Month: October 2014

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will ask for USD 4 billion for reconstruction in Gaza following the recent 50-day war between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Donor countries are deciding on aid to Gaza on October 12.

Palestinian officials say more than 60,000 homes and more than 5,000 businesses and factories were destroyed or damaged. The damage assessment and aid request are part of a reconstruction plan the Abbas government has released.

As the world faces growing challenges of terrorism, the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi have become all the more pertinent and the Gandhian way is a “real, live option” to confront the global challenges, India has said here as the UN commemorated his 145th birth anniversary.

Impressed by the “energy and vigour” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to the US despite being on fast, President Barack Obama has expressed his interest in yoga, officials have said.

While the First Lady has been instrumental in introducing yoga inside the White House, Obama appeared to be very impressed by the energy and vigour shown by Modi when he hosted the latter over a private working dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on Monday.

Calling the two countries as “natural partners”, a top US lawmaker has said that America cannot afford to neglect India and that both need each other to tackle the growing threat of terrorism.

Senator John Cornyn said this in his address to over 600 prominent businessmen and community leaders during an annual gala hosted by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH), that marked 15 years of building strong ties between the city’s business community and India.

Olympian Sylvanus Dungdung today praised the Indian hockey team for reclaiming the Asian Games gold medal after 16 years before saying that players must improve further to have any chance of success in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I am happy that the team got the gold after the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. But better finishing skills could have helped India finish the match in regulation time,” Dungdung, a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal winning team, said.

Amidst a controversy over the national broadcaster telecasting live a speech of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Doordarshan on Friday said it was covered like any other news event and no special arrangements had been made.

“It was just like a news event to us. So we covered it,” Doordarshan’s DG (News) Archana Dutta said, after the DD’s hour-long live telecast of an RSS function for the first time came under attack from Congress and the Left which accused the government of misusing the state broadcaster.

Civil supplies and Finance Minister Etela Rajender at ‘Meet the Press’ programme said free education from KG to PG for all will be provided from the next academic year onwards.

The event was organised by the district unit of Telangana State Working Journalist Union (TSWJU) at Hotel Swetha here on Thursday.

The TRS regime will provide quality education in the state, said Mr Etela. Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s words, he said ‘Gram Swarajyam’ is only possible through steady development in villages. MLAs Rasamai Balakishan, Gangula Kamalakar, and others were present.

(Pervez Bari): Maulana Abdul Hafiz Mohamed Barkatullah, known with his honorific as Barkatullah Bhopali, who was a great anti-British Indian revolutionary, was a true champion of Hindu-Muslim unity. He participated in the freedom struggle wholeheartedly and motivated people of all sections of society to take part in it.

Residents in Kolkata have set up an elaborately crafted temporary Durga Puja structure based on the theme of safeguarding the Sundarbans Forest and Wetlands, as also ensuring the preservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

The Royal Bengal Tigers have been under threat from habitat destruction, illegal trade for body parts, natural calamities and poachers.

Handset maker Motorola today said its smartwatch, Moto 360, will go on sale on Friday in India for Rs 17,999. The smartwatch will be available exclusively on Flipkart starting from mid-day on Friday, Motorola said in a statement.

Inspired by the classic wristwatch, the Moto 360 features a round design. It has a feature called ‘voice control’ which allows users to send texts, set a reminder, check the weather, and ask for directions. Users can also keep track of steps and know their heart rate with the built-in pedometer and heart rate monitor, it added.

Two Pakistani intruders have been arrested along LoC in Pallanwala and Sabjian forward areas of Jammu and Poonch districts respectively, a senior Army officer said on Friday.

Troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in Pallanwala forward area observed the movement of an infiltrating person yesterday, who was challenged by them, the official said.

He tried to run away but was shot in his leg and later captured, he said adding, the 50-year-old man has not revealed his identity yet.

A 24-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by three men in Jaipur, police said on Friday.

The incident took place on August 14 when Sushil who was known to the girl, introduced her to one Shyam Kacholia at the latter’s flat in Jadon Nagar locality, police said. The accused offered her a drink laced with sedatives following which she lost consciousness, police said, adding, the duo raped her.

Over 2 million Muslims, including about 1.5 lakh Indians, thronged Mount Arafat and its surrounding plain in Saudi Arabia today for the high point of the Haj pilgrimage, with a sea of people from different countries standing together, united by faith.

After spending the night in tent city of Mina, tens of thousands of pilgrims clad in white seamless cloth headed towards Mount Arafat following dawn prayers.

A 20-year-old BSc student, who was allegedly depressed over receiving frequent vulgar MMSes and calls by an unknown person, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Darola area here, police said today.

The incident took place yesterday, when the body of the girl, a science undergraduate, was recovered from her house, SHO Janak Singh Pundhir said.

Prima facie it appears to be a suicide case, police said adding, body of the deceased has been sent for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death.

The Indian women’s hockey team arrived home on Friday after clinching a bronze medal at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

The team was given a grand welcome upon its arrival in New Delhi. Fans had gathered at the Indira Gandhi International Airport with flowers and also beat drums.

The India team defeated Japan 2-1 to win the medal.

In a hard fought battle, the Indians took an early lead after a successful conversion of a penalty corner by Jaspreet Kaur in the 23rd minute of the game.

Describing the just concluded US visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as extraordinarily successful, the White House has said that his meeting with President Barack Obama has re-energised the strategic relationship between the two largest democracies of the world.

In Telangana, Bathukamma festivities do better than the Swachh Bharat campaign hardly any of the government officials of the public participating in the campaign.

Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan however swept the bylanes in the Raj Bhavan Colony as a token gesture whereas Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and other ministers didn’t have the programme on their schedule.

Most state government offices were also close for the day on Thursday for the holiday while officials were engaged preparing for the Bathukamma gala. But, the government said that the campaign was not being overlooked.

The Asian Games hammer throw bronze won by India’s Manju Bala has been upgraded to silver after one of the two Chinese competitors who finished ahead of her in the women’s final, returned positive for dope test.

“Manju Bala’s medal has been upgraded as one of the two Chinese athletes who finished above her has turned in a positive dope test,” said a source within the Indian contingent here who has been informed by one of the athletics technical officials.

Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden radio address to the country, social activist Kiran Bedi said here on Friday that the Prime Minister was uniting and awakening the whole country.

“What I see the Prime Minister doing is that he is bringing trust back into leadership. He is bringing the Indianness back into India. He is uniting the country, he is awakening the whole nation. What I noticed is that Prime Minister is trying to bring back positivity from negativity and converting cynicism to hope,” said the former IPS officer.

She has offered unconditional apology for an emotionally-charged protest at the Asian Games but Indian boxer L Sarita Devi today hoped that her outburst would ensure better judging at next month’s World Championship in Korea — the country where she felt “wronged”.

Speaking to PTI after returning from Incheon, Korea with a controversial bronze medal, which she refused to accept at the presentation ceremony, Sarita said the episode has left her “mentally drained”.

Terming its former ally BJP a “renegade”, the Shiv Sena today renewed its attack on the party and claimed that decisions related to cultural aspects of the state can only be taken by them and not by a deserter.

“The people of Maharashtra will ensure that the Shiv Sena comes to power. Decisions related to the history, culture and self respect of the people of Maharashtra can be taken only by the Sena as we have earned that right. We hope that today’s Shastra Puja turns out to be an inspiration for our people,” the Sena said in its editorial mouthpiece ‘Saamna.’

Livestock dealers in Kashmir Valley have increased the rates of sacrificial animals by more than 30 per cent, even as the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department admits it cannot intervene in open market, saying rates are not being regulated but controlled by larger supply so that people are not fleeced.

“There are no fixed rates for the sacrificial lambs and goats, it is open market. We do not regulate the rates. But we see to it that consumers are not overcharged and people are not fleeced,” Deputy Director, CAPD Sajid Naqash said here.

The world’s favorite abortive mobile operating system, webOS is reportedly returning to mobile devices in the form of a new LG SmartWatch.

A developer website hosted by LG teases a software development kit for a webOS SmartWatch, while the familiar Bean Bird from LG’s webOS TVs also shows up, this time supporting a classically styled analog wristwatch, CNET reported.

Like every year, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed in the special programme on occasion of Vijayadashmi. But this year, Mohan Bhagwat’s speech will be followed by India’s public sector broadcaster Doordarshan (DD).

The two speeches did not see any ‘clash’, as they were a few of hours apart. Modi would be on radio whereas Bhagwat’s speech will be telecast live by Doordarshan between 7.15 am and 7.30 am.

Bhagwat’s speech is likely to be live streamed on the internet by RSS’ IT team from Reshmi Bagh, in Nagpur.

Some civilians were injured while some lost their homes as Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire again and resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian security positions along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.

The entire Gagrian village in Poonch Sector was affected in the firing. More than three people were injured, while some were scared to death.