A S Kashyap

Halle Berry to launch lingerie line

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Actress Halle Berry has teamed up with Target to launch the revitalised Scandale Paris line.

The 10-piece collection blends Parisian romance with a sense of timeless sophistication, reports eonline.com.

“I fell in love with Scandale while I was in Paris, because the brand reminded me of the city itself – beautiful and inspiring,” Berry said in a statement.

“I am excited for the US debut to be at Target and to launch the brand globally in 2015. I look forward to giving more women the chance to enjoy what European women have come to love for more than eight decades,” she added.

Did drugs kill British couple?

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Police have sent the viscera of a British couple found dead in a hotel here to know what caused their death.

James Oliver Gaskel, 28, and Alexendra Nichola Gaskel, 24, were in India on tourist visa since July 11.

They were found dead Tuesday in a hotel room. Police said Thursday night that preliminary reports suggest the two died of an overdose of drugs, which were found near their bed.

Superintendent of Police Sameer Saurabh said British high commission officials took custody of the bodies late Wednesday.

Sweden-India week to focus on improving business ties

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The eighth edition of Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week begins here Sunday, with a series of seminars and debates focusing on “improving business” between the two nations.

The theme of this year’s edition is “Sweden Makes in India: Co-creating the Future”, and Swedish Ambassador Harald Sandberg told IANS this “fits very well with this idea of innovation and ideas for the future.”

Three Kurdish rebels killed in Turkey

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At least three rebels from the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) were killed in the clashes with Turkish gendarmerie teams in Turkey Friday, a media report said.

Four PKK rebels attacked a hydroelectric power plant in Kagizman town of Kars province, Xinhua reported.

Turkish gendarmerie teams were dispatched to the power plant after a tip-off, said the report.

Turkish Gendarmerie teams asked the PKK rebels to surrender who instead tried to escape. The Turkish troops opened fire at the rebels, killing three of them.

‘We helped ensure Delhi celebrated a safe Diwali’

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This Diwali went off safely, thanks to Delhi’s firefighters who ensured no incident turned into a conflagration by keeping alert right through the festival night. In this crowded city of over 17 million, no one from the public reported burn injuries either.

“We are not able to celebrate but ensure that Delhi people have a safe Diwali,” firefighter Rajesh Kumar told IANS while heading off to attend to a fire complaint in central Delhi at 11 p.m. on Diwali night Thursday.

India is proud of all three wings of armed forces, says PM Modi

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Boosting the morale of the armed forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told the soldiers stationed at the Siachen base camp that the nation is proud of its three wings: army, air force and navy.

Addressing the officers and jawans at the Siachen base camp, which is situated at a height of over 12,000 feet, Prime Minister Modi praised their valour and courage, saying that 125 crore Indians could celebrate Diwali and go about their lives in comfort because the jawans stood guard at the borders and were prepared to make every sacrifice for the nation.

11 infants die over three days in Bengal

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The ghost of crib deaths returned to haunt West Bengal with 11 infants losing their lives at the Malda Medical College and Hospital in the past three days, an official said on Thursday.

Confirming the deaths, medical superintendent and vice principal M.A. Rashid said all the infants were underweight and suffered from respiratory problems.

The state-run hospital has frequently witnessed infant deaths in the recent past. Earlier in July, over a dozen babies died, while in June at least 19 infants died of encephalitis. In January, over a dozen crib deaths occurred.

IANS

Dark Diwali for cyclone-hit north coastal Andhra

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It’s a dark Diwali for people in north coastal Andhra which was battered by severe cyclonic storm ‘Hudhud’ 12 days ago.

The festival of lights is devoid of any celebrations in Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts as people are still reeling under the impact of ‘Hudhud’, which claimed 46 lives, damaged over 90,000 houses, agriculture and horticulture crops over 2.38 lakh hectares and a vast green cover.

The devastation caused by the cyclone overshadowed Diwali as the celebrations will be confined to lighting of ‘deepams’ or lamps and ‘puja’.

Pakistan says India constructing bunkers close to border

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Pakistan’s foreign office Thursday said Indian forces under the cover of unprovoked firing were engaged in constructing bunkers in locations within five hundred metres of the working boundary.

Speaking to media persons at the weekly briefing in Islamabad, foreign office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam said the construction of the bunkers was in violation of the 2010 agreement between New Delhi and Islamabad, Dawn online reported.

“Pakistan would never permit this construction which is in violation of a bilateral agreement,” Aslam was quoted as saying at the briefing for journalists.

PM Modi’s Siachen visit will raise morale of troops, says defence expert

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Defence expert Lieutenant General (retd.) Raj Kadyan on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Siachen glacier to visit the troops stationed there would raise the morale of the soldiers.

“I think it is an excellent gesture on the part of the Prime Minister and it is sure to motivate the troops and raise their morale,” Lieutenant General (retd.) Kadyan told ANI.

Indian man reunited with family after 40 years

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An Indian man, who had disappeared from his hometown in Kerala nearly 40 years ago, has been found by his family at a hospital in Dubai in the UAE, a newspaper report said.

Now in his 60s, Abdulla Punathil Usman has been working as a cook in an Arab national’s house in Hor Al Anz since early 1970s, the Gulf News reported Wednesday.

Aamir Khan unveils ‘PK’ teaser on Diwali

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Aamir Khan unveiled the teaser of his forthcoming film “PK” on Diwali Thursday and the superstar hopes the movie tastes success.

“Coincidently my films have been releasing during Christmas and each year, I have been showing the trailer during Diwali. So, we decided to do the same this Diwali as well. I hope the film works for us,” Aamir told reporters here during the teaser launch of “PK”.

He previously tasted box office successes with “Taare Zameen Par”, “Ghajini” and “3 Idiots”, which all came out during Christmas.

Rahul Gandhi greets countrymen on Diwali

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Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi Thursday greeted countrymen on the occasion of Diwali.

“Wishing everyone a very happy Diwali. As we celebrate this auspicious day with joy in our hearts, let us pray for peace, prosperity and happiness for all,” Gandhi said in a statement issued by his office.

IANS

OPEC daily basket price falls again

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The basket of 12 crude oils of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) closed at $81.94 a barrel Wednesday compared to $82.09 Tuesday, the OPEC Secretariat said.

The new OPEC reference basket comprises Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Iran Heavy (Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (United Arab Emirates) and Merey (Venezuela). A barrel equals 159 litres.

IANS

Odisha BJP leader suspended for social media comments

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The Bharatiya Janata Party Thursday suspended one of its senior leaders in Odisha for making “anti-party” statements on social media.

“The party suspended Ashok Sahu for anti-party activities,” state BJP spokesman Samir Mohanty told IANS.

Sahu had made some “objectionable” comments a few days ago on social networking sites. He also made such comments on television shows despite being warned by party leaderships, the party spokesman said.

Sahu, a former Assam-cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, had held the post of state vice-president and spokesman of the party in the past.

Omar stays away from Modi’s Raj Bhavan engagements

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After receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi here Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chose to stay away from Modi’s engagements at the Raj Bhawan.

Abdullah, however, attended an official briefing given to Modi in the technical area of Srinagar airport.

Informed sources said the chief minister left for his official residence in the high-security Gupkar Road from the airport while Modi and Governor N.N. Vohra went to the Raj Bhawan.

Srikanth, Kashyap, Saina rise in world rankings

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Indian men shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and Parupalli Kashyap jumped seven places each in the latest released Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings Thursday while Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal moved up one spot to the sixth.

Srikanth is lying 16th while Kashyap is 21st in the rankings. Srikanth started the week at 23rd spot and was rewarded for his quarter-final appearance at the Denmark Open.

Commonwealth Games champion Kashyap, who defeated World No.3 Jan O Jorgensen on his way to his entry into the semi-final of the tournament in Odense, started the week at 28th place.

Gadkari rules himself out of CM race, says ‘I am happy in Delhi’

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Amidst calls by several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs in Maharashtra that he should be made the Chief Minister, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday reiterated that he was not in the race for the top post.

Gadkari said that he was happy with the responsibilities assigned to him in New Delhi, and added that the people should not compare him with Devendra Fadnavis.

Ganga cleaning improves aquatic life

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The Ganga cleanliness drive is helping improve the river’s aquatic life.Researchers who studied the condition of the river before and after the latest mass cleanliness drive say there have been visible positive results. The study covered Har Ki Pauri, one of the most popular and crowded ghats of the largest river basin in the world.

Researchers from Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya and Gurkul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya say the campaign helped temperature to dip to 18.1 degrees Celsius from 19 degrees.

No Diwali sweets exchange at Attari border

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The Border Security Force (BSF) Thursday did not exchange sweets and greetings with their counterparts Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of Diwali.

This is the second time within this month that the border guards of both the countries have not exchanged sweets during their festivals. Both sides broke the tradition and did not exchange sweets and greetings on the occasion of Eid earlier this month.

BSF officials here said that no effort was made to work out the protocol for exchange of sweets Thursday.

Crorepati CEO club grew at a slower pace last year

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The economic slowdown has also affected India Inc’s corner offices — executive directors and above. In 2013-14, the number of new entrants to the crorepati club (the promoters and professionals earning over Rs 1 crore a year) more than halved to 42, compared with 87 the previous year. At the end of March this year, there were 640 promoters and professionals who had annual pay packages of Rs 1 crore or more each. This number was 598 at the end of 2012-13 and 511 a year earlier.

Rajnath Singh set to visit Israel next month

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Union home minister Rajnath Singh is set to visit Israel next month, amid a flurry of bilateral engagements signalling deepening of ties.

Singh is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 6 while other relevant meetings were being worked out for the high-level four-day trip, senior diplomatic sources here told PTI.

It will be the first visit of an Indian home minister to Israel since June 2000 when LK Advani visited Tel Aviv which marked an upsurge in bilateral cooperation.

Shahid to celebrate diwali with family

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Shahid Kapoor will be celebrating his diwali with father Pankaj Kapoor and sister Sana. Shahid is currently shooting for his movie “Shaandaar”.

The actor is soaring high over the success of the movie “Haider” which has been critically acclaimed. Though away from home, Shahid will be celebrating with family.

“Shaandaar” also stars Alia Bhatt in the lead role

IANS

Modi condemns terror attack in Canada

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condemned the terror attack on the Canadian parliament and pledged to strengthen cooperation with Ottawa to combat terrorism.

“I strongly condemn the attacks on the Canadian military personnel in Quebec and Ottawa and the shooting in the Canadian parliament in Ottawa,” Modi said in a statement released by the external affairs ministry.

“A parliament is a temple of democracy and holds a special place in the hearts of those who believe in democratic ideals.

Modi reaches Srinagar

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here Thursday afternoon to meet victims of the recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir.

A special plane carrying Modi landed at the technical area of Srinagar airport around 2.10 p.m.

Governor N.N. Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior ministers received the prime minister.

Members of flood-affected families, traders and members of the civil society will meet Modi at the Raj Bhawan.

He will also meet politicians from the ruling National Conference, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and other mainstream parties.