Politics

Jharkhand will benefit more if it gets a full-majority government: Narendra Modi

Ranchi, Aug 21 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday urged the people of Jharkhand to elect a government with full majority in upcoming assembly elections in order to ensure development for the state. Modi flew into Ranchi to inaugurate the transmission line of the Power Grid Corp of India Ltd (PGCIL) situated at Bero in Ranchi.

Aug 21, 2014

Pakistan_s anti-government protesters hope demands are met, after talks begin

Islamabad, Aug 21 (ANI): Supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan and populist cleric Tahir ul-Qadri were hopeful and determined on Thursday, after their leaders opened negotiations with the Pakistani government, in an effort to end protests against the prime minister and overcome a political impasse. The announcement on Wednesday (August 20) came the day after Pakistan_s powerful military said the two sides should engage in dialogue and warned that key government institutions were under its protection. Former cricket star Khan and cleric Tahir ul-Qadri, who controls a network of Islamic schools and hospitals, have been leading protests in the capital Islamabad since August 15. Both want Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign over allegations of corruption and election rigging. Sharif, who won the last election by a landslide, has refused to step down.

Aug 21, 2014

Aamir Khan releases PK_s 2nd Poster

Mumbai, August 21 (ANI): After creating sensation with the first poster, the makers of Aamir Khan Starrer _PK_ launched its second poster in the showbiz capital Mumbai. The new poster shows Khan wearing traditional Rajasthani attire. He_s also sporting dark glasses and holding onto a brass tenor. On the occasion Khan spoke about their promotional strategy behind poster campaign. Directed by Raj Kumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Siddharth Roy Kapoor, _PK_ is set to be released on December 19 this year.

Aug 21, 2014

Pak SC Refuses to Clear Protesters from Constitutional Avenue; Imran Khan Suspends Talks with Govt

The five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk said clearing protesters is the government's job.

Aug 21, 2014

Goa CM clarifies his controversial _negro_ statement

Panaji, Aug 21 (ANI): Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday clarified his much controversial statement calling the Africans as _negro_. Parrikar said that the statement was written by the clerks who did not know the word could mean in an offensive manner. He also tendered an apology if the statement had hurt the sentiments of someone. He further said that the mistake can be corrected at a later time.

Aug 21, 2014

Incidents of rape cost billions to tourism industry, says Finance Minister

New Delhi, Aug 21 (ANI): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took on rapes terming country_s tourist sector as _underachieved_ and said such incidents have cost billions of dollars to the tourism industry. While addressing a conference of state tourism ministers in New Delhi on Thursday Jaitley said that due to several reasons, including rapes and law and order situation, the tourism sector is not blooming as much as it should. Jaitley focused on the massive potential India has in tourism and said due to presence of mountains, rivers, forests, beaches, historical monuments, and metro cities in the subcontinent, the country should be overcrowded with tourists. He also said that India_s domestic transport system - roads and railways - and international transport is not upto the mark and needs to be improved tremendously. He laid emphasis on lower taxes on hotels and international flights to attract more tourists and hailed Thailand for its tourism policies.

Aug 21, 2014

Film glorifying former PM Indira Gandhi's assassins unfortunate: Rashid Alvi

New Delhi, Aug 21 (ANI): Congress leader Rashid Alvi said on Thursday that glorifying former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassins through a film is unfortunate and should be placed in the category of restricted viewing, if at all, by the government. A Punjabi film, Kaum De Heere, allegedly portrays the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Aug 21, 2014

Soren Booed after Hooda; Congress CMs to Boycott Modi

Repeated jeering by BJP supporters has pushed Congress Chief Ministers to avoid sharing the stage with Modi at any event

Aug 21, 2014

Indian army will take action against Pakistans ceasefire violation: Jaitley

New Delhi/ Jammu & Kashmir, Aug 21 (ANI): Defence Minister, Arun Jaitley, on Thursday said Indian army was prepared to answer continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops. Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling throughout Sunday night (August 17) in Arnia district and R S Pura area. About 20 of India's Paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) outposts were affected during the fire. However, troops maintained restrain and retaliated.

Aug 21, 2014

Four workers burnt alive in fire at plastic godown in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Aug 21 (ANI): At least four workers were burnt alive in a major fire that broke out at a scrap plastic godown in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district in the wee hours of Thursday. Though fire fighters were able to rescue a few people including the watchman, the four victims, all workers, officials say were trapped in a small room in the middle of a near 100-foot-long yard. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Aug 21, 2014

Israeli Air Strike Kills 3 Top Hamas Commanders Moments Before 'Terrorist Attack'

An Israeli air strike has killed three senior Hamas military commanders in the Gaza strip on Thursday.

Aug 21, 2014

RSS wants all post-1947 secret files made public, politicos react

New Delhi, Aug 21 (ANI): Political leaders on Thursday reacted over the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh’s (RSS) demand that all official papers of Independent India to be declassified. Recently, the BJP-led NDA government refused to declassify a report on India’s worst military defeat at the hands of China in 1962. When it was in the opposition, the BJP had asked for the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat report, which clinically analyses reasons for India’s humiliation, to be made public.

Aug 21, 2014

SC to hear PILs challenging judicial appointments bill on August 25

New Delhi, Aug 21 (ANI): The Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill on Monday. The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha said that the matter would be heard along with other similar petitions listed for hearing on Monday.

Aug 21, 2014

AIIMS removes CVO Sanjiv Chaturvedi from post

New Delhi, Aug 21 (ANI): All India Institute of Medical Sciences has removed Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi of the Haryana cadre from the post of chief vigilance officer (CVO), despite the fact that his appointment order fixed his tenure at four years till June 2016. In an order issued last week, the charge of CVO, AIIMS, was handed over to the CVO of the Health Ministry for three months. Meanwhile, BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that it is an administrative decision and there should be no politics over it.

Aug 21, 2014

Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan Won't Share Stage With PM, politicos react

New Delhi, Aug 21 (ANI): Political leaders on Thursday reacted over Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan’s statement that he would not share the stage with PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Nagpur Metro. The decision has reportedly been prompted by last week's heckling of Chavan by BJP activists at a function attended by Modi in Raigad. On Tuesday, Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had a similar experience when he was heckled by BJP activists shouting pro-Modi slogans at a function in Kaithal.

Aug 21, 2014