Be inspired by the courage of Mahatma Gandhi: UN chief
UN chief Ban Ki-moon today called on people across the world to be inspired by the courage of Mahatma Gandhi and his resonant legacy of non-violence to peacefully oppose oppression, injustice and hatred. In his message for the International Day of Non-Violence, which is also the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Ban said, "I call on global citizens everywhere to be inspired by the courage of people like Mahatma Gandhi." "Mahatma Gandhi showed the power of peacefully...

Centre withdraws controversial bill, ordinance on convicted lawmakers
In what has come as a major embarrassment for the Congress-led UPA government, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to withdraw the controversial ordinance as well as the bill protecting the convicted lawmakers days. According to reports, both the ordinance and the bill, which was moved by the Centre to protect the tainted lawmakers, was referred to the standing Committee of the Parliament in the wake of strong criticism from several quarters, would be withdrawn when Parliament...

Whole party stands behind PM Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi says
Three days after Rahul Gandhi's blunt attack against the Ordinance on convicted lawmakers, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday declared that the "whole party" stands behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "I want to tell them (BJP) that the whole party, the whole party stands behind our Prime Minister," thundered Sonia at a public rally here, in a forceful defence of Manmohan Singh after she slammed BJP for ridiculing the Congress and the Prime...

Congress ’I’ group complains about CM to Sonia
The Congress 'I' faction on Monday approached Congress President Sonia Gandhi to convey its complaints about Chief Mister Oommen Chandy and his mode of functioning. The chief minister is not taking every one in the party into his confidence. The CM is not even discussing things with the KPCC President, the Congress I group raised before Sonia Gandhi. Meanwhile, Congress 'A' group demanded before the Congress high command a control over public statements by party...

Rahul has insulted the entire nation: Rajnath
Rahul Gandhi has snubbed the Prime Minister and insulted the entire nation by junking the ordinance on convicted lawmakers and his action could create "anarchy", BJP president Rajnath Singh said today. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a member of the Congress party. Sonia Gandhi is its president and Rahul Gandhi is the vice-president. But when our Prime Minister is on a tour to America and is scheduled to meet American president, the kind of snub that Rahul Gandhi has made is...

Sonia Gandhi launches 'zero landless' scheme
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday launched a "zero landless" scheme here to ensure that one lakh families in Kerala get to own land by 2015. "This is a historic moment as the ultimate dream of everyone is to own a piece of land," Gandhi told a meeting after inaugurating the programme. "By 2015 in Kerala, this (wish) will be fulfilled. Kerala will be the first state in the country to have achieved this," she said. Under the scheme, all...

Sensex falls marginally as US govt shuts down
The Sensex is down by 40 points at 19350.32 while the Nifty is at 5727.45, down by 12 points after US government shut down for the first time in 17 years. White House has notified federal agencies to implement shutdown plans. It has also ordered government agencies to begin shutting down. The markets gained marginally at the opening bell with the Sensex is at 19452.05, up 73 points while Nifty is up 17 points at 5751.92. The rupee opened with a marginal gain of 11 paise at 62.49 per dollar...

N Srinivasan re-elected BCCI chief unopposed
Defying intense criticism, N Srinivasan was elected unopposed as BCCI President for a third year during the Board's AGM on Sunday even though he will not take charge till further orders from the Supreme Court. Srinivasan was the lone Presidential candidate put forward by the South Zone, from where he got the proposer and the seconder. But he can resume his duties only after the Supreme Court gives its final verdict on the case filed against his candidature by the Cricket...

Sonia in capital on two-day visit
: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram Sunday on a two day visit to the state capital. She will inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Development Studies at Neyyar Dam Sunday. She will be accompanied by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala to the venue. Her itinerary will include unveiling of the statue of R Shankar at 4.55 pm. The unveiling of the statue at Palayam will be conducted by pressing a switch at a stage in the...

Chopper crash lands in Thane, 5 dead
A helicopter carrying five people from the Juhu aerodrome in Mumbai to Aurangabad on Sunday morning crashed near Murbad village in Thane. Officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said that all of the five people on board were dead. There were two pilots and three passengers on board the helicopter. "Our rescue operations team has sighted the wreakage in Murbad about 38 nautical miles from Mumbai. We have alerted the local police conduct rescue operations on...

Modi attacks Sharif for 'insulting' Indian PM
BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Sunday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for describing his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh as a "dehati aurat" (rural woman). Calling it "a serious issue", a visibly agitated Modi told a Bharatiya Janata Party rally here that Sharif made the remark during a meeting with Indian and Pakistani journalists in New York. "How dare you say this?" Modi said, raising his voice. "What...

Pakistan must shut down terror machinery operating on its soil: Manmohan Singh
In a hard-hitting speech, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked Pakistan to shut down "terrorist machinery" on its soil while making it clear that there can "never, ever" be a compromise on the territorial integrity of India of which Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part. In his address to the UN General Assembly, he virtually rejected Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's demand for resolution of the Kashmir issue on the basis of UN Security Council...

Miss Philippines Megan Young crowned Miss World 2013
Miss Philippines was crowned Miss World 2013 today in a glittering finale on the Indonesian resort island of Bali amid tight security following weeks of hardline Muslim protests. Megan Young beat five other finalists, including France and Brazil, to win the coveted title in a contest broadcast to more than 180 countries worldwide. She thanked the judges for choosing her and promised to "be the best Miss World ever".     The 23-year-old pledged to...

JPC approves draft report on 2G scam
The government on Friday managed to have its way in the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G spectrum scandal when the panel approved the draft report giving a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram with a 16-11 vote in its favour. Outside allies BSP (2) and SP (one), voted with 14 others of the ruling coalition to approve the report that accused former Telecom Minister A. Raja of “misleading” the Prime Minister and...

Rahul denounces ordinance on lawmakers
In a major embarrassment to the UPA government, Rahul Gandhi on Friday denounced the controversial ordinance to negate the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers as “complete nonsense” and said what “our government has done is wrong“. Making a surprise brief appearance at a meet-the-press programme of his party’s general secretary Ajay Maken at the Press Club in New Delhi, he said the ordinance should be “torn up and thrown...

Narendra Modi raises questions over funds spent on Aadhar
Mounting a sharp attack on UPA government over the Aadhar card project, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today questioned deployment of massive funds for it, virtually smelling corruption. Mocking at the claims of UPA government on the Aadhar card project, he said "Congressmen were dancing as if it was a herb for all cures. With the Supreme Court pulling up the Centre, people are now seeking answers from the Prime Minister who should disclose how much money...

Rahul's attack on ordinance a "drama": BJP
Dismissing Rahul Gandhi's denouncement of the ordinance on tainted MPs/MLAs as a "drama", the BJP on Friday said it is a desperate "damage control exercise" which has come "much belated" and asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resign "if he has any self-respect left". The BJP also accused Congress of doing "opportunistic" politics and said such a "drama" was enacted ahead of elections and made "a mockery" of...

Cong's 'inclusive growth' slogan nothing new for India: Modi
In a veiled dig at Congress for harping on the concept of "inclusive growth", BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today said this was not a new slogan for the country. Using the platform of the 60th birth anniversary of spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi here to offer some ideological perception of his party's campaign for next year's Lok Sabha polls, Modi said traditional values and philosophical principles could be the foundation for the country to...

Manmohan Singh, Barack Obama meeting to boost strategic Indo-US ties
:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama will meet here on Thursday to chart a course for "future cooperation" in areas like civil nuclear technology, trade, investment, defence and counter-terrorism, amid perceptions that bilateral strategic ties have plateaued. Some agreements including in the field of defence are expected to be signed after the summit meeting between the two leaders, their third since 2009. During the meeting at the Oval Office in the...

Free from fear, students have Transport Commissioner
Students got a major relief when they received an assurance from Transport Commissioner, Rishiraj Singh, on protection against harassment over concession and other hassles that they face in private buses in the state. Singh has promised strict action against buses which students complain against. The Transport Commissioner has also given his mobile number to the students to file complaints if they have any. He was interacting with students of Providence College after inaugurating a...

Will deal with terrorists firmly: AK Antony
Defence Minister A.K. Antony has denounced the terror attack on Thursday in Jammu and said the security forces will deal with the militants with a firm hand. Mr. Antony conveyed his condolences to the family of an officer and the soldiers killed in the attack, an official statement here said. “The minister condemned the dastardly attack by terrorists on Indian security posts in Jammu today (Thursday). He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the family members of the officers...

Probe against Achuthanandan: Vigilance seeks 6 months in HC
Vigilance today sought six months time from the Kerala High Court to complete inquiry into allegations of corruption against Cpi-m" target="_blank">CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan and his son V A Arun Kumar. This was stated in an affidavit filed on a PIL by Abdul Haq, seeking detailed probe by a special team on the complaint made by then opposition leader Ommen Chandy against Achuthanandan when he was the chief minister. According to Vigilance, almost all the 11...

No bail for Biju Radhakrishanan in wife's death case
The Kerala High Court today dismissed the bail application of solar panel scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan in connection with the death of his wife in February 2006. Dismissing Biju's bail plea, Justice S S Sateeshchandran said having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and considering apprehensions of the prime witness, his eldest son, Biju was not entitled for bail. However, the High Court directed the magistrate to expedite commital proceedings within four...

Gold smuggling case: Prime accused remanded till Oct. 1
A court here today remanded the prime accused in connection with the smuggling of 20kg of gold from Dubai to Kochi last week, to judicial custody till October 1. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate NV Raju passed the remand order when Fayaz was produced before him today. The accused has submitted a written complaint to the Magistrate alleging of being tortured by a customs official in custody. Meanwhile, Preventive officials today raided the house of Fayaz's friend and a...

Gold smuggling case: Chandy rejects fresh allegations
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's office seems to have caught up with another row after a person, arrested in a gold smuggling case, claimed to have links with a former member of Chandy's personal staff. Reacting to media reports during the weekly cabinet briefing here today, Chandy, however, declined to comment anything on the "hearsay". "I cannot reply on the basis of hearsay and media reports. But I will reply, when it is established...

Advani, Modi share dais
Senior BJP leader L K Advani and Narendra Modi on Wednesday shared a public platform for the first time after the declaration of the party’s prime ministerial candidate but a feeling of warmth was missing as they exchanged greetings. Mr. Advani, who had sulked over the elevation of Mr. Modi by BJP Parliamentary Board recently and later, appeared to have reconciled to it, presented bouquets to Mr. Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. While he was prompt...

Toll in devastating Pakistan quake touches 350
Soldiers and rescue teams on Wednesday stepped up their desperate search for survivors in the rubble of thousands of homes flattened by a powerful earthquake that struck Pakistan's Balochistan province as the death toll rose to nearly 350. Official sources in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, told that about 350 people were killed by the 7.7-magnitude quake, with a majority of deaths reported from the worst-hit Awaran district. Maj Gen Muhammad Saeed Aleem, head of the...

End of an era as BlackBerry looks to go private
Embattled smartphone company BlackBerry Ltd plans to go private in a $4.7 billion deal being orchestrated by its largest shareholder. Here are important milestones in the history of the company formerly known as Research In Motion: February 1985 - Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin co-found Research In Motion in Waterloo, Ontario, the Canadian university city where Lazaridis studied. 1989 - RIM develops a network gateway called RIMGate, precursor to its BlackBerry Enterprise...

Palmolein case to be withdrawn
 The Kerala Government has issued an order to withdraw the palmolein case, which rocked the state politics for more than two decades. The government will submit a plea in the Vigilance Court to withdraw the case. The Government issued an order on Monday to withdraw the case. The case related to irregularities in the import of 15,000 metric tonnes of palmolein from Malaysia, which allegedly caused a loss of Rs.2.32 crore to the exchequer during 1991-92. The late K....

Govt to approach SC for 'correction' of Aadhaar order
A day after Supreme Court observed that Aadhaar card was not mandatory for availing of government services, the government plans to approach the court for a "correction". Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily said he has spoken to Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran on the issue. "I think they are approaching the Supreme Court for a correction. I cannot say anything more now." He, however, said the planned roll out of Aadhaar-based cash subsidy payout to cooking gas...