Politics

President receives warm welcome on arrival in Vietnam

Vietnam, Sep 15 (ANI): President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, received a warm welcome on arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, on a four-day visit to strengthen bilateral ties. The visit will mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Mukherjee was also given the ceremonial guard of honour. He is scheduled to hold talks with the Vietnam Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung and his counterpart, Truong Tan Sang, on issues of international, regional and bilateral importance. Mukherjee, during the visit, will also gift a sapling of the holy 'Bodhi Tree' to the country to symbolise the strong and growing partnership between India and Vietnam.

Sep 15, 2014

Harsh Vardhan visits flood-hit Kashmir, Omar Abdullah assures relief to people

Srinagar, Sep 15 (ANI): Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan visited a relief camp and a hospital to meet flood victims and take stock of the situation in Srinagar. Vardhan said the government has taken a number of steps to prevent water-borne diseases as water recedes from the residential areas. Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, assured to provide relief and to rescue people stranded in the floods in the valley. Abdullah said paramilitary and defence forces are pressed into service to rescue people stranded on rooftops and to reach them with relief materials including food packets. Meanwhile, Director General (DG) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), OP Singh, said 23 teams of NDRF have been deployed with boats to carry out rescue operations in flood-hit areas.

Sep 15, 2014

Automatic weather observing system inaugurated in flooded Kashmir

New Delhi, Sep 15 (ANI): Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh inaugurated an automatic weather observing system, which will help forecasting much more accurately and before time than old observation tools, in the flooded Jammu and Kashmir state. Talking about the system, LS Rathore, Director General of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said this new system in Katra, will help visitors know about the weather condition beforehand. A special weather forecast is issued by IMD for Amarnath temple pilgrims during the pilgrimage period and same is made available on the IMD website. This has saved the pilgrims from the vagaries of weather en-route to the temple.

Sep 15, 2014

Sikh committee prepares food packets for flood-hit Kashmir

Poonch/ Amritsar, Sep 15 (ANI): The Sikh organisation, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), prepared food packets for the people of flood ravaged Jammu and Kashmir as thousands of families starve. Members of SGPC, the apex religious body of Sikhs, in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir made deep-fried breads and cooking vegetables for the food packets which will be airlifted to Srinagar on Monday. Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Amritsar Airport, Sunil Dutt said 400 tonnes of rice has been sent to Srinagar through the aircrafts of Air Force and they have also initiated a helpline number.

Sep 15, 2014

BJP offers equal number of seats to Shiv Sena for polls in Maharashtra

Pune, Sep 15 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) offered equal number of seats to its key ally, Shiv Sena, for state polls in Maharashtra after nearly concluding seat-sharing talks with four smaller parties. Maharashtra goes to polls on October 15. The BJP and its ally are expected to get majority in 288-member house after 15 years of rule by Congress and its ally. However, the Shiv Sena that had contested large number of seats than BJP in the past is not comfortable with the proposal. BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said they are offering equal number of seats to Shiv Sena and are waiting for the response.

Sep 15, 2014

Ananth Kumar calls for introduction to lifestyle diseases in school curriculum

Bhopal, Sep 15 (ANI): Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Ananth Kumar, asked the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to become the first state in the country to introduce a chapter on lifestyle diseases in school curriculum to combat cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The minister, while addressing a gathering at a workshop on echocardiography, emphasised on the need to create awareness about lifestyle diseases among school students. Chouhan, who was also present at the workshop, said they would like to go ahead with the proposal. Kumar said a pharmaceutical park will also come up in Madhya Pradesh.

Sep 15, 2014

'Terrorism Being Funded by Cow Slaughter', says Maneka Gandhi

Gandhi alleged that funds from illegal animal trade are pumped into terrorism, and called for a ban on export of meat.

Sep 15, 2014

Unemployed youth avail benefits of skill development training in Manipur

Imphal, Sep 15 (ANI): Some 30 unemployed youth are currently undergoing training and designing at the Apparel Training and Designing Centre at Porampat in Imphal East. Launched recently by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, the centre has latest machinery to provide training in garment making. Ministry of Textiles runs ATDC centres across the country whose popularity has reached manifold in the northeast. As of now some 300 youth have taken advantage of these centres in Manipur after the launch in 2013. Apart from basic 2-month course, the Centre provides advanced courses, which includes pattern making and embroidery. The training not only helps unemployed people improve their socio-economic standards but also boosts their self-esteem and confidence. Over the years, the government has been emphasizing on empowering the youth through various schemes and projects.

Sep 15, 2014

British PM threatens IS, following British aid worker murder

Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain was ready to "take whatever steps are necessary" to destroy Islamic State militants after they murdered a British aid worker. Duration: 01:20

Sep 14, 2014

Fresh rain hampers rescue operations in flood-ravaged Kashmir

Fresh rain in Indian Kashmir disruptes rescue operations, a week after deadly floods struck the Himalayan region and then left hundreds of thousands marooned both in India and neighbouring Pakistan. Duration: 00:43

Sep 14, 2014

Rivals bid for votes in 'knife-edge' Scotland referendum

Campaigners for and against Scottish independence scramble for votes ahead of a historic referendum, as a religious leader prayed for harmony after polls showed Scots were almost evenly split. Duration: 01:21

Sep 14, 2014

Eminent educationist Kireet Joshi dies of cancer

New Delhi, Sep 14 (ANI): Eminent educationist and former education adviser to the government of India, Kireet Joshi, passed away on Sunday after battling cancer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing away of Joshi. He tweeted saying, “Saddened by demise of Kireet Joshi. He will be remembered as a fine scholar and educationist, devoted to the principles of Sri Aurobindo. As advisor to Gujarat CM, Kireet Bhai played a key role in setting up of Children's University and Institute of Teacher Education.” Joshi was working for the Aurobindo Mission in Puducherry. He had left his job as Surat assistant collector in 1955 after being inspired by Sri Aurobindo and Mother.

Sep 14, 2014

Animal slaughter no longer about religion, but money: Maneka Gandhi

Jaipur, Sep 14 (ANI): Women and Child development minister Maneka Gandhi on Sunday said that it is shameful that animal slaughtering takes place more than China in India. She further said that milking cows are traded to Bangladesh and middle-east and the money through this trade goes into terrorism. Condemning the act of animal slaughtering and beef trading, she said that the business is no longer about religion but only money.

Sep 14, 2014

Maoists call for strike in Jharkhand collapsing whole transportation system

Latehar, Sep 14 (ANI): Maoist organisation, People’s Liberation Front, called for a shutdown in red corridor of Jharkhand resulting in total collapse of the transportation system in Latehar district on Sunday. No public transport or heavy vehicle were seen plying on the National Highway (NH) 75 and NH 99 passing through the district. Even only a handful of light vehicles were seen on the roads. PLFI called the strike protesting the death of two labourers in the mining. Meanwhile, resident Bansi Singh said people are losing business due to this strike and they are scared of going out of their home and travel. Suspected Maoists blew up a stretch of the railway track between Latehar and Bendi stations in Daltonganj town derailing a goods train late on the night of September 09.

Sep 14, 2014

Early morning visit by rare Thorn rat takes Coimbatore by surprise

Coimbatore, Sep 14 (ANI): The sudden early morning appearance of a rare species of hedgehog, commonly known as Thorn rat, in a residential area on the outskirts of Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu caused much excitement as people came forward to feed and caress it. The thorn rat was rescued by a local villager near Kannampalayam village. A resident, Selvam, who rescued the thorn rat, has already handed over the animal to the Coimbatore zoo authorities. Hedgehogs are nocturnal creatures and, unless ill, are rarely seen out in the day. Most of the night is spent foraging for food and taking short naps.

Sep 14, 2014