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Fri, 31 October 2014
1 charged over murder of South African team captain Senzo Meyiwa
Timeline Refresh
23:44 UN chief defends returning Ebola aid workers
From the BBC: UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said discrimination against aid workers who return home from the Ebola crisis in West Africa is 'unacceptable'.
Strict quarantine rules are hampering aid efforts when more health workers are needed in order to deal with the crisis, he told BBC News in Nairobi.
Read the full story here
Strict quarantine rules are hampering aid efforts when more health workers are needed in order to deal with the crisis, he told BBC News in Nairobi.
Read the full story here
23:07
Just in from CNN: A man has been charged with murder and robbery over killing of South African soccer team captain Senzo Meyiwa, according to the prosecutors.Meyiwa was shot dead by intruders when trying to protect his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, a local actress and singer during a robbery at her home near Johannesburg.
The 27-year-old Orlando Pirates goalkeeper died on Sunday
The 27-year-old Orlando Pirates goalkeeper died on Sunday
22:59 Iranian ship detained in Gujarat for involvement in accident
An Iranian ship was detained in Surat for its alleged involvement in an accident with a fishing trawler on Friday. The ship had hit a fishing trawler at 64 nautical miles from Magdalla port near Jafrabad Coast of Amreli district. Two fishermen were killed and three others went missing in the accident.
"We have detained a foreign ship 'M V BATIS' of Iran at Essar jetty in Hajira port, as its captain was allegedly found involved in an accident," Police sub inspector V J Bharwad of the Surat marine police station said.
The police has detained the ship and asked the port authorities not to allow it to go anywhere until the concerned police station finishes the probe.
"We have detained a foreign ship 'M V BATIS' of Iran at Essar jetty in Hajira port, as its captain was allegedly found involved in an accident," Police sub inspector V J Bharwad of the Surat marine police station said.
The police has detained the ship and asked the port authorities not to allow it to go anywhere until the concerned police station finishes the probe.
22:58
Read: Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's succession is taboo in Iran, but when he dies his country's political trajectory will change at home and on the world stage
Read this article here
Read this article here
22:50 'Rambo' survivalist who killed US trooper appears in court
From The Guardian: The survivalist accused of killing a Pennsylvania state trooper made his first court appearance on Friday morning, facing jeering crowds as the police escorted him into the Milford, Pennsylvania courthouse.
Read the full story here
Read the full story here
22:25 Lanka landslide: India pledges assistance to Colombo
India has pledged Rs five million as immediate relief for victims of landslide in Sri Lanka and is also considering medium and long-term assistance.
"India has pledged as immediate relief assistance of Rs 5 million (Rs 50 lakh) for the victims of landslide in Sri Lanka," the Spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs said.
He said that the Indian government was also considering, in consultation with the Sri Lankan government, medium and long-term assistance options. Nearly 200 people were feared to have been buried alive in the landslide on Wednesday.
"India has pledged as immediate relief assistance of Rs 5 million (Rs 50 lakh) for the victims of landslide in Sri Lanka," the Spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs said.
He said that the Indian government was also considering, in consultation with the Sri Lankan government, medium and long-term assistance options. Nearly 200 people were feared to have been buried alive in the landslide on Wednesday.
22:23 Somali pirates release seven Indian sailors
Somali pirates released seven Indian sailors on Friday by after remaining in captivity for about four years.
The sailors will be back in India over the weekend.
"These seven Indians were in captivity for around four years," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. "They are in Nairobi (Kenya) at the moment and will be arriving in India over the weekend," he confirmed.
Out of these seven persons, two each are from Maharashtra and Karnataka, while one each are from Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Image for representation only
The sailors will be back in India over the weekend.
"These seven Indians were in captivity for around four years," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. "They are in Nairobi (Kenya) at the moment and will be arriving in India over the weekend," he confirmed.
Out of these seven persons, two each are from Maharashtra and Karnataka, while one each are from Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Image for representation only
22:04 Ebola nurse ordered to stay three feet away from people
Just in: Maine health officials obtained a 24-hour court order restricting Kaci Hickox 's movement after the nurse repeatedly defied the state's quarantine for medical workers who have treated Ebola patients.
Read the full story here
Read the full story here
21:29 China to construct new rail line in Tibet close to Arunachal
China on Friday approved the construction of a new strategically important high altitude railway line in Tibet that would come close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.
21:17 Military takes charge of Burkina Faso as President resigns
Gen. Honore Nabere Traore, the head of Burkina Faso's military, has taken over presidential duties of the West African nation, after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.
Traore on Friday said that he will lead the country through a political transition and elections.
Traore on Friday said that he will lead the country through a political transition and elections.
21:00 Human remains found at MH17 crash site
New human remains have been found at the crash site of the doomed flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Friday that a Dutch team together with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and local disaster relief workers found the remains at crash site.
20:44 Bomb recovered by CRPF in Silchar
The Central Reserve Police Force have recovered an explosive device in the Silchar area in Assam.
20:20 NDFB-R threatens to withdraw ceasefire agreement
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Ranjan Daimary faction) in Assam has threatened to withdraw their ceasefire agreement with the government after the arrest of the outfit's chief D R Nabla.
"Despite all odds, the NDFB (R) has been working hard for peace and resolution of the conflict since its declaration of unilateral ceasefire on August 1, 2011," the militant outfit's information and publicity secretary B Naijab said in an email."
D R Nabla was arrested on September 29.
"Despite all odds, the NDFB (R) has been working hard for peace and resolution of the conflict since its declaration of unilateral ceasefire on August 1, 2011," the militant outfit's information and publicity secretary B Naijab said in an email."
D R Nabla was arrested on September 29.
20:14 Rs 2.25 per ltr and Rs 2.4 per ltr cut in diesel & petrol price, effective November 1
Retail prices of petrol and diesel would be cut by Rs 2.41 per litre and of diesel by Rs 2.25 per litre, with effect from November 1.
20:07 Milk costlier by Rs 10 a litre from tomorrow
Amid protests by opposition parties, the Rs 10 per litre hike in the milk price effected by Tamil Nadu Government comes into force from tomorrow.
20:03 Diesel & petrol prices to be cut by Rs 2.25/ltr and Rs 2.4 ltr respectively
Retail prices of petrol and diesel would be cut by Rs 2.41 per litre and of diesel by Rs 2.25 per litre, with effect from November 1.
19:44 Indian Naval ship scraped by foreign merchant vessel
In a freak accident, Indian naval ship 'Kora' was today scraped by a foreign merchant vessel off the Vishakhapatnam coast, leaving it with "minor damages" on its side.
19:38 AISSF, SSF calls for Punjab bandh
All India Sikh Students Federation and Sikh Students Federation gave a call for 'Punjab Bandh' on Saturday in protest against 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
19:34 SC issues notice to Guj govt on farmers' suicide in the state
The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Gujarat government on a plea seeking compensation to families of debt-ridden 619 farmers who have allegedly committed suicide in the state since 2003.
19:23 Maharashtra CM spells out agenda, admits, 'I feel nervous'
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis speaks to the media at Mantralaya. He began the speech admitting, quite winningly that, he was nervous.
Key points from the meet.
-- Lot of expectations from us.
-- This government will ensure a transparent administration.
-- Right to service is one of my key objectives
-- The state of the economy is not good, focus will be on development.
-- My aim is to have a government that is efficient and transparent. Common man suffers due to lack of transparency.
-- I will ask for a presentation from each ministry.
-- Each department has to make a list of work they are responsible for.
Key points from the meet.
-- Lot of expectations from us.
-- This government will ensure a transparent administration.
-- Right to service is one of my key objectives
-- The state of the economy is not good, focus will be on development.
-- My aim is to have a government that is efficient and transparent. Common man suffers due to lack of transparency.
-- I will ask for a presentation from each ministry.
-- Each department has to make a list of work they are responsible for.
19:07 The best wish Fadnavis received today: All the best, daddy!
It was perhaps the most touching moment of the grand swearing in-ceremony of the BJP government at the Wankhede Stadium today.
As the 44-year-old Devendra Fadnavis met some of the 40,000 strong crowd after the ceremony, shaking hands with well-wishers from across the barricades, his attention was drawn to a five-year-old girl, eagerly awaiting her turn to greet him.
The Chief Minister in him then took a backseat and a doting daddy rushed to hold the stretched hands of the girl, his daughter Divija.
"All the best, Baba," she said. Divija was accompanied by Devendra's mother Sarita and his wife Amruta.
A KG student at Bhavan's Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir in Nagpur, she will be the youngest-ever occupant of CM's official bungalow 'Varsha' in south Mumbai.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule was the youngest occupant of CM's official bungalow; the current Baramati MP was then only nine years old when her father became the youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra at 38.
As the 44-year-old Devendra Fadnavis met some of the 40,000 strong crowd after the ceremony, shaking hands with well-wishers from across the barricades, his attention was drawn to a five-year-old girl, eagerly awaiting her turn to greet him.
The Chief Minister in him then took a backseat and a doting daddy rushed to hold the stretched hands of the girl, his daughter Divija.
"All the best, Baba," she said. Divija was accompanied by Devendra's mother Sarita and his wife Amruta.
A KG student at Bhavan's Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir in Nagpur, she will be the youngest-ever occupant of CM's official bungalow 'Varsha' in south Mumbai.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule was the youngest occupant of CM's official bungalow; the current Baramati MP was then only nine years old when her father became the youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra at 38.
18:59 Maharashtra CM reaches Mantralaya
From Wankhede swearing-in Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis heads to his office at Mantralaya.
18:54
EC asks Home Ministry to explain its decision to give Rs 5 lakh compensation to 1984 riot victims in view of the Model Code of Conduct.
18:54
Narendra Modi @narendramodi: Attended oath taking ceremony of @Dev_Fadnavis. My best wishes to him as he begins his term as Maharashtra CM.
18:53
BJP's Rudy on the Wankhede bash: Momentous occasion, ceremony was attended by Uddhav-ji, NCP leadership & former Maharashtra CM, a good beginning.
18:52
Rahul Kanwal of Headlines Today tweets: Loudest applause at Wankhede has always been reserved for Sachin. But Narendra Modi entry today came close. Sachinesque welcome.
18:30 Om Mathur: It's up to the Shiv Sena now.
This ceremony showed the enthusiasm within the people of Maharashtra and BJP workers, says senior leader, Om Mathur. He adds that the Shiv Sena was the party's natural ally, we want them to come along, it's up to them now.
Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray today agreed to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister after a last-minute call from BJP President Amit Shah inviting him to the event.
Reaching out to a sulking Shiv Sena, Shah's call to Uddhav came a day after the Sena announced its boycott of the grand swearing-in ceremony of Fadnavis on grounds of its "constant humiliation" by BJP over government formation in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray today agreed to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister after a last-minute call from BJP President Amit Shah inviting him to the event.
Reaching out to a sulking Shiv Sena, Shah's call to Uddhav came a day after the Sena announced its boycott of the grand swearing-in ceremony of Fadnavis on grounds of its "constant humiliation" by BJP over government formation in Maharashtra.
18:25 Tawde: We have to work hard now
"We are happy, at the same time the commitment given to people by us has to be fulfilled, have to work hard now," says Vinod Tawde, who is a minister in the Fadnavis cabinet.
18:00 BJP may have got majority if Sena pact ended early: Rajnath
In the wake of the BJP preparing to form a minority government in Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said that if their alliance with the Shiv Sena would have ended at least a fortnight before the actual demise of the combine, then his party might have won clear majority in the assembly polls.
"We did not want to break the alliance with Shiv Sena as it was our very old ally. When it broke, people said that the BJP would get around 70-75 seats, but results were there for everyone to see. If the pact would have broken 10-15 more days earlier, then BJP might have got a majority on its own," the Home Minister said addressing a Karyakarta Sankalp Adhiveshan in Bhopal.
The former BJP President said that merely after five months after the Lok Sabha polls, people have again reposed faith in the BJP by bringing it to power for the first time in Haryana and Maharashtra in a historic manner.
"We did not want to break the alliance with Shiv Sena as it was our very old ally. When it broke, people said that the BJP would get around 70-75 seats, but results were there for everyone to see. If the pact would have broken 10-15 more days earlier, then BJP might have got a majority on its own," the Home Minister said addressing a Karyakarta Sankalp Adhiveshan in Bhopal.
The former BJP President said that merely after five months after the Lok Sabha polls, people have again reposed faith in the BJP by bringing it to power for the first time in Haryana and Maharashtra in a historic manner.
17:44
On the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel and the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi, a telling picture...
17:42 Bottoms up! 250 bars in Kerala allowed to stay open for 30 days
Moving in from Mumbai's Wankhede stadium, in Kerala, in a relief to owners of bars in small and medium hotels a day after a single judge upheld the state government's decision to close them down, Kerala High Court today permitted 250 bars to function for a month.
A division bench ordered status quo as on October 29 with regard to the 250 bars while admitting appeals by bar owners challenging the single judge's order.
A division bench ordered status quo as on October 29 with regard to the 250 bars while admitting appeals by bar owners challenging the single judge's order.
17:38
Celebrations outside Narendra Fadnavis's Nagpur home.
17:29
Shobhaa De @DeShobhaa Smriti Irani, watch out ! Here's competition. And the name is Pankaja Munde.
17:26 Congratulations and feliciations for Maha CM at Wankhede
Right now, a beaming Maharashtra CM goes around shaking hands with
his supporters. Vivek Oberoi just two steps away from him. It's a historic day for the BJP, as it gets its first CM in the state after a breakaway from it's ally the Shiv Sena in the state.
17:19 Fadnavis is second youngest CM of Maharashtra
Fadnavis, a fourth-term MLA from Nagpur, is now the 27th Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the 18th person to hold the post. He will also be the fourth politician from the Vidarbha region to become CM and at 44, the second youngest person to hold the top post in Maharashtra. NCP chief Sharad Pawar became the youngest chief minister of Maharashtra at 38.
Along with Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Vinod Tawde, Pankaja Gopinath Munde, Vishnu Rama Savra.
Along with Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Vinod Tawde, Pankaja Gopinath Munde, Vishnu Rama Savra.
17:13 Congratulations and felications for Fadnavis at Wankhede
That's Mugdha Godse and Poonam Dhillon at Wankhede.
Right now, a beaming Maharashtra CM goes around shaking hands with with his supporters. Vivek Oberoi just two steps away from him.
Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel who was at Wankhede tweets: Was overwhelmed to see massive support & love for BJP at Wankede stadium today at the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra CM.
Right now, a beaming Maharashtra CM goes around shaking hands with with his supporters. Vivek Oberoi just two steps away from him.
Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel who was at Wankhede tweets: Was overwhelmed to see massive support & love for BJP at Wankede stadium today at the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra CM.
17:13 Prithviraj Chavan: Will play role of constructive opposition
Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan who was at the swearing-in tweets: Congress party will play the role of a constructive opposition party, and strengthen the ethos of democracy in the state and country.
Apart from Fadnavis, seven cabinet ministers and two Ministers of State also took oath.
Apart from Fadnavis, seven cabinet ministers and two Ministers of State also took oath.
17:01 Wankhede bash ends
The oath-taking ceremony has concluded with the national anthem. Narendra Modi meets the new CM, his ministers and senior leaders of the party. RPI chief Ramdas Athavle also present. Sardar Tara Singh, the MLC from Mulund also there.
Pic: Vivek Oberoi, who also attended the PM's swearing-in at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, was present. Among other Bollywood stares were Poonam Dhillon and Mugdha Godse.
Pic: Vivek Oberoi, who also attended the PM's swearing-in at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, was present. Among other Bollywood stares were Poonam Dhillon and Mugdha Godse.
16:57
The PM and the man who could not be PM share a moment during the ceremony.
16:56 Loud cheers for minister Pankaja Munde
Loud cheers for Pankaja Munde as she takes oath as minister in the Fadnavis cabinet. Clearly has mass appeal. Munde had said she was in the race to be CM, but backed down immediately after.
Spotted Poonam Dhillon, Vivek Oberoi, part of a dozen celebs at Wankhede.
Vidya Thakur takes oath now.
Spotted Poonam Dhillon, Vivek Oberoi, part of a dozen celebs at Wankhede.
Vidya Thakur takes oath now.
16:44 Vinod Tawde takes oath
Big cheer for Vinod Tawde as he takes his oath at Wankhede. Tawde, who was the Leader of Opposition in the the Maharashtra Legislative Council, is a popular figure in state politics.
16:41 Uddhav keeps his date with Wankhede, but misses swearing-in
Uddhav Thackeray reaches a little after the swearing in. The auspicious time for the swearing-in was between 4:21 and 4:26 pm. He is likely to speak to the PM at the stadium, but no decision as yet on whether the BJP will lean to form government with it's old ally.
16:37 Uddhav keeps his date with Wankhede
Uddhav Thackeray reaches a little after the swearing in. The auspicious time for the swearing-in was between 4:21 and 4:26 pm.
That's the CM, the PM and Amruta Fadnavis.
That's the CM, the PM and Amruta Fadnavis.
16:33 Sudhir Mungantiwar takes oath
Sudhir Mungantiwar, a legislator elected from Ballarpur in Chandrapur, takes oath. Mungantiwar is also the former state president of the
BJP.
16:32 Khadse takes oath
Senior party leader in the state, Eknath Khadse takes oath. Khadse held the post of leader of Opposition Maharashtra Legislative assembly. He was also a frontrunner for the post of CM before Fadnavis was elected as the BJP Legislature Party head.
Portfolios will not be announced today.
Portfolios will not be announced today.
16:30
Fadnavis takes his oath in Marathi. Now, a 'trim cabinet' will be sworn in.
16:29 Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis takes oath as Maharashtra CM
Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis takes oath as Maharashtra CM
16:25
Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan sits next to Vasundhara Raje and Praful Patel.
16:23
Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan sits next to Vasundhara Raje and Praful Patel.
Pic: Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta in a pensive mood.
Pic: Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta in a pensive mood.
16:20 Rakhi Sawant shooed away from Wankhede
ANI's Smita Nair tweets that Rakhi Sawant tries to enter Wankhede wearing a BJP cap, but is turned away by the Mumbai police. Rakhi who formed her own party called the Rashtriya Aam Party resigned and joined the RPI.
16:14 PM reaches Wankhede
Chhattisgarh CM Raman Sing, NCP's Praful Patel at Wankhede. Narendra Modi enters. The swearing-in to begin now.
16:10
That's Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje at Wankhede, she is seated next to union minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Goa CM Manohar Parrikar and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu arrive.
16:07 Pankaja, Vasundhara Raje at Wankhede
At the Wankhede stadium: Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, BJP leader Pankaja Munde (likely to be sworn in today) and Rajiv Pratap Rudy arrive.
16:03 Fadnavis's cabinet?
A 10-member BJP ministry led by Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn-in at Wankhede on Friday. Read
15:53
Devendra Fadnavis, his wife Amruta and daughter Divija leave for the swearing in ceremony.
15:52 House full at Wankhede
Seats filling up at the Wankhede stadium. The stadium has a capacity of around 35,000, and is expected to seat 5,000 VVIPs around the centre of the ground, where four stages will be erected. According to organisers, 25,000 people will be seated in the stands, while another 5,000 will be seated on the ground.
15:48 Uddhav likely to speak to PM at Fadnavis's swearing-in
Amit Shah's reach-out to a sulking Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena leader's possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ceremony could be the first step towards a reunification of the two former Hindutva allies after they fell apart just ahead of the Assembly poll following failure of seat sharing talks. It is believed that union minister Arun Jaitley also called Uddhav.
15:41
BJP Leaders Shahnawaz Hussain and Om Mathur at the Wankhede Stadium.
15:39
Uddhav Thackeray will be accompanied by a clutch of Shiv Sena MLAs, it is reported.
15:22 Who's who at swearing in ceremony
Corporate leaders Ratan Tata, Mukesh and Anil Ambani, Anand Mahindra, Adi Godrej, singing legends Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan are among those invited for the event, apart from chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states, leaders of opposition in the non-BJP ruled states and all the newly elected MLAs in Maharashtra.
Pic: Elaborate preparations for the swearing in ceremony include lotus replicas ferried on boats in the Arabian Sea, which will be visible from Marine Drive. Photograph: Sahil Salvi
Pic: Elaborate preparations for the swearing in ceremony include lotus replicas ferried on boats in the Arabian Sea, which will be visible from Marine Drive. Photograph: Sahil Salvi
15:20 Thackeray WILL attend Fadnavis's swearing-in ceremony
Alright, so a face saver for Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena. NDTV reports that the Sena chief accepts the BJP's invite to attend Devendra Fadnavis's swearing-in ceremony. The Sena had boycotted the ceremony after it was denied ministries. Both Uddhav and his wife Rashmi will be attending the ceremony.
No confirmations yet on whether the Sena will join the BJP to form the government.
No confirmations yet on whether the Sena will join the BJP to form the government.
15:12 In numbers: Fadnavis's swearing-in
Over a dozen BJP ministers are expected to take oath in presence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today at the sprawling venue.
Around 2,000 policemen will be deployed in and around the venue for the ceremony.
The stadium, that has a capacity of around 35,000, is expected to seat 5,000 VVIPs around the centre of the ground, where four stages will be erected.
According to organisers, 25,000 people will be seated in the stands, while another 5,000 will be seated on the ground.
The swearing-in will begin at 4:26 pm.
Around 2,000 policemen will be deployed in and around the venue for the ceremony.
The stadium, that has a capacity of around 35,000, is expected to seat 5,000 VVIPs around the centre of the ground, where four stages will be erected.
According to organisers, 25,000 people will be seated in the stands, while another 5,000 will be seated on the ground.
The swearing-in will begin at 4:26 pm.
14:59 Blood group of BJP-Sena same: Raut
Both parties had on Tuesday shown signs of a rapprochement with Shiv Sena MP and spokesman Sanjay Raut saying, "The blood group of BJP and Shiv Sena is the same.'
He had rubbished media reports that Sena was demanding deputy chief minister's post and some key portfolios as pre-condition for a reunion between the former saffron allies.
The BJP leadership has been insisting that Sena join the government but without any pre-conditions.
Newly-appointed BJP general secretary in-charge of the state J P Nadda too indicated that the former allies could reunite when he said, "We want that Sena come with us. It is our desire. A positive result will emerge soon.'
Meanwhile, BJP sources said a "slim and trim' ministry will be sworn in on Friday.
Pic: The cartoon in the Hindu today indicating that the Sena's calculations went terribly wrong
He had rubbished media reports that Sena was demanding deputy chief minister's post and some key portfolios as pre-condition for a reunion between the former saffron allies.
The BJP leadership has been insisting that Sena join the government but without any pre-conditions.
Newly-appointed BJP general secretary in-charge of the state J P Nadda too indicated that the former allies could reunite when he said, "We want that Sena come with us. It is our desire. A positive result will emerge soon.'
Meanwhile, BJP sources said a "slim and trim' ministry will be sworn in on Friday.
Pic: The cartoon in the Hindu today indicating that the Sena's calculations went terribly wrong
14:54 Uddhav may attend swearing-in after invite from Fadnavis, Amit Shah
Just in: Ahead of swearing-in BJP president Amit Shah speaks to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. CNN IBN reports that CM designate Devendra Fadnavis and Amit Shah have invited Uddhav Thackeray for the swearing-in and the Sena chief is considering the invite.
Thackeray on Wednesday went into a huddle with top party leaders to discuss the future course of action but there were no signs of the party being in the BJP-led government for now.
Thackeray on Wednesday went into a huddle with top party leaders to discuss the future course of action but there were no signs of the party being in the BJP-led government for now.
A top BJP leader said no talks were underway with Sena and would resume only after the new government is sworn in on Friday.
14:36 Lifting the curtain on Sardar Patel's legacy
Ruefully remembering how the great Sardar Patel's memory was itself relegated to the margins of our national political consciousness, India's first president Dr Rajendra Prasad wrote, 'Mahatma Gandhi passed away a little over 11 years ago and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel less than nine years ago. They were both held in highest esteem by a large number of our people -- masses as well as intellectuals. Yet, within this short period we have almost forgotten the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi in many matters and almost completely forgotten Sardar Patel...'
Read more
Read more
14:33 The Empresss long-term legacies
The most important features of Indira Gandhi's legacy are a somewhat paradoxical combination of destructive and constructive elements. Read
14:19 Ending the impasse in Delhi
With the Supreme Court setting a deadline for Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung to exhaust the possibilities of forming a government in Delhi, the political impasse in the National Capital Territory is bound to end soon.
After Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as Chief Minister in February, the Assembly was kept in suspended animation without any immediate prospect of a popular government being put in place. Read
After Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as Chief Minister in February, the Assembly was kept in suspended animation without any immediate prospect of a popular government being put in place. Read
14:16 Cong calls BJP blackout of Indira Gandhi 'disgusting, petty-minded'
Congress today termed as "disgusting" and "petty-minded" the way the Narendra Modi Government marked the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi while the ruling BJP wondered if that party prefers to see history through the "perspective" of Nehru-Gandhi family.
"It is petty-minded, it is partisan and disrespectful to those who gave their lives to their country, particularly Indira Gandhi who gave hers for the unity of this country," Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told reporters, adding, it showed Modi and BJP for what they are.
"It is petty-minded, it is partisan and disrespectful to those who gave their lives to their country, particularly Indira Gandhi who gave hers for the unity of this country," Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told reporters, adding, it showed Modi and BJP for what they are.
14:08
Saudi Arabia's religious police outlaw 'Tempting Eyes': Read
14:04
Lalu Prasad Yadav tweets: Remembering the two architects of India's unity & integrity, Indira Gandhi & Sardar Patel. I remember Indira for her strong leadership qualities.
13:46 Where are the white men in the catcalling video?
The director of a video showing a woman being catcalled on the streets of New York has weighed in on the seeming racial disparity of the men featured.Rob Bliss, who posted the video on behalf of the anti-street-harassment group Hollaback!, told CNN that those shown were just a small sample. Read more
Haven't a clue what the video is about? Watch
Haven't a clue what the video is about? Watch
13:36 There is no politics of Hindu-Mussalman: Amit Shah
"The BJP doesn't see Indian voters through a prism of minority or majority voters. We should not do it. Even the media should not view it that way. We should see if he is a good leader or bad leader," BJP President Amit Shah speaks exclusively to Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com at his Ahmedabad home.
Yes, it's a must-read.
Yes, it's a must-read.
13:22 Congress, JMM part ways in Jharkhand just days ahead of polls
Just in: Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha part ways in Jharkhand ahead of the polls. The 475-days-old grand alliance between the JMM and
the Congress has finally broken off with both the party
leaders announcing to contest the forthcoming assembly elections on all
81 seats separately. The five phase assembly poll in Jharkhand is
scheduled to begin on November 25.
Jharkhand, which has seen nine governments and three stints of President's rule in 14 years, saw fractured mandates in both 2005 and 2009 assembly elections.
Pic: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
Jharkhand, which has seen nine governments and three stints of President's rule in 14 years, saw fractured mandates in both 2005 and 2009 assembly elections.
Pic: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
13:05 Isn't death inevitable: Indira Gandhi
"Later, when we were alone, we spoke of her marriage to Feroze Gandhi. I asked her 'When you were 16 or 17 years old, didn't you feel the desire to be admired?' 'Pupul, I was so sure that I had nothing in me to be admired.' She then recalled that the first time she had been openly admired was at Shantiniketan, and how she responded in anger, feeling that she was being made fun of. 'Even with Feroze, it was not at all sex. I tried to explain to him that I wanted children and companionship."
-- Pupul Jayakar on her friend Indira Gandhi, excerpted from her book, Indira Gandhi.
Read more
-- Pupul Jayakar on her friend Indira Gandhi, excerpted from her book, Indira Gandhi.
Read more
12:57
Man arrested for allegedly raping six-year-old girl in a Bangalore school this week, says Karnataka Chief Minister.
12:56 SC orders states to build shelters for homeless as winter approaches
Coming to the rescue of homeless people who have to bear the harsh winter out in the open every year, the Supreme Court today issued a directive to several states on construction of shelter homes.
The governments of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh were today instructed by the apex court to build shelter homes for homeless people ahead of the winter season.
"We will be very harsh to you if the shelter homes are not ready (in time),' the court told the state governments.
The court was forced to issue the warning as governments in the past have been indifferent to the plight of homeless people, sometimes even ignoring the courts on building of shelter homes. -- Zee News.
The governments of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh were today instructed by the apex court to build shelter homes for homeless people ahead of the winter season.
"We will be very harsh to you if the shelter homes are not ready (in time),' the court told the state governments.
The court was forced to issue the warning as governments in the past have been indifferent to the plight of homeless people, sometimes even ignoring the courts on building of shelter homes. -- Zee News.
12:48 Sikh group criticises compensation to kin of 1984 riot victims
A Sikh rights group has criticised India's decision to give Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, saying compensation cannot be a substitute to the prosecution of the perpetrators.
The government has decided to give Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of 3,325 victims of the anti-Sikh riots triggered after assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group said the grant of the compensation cannot be a substitute to the "prosecution of 1984 genocide perpetrators".
The group said Sikhs from North America and 1984 victims and survivors would converge on the UN headquarters on November 7, on the 30th anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots.
The government has decided to give Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of 3,325 victims of the anti-Sikh riots triggered after assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group said the grant of the compensation cannot be a substitute to the "prosecution of 1984 genocide perpetrators".
The group said Sikhs from North America and 1984 victims and survivors would converge on the UN headquarters on November 7, on the 30th anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots.
12:42 'Koi Sardar hai? Goli se maar dalenge...'
On this day, in 1984, anti-Sikh riots began, in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.
Payal Singh Mohanka, an eyewitness to the horrors of the time, remembers a horrifying train journey. Read
Payal Singh Mohanka, an eyewitness to the horrors of the time, remembers a horrifying train journey. Read
12:33 India, bye, bye, thank you: Anderson before leaving Bhopal
In a time of scant live coverage of news, it may be remembered that Anderson was last seen with the then Madhya Pradhesh CM Arjun Singh at Bhopal airport.
"House arrest or no arrest or bail, no bail, I am free to go home...There is a law of the United States... India, bye, bye, Thank you," Anderson had reportedly said.
Arjun Singh in his autobiography had said he was surprised by Warren Anderson's "arrogance" when Anderson landed at the Bhopal airport hours after the Union Carbide gas leak. He had also said that Rajiv Gandhi did not intervene to help Anderson in any way.
Anderson was arrested when he arrived in Bhopal but was released within hours and flown to Delhi on the Chief Minister's plane.
The CEO of Union Carbide then flew to America and has never returned, defying multiple summons from Indian courts.
"House arrest or no arrest or bail, no bail, I am free to go home...There is a law of the United States... India, bye, bye, Thank you," Anderson had reportedly said.
Arjun Singh in his autobiography had said he was surprised by Warren Anderson's "arrogance" when Anderson landed at the Bhopal airport hours after the Union Carbide gas leak. He had also said that Rajiv Gandhi did not intervene to help Anderson in any way.
Anderson was arrested when he arrived in Bhopal but was released within hours and flown to Delhi on the Chief Minister's plane.
The CEO of Union Carbide then flew to America and has never returned, defying multiple summons from Indian courts.
12:27
The horror unveiled: See our 2004 slideshow of the Bhopal gas tragedy.
12:25 India has learnt nothing from the Bhopal tragedy
Read senior journalist Praful Bidwai's 2010 column in the aftermath of the Bhopal gas leak judgement:
"With the June 7 Bhopal judgment, India has been reduced to a Fourth World country. This story of shame can only end if the government appeals against the judgment, gets proper criminal liability restored and seriously pursues the case against all the accused."
Read
"With the June 7 Bhopal judgment, India has been reduced to a Fourth World country. This story of shame can only end if the government appeals against the judgment, gets proper criminal liability restored and seriously pursues the case against all the accused."
Read
12:22
So, Andersen dies without facing judgment day, at least in India.
A quarter century after the world's worst industrial disaster killed over 15,000 people, a Bhopal court convicted former Union Carbide India Chairman Keshub Mahindra and seven others in the Bhopal gas tragedy case and awarded them a maximum of two years imprisonment on June 7, 2010.
A quarter century after the world's worst industrial disaster killed over 15,000 people, a Bhopal court convicted former Union Carbide India Chairman Keshub Mahindra and seven others in the Bhopal gas tragedy case and awarded them a maximum of two years imprisonment on June 7, 2010.
12:20 Bhopal gas tragedy: Amnesty demands Dow appear in court
In July, this year, Amnesty International called on the Dow Chemical Company to appear before a Bhopal court this week to explain why its subsidiary Union Carbide Company repeatedly ignored summons in the 1984 gas leak case.
The industrial accident, the worst in Indian history, led to the leak of poisonous methyl isocyanate, claiming thousands of lives in the Madhya Pradesh capital. Hundreds of thousands of others had suffered chronic health problems.
The toxic leak has led to environmental contamination at the former plant site, claim activists.
12:19
Read:The 2010 judgment in the Bhopal Gas leak case.
12:19 Bhopal Gas tragedy's Warren Anderson dies at 92
Warren M Anderson, who faced prosecution as the chief of Union Carbide Corporation, which was responsible for the infamous Bhopal gas tragedy, has died. He was 92.
The poisonous gas leak at the company's plant in Bhopal in 1984 killed over 15,000 people (official figure) and affected thousands for years later. Charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, grievous assault and killing and poisoning human beings and animals, he was soon released on bail under controversial circumstances. He was declared absconder in 2002, and therefore was not part of the case in which 8 people were convicted in 2010.
Also read: Anderson and his wife Lillian own a luxury home in the Hamptons
The poisonous gas leak at the company's plant in Bhopal in 1984 killed over 15,000 people (official figure) and affected thousands for years later. Charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, grievous assault and killing and poisoning human beings and animals, he was soon released on bail under controversial circumstances. He was declared absconder in 2002, and therefore was not part of the case in which 8 people were convicted in 2010.
Also read: Anderson and his wife Lillian own a luxury home in the Hamptons
12:05
Rajiv Gandhi lights Indira Gandhi's pyre on October 1984. Sonia Gandhi is on the extreme right.
12:02 1st time Indira Gandhi's death anniversary marked without state patronage: Cong
PM Modi had tweeted his tribute in the morning, saying, "I join my fellow countrymen & women in remembering former PM Smt. Indira Gandhi on her Punya Tithi (death anniversary)."
However, not a single leader of the Narendra Modi govt visited her memorial -- Shakti Sthal -- in New Delhi.
Congress leaders say it is the first time that Indira Gandhi's death anniversary was marked without any state patronage.
However, not a single leader of the Narendra Modi govt visited her memorial -- Shakti Sthal -- in New Delhi.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Vice President Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders
-- former PM Manmohan Singh, Motilal Vora, M Veerappa Moily, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Ahmed Patel,
Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Digvijay Singh and Shakeel
Ahmad paid tributes to Indira Gandhi, apart from the President and the vice president.
Devotional songs were played at the venue and her speech was played on the occasion.
11:43 How the Shiv Sena got its calculations horribly wrong
Chances of the Shiv Sena joining the new BJP government in the state are extremely bleak, it is reliably learnt.
So, how did the Sena get it so wrong? In the beginning, the Sena managed to make the BJP look like the villain of the piece.
Initially, public sympathy was in the Sena's favour.
The core script writers that included too many cooks -- Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aditya, his wife Rashmi, his personal secretary Milind Narvekar, other close aides like Subhash Desai, Anil Desai, Vinayak Raut and Saamna Editor Sanjay Raut -- all contributed to the Sena campaign.
Now with varying intelligence levels and political acumen, it was but natural they got carried away.
Their vision was blinkered and they actually began believing that Uddhav may become chief minister. But they lost sight of their former partner, the BJP. Read more
So, how did the Sena get it so wrong? In the beginning, the Sena managed to make the BJP look like the villain of the piece.
Initially, public sympathy was in the Sena's favour.
The core script writers that included too many cooks -- Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aditya, his wife Rashmi, his personal secretary Milind Narvekar, other close aides like Subhash Desai, Anil Desai, Vinayak Raut and Saamna Editor Sanjay Raut -- all contributed to the Sena campaign.
Now with varying intelligence levels and political acumen, it was but natural they got carried away.
Their vision was blinkered and they actually began believing that Uddhav may become chief minister. But they lost sight of their former partner, the BJP. Read more
11:36 Why Kabul kicked the Indian butt
It is extremely important that the real meaning is understood in Delhi within the government and by our wooly-headed pundits as to why Kabul has conveyed that it is no more seeking military supplies from India. Kabul is sticking to its decision despite a last-minute mission by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval... Read
11:29
Roads leading to Rajpath remained closed for general traffic this morning when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off his 'Run for Unity' on the occasion of birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Rajpath and Rafi Marg were closed for movement of traffic from 5 am to 9:30 am while Janpath and Man Singh Road remained closed between 7 am to 9:30 am.
Rajpath and Rafi Marg were closed for movement of traffic from 5 am to 9:30 am while Janpath and Man Singh Road remained closed between 7 am to 9:30 am.
11:26 Rajnath runs
That's Home minister Rajnath Singh at the Run for Unity in Hyderabad. Singh tweeted: Hundreds of college
students, NCC cadets and other citizens participated in the race.
11:24 Nil so far
Cyclone Nilofar is not even a deep depression, but just a depression. Those relocated have been asked to return, while port warning signals have been downgraded.
11:16 2G: Court frames charges against Kanimozhi, Raja, Dayalu
Special court frames charges against former telecom minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal and others in the 2G scam related money laundering case. The court is taking cognizance of the charges framed by the Enforcement Directorate, which a charge sheet against 19 accused, including 10 individuals and nine companies.
ED, in its charge sheet, had alleged that the accused were involved in the Rs 200-crore money transaction which was not "bonafide" and "genuine" and it was a "bribe for grant of telecom licences to DB Group companies" by Raja.
ED, in its charge sheet, had alleged that the accused were involved in the Rs 200-crore money transaction which was not "bonafide" and "genuine" and it was a "bribe for grant of telecom licences to DB Group companies" by Raja.
11:07 PM's passing mention of Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary
PM Narendra Modi flagging off the Run for Unity pays tribute to Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated this day in 1984, but passes it off in just one sentence: "Today is the Punya Tithi of Smt. Indira Gandhi."
The rest of the speech is devoted to Sardar Patel, whose birth anniversary it is today. Modi says, "Today is the inspiring day when we remember Sardar Patel. Sardar Patel joined Mahatma Gandhi and integrated the farmers in the freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel...their bond remained unbreakable. Through his skill, vision and Rashtra Bhakti Sardar Patel integrated the nation. We can never forget his contribution. Our culture and legacy is of Unity in Diversity. Let us rise over differences of creed, community, language."
The rest of the speech is devoted to Sardar Patel, whose birth anniversary it is today. Modi says, "Today is the inspiring day when we remember Sardar Patel. Sardar Patel joined Mahatma Gandhi and integrated the farmers in the freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel...their bond remained unbreakable. Through his skill, vision and Rashtra Bhakti Sardar Patel integrated the nation. We can never forget his contribution. Our culture and legacy is of Unity in Diversity. Let us rise over differences of creed, community, language."
10:58 Venkaiah: Injustice has been done to Sardar Patel before and after independence
Venkaiah Naidu at the Run for Unity says that injustice has been done to Sardar Patel before and after independence. "After independence it took 40 years to award him with the Bharat Ratna. We must remember Sardar Patel for unifying India, irrespective of caste, creed, color into one nation," he said.
10:37 For child's passport, unwed mother needs to declare if she was raped: Centre to HC
Times of India reports: While applying for a passport for her child, an unwed mother will have to declare how she conceived, the Union government told Bombay high court on Thursday.
The reply was to a query by a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Anuja Prabhudessai, which heard a petition by a woman challenging the passport authority's refusal to include her step-father's name in her passport. When the HC was parting with the matter, Justice Kanade asked, "We were wondering what happens in case of unwed mothers?"
Advocate Purnima Bhatia, appearing for the foreign ministry, said an unwed mother must file an affidavit stating "how she has conceived" and "if she was raped" and why she does not want the father's name included. She added the details are in the passport manual, a classified document.
The judges exchanged surprised glances and murmured.
Read more HERE
10:08 Sensex hits new record-high of 27,493.59; Nifty crosses 8,200
The BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty soared to hit new all-time highs of 27,493.59 and 8,214.65 points, respectively, in opening trade today on sustained fund inflows, driven by a slew of economic reforms announced by the government amidst optimism over strong corporate earnings.
Rising for the fourth straight day, the 30-share index flared up by 147.26 points, or 0.53 per cent, to hit a new peak of 27,493.59.
The gauge had gained 593.43 points in previous three sessions to close at record-high yesterday at 27,346.33 in yesterday's session. It had also touched an intra-day lifetime high of 27,390.60 in the previous session.
All the sectoral indices, led by IT, capital goods and healthcare, were trading in positive zone with gains up to 1.49 per cent.
The 50-share NSE Nifty crossed the 8,200-mark for the first instance to record its lifetime high of 8,214.65 by rising 45.45 points, or 0.55 per cent. It had touched an intra-day high of 8,181.55 in yesterday's trade.
Brokers said continued buying by foreign funds as well as retail investors, triggered by a series of economic reforms undertaken by the Narendra Modi-led government and strong earnings by blue-chip companies, lifted the key indices to new highs.
09:40 Modi government missing at Indira Gandhi's memorial
The nation today remembered former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 30th death anniversary with President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and other leaders paying tributes to her.
Mukherjee, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid floral tributes at Shakti Sthal, the memorial of Indira Gandhi.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders Motilal Vora, M Veerappa Moily, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Ahmed Patel, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Digvijay Singh and Shakeel Ahmad also paid tributes to Indira Gandhi.
Several leaders from Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee were also present.
Devotional songs were played at the venue. A speech made by Gandhi was also played on the occasion.
People, who visited Shakti Sthal here, raised slogans in favour of Indira Gandhi.
No member of the Narendra Modi government was present at the memorial.
No member of the Narendra Modi government was present at the memorial.
Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
Do visit rediff.com's special series on Indira Gandhi HERE
Do visit rediff.com's special series on Indira Gandhi HERE
09:02 President Pranab joins 'Run for Unity'
According to Delhi Police, nearly 10,000 people are taking part in the Run for Unity.
Among them is President Pranab Mukherjee, who flagged off the event from Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Others spotted in the crowd: Sports icons Bijender Singh, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sushil Kumar and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu
Others spotted in the crowd: Sports icons Bijender Singh, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sushil Kumar and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu
08:57 Bangalore shame: Yet another minor abused in school
In yet another shocking incident, a six-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in a private school in Bangalore in the fourth such case in as many months.
The girl, studying in the first standard, was allegedly sexually assaulted twice on October 28 and 29, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Alok Kumar told reporters here.
A man, who is "strongly suspected" for the offence, has been detained and is being questioned "thoroughly" with cases booked under Sections 376 of IPC and 5 and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012.
Sec 376 of IPC relates to rape and Sections 4 and 6 of POCSO Act to punishment for penetrative sexual assault and punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault, respectively.
He said prima facie the incident took place in the school, which has already been booked for not complying with safety guidelines issued by police to ensure safety of children.
The incident comes just five days after an office assistant in a school here was arrested for sexual assault of a three-and-a-half-year girl studying in nursery.
08:54 HCL chairman Shiv Nadar buys bungalow for daughter at Rs 115 crore
HCL chairman Shiv Nadar has bought a bungalow for his daughter Roshni Nadar in the Friends Colony East area of Delhi for Rs 115 crore making it one of the largest recent transactions in an area of Delhi outside of the Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ), a financial daily has reported.
The 1,930-sq yard plot will be re-built into a sprawling mansion, fulfilling the requirements of Nadars daughter and his son-in law, the paper reported.
The Delhi government in September hiked the circle rates -the minimum valuation at which properties have to be registered-by up to 20 percent with an aim to check black money component in sale and purchase transactions.
As per the decision approved by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, the circle rate has been increased to Rs 7.74 lakh per square metre of land from Rs 6.45 lakh in category A residential colonies like Friends Colony, Greater Kailash, Defence Colony, Gulmohar Park, Panchsheel Enclave, Anandlok, Green Park, Golf Links and Hauz Khas.
This means nobody would be allowed to buy land and immovable properties in these colonies for less than Rs 6.45 lakh per sq m. However the Nadar's deal was concluded just before the latest revision, the paper further said.
08:41 PM Modi flags off Run for Unity
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flaged off a "Run for Unity" from Vijay Chowk in New Delhi to commemorate the 139th birth anniversary Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
Friday is being celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day.
Addressing participants of the run, Modi said: "A country which forgets its history cannot create history. Today is the inspiring day when we remember Sardar Patel. Through his skill, vision and Rashtra Bhakti Sardar Patel integrated the nation. We can never forget his contribution."
"Our culture and legacy is of unity in diversity. Let us rise over differences of creed, community, language."
He then administered a unity pledge for participants.
Runs are being organised across the country simultaneously.
Earlier in the morning, Modi had tweeted, "I bow to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary," and "Sardar Patel's life is a journey of deep-rooted courage, dedication & service to the Motherland. He is truly the architect of Modern India."
08:22 Fadnavis takes oath as CM today; 'humiliated' Sena to boycott
The first BJP government in Maharashtra led by Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in on Friday in a ceremony which Shiv Sena on Thursday said it will boycott because of "constant humiliation" despite claims of talks being held for a possible tie-up.
Shiv Sena, which has been blowing hot and cold over joining the new government, said, "We have constantly been humiliated by the BJP, which has not gone down well with our MLAs.
"As our MLAs feel that BJP did not give us due respect, why should we attend the oath-taking ceremony?" Sena MP Vinayak Raut told reporters after meeting party president Uddhav Thackeray.
The tough posturing by Sena came hours after BJP said no minister from that party was likely to be inducted on Friday.
"It seems unlikely that any Shiv Sena minister will be sworn in on Friday. Talks with Sena are on in an amicable atmosphere for a possible tie-up in Maharashtra but there has been no outcome yet," BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
44-year-old Fadnavis, a fourth-term MLA from Nagpur, will be administered the oath of office by Governor C Vidyasagar Rao at Wankhede Stadium in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several of his Cabinet colleagues, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, corporate leaders, Bollywood stars and other celebrities.
A small Cabinet of about a dozen ministers including state BJP Core Committee members Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde besides MLAs from Schedule Castes and Scheduled tribes is also likely to be sworn in.
03:59
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his focus on sanitation and cleanliness and called for more women participation for the world economy to recover quickly.
"I recently met with my husband with the new prime minister of India, Prime Minister Modi. He is very focused on basics like sanitation. Girls, as they get older, cannot go to school if there is no sanitation. Women can't get very far from home because there is no toilet," Hillary said yesterday. She referred to a recent study about people working in markets in Indonesia where 90 per cent of them are women.
"There are no toilets available for women in the numbers that they represent. Think about it. It's such a simple thing. There's certainly no child care. So, is there a safe place you can leave your child while you're bustling around trying to sell in the marketplace?" she said.
Hilary said if more women could get to participate fully and get paid equal pay for equal work, the US economy as well as the economies across the world will recover at a faster rate.
"I recently met with my husband with the new prime minister of India, Prime Minister Modi. He is very focused on basics like sanitation. Girls, as they get older, cannot go to school if there is no sanitation. Women can't get very far from home because there is no toilet," Hillary said yesterday. She referred to a recent study about people working in markets in Indonesia where 90 per cent of them are women.
"There are no toilets available for women in the numbers that they represent. Think about it. It's such a simple thing. There's certainly no child care. So, is there a safe place you can leave your child while you're bustling around trying to sell in the marketplace?" she said.
Hilary said if more women could get to participate fully and get paid equal pay for equal work, the US economy as well as the economies across the world will recover at a faster rate.
03:55
The United Nations has warned that foreign jihadists are swarming into the twin conflicts in Iraq and Syria on 'an unprecedented scale' and from countries that had not previously contributed combatants to global terrorism.
Read the full article here
Read the full article here
03:47 Syrian air strikes kill over 200 civilians in 10 days: Monitor
Bombing runs by the Syrian air force over the past 10 days have killed at least 221 civilians, a third of them children, a group monitoring Syria's civil war said on Thursday.
The intensifying offensive by President Bashar al-Assad's forces has heightened concerns among his opponents that he may be taking advantage of US-led air raids on Islamic State insurgents to regain territory elsewhere in the country.
Read the full article here
The intensifying offensive by President Bashar al-Assad's forces has heightened concerns among his opponents that he may be taking advantage of US-led air raids on Islamic State insurgents to regain territory elsewhere in the country.
Read the full article here
02:54 What happens to your Facebook account when you die?
When a Facebook user dies, there are two options: delete the account or memorialise it. How can people plan for their digital legacy, asks Jack Schofield from The Guardian
Read the very interesting article here
Read the very interesting article here
02:48 GSLV-Mk III may be ready for launch in first half of December
The Indian Space Research Organization is working towards kicking off its first experimental mission of the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III by early December this year. The news comes directly from ISROChairman, K Radhakrishnan, who was present at the Engineers' Conclave 2014.
Read the full story here
Read the full story here
02:46
From The Hindu: Hundreds of desperate Sri Lankan villagers clawed through the wreckage of a deadly landslide at the Koslanda tea plantation on Thursday, defying police orders after a top disaster official said there was no chance of finding more survivors in the broken red earth of the high-elevation tea plantation.
Read the story here
Read the story here
02:43 Burkina Faso army dissolves national assembly
The head of Burkina Faso's armed forces has announced the dissolution of the national assembly and the creation of a national transitional government to last a maximum of 12 months.
read the full story here
Image: Members of the military run from anti-government protesters outside the parliament building in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.Photograph: Joe Penney/Reuters
read the full story here
Image: Members of the military run from anti-government protesters outside the parliament building in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.Photograph: Joe Penney/Reuters
01:12 American power needs to be projected thoughtfully: Kerry
The US is not sufficiently committing the resources it should contribute to the world, Secretary of State John Kerry said today as he cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country wherein it could not even commit a USD 1 billion loan guarantee.
"American power needs to be projected thoughtfully and appropriately, but if we're not...I'll give you an example. Prime Minister Modi from India came here the other day," Kerry said in an interview to the Sixth Annual Washington Ideas Forum.
Modi, he said came to the US after his trip to Japan and the India visit of the Chinese President. "Both of whom gave him double-digit numbers of billions of dollars for infrastructure development. China, I think, did $30 billion; Japan did somewhere similar...but more," Kerry said.
"American power needs to be projected thoughtfully and appropriately, but if we're not...I'll give you an example. Prime Minister Modi from India came here the other day," Kerry said in an interview to the Sixth Annual Washington Ideas Forum.
Modi, he said came to the US after his trip to Japan and the India visit of the Chinese President. "Both of whom gave him double-digit numbers of billions of dollars for infrastructure development. China, I think, did $30 billion; Japan did somewhere similar...but more," Kerry said.
01:02 Unbelievably huge crowd greets SRK in Kanpur
A huge crowd gathered to have a glimpse of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan who was in the city to thank his fans for the success of his new movie 'Happy New Year', giving a tough time to policemen in managing the fans. Khan, along with other actors of the film, arrived in the evening today.
Fans began pouring in hours before he was due to visit the two multiplexes in Sarvodya Nagar area and VIP road.
The police stopped the entry to the venues after they got packed with people and this enraged those who were unable to enter. Enraged fans create ruckus outside the malls.
"Fans were so crazy to have a glimpse of Shah Rukh that police had a tough time in controlling them," SP West Harish Chandra said.
Image: SRk greets fans in Kanpur. Photograph courtesy: SRK's Twitter feed.
Fans began pouring in hours before he was due to visit the two multiplexes in Sarvodya Nagar area and VIP road.
The police stopped the entry to the venues after they got packed with people and this enraged those who were unable to enter. Enraged fans create ruckus outside the malls.
"Fans were so crazy to have a glimpse of Shah Rukh that police had a tough time in controlling them," SP West Harish Chandra said.
Image: SRk greets fans in Kanpur. Photograph courtesy: SRK's Twitter feed.
00:40 Drone strike kills 6 in Pakistani tribal areas
An American drone strike killed at least six militants early Thursday in the South Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan, a senior Pakistani security official said.
he official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said that four of the dead were foreign militants, two from Saudi Arabia, one from Yemen and one from Sudan.
The drone's missiles struck a private residence near a school in the village of Nargasi, the official said.
Read the full story here
he official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said that four of the dead were foreign militants, two from Saudi Arabia, one from Yemen and one from Sudan.
The drone's missiles struck a private residence near a school in the village of Nargasi, the official said.
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00:34 North Korea orders Ebola quarantine on all foreigners
From SkyNews: North Korea has announced it intends to quarantine all foreigners entering the country for 21 days, no matter what their country of origin, as a measure against the spread of the Ebola virus.
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00:34 North Korea orders Ebola quarantine on all foreigners
From SkyNews: North Korea has announced it intends to quarantine all foreigners entering the country for 21 days, no matter what their country of origin, as a measure against the spread of the Ebola virus.
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00:22
From the NYT: Under heavy pressure and the threat of new Israeli-Palestinian strife, Israel announced on Thursday that it would reopen a contested holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday morning, a day after closing it for the first time in years.
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00:15
From Fox News: Maine Governor Paul Lepage, declaring negotiations have failed, vows to use the 'full extent of his authority' to deal with Kaci Hickox, a nurse who is defying the state's 'voluntary' quarantine.
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00:14 Top headlines of the last 24 hours
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