Politics

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott welcomes G-20 leaders

Brisbane, Nov 15 (ANI): Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Saturday welcomed all the G-20 leaders as the summit commenced in Brisbane, Australia. Abbott met each leader and shook hands with them as they arrived at the venue for the Summit. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi too was welcomed by the Australian PM after 28 years as Modi greeted him with a warm hug. Modi also had a laughter session with his Australian counterpart as he was welcomed by Abbott at the two day G-20 Summit. This followed a cultural program in welcome of the top leadership. Earlier, Modi had a meeting with the world leaders where he said that repatriation of unaccounted money abroad is a key priority for India.

Nov 15, 2014

Now Sonia, Rahul Gandhi adopt villages, politicos react

New Delhi, Nov 15 (ANI): Followed by Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi have also adopted one village each in their respective constituencies to develop them into model villages. The Congress however denied that the adoption was under the "Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana" launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month.

Nov 15, 2014

PM Modi says repatriation of black money key priority in Brisbane, politicos react

New Delhi, Nov 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that repatriation of black money is a key "priority" for the Indian government at a meeting of the five-nation BRICS group just hours ahead of the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia.

Nov 15, 2014

Forest officials rescue leopard in Gujarat

Junagarh, Nov 15 (ANI): Forest officials recued a leopard in Gujarat after it strayed into a village. Forest officials immediately rushed to Kotanda village in Junagarh district after farmers spot it hiding in a granary. The forest officials captured the wild animal after administering tranquiliser and took it to an animal centre. Instances of wild animals like lions, leopards and tigers straying into residential areas are not a new thing in India.

Nov 15, 2014

PM Narendra Modi meets French President Francois Hollande in Brisbane

Brisbane, Nov 15 (ANI): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met French President Francois Hollande for bilateral talks at the G20 Leaders' Summit in Brisbane, Australia. The G20 summit in Brisbane is focused on boosting world growth, fireproofing the global banking system and closing tax loopholes for giant multinationals. Earlier this year, France had proposed to give India a 1 billion euro ($1.4 billion) credit line to fund sustainable infrastructure and urban development projects. The credit line would be available over three years and would be delivered through the French Development Agency, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius had said on his visit to New Delhi in July. Fabius had said Paris was keen to share technology and industrial development with India in the defence sector.

Nov 15, 2014

P Chidambaram calls for amendments to AFSPA, BJP rejects

New Delhi, Nov 15 (ANI): Former Home Minister P Chidambaram has termed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act as an "obnoxious law" that has no place in a modern, civilized country. He called for amendments to AFSPA. The BJP has dismissed Chidambaram's demand.

Nov 15, 2014

japanese-pm-abe-hosts-dinner-for-pm-modi

Reform Should be People-driven, Simplify Processes: Modi at G20

Modi said repatriation of black money kept abroad was a key priority and called for "close coordination" on the issue.

Nov 15, 2014

It Happens : Book Fair

Jaipur, Nov 14 (ANI): The National Book Fair attracted many avid readers in India's pink city of Jaipur. Visitors thronged the six-day fair, which started, in large numbers and scanned through a plethora of books. According to the retailers, the demand of books by foreign authors surged at the fair and they sold around 60 to 70 percent foreign books. They also said that due to internet and kindle, people preferred e-books more nowadays. Over 160 stalls were set up in which 117 publications took part. Meanwhile, researchers and students preferred books of English writers due to more information and details. Readers said that in this internet age also, many of them preferred paperback or hard bound books. The National Book Fair is considered as the best platform where books in all formats are available. Also the fair raises the possibilities for interaction among the readers, authors, publishers, book-sellers, distributors, librarian and book-lovers.

Nov 15, 2014

It Happens : Tribal Fashion Show

Jharkhand, Nov 14 (ANI): The tribal community of India's Maoist affected eastern state of Jharkhand came alive with a fashion show during their annual Sohrai festival. Tribals celebrated the annual festival with much fanfare in a village near Jamshedpur city which included a fashion show attracting most of the tribal youths. The Sohrai festival, a popular tribal festival of Jharkhand, is associated with cattle and coincides with Diwali, the festival of lights. Cattle and other livestock are washed and worshipped and bullfights staged in various parts of the state for peoples' entertainment. A game of wit and strength is also organized and women worship the cow to the beat of drums played by the tribal men.

Nov 15, 2014

PM Modi wants proposed BRICS Bank to be ready by 2016

Brisbane, Nov 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted India_s strong interest in seeing the proposed BRICS Bank functioning by 2016, and added that New Delhi would soon nominate its candidate for the position of bank president. In his meeting with BRICS leaders, Prime Minister Modi also made a strong pitch for repatriation of unaccounted money stashed abroad as key priority for India and linked the unaccounted money with security challenges. Besides meeting with BRICS leaders, Prime Minister Modi attended the opening ceremony of the G-20 Summit in Brisbane.

Nov 15, 2014

No security anxiety with Bangladesh, says former Indian envoy

Dhaka/ New York, Nov 15 (ANI): Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Muchkund Dubey has said that the improved relation between both the neighbouring countries has resolved the issue of security anxiety. Dubey was addressing a gathering at the Bangladesh High Commissioners’ Summit held in Dhaka organized by University of Dhaka and the India-Bangladesh Foundation on Friday. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, was the chief guest who inaugurated the event. Meanwhile, Ali, said talks with his Indian counterpart, Sushma Swaraj, in June on key bilateral issues, including Land Boundary Agreement and proposed Teesta river water sharing deal, during which the Indian side also raised the matter of illegal immigration, proved to be fruitful. The summit was held at the Senate Hall of the Dhaka University.

Nov 15, 2014

German as third language violates India's education curriculum: Smriti Irani

New Delhi, Nov 15 (ANI): Education Minister, Smriti Irani has said that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Kendriya Vidyalaya in 2011 which includes German as the third language, was violation of the national curriculum framework. According to media reports, from now on, no Kendriya Vidyalaya will teach German. Instead, children will have to opt for the Sanskrit language. However, Irani said that German has not been removed entirely, adding that now the language shall be taught under the 'foreign language' category. Meanwhile, German ambassador to India, Michael Steiner, hoped that a decision would be taken in the interest of students and both the nations. With increasing globalization, more and more Indian children are opting for a foreign language at school level.

Nov 15, 2014

Expatriate Indians hail PM Modi for raising black money issue at G-20 Summit in Brisbane

Brisbane, Nov 15 (ANI): Expatriate Indians on Saturday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising black money issue at the G-20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia. Indians living in Australia said that it is great honour to have Indian PM in the country after 28 years and remained hopeful that India will go in positive direction under Modi's leadership. Meanwhile, the NRIs demanded PM Modi to grant dual citizenship for them so that they too can contribute to India's development in a number of ways. PM Modi raised the issue of black money while in meeting at G-20 Summit and said that 'repatriation of unaccounted money abroad is a key priority for India'.

Nov 15, 2014

Police seal drug company linked to sterilization camp deaths

Raipur, Nov 15 (ANI): The Chhattisgarh Police have sealed the drug company linked to sterilization camp deaths in Chhattisgarh and detained the owner. Mahawar Pharmaceuticals, run from an upscale residential street in capital Raipur, is now at the centre of a probe for more than a dozen deaths in Chhattisgarh after 83 women were sterilized at a government-run family planning camp. More victims arrived at hospitals from villages in Bilaspur district, about 100 km from Raipur, on Thursday and Friday, a doctor at the district's main public hospital said. The factory owners, Sumit and Rajesh Mahawar deny there was anything wrong with their medicines. Inspector General of Police, Raipur, GP Singh said the investigation of the drug samples of the company was underway.

Nov 15, 2014

Development and Good Governance to be BJP campaign agenda for Kashmir assembly polls: Jitendra Singh

Jammu, Nov 15 (ANI): India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to start campaigning for the upcoming Kashmir polls with the agenda of development and good governance for the state. After winning the biggest national mandate in 30 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP has launched its most audacious election project yet - to win power in Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir and integrate the disputed region fully into India. Minister of States in the PMO, Jitendra Singh and General Secretary of BJP, Ram Madhav addressed mediapersons in Jammu. The BJP will also be providing its election manifesto in a few days. Singh said the state was being ruled by certain corrupt families. Singh also added the locals have finally got a chance to vote for good party.

Nov 15, 2014