Congress leaders feel proud as party marks 130th foundation day

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Congress party, led by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, marked its 130th foundation day on Sunday (December 28). Senior Congress party leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said winning or losing was a small thing against the sacrifices made by the creators of the party during independence. Janardan Dwivedi, also expressed proud to be a part of the party. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi unfurled a flag at party headquarters in New Delhi in presence of several senior leaders. Dec 28, 2014
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PM Modi named 'Person of the Year' by ToI, BJP welcomes

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been named as the 'Person of the Year' by Times of India. The news was welcomed by the BJP leaders. Party Spokesperson Sambit Patra said that it was a welcome decision and soon he will become the international person of the year due to his spreading influence. GVL Narasimha Rao said that PM Modi is becoming popular far and near due to his strong governance policies. Dec 28, 2014
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Political parties gear up for Delhi Elections as PM all set to kickstart campaigning on Jan 10

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Political parties geared up for elections in Delhi even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to kickstart campaigning for the party on January 10. BJP leader Sambit Patra said that Modi will start campaigning and that BJP will surely come to power in the national capital. Congress leader JP Aggarwal said that the party is nowhere behind and is preparing for the assembly elections. AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal also geared up for the polls and said that Delhi is different from other states and there is no 'Modi wave' but 'AAP's wave' here. Dec 28, 2014
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IIT Delhi Director resigns alleging govt pressure, politicos condemn

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Political leaders condemned resignation of IIT-Delhi Director Raghunath K Shevgaonkar two years before the completion of his term. Accoring to reports, Shevgaonkar submitted his resignation alleging government pressure. He was unhappy with a proposal to set up a cricket academy of campus and, over payment of alleged dues to BJP leader and former IIT faculty Subramanian Swamy. Congress leader JP Aggarwal said that when a big personality like him has tendered his resignation, there would be pressure from government over the same. AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal said that government should avoid interfering with such educational institutions. Dec 28, 2014
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BJP and Congress in war of words after Rajnath says govt formation not possible in JandK without BJP

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): BJP and Congress engaged themselves in war of words after Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that a new government in JandK is not possible without the BJP. Congress leader Manish Tewari said that BJP's presence in the state government is not at all important but will prove to be negative for the state. Meanwhile, BJP supporting Singh's statement said that people have given a mandate in favour of BJP and the party respects the same. Sambit Patra said that the party has made clear that it is open for alliance with whichever party offering to come together. Dec 28, 2014
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Justin Bieber buys private jet for himself on Christmas

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Justin Bieber recently bought a private jet for himself this Christmas. The 'Baby' hit maker wished everyone a merry Christmas and posted a picture of his new private plane with its luxurious interior on Instagram, and captioned it as the new jet for Christmas , and it's beautiful, an online portal reported. The Canadian singer's plane comes with shiny paneled walls, cream-colored leather seats and gold pillows with other luxurious features. Dec 28, 2014
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Aviation expert expresses concern over missing AirAsia flight

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Expressing concern over the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, Aviation Expert Harshvardhan on Sunday said it is an extremely worrying situation and prayed to god for the safety of the passengers. He, however, also said that there could be some internal problem but didn't rule out any external problems or the sabotage or such issues. Earlier in the day, AirAsia Indonesia confirmed that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore lost contact with ATC at 07:24 (Surabaya LT). A statement released by Air Asia informed that nationalities of passengers and crew onboard include one from Singapore, one from Malaysia, three from South Korean and 157 Indonesia. Dec 28, 2014
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Northern India under dense fog conditions: IMD

New Delhi, Dec 28 (ANI): Director of Indian Meteorological Department BP Yadav said on Sunday that the entire northern India is under the grip of dense fog conditions. Yadav said that chilly winds from hilly areas continue to lower temperature in areas of Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. He also said that weather during day is colder than expected but at night it is normal. Dec 28, 2014
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Raghubar Das sworn-in as Jharkhand CM; PM Modi skips ceremony due to bad weather

Ranchi, Dec 28 (ANI): BJP leader Raghubar Das was sworn in as the first non-tribal chief minister of Jharkhand on Sunday. He was administered oath of office and secrecy by Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Ranchi. Four cabinet ministers Nilkanth Singh Munda, Chandreswar Prasad Singh, Chandraprakash Choudhary and Louis Marandi were also sworn in along with Raghubar Das. Elaborate arrangements were made for the function which was attended by a host of leaders although Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah were unable to attend the ceremony due to bad weather conditions. Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari were also present at the ceremony. Das, a five-time MLA from Jamshedpur East since 1995, retained the seat this time as well after he defeated Anand Bihari Dubey of the Congress. Dec 28, 2014
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Tourists throng Shimla to enjoy ice skating

Shimla, Dec 28 (ANI): Domestic tourists thronged hill town of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh and enjoyed ice skating. As per reports, it is Asia’s oldest skating clay surface rink and got a natural coating of thick ice for the first time. People, including locals, thronged the rink with their skates and instructors also helped them to skate with ease. A tourist from Delhi, Luv, said he had a wonderful experience of ice skating for the first time. The secretary of the ice skating club in Shimla, Manpreet Singh, said that if sub-zero temperatures continue, the rink will be open for a month. The ice skating club in Shimla was established in 1920 and since then it has been attracting tourists and locals. Dec 28, 2014
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People in Kerala creates world record for largest Santa Claus gathering

Thrissur, Dec 28 (ANI): Largest gathering of people dressed at Santa Claus entered Guinness Book of World Records during an event in Kerala. Total 18,112 people gathered at a place and participated in ‘Buon Natale 2014’ in Thrissur district and broke Northern Ireland’s record of largest gathering of people dressed as Santas. Last year, the event saw 5,000 Santas taking part in it but this year the participants broke the existing record of 13,000 Santa gathering. One of the organisers of the event, Father Injodikkaran, said a cultural programme was organised for the participants and other people. Dec 28, 2014
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PM Modi lauds Guru Gobind Singh's courage as Sikhs celebrate his birth anniversary

New Delhi/ Amritsar/ Patna, Dec 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded Guru Gobind Singh's courage and spirit of sacrifice on his birth anniversary. "The life and ideals of Guru Gobind Singhji inspire eternally. He epitomised ultimate courage and a spirit of sacrifice. I bow to him," the Prime Minister tweeted. Meanwhile, people in Amritsar celebrated the Sikh leader's birthday. They took a dip in the holy pond and sought blessings from the almighty. Guru Gobind Singh formed the Khalsa by selecting five persons from different castes belonging to different regions. He baptised them as Sikhs, thus giving a lesson of casteless society and national integration. Community kitchens are also being organised. Dec 28, 2014
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AirAsia flight QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore missing with 162 on board

London, Dec 28 (ANI): AirAsia flight QZ8501 travelling from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore with 162 people on board has lost contact with air traffic control. The airlines' authorities said in a statement that the rescue operations and search for the flight were being conducted under the guidance of Civil Aviation Authority. An official with the transport ministry said that the plane lost contact over the Java Sea between Surabaya and Singapore. The Air Asia also said in a statement that 162 passengers and crew were onboard of which 1 is from Singapore, 1 from Malaysia, 3 from South Korean & 157 from Indonesia. Dec 28, 2014
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Tourists throng hill resort of Shimla after fresh snowfall

Shimla, Dec 28 (ANI): Revellers are thronging the hill resort of Shimla city after it witnessed fresh spells of snowfall. Shimla, the summer capital during the British Raj, witnesses a rush of tourists during Christmas and New Year. Officials say there has been a significant rush this year with both domestic and foreign tourists visiting Shimla and nearby tourist destinations of Kullu, Manali and Kufri. Tourists, mostly from southern and northern states, visit Shimla to enjoy the cold weather. Vice-Chairman of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board, Vijay Singh Mankotia said hotels were offering discounts to lure the visitors. Most of the budget hotels have full occupancy due to unprecedented rush of the tourists. Dec 28, 2014
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Human skulls, skeletal remains found in Imphal

Imphal, Dec 28 (ANI): Around seven human skulls and other skeletal remains were found while digging a school compound for the construction of a new market complex in Imphal city. The discovery has created a tension among the families whose members have reportedly gone missing in the past few decades. The deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, G. Gaikhangam, said one can reach the conclusion only after thorough investigation. The school which has been shifted to a different locality was housing paramilitary forces and state police commandos before it was brought down for the construction of the market place. General Secretary of Families of the Involuntarily Disappeared’s Association in Manipur, Muhammud Baniyamin, said DNA profiling of the remains would provide the missing link. Dec 28, 2014