A S Kashyap Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of Diwali Thursday — from the icy heights of Siachen Glacier.
“Wished President Pranab Mukherjee a very Happy Diwali from Siachen!” Modi said in a tweet. “Am sure this would be among the most unique greetings Pranabda received.”
Modi flew to Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, at the start of a visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
IANS
(14:26)
, Oct 23 (IANS) An activist Thursday blamed official apathy for the suicide by six farmers in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region.
Four of them were from Yavatmal district and one each from Akola and Amravati districts, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari said. The deaths occurred Wednesday.
“The farmers voted overwhelmingly for the BJP in both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections hoping their suffering will be mitigated,” Tiwari told IANS.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday said all patients will be entitled to receive free treatment, free diagnostics and free surgery in all government hospitals and health centres across the state.
“Henceforth, all patients will receive free treatment, free diagnostics and free surgery in all government hospitals and health centres from village to district level,” said Banerjee, who also holds the health portfolio.
“All paying beds are now being converted as free beds.”
Only one-third of Bihar ministers Wednesday turned up for a day long training programme in computers, tablets and smart phones to ensure high tech-governance in the state, officials said.
“Only 10 of the 31 ministers have received training in computer and tablet operation. Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi attended it,” an official of the IT department said.
According to officials, 21 ministers failed to turn up for the training. “Most of the ministers have not shown any interest to learn to operate computer, tablet and high-tech mobile,” the official said.
The Indian Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of Sukhoi SU-30 MKI aircraft for “specific checks” following a crash near Pune earlier this month.
The crash occurred near Pune Oct 14 and both the pilots had ejected safely. A court of inquiry was ordered into the incident.
A defence ministry release said checks were being done on the entire Su-30 fleet.
A day after Indian hockey chief coach Terry Walsh resigned citing difficulty in dealing with the bureaucracy, Sports Authority of India (SAI) director general Jiji Thomson Wednesday said the contract of the Asian Games gold medal-winning coach will be “renewed” before Nov 19.
Thomson said Walsh will be provided more functional autonomy in technical matters related to the running of the sport.
With just 100 days left for the 35th National Games, which will see 34 disciplines being held at 31 venues with more than 12,000 athletes and sports officials, and 6,000 facilitators attending, Kerala is gearing up for the sports extravaganza to be held in seven districts of the state.
This is the second time that the National Games, scheduled to begin from Jan 31, will be held in the southern state.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his cabinet colleagues have already met and invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be the chief guest at the opening ceremony Jan 31.
Amy Winehouse’s father Mitch Winehouse was reminded of his daughter’s death when Peaches Geldof died.
The 63-year-old singer, who had dedicated most of the songs in his new album ‘But Beautiful’ to his late daughter, said that Geldof’s death was a “terrible incident” and he didn’t know what to her father, since he had been out of touch, the Mirror reported.
Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 15-year-old boy was allegedly burnt to death after his goats ate the paddy crop of an upper caste man at Mohanpur village under Karakat police station in Rohtas district, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to Bihar’s Chief Secretary and Director General of Police and sought a report on this matter within four weeks.
Taking cognizance of the press report, the Commission has observed that it amounts to serious violation of human rights if the contents of the report are true.
The sixteenth edition of the Mumbai Film Festival (MFF), hit by a financial crunch, has been wrapped up thanks to movie lovers. Now the big question: what is the future of the festival?
The fest, organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI), fell short of Rs.2.25 crore this year, and needs approximately Rs.5 crore to keep the ball rolling every year.
Taking strong exception to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement in a television interview, the Congress Party on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre not to blackmail them with their assertions that the opposition will “be embarrassed” when the names of Indians who have black or illicit money stashed abroad are revealed in court.
Daring the government to reveal the names of all the black money account holders, the Congress said that it was ready for a probe against it on the issue.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday expressed the hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would announce the relief package of Rs. 44,000 crores as demanded by the state government for flood victims during his visit to Srinagar tomorrow.
When asked whether he is expecting any package from the Centre during Prime Minister Modi’s visit, Omar said: “Obviously, we have submitted a package of Rs. 44,000 crores for the relief of the flood-affected people. We hope that if the Prime Minister is coming on Diwali, this package will be accepted.”
Those looking for unforgettable music experience, will surely vouch for Kingfisher Premium – The Great Indian Octoberfest. A confluence of Indian ragas, folk music and hard metal rock band, EDM and hip hop from the west, the 10th edition concluded on a high note here.
The three-day of musical extravaganza, which started Oct 17 at E-Zone club at the outskirts of the city, witnessed some of the world’s most celebrated music artists from various genres setting the right tempo with their gigs.
A 53-year-old businessman Wednesday shot his wife nine times, killing her on the spot, after she objected to his extramarital affair, police said.
Deepak Khurana shot his 50-year-old wife Alka Khurana with his licensed pistol in their flat in Palam Vihar area here around noon.
“Khurana, who runs a furniture factory, had extramarital affairs. His wife Alka objected to his illicit relations. He shot her after a heated argument,” police officer Moolchand told IANS.
Actor Ali Fazal will be “home away from home” on Diwali Thursday as he is busy filming “Khamoshiyaan” for Vishesh Films.
“I am shooting in Cape Town with Bhatt’s for ‘Khamoshiyaan’ so, I will be having a working Diwali this year. I am having a great time working with them, it’s like a home away from home,” Ali said in a statement.
Directed by Karan Dara, “Khamoshiyaan” also features Sapna Pabbi and Gurmeet Chaudhary.
He had earlier mentioned that he is in awe of the banner’s co-owner Mahesh Bhatt and that it is the best thing to have happened to him.
IANS
Islamic clerics in a Malaysian city have reportedly expressed outrage over an event in which people were invited to pet dogs, many of whom were Muslims.
The news of the event, “I Want to Touch a Dog,” spread on Facebook and was attended by more than 800 people at the One Utama shopping center in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia this weekend. It was organized to help people, who are apprehensive of dogs, to learn more about them by touching them.
Political leaders have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to visit Jammu and Kashmir on October 23, to celebrate Diwali with flood-hit victims.
Hundreds of people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless after extensive flooding in Kashmir last month.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Jay Panda, said, “I think the Prime Minister’s decision to spend Diwali with the people of Jammu and Kashmir is a very good sign and it sends the right message that the highest level of government is standing with our Indian citizens in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Virus-free potatoes grown only in Himachal Pradesh’s cold desert, which mainly find a market for plantation, are much sought after these days owing to the shortage of table potatoes in the country, trade representatives said.
Officials of the state agriculture department say 8,200 tonnes of Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi varieties, grown only in the Lahaul Valley of Lahaul-Spiti district, are expected this season.
Actress Scarlett Johansson has made it to Barbara Walters’ list of 10 most fascinating people of 2014.
Walters is in the process of finalising her list and celebrities have another two months to make an impact, but the journalist has already short-listed a few names, eonline.com reports.
And Johansson is said to be the first prominent name in entertainment to make it to the list.
This year has been quite eventful for the 29-year-old beauty. In addition to debuting the fabulous pixie cut, the actress welcomed a baby girl with fiancé Romain Dauriac in September.
Benjamin Bradlee, the man who turned The Washington Post into a global name and made history with the paper’s coverage of the “Watergate” scandal, died at his home in Washington DC at the age of 93 from natural causes, the Post reported.
Bradlee, who for years had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, served as the Post’s editor during its golden age from 1965 to 1991.
With the “Watergate” scandal, The Washington Post became one of the world’s leading newspapers, thanks to the skill and persistence of journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward who covered it.
Animal welfare activists in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district are planning to move the court against the large-scale animal sacrifice practised during Kali puja in the area.
Members of the North Dinajpur chapter of People for Animals (PFA) plan to register a case in the Calcutta High Court after the end of the festive season, according to a unit member.
Around 700 goats are sacrificed in each of the two major Kali temples in the district — Baira Kalimata Mandir Committee in Kaliyaganj and Ekarchhala Kalimata Mandir in Islampur.
The father of British hostage John Cantlie, who has been held captive by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Syria since 2012, has died days after recording a video asking the captors to release his son, his family announced Wednesday.
Paul Cantlie died at the age of 80 Oct 16 due to complications from pneumonia, according to a statement issued by his family.
The statement added that the father died before knowing whether the jihadis had received his plea for his son to be freed.
Terming the rape of a three-year-old LKG student in Bangalore as shameful, former National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Kushal Singh on Wednesday called for serious introspection of value systems being practiced within society, and said the onus should be put on educational institutions to ensure better security and protection of kids.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took to Twitter to share the link of a special page for exchanging Diwali wishes with people.
“Many friends are sending Diwali wishes. My thanks to them. Do visit this specially created page,” he tweeted.
In another tweet, the prime minister said people could send their special e-greetings on Diwali online.
“Diwali is here! Send these special e-greetings and share the happiness and brightness of this festive season,” he tweeted.
IANS
Malaysian Indians and people of the Hindu faith Wednesday celebrated Diwali with a great fervour here, media reported.
A Diwali open house was hosted by the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) at Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur, which was attended by Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor, the Malaysian Star reported.