Timeline Refresh
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to fight "terrorists until their complete annihilation", in his first comment on two suicide attacks in the southern city of Volgograd. The attacks, on Sunday and Monday, claimed a total of 34 lives.
Thousands of police are patrolling public transport and checking traffic in the city following the attacks, which injured some 60 people. The first victim has been buried - a policeman killed at the train station. No group has said it carried out the attacks, which Russian investigators believe are connected. They are similar to previous indiscriminate attacks by Islamist militants operating from the North Caucasus.
"Kejriwal has got his desired (CM's) post. He has achieved this position by hijacking Anna Hazare's movement. He used Anna's anti-corruption movement to reach there," the yoga guru told reporters on the sidelines of a programme organised by Bhartiya Swabhiman Trust.
"If he had to fight against corruption, he should have done that by remaining in the government set-up as IAS officer Ashok Khemka has done. Kejriwal had not done anything like Khemka, who has exposed corruption case against the son-in-law of Congress' leader while remaining in government service," Ramdev said.
Highly placed sources in the government said the Lok Sabha secretariat sent to the Law Ministry late this evening a copy of the Bill which has been signed by Speaker Meira Kumar.
The Bill was then forwarded to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the President's assent, the sources said.
As per the laid down procedure, the House of Parliament which passes the Bill last sends an authenticated copy to the government which includes the official amendments.
While the Rajya Sabha had passed the amended Lokpal Bill on December 17, the Lok Sabha passed the measure the next day.
"During a meeting here today it was decided that first meeting of the two leaders would be held in Bareilly on January 13 and another one in western UP on February 1," BJP's chief spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.
He said that during the meeting detailed disussions were held on the future programmes of the party by national general secretary and UP incharge Amit Shah.
The meeting was chaired by the state president Laxmi Kant Bajpai. Bajpai later said a discussion was held on the fund raising campaign and it was decided that it would be launched from March 31.
"Z-plus security cover is provided to the Chief Minister. But now after the direction of the Chief Minister, we are working out new security arrangements and on the number of security personnel to be deployed," T Guite, IG Security, said today.
The police personnel who are taken off the CM's security will be posted for the security of people and in law and order of the state from tomorrow.
There are no more relief camps left in Muzaffarnagar district, while neighbouring Shamli has four camps. According to District Magistrate Koshal Raj Sharma, who was camping in Loi village since morning, "420 families were shifted during the day while remaining 63 left in evening to safer places".
Principal Secretary of UP Health department, Paveen Kumar also visited the camp today. Kumar also went to the four camps in Shamli to check the arrangement of medical facilities in camps.
"There is no question of taking support of any big party. Our fight is against corruption, price-rise and other essentials, and all big parties are responsible for this," senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said. He, however, said that AAP was in talks with smaller parties.
"We are in talks with one-two small parties. AAP might take their support," he told reporters here. On speculation that he will be portrayed as AAP's Chief Ministerial candidate in Haryana, Yadav said, "I have no knowledge about this. This is all media speculation." He said the party will choose the Chief Minister after it wins the election.
"There is no CM candidate. After the party wins the election, decision will be taken on who will occupy the post," Yadav said.
Twelve Sri Lankan fishermen and their two trawlers would be released by India, he said. An Indian Coast Guard vessel will bring the Sri Lankan fishermen, Warnakulasuriya said. It could not immediately be ascertained when the exchange would be made.
The Tamil Nadu government has been mounting pressure on the Centre to take strong action against Sri Lanka for detaining fishermen.
Gen (retd) Singh has not been able to provide documents to support his allegation and enquiry conducted by the CBI so far also does not conclude such a deal, official sources said. The agency had registered a Preliminary Enquiry against unknown people to probe the matter but nothing has concrete has emerged from the investigation, they said.
The CBI had also recorded statement of the former army chief in this regard and a decision to close the PE is likely to be taken soon, the sources said. The bribe offer, according to Gen Singh, was made in 2010 and the former Army Chief was unable to explain why he had maintained a silence for more than two years, they said.
A PE is formal initiation of probe before registering an FIR but during this phase the agency does not have powers to question, search or arrest.
One of Kejriwal's major pre-poll promises was that he would halve the cost of electricity in Delhi if AAP was elected.
Subsidies will benefit 28 lakh consumers.
During a particularly murky bout of pollution in January, the ebullient and tireless self-promoter handed out free cans of "fresh air".
But Chen says he is perfectly serious in his bid to buy the Times, which he said he had been contemplating for more than two years.
He said he expected to discuss the matter on January 5, when he is due to meet a "leading shareholder" in New York. "There's nothing that can't be bought for the right price," Chen told Reuters.
Singh is understood to have been called to Delhi by the high command in the wake of the allegations by BJP Leader Arun Jaitley that he had taken a "bribe" from a private company for extension of a project.
He is expected to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi and possibly Rahul Gandhi to explain his position in the matter at a time when Congress is seeking to take a high moral ground on the issue of corruption prodded by party vice-president.
The Chief Minister's wife Prathiba Singh, who has also been accused, visited the AICC headquaters and met senior party leaders.
Singh insisted that he had taken no bribe and issued an eight-page statement seeking to rebut Jaitley's charges point by point. "Frustrated BJP leaders are fabricating false stories and twisting and tampering facts to suit their convinence. They have been waging the same old issues pertaining to my income tax return and loan taken by my family, which have been replied and clarified time and again and there is nothing material or new in them" Singh said.
The southern city of Volgograd began to bury the first victims of Sunday's bombing of the heartland hub's main railway station that killed 18 people and which officials have provisionally blamed on a young woman from the restive North Caucasus region of Dagestan.
A second suicide attack on a trolleybus packed with students yesterday that investigators pinned on a male assailant has now claimed 16 lives.
The blasts are Russia's deadliest since a suicide bombing at Moscow's Domodedovo airport that was claimed by Islamic insurgents from the North Caucasus killed 37 people in January 2011.
Unexpectedly though, Mr Singh, who heads the Samajwadi Party, mimicked Lalu Prasad today as he lashed out at the Bihar leader, calling him a "Congress stooge."
"He is now out of jail and is licking the Congress's feet," said Mulayam Singh, repeatedly mimicking Lalu Yadav, much to the amusement of his audience. Read more
"The New Year is a time for each one of us to reflect upon the year gone by, the successes and achievements as well as the lapses and shortcomings.
"It provides an opportunity to reassess ourselves and to plan for the year ahead, taking corrective action and setting new goals.
"It is a time of hope, a time to make a new beginning with resolve and confidence to achieve these goals.
"As a nation, it is an occasion to unite and brace ourselves for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, the Prime Minister said.
"I wish 2014 brings peace, security, joy and prosperity to all ', Dr. Singh added.
The three power companies have given time till tomorrow to say whether they object to being audited.
At 61, Dhir, is the oldest MLAs in AAP. He won from the Jangpura constituency of Delhi.
A new scan taken overnight showed signs that his condition was "better than yesterday", but he is still "not out of danger", doctors said.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion suffered head injuries on Sunday in a skiing accident in the French Alps. He was put in a medically-induced coma. -- BBC
Kejriwal says there is a meeting with CAG at 4 pm today on auditing power companies. All three companies supplying power to Delhi will be audited and will be given a chance to respond by tomorrow.
The promise to reduce power tariff by 50% in Delhi had triggered a furious debate between the manifesto committee of the AAP, which was headed by Yogendra Yadav.
Apart from personal information, ticket seekers are supposed to furnish details regarding social work done by them and political affiliation if any, including those of family members. Read more
Srivastava will replace D M Spolia, the 1976 batch IAS officer considered close to former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
The appointment of Srivastava comes after Home Ministry received a letter from the new Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recommending the name of Srivastava for the top job. -- The Indian Express
Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters that after the Congress performance in the recent Assembly polls, it will not be easy for the ruling party to choose its PM candidate, unlike the BJP which had a clear choice.
"If they make Rahul Gandhi their Prime Ministerial candidate then everybody knows what happened to the Congress in the Assembly elections. The whole country knows that Rahul Gandhi could not click anywhere," Sinha said.
Dismissing speculation that Gandhi's elevation could be a threat to the BJP, he said, "There is no possibility of Congress doing well under Rahul Gandhi. This has already been seen."
After a glorious run in ODIs this year, starting with the triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy in June, India suffered their first series loss in South Africa prior to the ongoing Test rubber and a few changes are expected in the squad.
"A victim of the explosion at the train station on December 29 died last night in the Volgograd hospital and the number of dead has risen to 18," ministry spokesman Dmitry Ulanov told the Interfax news agency.
He added that another victim of yesterday's suicide bombing on a trolleybus had also died, raising the toll from that blast to 15.
See the picture.
After the late actor was laid to rest beside his mother's grave in Andheri, a western Mumbai suburb, on the evening of December 30, friends and family of the late actor proceeded to his residence for the condolence meet. See the slideshow on Rediff.com.
''Adrenaline junkie'' Schumacher remains in an induced coma in a hospital in the French town of Grenoble after suffering critical head injuries from a skiing accident on Sunday.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Schumacher's long-time personal assistant Sabine Kehm released a statement on behalf of the German's family, which includes his wife and two children, and stated that they would like to thank the medical team for continuing to do their best to help Schumacher.
The statement also thanked Schumacher''s friends, fans and his well-wishers who have expressed their sympathy, support and sent their best wishes for his speedy recovery, although it requested the media to respect the family's privacy at such time.
The PM's presser assumes so much importance because it will be his first in three years.
Let down your hair and have a blast, but be safe. Alcohol, drugs, large crowds, hecklers -- New Year's Eve has all the elements of a disaster waiting to happen. Here's what you must do to stay safe. Read the report on Rediff.com.
The Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (AHAR) moved court after the police said they were firm on their stand of keeping 1.30am the deadline for hotels and bars, considering womens safety and to curb drink-driving cases.
Mumbai Police commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh on Monday said, My views are very clear on the matter. For womens safety and to prevent drink-driving cases, among other things, I took this decision. Last year too, the deadline was 1.30am.
He added, however, that there is no specific terror input with regard to New Year.
The government has however banned beach parties.
Officials made similar visits in the neighbouring Shamli district yesterday. They have allegedly asked organisers to wind up the camps within the next three or four days.-- NDTV
Raha takes over the command of the force at a time when it is engaged in a tussle with its largest supplier Hindustan Aeronautics Limited over the issue of indigenous and foreigner trainer aircraft.
The IAF is also engaged in intense negotiations for the procurement of 126 Rafale multi-role combat aircraft from the French firm Dassault Aviation.
Born on December 26, 1954, 59 year-old Raha is expected to have a tenure of three years as the Chief of Air Staff.
The mercury plummeted by eight degrees in Leh in the Ladakh region to register the season's lowest temperature and most parts of the Valley froze in sub-zero temperatures.
Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 14.1 degrees Celsius last night, against minus 6.3 degrees Celsius the previous night, an official of the MeT Department in Srinagar said.
Sydney officials promised that the Australian city's annual world-renowned pyrotechnics show would be more extravagant than ever, with more than 1.6 million revelers expected to line the harbour today for a view.
The constable, identified as Rajesh Kumar, was posted with the fourth battalion of the Delhi Armed Police and deployed at the Ramlila Ground for crowd management on Saturday. Read more
Remember, on several occasions, Dr Singh has maintained that Rahul was the ideal candidate for the job and that he was willing to work under Rahul.
That apart, the January 3 presser is also expected to be a state of the nation address.
And remember this? This is what Michael Schumacher wrote in an email on Sachin's retirement. "As a sportsman with a long active career as well, I think I can judge what it means to be around as many years as Sachin Tendulkar is, and I can only express my biggest respect for his achievements."
"Kejriwal wanted to attend office for two hours today, but I advised him not to do this. Kejriwal's blood pressure is now normal and he is recovering well. As he recently went on a fast for several days, he is feeling weak," Dr Vipin Mittal, who is treating the newly elected Chief Minister, said.
The doctor said Kejriwal also wanted to meet the family of Delhi Police constable Vinod Kumar, who was beaten to death by liquor mafia in Githorni area in south Delhi, but he has advised him against stepping out.
"I have got to know that Vinod Kumar's family lives in Muzarfarnagar. I have clearly asked Kejriwal not to go there because he is not in a such condition to go out of Delhi," Mittal said.
However, Mittal said that he knows Kejriwal for a long time and he might not follow his advice.
That is 33 average-sized (20-litre) bathroom bucketfuls for free.
However, these consumers will have to ensure that they will not exceed the the 20 kl per month limit.
That is because as soon as a household's monthly consumption crosses 20 kl, it pays for the entire volume it has consumed, not just the extra over 20 kl, at a higher tariff.
This is how it will work for a household that consumes, say, 21 kilolitres. Read
"You're worried because the skull is a closed space," said Dr. Nicholas Schiff, professor of neurology and neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College.
"As the brain starts to expand, the only place it has to go is down and out, and you damage the brain stem. You can die. You can create a lot of tissue damage."
Read more
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is said to be weighing the several pros and as many cons of stepping aside months before the Lok Sabha polls to facilitate Rahul Gandhis formal anointment at the top, according to sources. But others cautioned that the situation was still unfolding and can take a turn in any direction.
The Prime Minister could announce at a media conference early in the new year the less-unexpected decision of not seeking a third term but the big question is if he would make way before the elections."
He is expected to address a press conference to January 3 about the Congress's strategy for 2014, say sources. This will be his first press conference in nearly five years.
The note is expected to be cleared by the cabinet on Thursday.
The tour commences with the first ODI at Napier on January 19, 2014 and ends on February 18 with the second Test at Wellington starting February 14.
"We don't want this to negatively impact our relationship,that we work on a broad range of issues together, our bilateral relationship is too important. And we've said repeatedly that we don't want it," the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Marie Harf, told reporters at her daily news conference.
Harf was responding to questions about the impact on India-US relationship the arrest of an Indian diplomat has had.
Khobragade, 39, was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid Sangeeta Richard. She was released on a $250,000 bond.
The Indian Hotels and Restaurant Association approached the Bombay high court yesterday challenging the city polices 1.30 am deadline for eateries and restaurants on December 31.
After
Mumbai Police commissioner issued the directive, the police
commissioners of Thane and Navi Mumbai followed suit citing concerns of
serious crimes and law and order disruptions.
Aggrieved by the directive, AHAR petitioned the high court seeking a direction to police to recall its deadline.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has ruled out any power sharing with rebel leader Riek Machar to halt violence that has killed at least 1,000 people.
Mr Kiir told the BBC that Mr Machar - his deputy until sacked in July - should not be rewarded with power for rebelling. The fighting broke out more than two weeks ago in the capital Juba. It has spread to many parts of the country.
South Sudan only became independent in 2011, after decades of conflict. What began as a power struggle between the two men has taken on overtones of an ethnic conflict. The Dinka, to which Mr Kiir belongs, are pitted against the Nuer, from which Mr Machar hails.
The Federal Aviation Administration will authorize test sites for drone aircraft in upstate New York, New Jersey and seven other states, the agency said on Monday, but integrating the aircraft into the nation's airspace, set by Congress for 2015, will be phased in gradually.
The agency picked six institutions to operate test locations, which will explore how to set safety standards, how to train and certify their ground-based pilots, how to ensure that the aircraft will operate safely even if they lose their radio links with the ground and, most of all, how to replace the traditional method for avoiding collisions.
Already, federal investigators have linked one drone craft to a problem that would have been almost inconceivable if a pilot had been on board: The engine failed, and no one noticed.
Doctors treating Michael Schumacher said on Monday they were fighting "hour by hour" to save the former Formula One driver's life after he cracked his head on a rock during an off-piste skiing accident in the French Alps. Dr Jean-Francois Payen, the chief anaesthesiologist at the Grenoble hospital treating Schumacher, said the next 48 hours would be crucial.
A brain scan revealed internal bleeding and multiple lesions. "He is in a critical condition ' His condition is deemed very serious," Payen told a news conference. "For the moment, we cannot predict the future for Michael Schumacher."
The seven-times Formula One champion was airlifted to Grenoble on Sunday after falling heavily and hitting his head while skiing on an unmarked slope at the chic resort of Mribel.
It soon emerged that the accident, initially played down by a spokesman for the resort, had a devastating impact on Schumacher, who was in a coma by the time he arrived at Grenoble.
"He is in a critical state of cerebral resuscitation," said Payen. "We are working hour by hour." Doctors said his ongoing treatment was aimed at oxygenating the brain and stopping the swelling. On Monday night, Schumacher, due to turn 45 on Friday, remained in a medically induced coma designed to help his recovery.
Al Jazeera has condemned the arrest of four of its journalists held by Egyptian authorities since Sunday night and demanded their immediate release.
Award-winning Nairobi-based correspondent Peter Greste, Al Jazeera English bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy, Cairo-based producer Baher Mohamed and cameraman Mohamed Fawzyre have been held in custody since their arrest by security forces on Sunday evening.
The arrests follow a period of sustained intimidation towards Al Jazeera staff, property and coverage since the military-orchestrated removal of President Mohamed Morsi in July. Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Network's spokesperson said of the latest arrests: "We condemn the arbitrary arrest of Al Jazeera English journalists working in Cairo and demand their immediate and unconditional release.
- JUST IN: The case against senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade is not being "withdrawn', US sources tell PTI.
- The US government intends to proceed with the prosecution of Khobragade, sources add.
- The deadline for indictment of Khobragade is January 13, the sources say.
- However, the sources concede that If Khobragade gets UN immunity she cannot be prosecuted or brought to court for the period of immunity, PTI reports.
- But if she returns to India and then comes back to the US on a visit, the charges will stand and she could face arrest, the sources say.
- There is no nefarious motive for arresting Khobragade, the sources add.
- Prosecutors are continuing to gather more evidence before indictment is filed. The indicment will be brought, sources inform.
- There is no question of apology to India; everything in the case has been done by the book, sources note.
The International Olympic Committee president says he has confidence that Russian authorities will deliver a "safe and secure" Games in Sochi. Thomas Bach wrote to President Vladimir Putin to express condolences for the "despicable" attacks that struck Volgograd within 24 hours.
Investigators say the attacks on a railway station and trolleybus, which killed at least 31 people, were linked. They struck just over a month before the Winter Olympics begin. Volgograd was also targeted in October, when a suspected female suicide bomber killed six people in an attack on a bus.
AAP fulfills free water promise within 48 hours
Indians in US missions are GROSSLY underpaid
Thanks to AAP, Congress may field new faces in LS polls
AFSPA's withdrawal would hit counter-terrorist ops in J-K: Army chief
Mumbai: Gun on Coast Guard ship goes off, building damaged
Kumar Vishwas dares Modi to contest from Amethi
Regime change will not come in way of bilateral ties: Bashir
UP ignoring query about relief camp deaths: Home ministry
Kejriwal announces highest-ever compensation for slain cop
NASA astronaut takes 'super selfie' of the year!
Chidambaram speaks up: Congress SHOULD name PM candidate
Indian Mujahideen wanted to nuke Surat, save Muslims
Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh involved in irregularities, says Jaitley