Politics

Both India and Pak should take steps to stabilize situation on LoC: Salman Bashir

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Pakistan's high commissioner to India Salman Bashir on Friday said that both India and Pakistan should take steps to stabilize situation on the LoC.

Oct 18, 2013

If Narendra Modi has too much info about black money he must provide it: Congress

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Even as BJP's PM Candidate, Narendra Modi said that if all the money kept in Swiss banks was got back to the country, it would not have to go looking for gold, the Congress on Friday took a jibe at him saying if he had too much information about the same, he must report it to the Government.

Oct 18, 2013

Raman Singh hits out at Rahul Gandhi over corruption

Raipur, Oct 18 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Raman Singh on Friday took a jibe at Congress Party's vice-president, Rahul Gandhi and said he should tackle the corruption happening within the Congress-led UPA government rather than pointing loopholes within states.

Oct 18, 2013

Awareness camp to protect Guwahati's famous wetland Deepor Beel

Guwahati, Oct 18 (ANI): Situated in Kamrup District of Assam, the Deepor Beel is one of the famous wetlands of the region, and is home to several species of birds. However, due to continuous human interference and a high level of pollution, the condition of the wetland has deteriorated. To spread awareness about the need to protect the wetland and the harmful impact of using plastic, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently organised a camp in Guwahati. Students from the Sankardev Niketan participated in the camp and raised awareness through songs, folk dances and slogans. The wetland, that has also been declared a bird sanctuary, is a part of the Asian Wetland Directory, and was also declared a Ramsar site in 2002. The site attracts large number of visitors, including research scholars, students and tourists. About 122 species of seasonal, migratory and residential birds visit the beel every year. This large water body also houses a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles, insects and tree species. Owing to frequent killing of birds, unchecked fishing and encroachment, it has become imperative to take necessary steps for its protection.

Oct 18, 2013

Nation is witnessing a cyclone of change: Narendra Modi

Chennai, Oct 18 (ANI): Launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led UPA government, Gujarat Chief minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said on Friday that a cyclone of change is sweeping the nation. Addressing people in Chennai, Modi said that the huge cyclone Phailin could not do much damage as nothing can stand in the way of the huge cyclone of change sweeping the country. He also mocked the digging for gold in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district following a sadhu's dream saying that the black money stashed away in Swiss banks is worth much more than the gold reportedly hidden in a fort in Unnao.

Oct 18, 2013

It happens: Eid Celebrations

Agartala, Oct 18 (ANI): Devout Muslims across India's northeastern states congregated at mosques to offer prayers on the occasion of the feast of Eid-al-Adha on Wednesday. Believers offer domestic animals as a ritual sacrifice to the Almighty to mark this festival. According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Abraham was blessed with a son, Ishmael, at a very advanced age and nurtured a deep love for the boy. The event commemorates Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son. The ritual of sacrifice symbolises obedience and loyalty to God. Muslims worldwide traditionally slaughter a four-legged animal in commemoration. The meat is then distributed among the family and neighbours as well as the poor and the needy. But before the sacrifice, men, women and children flock to mosques around the country to take part in the prayers. Eid also marks the end of the annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and is considered to be a day of joy, since martyrdom itself is a blessing.

Oct 18, 2013

It happens: Boat Race

Imphal, Oct 18 (ANI): Tribes living in the hills and plains of northeastern India come together to participate and compete in Hiyang Hiren Tanana, the traditional boat race competition, held annually two days ahead of the Mera Houchongba celebrations, a festival which encourages brotherhood among tribal communities. On Wednesday hundreds of locals dressed in their traditional northeast Indian attire, came to participate in the festivities of an annual boat race competition which is organised annually two days ahead of the religious festival, Mera Houchongba. All 36 rowers or volunteers which include two team leaders (Tengmai Lappa) who took part in the boat race were blessed by the titular king ofIndia's northeastern Manipur state, Leishemba Sanajaoba, during a ceremony held at Sana Konung (Manipur Royal Palace) on Tuesday. Hiyang HirenTanana (Traditional Boat Race) and Mera Houchongba are the two most important festivals of Manipur which bind the people of the valley with the hills. The two festivals are being celebrated in Manipur since 33 A. D. whenManipur was ruled by King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba.

Oct 18, 2013

It happens: Goat feeds a Tiger Cub

Indore, Oct 18 (ANI): A goat has been tending and feeding a tiger cub disowned by its own mother, a tigress at a zoo in Indore district of India's central Madhya Pradesh state. Born a couple of weeks ago, the tiger cub, along with its two siblings, was attacked by its mother at birth. The attack killed the other two siblings and the third one was left paralysed in its lower limbs and spinal cord. Worried for the cub's growth, the zoo authorities arranged for a goat that is feeding the cub and treats the cub like one of its own kind. A bigger challenge that the authorities face now is the treatment of the cub. Yadav said that they were inspecting the spinal cord injuries of the cub and would treat the cub. The zoo authorities observed a change in the behavior of the tigress since the time the cubs were born. It became more violent and refused to feed her cubs.

Oct 18, 2013

Delhi Polls: AAP will win 33 out of 70 seats; Congress says what a joke

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Even as the Aam Aadmi Party claimed that it will grab 33 out of 70 seats in the upcoming Assembly Elections in the national capital, the Congress on Friday ridiculed the party calling it a joke.

Oct 18, 2013

Attempts to spread communalism wont be successful: Mulayam

Lucknow. Oct 18 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday said that the state government is very careful as some entities are trying to spread communalism in the state. Yadav further added that such conspiracy won’t be successful. The SP government has denied permission to carry out ‘Sankalp Diwas yatra’ by VHP in the state.

Oct 18, 2013

AAP will win 33 out of 70 seats: Yogendra Yadav on Delhi Polls

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): While releasing numbers of its internal survey ahead of Delhi polls, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday claimed that it will grab 33 out of 70 seats in the upcoming Assembly Elections in the national capital. The survey was conducted in all the 70 constituencies in Delhi.

Oct 18, 2013

Digvijay Singh acting like polling agent of Narendra Modi: BJP

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Even as Congress leader Digvijay Singh has lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, and said that Gujarat has one of the highest per capita debt liabilities, the BJP on Friday ridiculed him by saying that Digvijay was acting like a polling agent of Modi.

Oct 18, 2013

AgustaWestland deal: Italian middleman Haschke arrested on charges of bribery

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Swiss authorities have arrested alleged middleman Guido Ralph Haschke, on charges of bribery, in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. 63-year-old Haschke, who claims to provide 'project advisory services' could be brought to Italy by next week in case he prefers not to appeal against extradition proceedings. As per an Italian news agency, a court in Switzerland has ruled that Haschke can be extradited to Italy. Haschke was briefly arrested by Swiss authorities in October, 2012 in connection with the probe but he denied any wrongdoing. The Italian and Indian agencies have been probing the Rs 3600 crore helicopter contract for alleged kickbacks to Indian officials.

Oct 18, 2013

RSS on VHP's Sankalp Diwas Yatra

Nagpur, Oct 18 (ANI): RSS Leader MG Vaidya on Friday stated that the UP government is trying to woo the Muslim voters by denying permission to carry out 'Sankalp Diwas yatra' by VHP in the state. He further said that the Samajwadi Party is doing all this to gain political mileage but it will eventually lose the votes of Hindus in the process.

Oct 18, 2013

'Grapes are sour' for BJP, congress will remain in power: Manish Tewari

New Delhi, Oct 18 (ANI): Reacting on BJP leader Arun Jaitley's statement in Rajya Sabha that there was huge anti-incumbency mood in the country against the UPA government, I and B Minister Manish Tewari said that 'grapes are sour' for BJP and that Congress will continue to remain in power. Further, he said that BJP should not forget how it was rejected by the electorate both in 2004 and 2009. He said that BJP's anti people ideology will never bring them up in power and that people will give another chance to the Congress to return to power and work for the development of the nation.

Oct 18, 2013