Politics

Residents await completion of National Highway in J and K

Srinagar, Dec 26 (ANI): Residents of Jammu and Kashmir pinned hopes on early completion of national highway, which will connect them to rest of the country and ease traffic congestion. The construction work on four-lane National Highway 44 is going on in full swing in Srinagar city, despite intense cold conditions. Residents say they are suffering from regular traffic congestions and even road mishaps have become frequent. Traffic is forced to take detours down single-lane service tracks. The cost of this project is in millions and the authorities are eyeing to complete it before summers.

Dec 26, 2014

Jammu and Kashmir Government Formation: No Deal with BJP, says Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah has downrightly denied that National Conference is holding talks with the BJP on government formation in J&K.

Dec 26, 2014

Survivor recounts horror of 2004 tsunami

Andy Chaggar was on holiday with his partner Nova Mills when the Indian Ocean tsunami smashed into their beachside bungalow 10 years ago. He never saw Nova again. He since set up a charity to help people affected by natural disasters.

Dec 26, 2014

Families grieve tsunami victims, ten years on

Ten years after the tsunami which killed more than 200,000 people in Southeast Asia, families across the world are still coming to terms with their loss.

Dec 26, 2014

Indians celebrate Christmas with fervour across country

Kolkata/ Ranchi/ Raipur/ New Delhi, Dec 25 (ANI): People across India thronged churches on Thursday morning to celebrate Christmas as the festivity gripped the country. The winter festival draws people from all communities to participate with pomp and gaiety. People arrived in churches for special midnight prayers on the Christmas Eve and then attended the morning prayers to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. People, drowned in festive mood, visited the decked up churches, wearing Santa caps, offered prayers and greeted each other on the season's festival in Raipur. Churches in Ranchi city were decorated as people were seen praying to Jesus on the occasion. Greeting people on the occasion, Reverend Father Maria Susai of New Delhi's Sacred Heart Cathedral said he was praying for the country.

Dec 25, 2014

Tsunami-hit fishermen in Tamil Nadu continue to struggle with their life

Chennai, Dec 25 (ANI): Life has changed little for thousands of people of the fishing community in Tamil Nadu rattled by a powerful earthquake measuring 9.1 in 2004. While the government has pumped in billions of dollars of money, life is not the same for them. Ten years on, they continue to struggle with their life. Ammaponnu lost everybody in her family, except her daughter when the deadly waves swept away their houses and trawlers. With government's compensation money over, she stares at a bleak future. The tsunami killed around 226,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and nine other countries. A fisherman, Dilli (by one name) has all praise for the government and other agencies for helping them rebuild their life.

Dec 25, 2014

Assam attack: NIA probe has been ordered into the incident, says Rajnath Singh

Guwahati, Dec 25 (ANI): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the attack on innocents in Assam was unfortunate and NIA probe has been ordered to investigate the incident. Singh said that it was definitely an attack planned by militants. He added that the government is not in favor of holding dialogues with such terrorist organizations who kill innocent people violently.

Dec 25, 2014

Acid attack victim's colleague arrested in Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 25 (ANI): The Delhi Police on Thursday arrested a colleague of the woman doctor, who was recently attacked with acid by two bike-borne assailants in Rajouri Garden. The police have also arrested three men, two of them juveniles, for perpetrating the crime. On Tuesday, two men on a motorcycle were captured on CCTV camera throwing acid on a woman doctor while she was driving a scooty. The woman, who reportedly sustained burn injuries on the right side of her face, is currently undergoing treatment in AIIMS. According to reports, the victim works at ESI hospital in Rajouri Garden and lives with her brother in Hari Nagar.

Dec 25, 2014

Party President to decide on Govt formation in J and K, says Arun Jaitley

Jammu, Dec 25 (ANI): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while addressing a press conference after a meeting of the newly-elected MLAs, said that the legislators have authorized BJP President Amit Shah to decide the future course of action on government formation. He added that popularity vote of J and K is with the BJP. The MLAs in the meeting discussed the issue of government formation in a hung House. Jaitley said that there was a consensus within the MLAs that Government should be formed and that Shah should take the final decision on government formation.

Dec 25, 2014

Should be balance between development and good governance for welfare of nation: Sushma Swaraj

Bhopal, Dec 25 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday said that there should be a balance between development and good governance for the welfare of nation. Swaraj said that the government has done a lot in seven moths of its governance to ensure development. She also mentioned about Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna and said that the same gave a new turn to lives of many people. Swaraj also talked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' and said that this will not only better Indian economy but will also provide employment to people.

Dec 25, 2014

PM Modi wields broom in Varanasi to mark 'Good Governance Day'

Varanasi, Dec 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes part in Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan during the visit to his parliamentary constituency as part of Good Governance Day celebrations across nation. During his one day visit to Varanasi, Modi wielded broom at the Assi Ghat and outside near Jagannath temple in the holy city. Modi today also lauded people for helping rid the Assi Ghat of mounds of soil and garbage to restore the historical site to its old glory. He also nominated noted people and institutions for the Clean India Mission. During the visit, Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone for an inter-university centre for teachers' education to be named after Madan Mohan Malviya. Modi is also expected to launch Varanasi Mahotsav.

Dec 25, 2014

Rajnath Singh visits violence-hit Assam as death toll rises to 76

Assam/ New Delhi, Dec 25 (ANI): Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday visited the violence-hit Assam to take stock of the situation where tribal separatists have killed at least 76 people, including women and children, according to latest figures. The first round of attack began on Tuesday where militants fighting for a separate homeland for indigenous Bodo tribesmen targeted plantation workers. Singh is scheduled to hold meetings with senior officials of the state. He will also visit hospitals to meet the injured. Eyewitnesses said a dozen of masked men came and segregated them. The victims of the guerrilla attacks were mostly tea-plantation workers from other parts of India. Meanwhile, police in Assam fired on Wednesday on demonstrators protesting against the killings of dozens of people by tribal guerrillas, killing five of them. Curfew has been imposed in Kokrajhar since Wednesday evening.

Dec 25, 2014

Education apparatus should be for overall personality development not for robot production, says PM

Varanasi, Dec 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid foundation stone of an inter-university centre for teachers' education in Varanasi. The foundation stone laying ceremony was being held at Swatantrata Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University. Modi even paid tribute to Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya at the ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Modi said that the education apparatus can't be one that produces robots and that there must be overall personality development of the students. He added that good education is connected with good teachers.

Dec 25, 2014

Swachh Bharat campaign: Modi nominates more names in Varanasi

Varanasi, Dec 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi as part of nation-wide Good Governance Day celebrations being held by his government. Modi extended his greetings to people of Kashi and nominated few more people for cleanliness drive. Modi nominated India Today Group Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie and India Today Group and several other personalities for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.The other nominees include the Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Acharya, Eenadu Group chief Ramoji Rao, former cricketer Sourav Ganguly, comedian Kapil Sharma, danseuse Sonal Mansingh, former IPS officer and activist Kiran Bedi, Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Mumbai's dabbawallas.

Dec 25, 2014

Northern India continues to shiver under extreme cold wave

Kanpur, Allahabad / Amritsar, Dec 25 (ANI): Northern India continued to shiver under intense cold wave as mercury dipped below normal on Thursday. The cold wave has added troubles to lives of daily wage labourers and vagabond as they have no alternative to fight the chill. One vagabond died due to extreme cold in Kanpur on Wednesday. Meanwhile, devotees took holy dip in River Ganges in Allahabad. Several trains and flights were delayed and rescheduled due to low visibility as thick blanket of fog enveloped several northern cities. A thick blanket of fog enveloped Amritsar, affecting air, rail and road traffic. The minimum temperature hovered around five degrees Celsius.

Dec 25, 2014