Politics

Hundreds of rescued people leave flood ravaged J and K even as Army works to restore connectivity

SRINAGAR/ POONCH, Sep 13 (ANI): Hundreds of evacuees boarded an aircraft on Saturday to leave the flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir, as rescue operations continued on war-footing to pull out the victims. Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh said 130,000 people have been rescued from the flood-hit region while 200 lost their lives. The Indian army has deployed about 30,000 troops for rescue and relief operations and soldiers distributed 224,000 litres of water and food to survivors. Many people praised the Indian army on social media for its rescue and relief efforts, but others vented their anger at delays in getting help to survivors.

Sep 13, 2014

Political parties demand strict action against NCP's Laxmanrao Dhobale if rape allegations true

New Delhi/ Mumbai, Sep 13 (ANI): Political leaders on Saturday demanded strict action against NCP MLA Laxmanrao Dhobale if rape allegations against him are proved to be true. A case has been registered against Dhobale after a woman leveled allegations of rape against the leader. According to reports, the woman, who is employed as a clerk in the Dhobale's Nalanda University, has accused him of raping her on three occasions. She also said that Dhobale had threatened to kill her. NCP leader Nawab Malik said that if the allegations are proved to be true, Dhobale should be arrested and required actions should be taken against him and that the NCP won't interfere in the matter. Congress leader Barkha Shukla also followed the suit. BJP leader Shaina NC demanded strict actions against the accused leader.

Sep 13, 2014

Former MP Mahant Avaidyanath passes away after prolonged illness

Gorakhpur, Sep 13 (ANI): Former MP Mahant Avaidyanath, who had been at the forefront of the Ram Temple movement in Ayodhya, passed away in Gorakhpur city of Uttar Pradesh, after battling a prolonged illness for the past few months. Avaidyanath, guru of BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, took his last breath Friday night. He was admitted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon and brought back to Gorakhpur on Friday evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing away of Avaidyanath. He tweeted saying, "Saddened over the demise of Mahant Avaidyanath ji. He will be remembered for his patriotic zeal and determined efforts to serve society."

Sep 13, 2014

Japanese visitors advice residents of Varanasi to keep it clean

Varanasi, Sept 13 (ANI): A group of Japanese tourists visiting the temple city of Varanasi suggested that the collective effort of the residents will help the presently littered city become clean and tidy. This group travelling from Patna to Varanasi felt that the filth in Varanasi needs to be cleared off at once. One of the tourists, Aijwa, travelling with the group, said that the residents should not allow their city to be littered. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, recently visited Japan and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. As a part of this MoU, Japan has agreed to work towards the heritage conservation and modernisation of Varanasi. The Tourist guide traveling with this group, Santosh, said that his guests were very unhappy with the filth they saw all over the town.

Sep 13, 2014

DUSU elections: Counting of votes begins, results to be out by noon

New Delhi, Sep 13 (ANI): The counting of votes for the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections started on Saturday and the results are expected to be announced by noon. The polling for the students union in two prestigious universities, the Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) took place yesterday.

Sep 13, 2014

J and K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announces relief package for flood victims

Srinagar, Rajouri, Sept 13 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah announced a total package of Rs 200 crore for the state after it was hit by the worst floods in the last 60 years which claimed more than 200 lives in the region, besides causing immense loss of property. Omar announced a package of Rs 100 crore each to the Jammu and Kashmir division for relief and rehabilitation activities. He said Rs 3.5 Lakh will be given to the family members of those who died in the disaster. Abdullah also announced financial assistance of Rs. 75,000 as initial installment for those who lost their homes and free ration for six months. Meanwhile, Air Force helicopters were dropping relief materials to far flung areas in Rajouri district of the state which was cut-off for the last 10 days.

Sep 13, 2014

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announces relief package for flood victims

Sep 13, 2014

SC allows Italian marines to go home on health grounds for 4 months

New Delhi /Kochi, Sept 13 (ANI): SC lawyer KTS Tulsi said Italian marine, Massimiliano Latorre, facing murder charges for killing Indian fishermen, was allowed to go home as he was ill and there was no progress in the case. The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha said the order would be effective only after the Italian marine has filed an "unequivocal and unambigous undertaking" on his return to India upon the completion of four months. The marines, Latorre and Salvatore Girone, part of a military security team protecting a tanker from piracy are accused of shooting two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in February 2012. The two men deny killing anyone or aiming directly at the fishing boat. They are on bail but cannot leave India. Meanwhile, president of Kerala TUCI Charles George condemned the decision of the apex court.

Sep 13, 2014

Bypolls: Voting begins for 3 Lok Sabha, 33 Assembly seats

Lucknow/ Moradabad/ Kolkatta/ Vadodra, Sept 13 (ANI): Polling for three Lok Sabha and 33 Assembly seats is currently underway across 10 states with the results crucial for both the ruling BJP-led NDA government as well as the opposition parties who are yet to recover from the massive defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Voters began to queue up on Saturday at polling stations for the by-poll in Uttar Pradesh's one Lok Sabha and 11 assembly constituencies. Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the main contenders in most of the assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha seat.Voting is also underway for the Chowringhee and Basirhat (South) assembly constituencies in West Bengal.Voting for the Antagarh assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh also began today.Polling for Gujarat's one Lok Sabha and nine assembly by-polls is underway too.The Vadodara Lok Sabha seat was vacated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was elected to the parliament from two places, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.Voters queue up in Telangana too for polling.

Sep 13, 2014

British envoy keen for partnership in manufacturing sector with India

New Delhi, Sept 13 (ANI): British envoy to India said that there is scope for partnership in working towards developing both countries into manufacturing hubs. The British High Commissioner, James Bevan, paid a visit to Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Kalraj Mishra in New Delhi. After the meeting, Bevan said that Britain, too, attached a lot of importance to the MSME sector and added that he felt there is a lot of scope for partnership between the two countries in this sector. Mishra said that both of them had discussed about making India a manufacturing hub on the lines of 'Make in India, made in India' which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned during the Independence Day speech at the historic Red Fort on August 15.

Sep 13, 2014

Yuvraj Singh to Bat for BJP in Haryana?

The famous batsman reportedly met party chief Amit Shah in Delhi on Friday.

Sep 13, 2014

India, according to Dr. Roach, is in a more serious problem beginning with its fiscal policy setting which holds the government in a tight bind.

High-Stake Polls: Voting begins for 3 Lok Sabha and 33 Assembly Seats across 10 states

The spotlight is on the 'Modi wave' and whether it will sweep the elections like it did in the general elections in May

Sep 13, 2014

JandK Floods: Safe victims share traumatic experience

Mumbai/ Srinagar, Sept 13 (ANI): In their moment of rejoice, the victims who after undergoing the nightmare of being stranded in the Kashmir floods, returned to the safety and embrace of their loved ones in Mumbai. Nearly 200 people have been reportedly killed and thousands have been left stranded or homeless in one of the devastating floods that hit Jammu and Kashmir. People shared their traumatic experience in the floods. Some said that the situation was rather grim whereas others were of the view that besides the army, the locals were also very supportive to the stranded flood victims. On his return, one of the victims Vikas Agrawal, attributed his safe return to the selfless help by a local travel agent. The Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai witnessed poignant and emotional moments as anxious people saw their friends and family return after experiencing a natural disaster that has shaken up the entire nation.

Sep 13, 2014

Floods in Pakistani Kashmir leave over 140,000 homeless

Authorities blast holes in a strategic dyke to divert the turbid brown floodwaters away from Multan, a city of two million inhabitants and the nerve centre of Pakistan's cotton and textiles industry, a vital export earner. Duration: 00:44

Sep 13, 2014

Cuba offers to send 165 to Ebola-affected Africa

The worst-ever outbreak of Ebola fever has now killed more than 2,400 people, according to the UN, as Cuba pledged the largest foreign medical team deployed so far in the west African health crisis. Duration: 01:18

Sep 13, 2014