A S Kashyap

President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday extended his congratulations to children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, who has been awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for his work to abolish child labour in the country.

“The prize should be seen as recognition of the contributions of India’s vibrant civil society in addressing complex social problems such as child labour and the important role played by them in collaboration with the government in the nation’s efforts to eliminate all forms of child labour in the country,” President Mukherjee said.

Senior advocate and counsel of NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, H. S. Phoolka, on Friday congratulated child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi on winning the Nobel Peace Prize and said it is a great achievement.

Phoolka said it is a great moment not only for Bachpan Bachao Andolan but for the whole country that an Indian has got a Nobel Peace Prize.

With an Italian court acquitting its two former bosses of corruption charges, defence firm Finmeccanica on Friday said they can reopen dialogue with the Indian Defence Ministry, which had scrapped its Rs 3,600 crore contract for supplying 12 VVIP helicopters.

“The verdict (of Italian court) allows us to reopen dialogue with Indian Defence Ministry which was interrupted due to investigations into supply of choppers to India,” Finmeccannica CEO Mauro Moretti said in a statement.

CBI investigator AGL Kaul, who probed sensational crime cases like Aarushi-Hemraj murder, Shehla Masood murder and Badaun murders, on Friday passed away following a heart attack.

54-year-old Kaul suffered a massive heart attack in his sleep and was declared brought dead by the hospital, a CBI spokesperson said here today.

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Describing Kaul as an ace investigator, CBI director Ranjit Sinha told a news agency that his acumen to solve complex crime cases was impeccable. He said it is an untimely death.

Hudhud will be the second major cyclone after Phailin, which hit the eastern coast in October last year. Hudhud will be the second major cyclone after Phailin, which hit the eastern coast in October last year.
Press Trust of India | New Delhi | Posted: October 10, 2014 2:22 pm | Updated: October 10, 2014 2:32 pm
With cyclone ‘Hudhud‘ fast approaching the states of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today spoke to the chief ministers of the three states on the steps being taken to deal with the situation.

Taking a jibe at former Haryana chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Om Prakash Chautala, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed on Friday said only the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can ascertain his illness as doctors have no capacity to do so.

Expressing concern over Virat Kohli’s prolonged loss of form, former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar today said that the talented batsman needs to be dropped down the order to get him back to his run-making ways.

Kohli made his ninth single-digit score in his last 16 innings when he managed just 2 runs in the first one-dayer against the West Indies in Kochi which India lost by 124 runs yesterday.

PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared that the Centre would stand shoulder to shoulder with all states, irrespective of political affiliation of the state government, to facilitate investment and economic growth.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Thursday that his country is capable of responding ‘befittingly’ to actions by Indian forces at the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

In a statement, he said, “We do not want the situation on the borders of two nuclear neighbours to escalate into confrontation. India must demonstrate caution and behave with responsibility.”

Police apprehended a suspected militant guide who acted as an over ground worker (OGW) on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The man arrested has been identified as Wali Mohammed, a 65- year- old resident of Qasba village on the Indian side of the LoC.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Poonch District, Shamsheer Hussain said that the police will only be able to ascertain the associations of Mohammed after thorough interrogation.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of dividing the country in the name of caste, creed, religion and language.

“When Jawaharlal Nehru was laying the foundation of Modern India, they were just five to six years old. They do not promote secularity. Do not fall for people who divide in the name of caste, creed, religion and language,” said Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Under fire from Opposition leaders for not adequately responding to border crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a meeting of the National Security Committee tomorrow to discuss with top military and civilian leaders the current situation.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that the meeting will “discuss the recent ceasefire violations by India at the Line of Control and Working Boundary.

PTI

A group of demonstrators protested outside the Pakistan High Commission here on Thursday, demanding that the Islamic Republic end its incessant ceasefire violation s and stop firing at India along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

Burning placards with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s legend on it, they urged Indian troops to attack that nation.

Meanwhile, members of the Youth Congress went out on a march against Pakistan with cries defaming that nation.

Under fire from the opposition over escalating ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India has responded to the aggression with courage and lamented public debate on the issue for political gains. “Today, when bullets are being fired on the border, it is the enemy that is screaming. Our jawans have responded to the aggression with courage,” Modi said at an election rally.

PTI

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet with top military officers tomorrow to discuss this week’s heavy fighting with India at the Kashmir border, the worst violence in over a decade. Seventeen civilians have been reported killed – eight in India and nine in Pakistan and dozens more have been injured.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said today, “We don’t want to convert border tension between two nuclear neighbors into confrontation” but stressed that “Pakistan is fully capable to respond to any Indian aggression” according to a statement released by his office.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the Indian Army and the Border Security Force (BSF) have given a befitting reply to Pakistan’s ceasefire violations.

“If anyone is violating ceasefire, it is Pakistan. Our army and Border Security Force have given a befitting reply to them. They have already lost the battle,” said Singh at a rally here.

“The people are asking why the Prime Minster is silent over this issue, but he doesn’t need to give an answer, as our forces are already giving Pakistan a befitting reply,” he added.

The romantic comedy movie ‘What If’ is set to hit Indian theatres on October 17, 2014.According to the PVR Director’s Rare, the movie written by Elan Mastai and directed by renowned Canadian director Michael Dowse, pairs up British actors Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan.Speaking on the release, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, JMD, PVR Ltd.

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana launched his new single ‘ Mitti Di Khushboo’ in association with Bhushan Kumar’s T-series at an event held in Mumbai.

Also spotted at the event was actor Huma Qureshi, who will also be seen in the album along with Ayushmann.

Speaking about his single Khurrana said, “This song is about love, rain, nostalgia, it’s about everything you remember from the past, and I think, it will be a home coming anthem this is a festive season, and that’s about it.”

Director General (DG) of the Border Security Force (BSF) D K Pathak said here on Thursday that India will continue to retaliate as long as Pakistan does not refrain from violating the ceasefire across the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border.

“As long as they keep on firing, we will have to keep on retaliating, because we are mandated to guard our border, protect the civilians living in the border area, so as long as targeting goes on, we will be responding to it,” said Pathak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lashed out at the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, saying they have turned Maharashtra into “scam Maharashtra” ever since they came to power in the state 15 years ago.

“Congress and NCP are the same. They both are corrupt and it is because of them that farmers are committing suicide. They make up rumours and say that I want to stop the exportation of onions from India but they are lying. These allegations are completely false,” Prime Minister Modi said in a rally at Ahmednagar.

Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed that his party was the first organisation in the country to urge the government to take a strong stand against Pakistan.

“Amend the new Land Acquisition Act to safeguard tribal land and disallow acquisition by a non-tribal, including private companies.”
* “Make gram sabha consent mandatory for acquisition of land, even by the government for its own use.”
* “Introduce penalties to prevent deliberate flouting of the Forest Rights Act, such as (through) exception to linear projects, and (through) decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Investment.”

* “Appoint a judicial commission to investigate cases of ‘Naxal offences’ filed against tribals and their supporters.”

The Shiv Sena appears to have found the ideal pitch to make its play for the assembly elections on October 15 — the maidans that host Mumbai cricket’s iconic Kanga League in Shivaji Park.
With at least 34 clubs from the league owned directly or indirectly by the Sena’s ruling family, many cricketers and club officials have received requests on the field, urging them to vote for the party in the upcoming polls.

After completing two successful years, chairman and editor-in-chief of leading hindi news channel India TV, Rajat Sharma will continue to remain on the advisory board of the Hero Hockey India League (HHIL) for next two editions.

Coming on board in the first edition of the HHIL in 2013, Sharma has been seen actively participating and providing proactive recommendations as a member of the advisory board.

PTI

Pakistan’s opposition leader Imran Khan has said that the country needs a better leader than Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to respond to the situation along the Line of Control.

“The nation is looking for a leader in the present circumstances. But where are you, Mr Nawaz Sharif? Why are you silent?” asked Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

The cricketer-turned-politician alleged that Sharif was silent on the LoC situation to save his business interests.

PTI