CPI(M) today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit could lead India to become a “subordinate ally” of that country and its global strategic concerns.
“Clearly, what was envisioned is the deepening of the Indo-US strategic partnership where India would be drawn deeper as a strategic subordinate ally in implementing the US global vision,” CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said here.
The country’s gold imports are likely to rise to about 70-75 tonnes per month against the present average of 50-60 tonnes, a senior industry official said here.
“The gold and jewellery trade in the country is now brimming with confidence that gold imports into the country would rise to about 70 to 75 tonnes per month against the present average of 50 to 60 tonnes,” India Bullion & Jewellery Association (IBJA) spokesperson Harmesh Arora said in a statement here.
A day after his controversial remarks terming Muslim personal law “unjust”, Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Markandey Katju today said he was not against any religion but was speaking up against injustice.
“Some people have sought to infer from my recent criticism of Muslim Personal Law that I am against Muslims or Islam. This is totally incorrect. Many of my best friends are Muslims, and I respect all religions, including Islam. As I have repeatedly said, I am totally secular,” former Supreme Court judge Katju said on his blog.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today expressed concern over the “rising” incidents of train accidents as she and Rahul Gandhi also condoled the loss of lives in a collision between two trains near Gorakhpur.
“Sonia Gandhi has expressed condolences at the loss of lives in the unfortunate train accident near Gorakhpur. Hoping that the injured are being provided adequate treatment and relief, Gandhi expressed concern over the rising incidents of train accidents,” the party said in a statement.
A lawyer of a 70-year-old British man sentenced to death under controversial blasphemy law today asked authorities to keep him in the hospital after a police commando attacked him inside a jail last week.
Mohammad Asghar was arrested in 2010 for alleged blasphemy and sentenced to death in January. He was in Adiyla Jail in Rawalpindi as he has filed an appeal against his conviction in a High Court.
The Briton of Pakistani-origin was shifted to a hospital after the attack.
The special task force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested a person for duping job seekers after creating a fake Railway Recruitment Board website, a senior officer said here today.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (STF) Amit Pathak, the task force, which was investigating a case based on an FIR lodged at Sisamau police station in Kanpur, arrested Shivendu Madhav from Krishna Nagar area.
Shivendu was part of a gang which was extorting money from job job seekers in the name of application fees by creating a fake website of Railway Recruitment Board, Bhopal.
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) plans to hold a joint meeting of its MPs, MLAs, politburo and state committee on October 5 to take decisions on the party’s plenary and forthcoming elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
The meeting would be held at the party’s headquarters here, TRS said in a release issued here today.
The GHMC elections are scheduled to be held later this year.
A youth was killed by the Maoists in Malkangiri district of Odisha as they suspected him of being a police informer.
“The youth, identified as Muna Madhi, was killed by Maoists and the Malkangiri police station has taken up the case. To stop more Maoists killing, we have increased the anti-Naxal activities and also the daily patrolling routine,” said Sub Divisional Police Officer Pinki Miahra.
The police found the body in the nearby forest in a pool of blood with his throat slit.
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call during his election campaign for “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, a citizens group in New Delhi has drawn up a list of 100 laws that should be deleted from the statue books.
The Centre for Civil Society, the Macro Finance group at National Institute of Public Finance and Policy and the Vidhi Legal Centre – will release ‘The 100 Laws Repeals Project Report’ on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary Thursday.
The volunteer group of 15 lawyers and specialists has identified the laws.
To lure more passengers during the festive season, airlines major Jet Airways and its partner passenger carrier Etihad Airways Wednesday launched new fares for economy and premier travel, across their domestic and international networks.
According to the company, the five-day offer of 25-50 discount on base fare will be available for sale from Oct 2 to 6, 2014, with travel validity from Nov 5, 2014 onwards on domestic and on international routes as well as on codeshare flights operated with Etihad Airways to destinations beyond Abu Dhabi.
At least 10 civilians were killed Wednesday in a confrontation between government forces and insurgents in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
The Donetsk municipal council said at least six people were killed and one injured when a public transport bus was hit by heavy gunfire in morning rush hours, Xinhua reported.
The council, in a statement, accused rebels of being responsible for the attack, saying they used multiple rocket launchers to conduct the assault.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a notification on September 30 this year that Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card shall be valid for life time and the PIO card holder shall be exempt from police reporting / registration.
This is in pursuance of the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Madison Square Garden in New York on September 28.
It has been further clarified that all PIO Cards issued till September 30, 2014 are automatically deemed to have life time validity. (ANI)
At least 18 civilians, most of them children, were killed and over 56 others wounded in twin bombings that rocked Syria’s central province of Homs Wednesday, the state-run SANA news agency reported.
The militants detonated a car bomb in front of the New Ikrima School and a few minutes later a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of Ikrima al-Makhzoumi School, the report said.
The bombs went off when students were leaving the schools.
Kolkata Knight Riders coach Trevor Bayliss has expressed surprise over their premier spinner Sunil Narine being reported for suspected illegal bowling action.
“Nothing’s been said in the last three years he’s been with KKR. So that was a bit of a surprise,” he said here Wednesday ahead of their team’s clash with Hobart Hurricanes in the semi-final of Champions League Twenty20 here.
The coach, however, said the spinner was confident of overcoming the problem. “Sunil is a very placid character. It takes a bit to ruffle him. In fact he’s very confident,” Bayliss said.
The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday congratulated boxer M C Mary Kom on winning gold in the women’s 48-51 kilograms final in the Asian Games going on in Incheon, South Korea.
Congratulating Mary Kom, Congress leader Anand Sharma said here, “This is a matter of joy for the country and its indeed a matter of pride that Mary Mom has once again won a gold medal.”
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said, “I want to extend my heartiest congratulations to Mary Kom.”
The Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet on Wednesday demanded that the Central Government grant Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, to TDP founder and former Chief Minister late NT Rama Rao.
The Andhra Pradesh Government will launch the NTR Sujala Pathakam, the scheme to provide safe drinking water @ Rs.2/- per 20 liters on Thursday.
Information Technology Minister K Tarakarama Rao on Wednesday promised that the State Government would provide 33 per cent quota for women in the recruitments for police services.
Telangana Congress President Ponnala Lakshmaiah on Wednesday demanded that the State Government recognise the sacrifices of all martyrs of Telangana.
More than 100 junior doctors held protest at Vaidhya Vidhana Parishad at Sultan Bazar here on Wednesday against the recruitment of doctors on contract basis by the Telangana Government.
Stating that Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of truth and non-violence are more relevant today than ever before, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said in this terror-torn world the path shown by the Father of the Nation alone can lead to peace.
In his message to the people of the state on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, Rawat today said in accordance with Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, the state government is committed to protect democratic values and take development to the people at the bottom of the social ladder.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to take appropriate measures to provide political reservation for women and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Telangana BJP floor leader Dr K Lakshman on Wednesday asked Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to implement the recommendations of 10th Pay Revision Commission by providing 70 per cent Fitment Benefit to nearly four lakh employees and pensioners of the State Government on the occasion of Dassera.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Dr T Rajaiah has appealed to the doctors to play a major role in improving the health services in new State of Telangana.
The Parliamentary Party and Legislature Party of Telangana Rashtra Samithi will have a joint session on October 5.
According to sources, the MPs, legislators and the State Executive will meet under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to discuss the latest political situation. Several important issues including the party’s plenary session and forthcoming elections for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) are likely to be discussed during the meeting. (INN)