Gandhi statue
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Should Mahatma Gandhi's statue be located in London or Leicester? Campaigners prefer Leicester, and MPs in the House of Commons have also backed the town in the east Midlands that has a large minority of Gujarat-origin residents.
Keith Vaz, the India-origin Labour MP, has backed the move by Leicester-based campaigners led by the charitable organisation, the Samanwaya Pariwar. Vaz tabled an 'early day motion' in the Commons with the support of 23 MPs Thursday.
Power Grid to resume survey for power line in Kerala
By IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala) : A survey by the Power Grid Corporation India Limited (PGCIL) for erecting a 400 KV line from Mysore in Karnataka to Areekode in Kerala - stopped following protests by farmers here - will resume Dec 1.
The agreement to resume the survey was reached after talks between the state Electricity Minister A.K. Balan, Kozhikode district collector A. Jayathilak, PGCIL officials, representatives of the farmers' organisations and political parties at Thiruvananthapuram Friday.
Power Grid to resume survey for power line in Kerala
By IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala) : A survey by the Power Grid Corporation India Limited (PGCIL) for erecting a 400 KV line from Mysore in Karnataka to Areekode in Kerala - stopped following protests by farmers here - will resume Dec 1.
The agreement to resume the survey was reached after talks between the state Electricity Minister A.K. Balan, Kozhikode district collector A. Jayathilak, PGCIL officials, representatives of the farmers' organisations and political parties at Thiruvananthapuram Friday.
Violence rocks Darjeeling Hills after attack on GNLF leader
By IANS
Darjeeling : Violence rocked West Bengal's northern hill town Darjeeling Friday after an attack on a Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader allegedly by its rival Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) party workers.
"We have requisitioned army to quell the situation, but soldiers have not moved in yet," Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) R.J.S. Nawla told IANS.
K.B. Gurung, GNLF leader of Darjeeling and former Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) member, was critically injured and admitted to Darjeeling district hospital.
Vedanta refused nod to mine bauxite in Orissa
By IANS
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Friday declined permission to global mining and metals major Vedanta to go in for Bauxite mining in Lanjigarh area of Kalahandi district of Orissa.
Refusing permission to begin mining, a special forest bench, headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, said: "We are not inclined to approve of the project in its present form."
French Army chief arrives Monday
By IANS
New Delhi : The French Army chief, General Bruno Cuche, arrives here Monday on a five-day visit aimed at ramping up military ties between the two countries.
"The visit will give the necessary impetus to the on-going defence relationship between India and France and broad-base it further into a mutually beneficial partnership," a defence ministry release Friday said.
The visit "reconfirms the mutual trust and friendship between the armies of India and France and will provide the necessary fillip to our on-going army-to-army cooperation," the release added.
‘Vakkachan’s rainponds’ gets prestigious Citi Micro Entrepreneur award
By IANS
Kottayam (Kerala) : 'Vakkachan's rainponds', a pioneering technique developed by P. J. Varghese for rainwater harvesting, has been awarded the prestigious Citi Micro Entrepreneur award 2007.
The award of Rs.200,000 was given to Varghese alias Vakkachan Wednesday in Mumbai.
The Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards programme is supported by the Citi Foundation through a total grant of $200,000 to Partners in Change (PiC), a Delhi-based NGO.
India hopeful Sharma will succeed McKinnon
By IANS
Kampala : India said Friday that it was "cautiously optimistic" that its candidate Kamlesh Sharma will be elected the new secretary general of the Commonwealth.
"We are talking to all our friends. We are telling them why this is a good candidacy. We are in that process," Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said on the opening day of the Commonwealth summit, referring to India's high commissioner to Britain.
"We certainly think he is the best candidate," he told Indian journalists here. "We are cautiously optimistic (about his victory)."
All India Science Conf. begins in Bhopal with call to tap resources skillfully to...
By Pervez bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: The three-day All India Science Conference got underway here on Friday with a call to tap resources skillfully to ensure their continuity and discourage its unwarranted use for the betterment of humanity at large.
Leicester gets to house Gandhi statue
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Should Mahatma Gandhi's statue be located in London or Leicester? Campaigners prefer Leicester, and now MPs in the House of Commons have also backed the town in the east Midlands that has a large minority of Gujarat-origin residents.
Keith Vaz, the India-origin Labour MP, has backed the move by Leicester-based campaigners led by the charitable organisation, the Samanwaya Pariwar. Vaz tabled an 'early day motion' in the Commons with the support of 23 MPs Thursday.
President greets nation on Guru Nanak’s birthday
By IANS
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil has greeted her fellow citizens on the occasion of Guru Nanak's birth anniversary that will be observed Saturday.
"Guru Nanak Devji's message of equality, peaceful co-existence and universal love is an abiding source of inspiration for all," the president said in a message Friday.
"Let us resolve to deeply understand his noble teachings and rededicate ourselves to the cause of humanity, equality, brotherhood and harmony.
Greater transparency urged in defence purchases
By IANS
New Delhi : A parliamentary panel has urged for greater transparency in fast track purchases of military hardware, saying the procedures should be constantly reviewed.
It should also be ensured that purchases made under the fast track procedure (FTP) are made available in the timeframe laid down by the armed forces, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said in its 59th report tabled in both houses of parliament Friday.
Ranchi civic body gets a whopping power bill
By IANS
Ranchi : The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) is stumped after receiving a bill for Rs.150,000 from the state electricity board against energy expenses for running an electric crematorium that is yet to become operational.
The RMC received the bill from the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) early this week for a crematorium being constructed in Harmu locality. The crematorium is likely to become operational from January.
Inter-state highway to link Sikh shrines gets central nod
By IANS
Chandigarh : The central government has given the nod for a nearly 2,500-km-long inter-state highway that will link important Sikh religious shrines in seven states in the country.
Approval for the 'Guru Gobind Singh Marg' was accorded in New Delhi Friday during a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and central Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Tourism Minister Ambika Soni, a Punjab government spokesperson said here.
Cold wave claims two lives in Jharkhand
By IANS
Ranchi : A sudden dip in the temperature has claimed two lives in the Jharkhand capital, reports said.
The first death was reported from Bundu and the second in Khilari block of the Ranchi district Thursday.
Ranchi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.8 degrees Celsius Nov 22.
Met officials said winter has arrived a fortnight earlier in Ranchi this year. The temperature is likely to dip further in the next two days, the officials added.
Last year, cold wave claimed more than 170 lives in Jharkhand.
UN seeks camels from India for Darfur peacekeeping force
By IANS
New Delhi : The UN has sought camels from India's paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) for deployment on peacekeeping duties in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, but it could be a while before this happens.
"The UN has asked us whether we can spare our camels. We have asked that the request be routed through proper channels," a BSF officer said Friday.
Alert in Hyderabad following Uttar Pradesh blasts
By IANS
Hyderabad : A high alert was sounded in this southern city Friday following serial blasts in Uttar Pradesh in which at least 12 people have been killed.
Police beefed up security around places of worship and at all vital installations in the wake of the simultaneous blasts in Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow.
Besides, security was also strengthened in the communally sensitive areas of the old city and also the IT district, Hitec City. Policemen could be seen erecting barricades and checking vehicles at different places.
Two Maoists arrested in Patna, explosives seized
By IANS
Patna : The Bihar Special Task Force (STF) arrested two Maoist leaders here and recovered a large quantity of explosives, including clamour mines, detonators, and grenades, police officials said Friday.
Inspector General (Operations) S.K. Bhardwaj said STF personnel Thursday night arrested two Maoists -- secretary of the north Bihar unit of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) Lalbabu Sahni alias Bhakarji and another rebel Dhananjay - after a tip off from intelligence sources.
Rehabilitation package for Patna beggars soon
By IANS
Patna : The Bihar government has now planned a scheme to rehabilitate Patna's beggars. The Bhikshu Welfare Scheme will provide them an opportunity to be self-reliant and to live with honour and dignity.
"The state cabinet has approved Rs.22 million for the launch of rehabilitation package for beggars," Girish Shankar, prinicipal cabinet secretary, said Friday.
According to sources, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to launch the scheme Nov 24, the day his government completes two years in office.
India to reopen Stilwell Road to expand business with SE Asia
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, KUNA
New Delhi : With India vigourously pursuing its "Look East Policy" for expanding economic ties with Southeast and East Asia, plans are afoot to re-open the historic "Stilwell Road," linking the country's northeastern region to China via Myanmar.
India is working to re-open the 1,726-km Stillwell Road from the northeastern Indian state of Assam to China's Yunnan province, as connectivity is vital for greater pan-Asian integration and engaging with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Ansal brothers get two years jail for Uphaar fire
By IANS
New Delhi : Real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal were sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of Rs.5,000 each by a city court Friday after being found guilty in the Uphaar fire tragedy that killed 59 people 10 years ago.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials Shyam Sunder Sharma and N.D. Tiwari and a Delhi Fire Service officer H.S. Panwar were given a similar sentence.
The seven others of the 12 convicted were given seven years in prison and a fine of Rs.5,000 each
India to perpare national land reforms policy
By NNN-PTI
New Delhi : Government has decided to set up a national council headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a committee under the rural development minister to prepare national land reforms policy.
IAF to select pilots through new computerised system
By IANS
New Delhi : The Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to introduce a new computerised pilot selection system that has been developed by the country's defence scientists, an official said Friday.
"Today's fighter pilot is more than just a pilot. He's a systems manager who has to deal with multiple tasks while flying at twice the speed of sound. The system we have developed tests his ability to do this," W. Selvamurthy, chief controller of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said.
IT finishing school plans expansion in Punjab
By IANS
Chennai : India's first information technology (IT) finishing school, the Mysore-based Raman International Institute of Information Technology (RIIIT), is negotiating with the Chandigarh administration for setting up an institute there.
"We are discussing with the Chandigarh government whereby we would be able to use the premises of the government educational institutions," S.V. Venkatesh, founder and CEO, told reporters here Friday.
Kolkata intellectuals outraged by shifting of Taslima
By Avijit Chatterjee, IANS
Kolkata : The city's intelligentsia expressed outrage over the shunting out of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen from Kolkata, describing it as a "blot" on the government even as the police said she left on her own at the invitation of her friends in Rajasthan.
The Bangladeshi writer left Kolkata for Jaipur Thursday evening after Kolkata Police warned her of a possible attack. Later, the writer left the Pink City and moved towards Delhi by road Friday morning.
Commonwealth suspends Pakistan, India reacts cautiously
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS
Kampala : The Commonwealth suspended Pakistan for stifling democracy, after overcoming differences within, triggering a furious reaction from Pakistan and a cautious response from India Friday.
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) announced hours before the Commonwealth summit opened here Friday morning that it was dropping Pakistan from the Councils of the Commonwealth "pending the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in that country".
Violence will affect Bengal economy
By IANS
Kolkata : The rioting in Kolkata and the season of unrest over Nandigram preceding it will impact economic progress of West Bengal in the long run, the city's business community feels.
Kolkata, Jaipur and now Taslima moves to Delhi
By IANS
Jaipur : Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen left for Delhi by road Friday, a day after she came here from Kolkata following snowballing protests over her stay in India.
According to sources, Nasreen was escorted by police as she left this Rajasthan capital. When media personnel tried to follow her vehicle, police put barricades on the Jaipur-Delhi highway and asked them not to follow her.
Man shoots lover’s mother, uncle before killing self
By IANS
Mumbai : A businessman from Orissa who was spurned by a model he was in love with killed her mother and uncle before shooting himself early Friday at Andheri in northwest Mumbai.
Oshiwara police station senior inspector Kiran Sonawane said the 22-year-old businessman, Avinash Bhupen Patnaik, was in love with upcoming model Moon Dass. They first met when Moon had gone to Orissa to perform at a New Year party this year and later started seeing each other.
Indian media and entertainment close to large-scale evolution
By Frederick Noronha, IANS
Panaji : India's media and entertainment industry is close to a "large-scale, game-changing evolution" due to the use of digital technology, growth of home entertainment, new distribution media like Internet and IPTV, and the growing global appeal of Indian movies, says a new report released here.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) had commissioned international management consultants A.T. Kearney to provide insights on "actual business models that will emerge" within the media and entertainment sector.
CRPF boss leaves Nandigram in a huff
By IANS
Nandigram (West Bengal) : The man sent by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to restore calm in Nandigram, Deputy Inspector General Alok Raj, has left the trouble-torn area, apparently frustrated by the state police's "partisan role".
Exasperated with the West Bengal police, Raj left Nandigram in a huff Thursday, said sources.
Assam’s first eco-friendly power plant set up
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Guwahati : An environment-friendly power station fuelled by rice husk and bamboo dust is being set up in Assam, one of the first such facilities in India to use 'green' power.
The plant set up at village Bangthai in Morigaon district, about 60 km from Assam's main city of Guwahati, is expected to generate power within 18 to 20 months.
"Locally available rice husks and abundant bamboo wastes from two paper mills in the state would be used for generating energy on a small scale," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS Thursday.
British universities forge new ties with Indian institutes
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : In the latest example of British universities collaborating with Indian institutions, the University of Ulster and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, have begun working on developing intelligent robotic devices to help severely disabled people become independent.
I want global focus on plight of widows: Raj Loomba
By Arvind Padmanabhan, IANS
New Delhi : Empowering widows and educating their children have been the life's mission for Britain-based social entrepreneur Raj Loomba, who had lost his father early and endured hardship along with his mother and siblings.
Today, as the Pushpa Wati Loomba Trust in memory of his mother celebrates 10 years, his singular mission is to get the United Nations to recognise June 23 as the International Widows' Day, in order to create awareness and ensure sustained action about their cause.
After Uphaar, 2,500 more fire traps in Delhi
By Sahil Makkar, IANS
New Delhi : The Uphaar fire 10 years ago still smoulders. But things have got no better in the years since the cinema hall tragedy with more than 2,500 high-rise buildings in the capital awaiting a similar fate.
"Since January, we have sent notices to 2,506 building owners or authorities for violating security norms prescribed under the fire safety acts," said Deputy Fire Chief A.K. Sharma.
Manmohan Singh in Uganda for Commonwealth summit
By IANS
Kampala : Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday arrived in Ugandan capital Kampala to participate in the 53-nation Commonwealth summit.
The prime minister, who returned to New Delhi Tuesday from Singapore after attending the India-Asean summit, was expected to hold a string of bilateral meetings with Commonwealth leaders.
President calls for ensuring energy security
By IANS
New Delhi : India must harness alternative sources of power generation including nuclear energy if it is to ensure energy security and achieve the goal of sustainable development, President Pratibha Patil said Thursday.
"We will need a new paradigm of energy security to address our development goals - this would imply not only assured supply of energy to our vast population, but also energy that is environment-friendly and leads to sustainable development.
Court pulls up Delhi’s unrecognised schools
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Thursday expressed its concern over mushrooming of unrecognised primary schools in the capital without proper infrastructure, water supply and sanitary facilities.
A division bench headed by Justice T.S. Thakur and Veena Birbal pulled up the schools while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Social Jurist, an NGO, which demanded the regulation of unrecognised schools.
India ready to push Middle East peace at Annapolis meet
By IANS
New Delhi : India Thursday said it would offer its "good offices" in the search for a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict at the Nov 27 global conference on the Middle East at Annapolis in the US to which over 40 countries have been invited.
Apex court demands apology from Zee TV
By IANS
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Thursday ordered a private television news channel and its reporter to tender an "unconditional apology" for carrying out a sting operation purportedly aimed at exposing corruption in the judiciary.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice J.M. Panchal sought the apology, rejecting an affidavit filed by Zee TV and its reporter Vijay Shekhar explaining that their intention was to expose corruption in the lower judiciary and they never intended to hurt the image of the judiciary.
Blame school dropouts on poor facilities, say experts
By IANS
New Delhi : Is it the fault of the child or parents when the child decides to drop out of school? Not really. It is poor infrastructure of the schools, especially government schools, that is the real culprit, experts said.
Court reserves order on Delhi’s unlicensed schools
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Thursday reserved its order on the fate of about 10,000 unrecognised and unlicensed schools operating from dingy lanes of the capital without even basic amenities for their 600,000 students.
After hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Social Jurist, an NGO, a division bench headed by Justice T.S. Thakur said the order was reserved and would be pronounced at a later date.
During the last hearing the court had observed that even "dhabas were better than these schools".
Two day Kerala diaspora meet in January
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Thursday said that a two-day diaspora meet would be held at Kochi Jan 2-3 next year.
"The main purpose of this two-day meet is to discuss the various problems facing the thousands of non-resident Keralites (NRK) settled outside the country," Achuthanandan told reporters here.
"The highlights of the two day meet would be the distribution of identity cards of NRKs, which has been a long standing demand."
India offers space data to manage Asia-Pacific calamities
By IANS
Bangalore : India is ready to offer data from its group of satellites to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region for disaster management.
"India will provide appropriate inputs and near real-time data for Asia-Pacific countries and share its expertise with them in setting up disaster management support systems to deal with floods, cyclones, earthquakes and droughts," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman G. Madhavan Nair said here Thursday at a space conference.
Kalam to address Indian Science Conference on Nov 25
By IANS
Bhopal : Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will deliver the valedictory address at the three-day Indian Science Conference that begins here Friday with the objective of using local languages to popularise science and technology.
"The conference on 'Overall scientific management of natural resources for development' is aimed at building public awareness about the practical aspects of science," said state Science and Technology Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.
UN lauds India’s sanitation campaign
By IANS
New Delhi : The Total Sanitation Campaign being run by the Indian government and NGO Sulabh International has been lauded by the UN at the start of the International Year of Sanitation 2008.
Chairman of the UN Secretary General's advisory board on water and sanitation, Prince of Netherlands Willem Alexander said at UN headquarters Wednesday: "In India I saw the positive results of the Total Sanitation Campaign, a good example of social innovation implemented by the government."
CBI probe into irregular allotment of Noida plots upheld
By IANS
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Thursday upheld an order for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the irregular allotment of 1,250 residential plots in Noida to a host of prominent personalities in 2005.
Upholding an October 2005 ruling of the Allahabad High Court, a bench of Justices H.K. Sema and Aftab Alam also endorsed the cancellation of plots and holding of a fresh draw.
Bar council cannot impose age limit for lawyers: court
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Thursday said the Delhi Bar Council cannot impose a rule barring law graduates above 45 years from enrolling for practising legal profession in the capital's courts.
While disposing of a petition challenging the bar council's decision, a bench headed by Justice Vikramajit Sen said the lawyers' body had withdrawn the circular and therefore the decision could not be implemented.
Council chairman K.K. Manan appearing in person submitted a copy of the circular before the bench.
Smog forces cancellation of Red Arrows air show
By IANS
New Delhi : Heavy smog over the capital and its adjoining areas has forced cancellation of an aerobatic display by the famed Red Arrows team of the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The show was to be held at the Hindon Air Force Base in adjacent Ghaziabad Saturday.
"The Red Arrows team arrived here on Thursday but after studying the weather conditions, their leader says it is not feasible to fly due to the heavy smog in the air," said an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer.
The IAF was facilitating the display.
Plotting a dog’s death: Peta goes to police
By IANS
Mumbai : Drop them from building tops, run them over with your car - are just some of the ways dog-hating members of Orkut say they want to kill them while socialising online. Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has now complained to the police.
Peta accused Orkut, the social networking site, of promoting cruelty to animals and has demanded action against it by cyber cells of the government.
Peta has written to the Mumbai police and complained that among topics discussed on Orkut community sites was "I hate dogs".
Tripura asks BSF to ‘show restraint’
By IANS
Agartala : Days after the Border Security Force (BSF) allegedly shot dead three people, including two Bangladeshis, along the India-Bangladesh border, the Tripura government Thursday asked the paramilitary force to "show restraint" while guarding the border.
"Our police chief has already spoken to the BSF authorities and conveyed the state government's views not to open fire unless the situation gets out of hand," Chief Minister Manik Sarkar told newspersons here.
Telugu actress Arti marries NRI; media person attacked
By IANS
Hyderabad : Popular Telugu actress Arti Agarwal tied the knot with an Indian American banker at a hush-hush wedding here during which a photojournalist was allegedly attacked by her family members.
Arti, who was born in New Jersey, married Ujwal Kumar at an Arya Samaj temple in Secunderabad Wednesday evening. Kumar works with an American bank in New Jersey. Family members of the bride and groom were present at the simple ceremony but film industry people were conspicuously absent and the media was not invited.
Investor confidence on wind energy soars
By IANS
New Delhi : The growth recorded in wind power generation in the country in recent years is a reflection of the growing investors' confidence in this renewable energy source, says K.P. Sukumaran, advisor to the ministry of new and renewable energy.
While addressing a one-day conference on renewable energy organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here Thursday, Sukumaran said that generation capacity in wind power was currently being added at the rate of 1,700 MW every year compared to just 200 MW a year four years ago.
Trend setting FIR but tame verdict in Uphaar case
By Rana Ajit, IANS
New Delhi : The verdict of a Delhi court which found real estate barons Gopal and Sushil Ansal guilty of mere negligence in causing the Uphaar fire a decade ago is trite, compared to the path breaking first information report (FIR) registered by the Delhi Police.
Bihar Dalits yet to taste the fruits of development
By IANS
Patna : The poorest of the Dalits, called Maha Dalits in Bihar, are yet to taste the fruits of development, says a report by the state's Maha Dalit Commission.
The first interim report, which was submitted to the state government Tuesday, said there have been no Maha Dalit high school teachers or senior officials in the state despite reservations in government jobs for them.
‘Russians should learn humanity from Indians’
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The Indian experience can go a long way in resolving the problems of modern Russia, says a Russian academician, adding that his countrymen should learn humanitarian values and love for one another from the Indians.
The comment was made by historian Yevgeny Rashkovsky during an interview with RIA Novosti on the sidelines of a recently-held seminar here on India, titled "Religious and Spiritual Values of India in Ancient and Modern Times".
Manmohan Singh leaves for Commonwealth summit
By IANS
New Delhi : Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday left for the Ugandan capital Kampala to take part in the 53-nation Commonwealth summit.
The prime minister, who returned late Tuesday from Singapore after attending the India-Asean summit, is also expected to hold a string of bilateral meetings with Commonwealth leaders.
Police register complaint against Kaif
By IANS
Chandigarh : The police registered a complaint against cricketer Mohammed Kaif here Thursday for allegedly assaulting a photojournalist outside a cinema hall Wednesday evening.
The photojournalist alleged that Kaif manhandled him and snatched his digital camera after the journalist had clicked his photographs outside a cinema hall in Sector 34, where the cricketer had gone to watch a movie Wednesday evening.
Kaif was in the city for a Ranji Trophy match.
Sentencing in Uphaar case Friday
By IANS
New Delhi : A city court will pronounce sentences on the 12 convicts, including real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal, in the Uphaar cinema hall fire tragedy case Friday afternoon.
After hearing the arguments from both sides Thursday, Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal said she would pronounce the sentences at 3 p.m. Friday. The 1997 fire in the south Delhi cinema hall had claimed 59 lives.
Blueline runs over school student, toll 107
By IANS
New Delhi : A speeding Blueline bus Thursday knocked down a Class 8 schoolboy in north Delhi, making him this year's 107th victim of the capital's notorious 'killer fleet'.
Nakul, 13, a student of Balak Ram Higher Secondary School, was crushed under the wheels of the Blueline bus, plying on Route No 108 between Hari Nagar and Nehru Vihar, while he was crossing the road at the Wazirabad traffic signal around 8 a.m.
Police said the victim was admitted to the Sushrut Trauma Centre, where he succumbed to his head injuries.
Bihar police to re-open arms theft case
By IANS
Patna : The Bihar Police Thursday announced the reopening of an investigation into the theft of five self-loading rifles (SLRs) and a Insas rifle from the armoury of the 6th battalion of the Bihar Military Police (BMP) in Muzaffarpur district last year.
Deputy Inspector General (Tirhut range) Arvind Pandey said he has ordered the re-opening of the case and announced a reward of Rs.100,000 for anyone providing information about arms stolen from the BMP armoury at Muzaffarpur, about 70 km from here.
Relatives of Telugu actress held for attacking scribe
By IANS
Hyderabad : Three relatives of actress Arti Agarwal were arrested for allegedly assaulting a television reporter during her hush-hush wedding to an Indian American here Wednesday. They were released after they apologised to the media.
Within hours of Arti's marriage, Gandhinagar police arrested her father Shashank, brother Akash and sister Aditi for allegedly pushing and beating up a reporter.
Cambridge to launch scholarship in Manmohan Singh’s name
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : In a unique honour to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his Cambridge alma mater St. John's will launch a scholarship in his name in New Delhi next week to help spot and develop potential Indian leaders in the fields of science and technology, economics and the social sciences.
The privately funded Manmohan Singh Scholarship will send three deserving, means-tested scholars every year to St. John's College, Cambridge University, where a young Singh read economics and won the Wright's Prize for distinguished performance in the mid-1950s.
Sentencing in Uphaar case to be announced Friday
By IANS
New Delhi : The sentencing of those convicted in the Uphaar fire case will be pronounced Friday at 3 p.m., a Delhi court announced.
Twelve people, including real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal, were convicted in the case Tuesday. The fire in the South Delhi cinema hall on June 13, 1997 had killed 59 people.
Lawyers want harsher punishment for causing death by negligence
By Kanu Sarda and Rana Ajit, IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi court verdict which held the Ansal brothers guilty of negligence in causing the Uphaar fire claiming 59 lives a decade ago has triggered demands for harsher punishment to those who cause deaths by rash and careless acts.
In the Uphaar fire tragedy case, the Ansal brothers Gopal and Sushil were convicted Tuesday under section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on charges which pertain to causing death by a rash and negligent act.
Indians among top failed asylum seekers deported from Britain
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Britain deported 3,120 failed asylum seekers between July and September this year. India was one of the top five nations whose citizens were on the list, official figures show.
Asylum applications from Indian citizens usually fail because the country is not considered dangerous. Figures published by the Home Office reveal that the top five nationalities of failed asylum seekers during the period were India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Serbia and Turkey.
Kashmiris suffer due to dry spell, extreme cold
By F. Ahmed, IANS
Srinagar : The worst part of winter is yet to start in Jammu and Kashmir but people are already shivering with night temperatures falling three degrees below freezing point. Many are in the grip of influenza.
Clear night skies have helped the falling temperatures and, according to meteorological experts, the weather is likely to remain dry for at least another fortnight.
Uphaar fire – trend-setting FIR leads to trite verdict
By Rana Ajit, IANS
New Delhi : By holding building barons Gopal and Sushil Ansal guilty of mere negligence in triggering the Uphaar fire a decade ago, a Delhi court has delivered a trite verdict compared to the trend-setting first information report (FIR) registered by the Delhi Police.
Climate change tops Chinese premier’s address at East Asia summit
By Xinhua
Singapore : Climate change and environmental issues took center stage during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's address at a regional summit here Wednesday.
Wen, who was in Singapore attending the 3rd East Asia Summit, outlined China's views and position on climate change and its measures to tackle the problem.
The Chinese premier called climate a global issue and urged countries to work together to address the issue.
Assam to breed gharials to boost their numbers
By Sanjeeb Baruah, IANS
Guwahati : With only 189 gharials left in the wild in India and Nepal, conservationists are stepping in. A captive breeding programme is to be launched for the crocodile-like reptile in the Manas national park of Assam.
The Bodo Territorial Council (BTC), which administers four districts in lower Assam, is planning the project, a senior BTC official said. This is the first time gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) will be bred in captivity in Assam.
Education ministers of 14 Asian countries to visit Delhi
By Prashant K. Nanda, IANS
New Delhi : Education ministers of 14 Asian countries will be in the Indian capital to participate in the Global Literacy Conference next week and promote literacy, especially among women.
The two-day global meet beginning Nov 29 is being organised by India's Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) and Unesco.
India, IAEA start talks for nuclear safeguards pact
By IANS
Vienna/New Delhi : India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Wednesday began crucial talks on finalising a safeguards agreement that will bring 14 Indian civilian nuclear reactors under global watch, clearing a key step for New Delhi's nuclear deal with Washington.
Anil Kakodkar, chief of India's Atomic Energy Commission, met IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei at the UN nuclear watchdog's headquarters in Vienna for half an hour.
Indian ambassador to the IAEA Sheel Kant Sharma accompanied Kakodkar to ElBaradei's office.