Ashok Singhal passes away in Gurgaon hospital November 17, 2015 16:09
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal (89), who has been under critical condition in ICU in a Gurgaon hospital, passed away on Tuesday. Praveen Togadia confirmed the demise of Singhal. Togadia said, Singhal died at 2.24 PM at Medanta Medicity hospital in Gurgaon."On 14 November 2015, Singhal was admitted with acute breathlessness complaints in Medanta and was diagnosed with right lower Lobe Pneumonia. From the evening of 14 November, the VHP leader was on a ventilator.Expressing grief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the death of Ashok Singhalji was a personal loss to him. The tweet from PM said, "He was an institution in himself, whose life was centred around serving the nation."BJP leader Subramanian Swamy expressed condolences and tweeted: "Deeply sorry to hear of Ashokji demise. He was a Hindutva Titan and the founder of our Hindu Renaissance movement. His last wish-Ram Temple."The hospital was visited on Saturday by Amit Shah - BJP president, BJP general secretary (organization) Ramlal, union Health Minister JP Nadda to enquire regarding Singhal's health. Other personalities who visited the hospital for the same reason on Monday include union minister Harsh Vardhan, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, VHP leader Praveen Togadia, All-India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman Maninderjeet Singh Bitta besides few more state leaders.On Sunday, even Togadia visited the hospital, along with Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, and union ministers Uma Bharti AND Rajnath Singh.-Sumana
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Abdelhamid Abaaoud 'identified as mastermind' behind Paris attacks November 16, 2015 18:07
According to reports from AP, Belgian Abdelhamid Abaaoud was identified by a French official as the suspected mastermind behind Paris terror attacks. Abdelhamid Abaaoud is reported to be in Syria. After the Paris attacks, Police carried out raids across France at homes of suspected Islamist militants.A total of 129 people were killed due to the Paris carnage. This led to the calls for the European Union to close entry at borders to asylum seekers.Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who warned that new violence could hit France, said that the attacks claimed by the Islamic State in retaliation for French airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, would never win.Journalists were told by the interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Monday that 23 people were arrested by the police who seized arms including rocket launchers in a total of 168 raids overnight. He added that more 104 people were put under house arrest.Cazeneuve said, "Let this be clear to everyone, this is just the beginning, these actions are going to continue.”A source close to the investigation said that Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who is a Belgian national and is currently in Syria, was suspected to have ordered the Paris operation. The source told Reuters that, "He appears to be the brains behind several planned attacks in Europe."According to Valls, French intelligence services had prevented five attacks since summer."We know that more attacks are being prepared, not just against France but also against other European countries," Valls told RTL radio. "We are going to live with this terrorist threat for a long time."-Sumana
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SC rejects Delhi govt plea seeking death penalty in Katara case November 16, 2015 16:32
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea from the Delhi government seeking death sentence for three convicts in Katara case, citing that it is not the “rarest of rare” category that should be awarded the extreme penalty. A bench of justices including J.S. Khehar and R. Banumathi said that a similar petition of complainant by murdered Nitish Katara’s mother, Neelam Katara, was already dismissed on the issue. However, the SC said that it needs Delhi government’s lawyer’s assistance in deciding the petitions filed by the convicts, including Sukhdev Pehalwan, on the “limited questions” as to if the HC was justified in giving 30 years of jail term to Yadav cousins and 25 years of jail term to Pehalwan. The matter for final hearing was posted by the bench in February 2016.Last month, Neelam’s plea was rejected by the Supreme Court as even she sought death penalty for the convicts. Convicts Vikas (39), Vishal (37) and Sukhdev (40) are serving life term, which was awarded by the court in May 2008 for abducting and killing Katara. Nitish Katara was a business executive and a railway officer’s son. He was murdered on the night of 16-17 February 2002 as the convicts opposed the victim’s affair with Bharti, who is a daughter of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav. On August 17, the apex court upheld the conviction of Vikas Yadav, his cousin Vishal and Sukhdev Pehalwan in the case.-Sumana
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Indians In Paris Approach Embassy All Night, After Attacks November 14, 2015 15:44
Paris faced multiple attacks in the late Friday evening, which left at least 140 dead and many injured. Indian diplomat, Manish Prabhat, Deputy Chief of the embassy told the Hindu that Indians living in Paris and France approached the embassy all through the night. He said that all the attacks were in the vicinity of the Indian embassy in Paris.It was confirmed by the official that till now, no reports indicate that Indians were caught in the attack; however, the embassy is monitoring the situation in French capital for updates.“We have been up through the night and till now (6:30 a.m. Paris time) we have not received information about Indians harmed in the attack. The embassy is located in Central Paris and the attacks took place nearby,” Prabhat informed.The diplomat said Indians living in Paris and France reached out throughout the night to the embassy, “In response, we have kept the office no +330140507070 open for all Indians in Paris and France.” The noise of the hovering helicopters in the air, kept the officials awake all through the night.Beginning at 10:30 pm, the attacks went on as TV channels provided live visuals of the public anxiety in Paris. Mr. Prabhat said, “There was a lot of commotion outside when the attacks began.” He said that the actual magnitude of the attacks is yet to be discovered.-Sumana
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Heavy Rainfall Halts Life In Tamil Nadu November 13, 2015 15:18
Tamil Nadu was hit by heavy rainfall, bringing life to a halt. Seven districts of the state have declared holidays for schools and colleges. Also, examinations were postponed by Anna University and University of Madras affiliated colleges.Districts like Chennai, Tirunelveli, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur and Vellore have declared holiday for a day for schools and colleges, while District Collector of Kanyakumari announced a holiday for schools.Anna University registrar Ganesan said, “The examinations scheduled for Anna University affiliated colleges on November 12, 13 and 14 are rescheduled on December 21, 22 and 24 respectively.”University of Madras vice-chancellor Thandavan said, “All examinations scheduled today in Madras University have been cancelled due to the rain. New dates will be announced later.”It is from Thursday night, several parts of Chennai were marooned under water. On Friday, 21 cm rainfall was recorded as the highest volume in Puzhal. Chennai and Meenambakkam weather stations recoded 15 cm and 12 cm volume of rainfall respectively following a thunderstorm.Several other weather stations, including Taramani and Kolapakkam too received up to 13 cm of rainfall. City reservoirs, which received between 8 cm to 21 cm of rain, are rapidly getting filled up with copious inflows from catchment areas.The water body in Chembarambakkam already has storage of one third of its capacity.Since Thursday night, the relentless rain has paralyzed normal life in the capital. Residents of many different parts of India are restricted to homes due to water levels till knees. The city is likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall under the influence of two weather systems.-Sumana
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Justin Trudeau says, Diwali is global festival November 12, 2015 17:56
Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, has wished a happy Diwali to the Indian diaspora in Canada, describing the festival of lights as a global festival.Mr. Trudeau said, “Today, I join Canada’s Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities in recognizing the occasion of Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas.”On the day of Diwali, he addressed a big number of Indo-Canadians at a Hindu Temple in Ottawa. The Prime Minister was welcomed and the gathering was addressed by Vishnu Prakash, Indian High Commissioner to Canada, and Chandra Kant Arya, Member of Parliament.Mr. Trudeau said, “Tonight, families and friends take this occasion to reflect on the triumph of good over evil. Known as the festival of lights to many, Diwali is also a celebration of the power of higher knowledge and light to dispel ignorance,”“This holiday, which stands as an example of Canadian diversity, gives us the occasion to reflect on the important contributions of all our citizens,” the Prime Minister said.“Diwali highlights our shared values of respect and inclusion, and our commitment to freedom and equality. It is a reminder that Canada is a nation made stronger not in spite of our differences, but because of them.”“On behalf of the Government of Canada, Sophie and I wish a very happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas to all those observing these holidays with their family and loved ones,” the PM said.Later, The Canada PM even visited a Gurudwara in Ottawa. There he lauded the Indo-Canadian community especially Sikh Community for their incredible and outstanding contributions to Canada.-Sumana
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Nitish Kumar to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister on 20 November November 10, 2015 18:05
It is likely that Nitish Kumar would take oath on 20 November 2015 as the new Chief Minister of Bihar. However, the official announcement has not yet released. State JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh said,“People are busy with Diwali and after that comes the Chhath festival, which ends on November 18. So oath of the new government in all likelihood will be administered after Chhath.”According to Singh, the decision regarding this will be taken by the Chief Minister, but the date seems most likely. Two of the senior Ministers of outgoing Cabinet of Mr. Kumar indicated this date and talks are going on a full swing among the leadership of the Grand Alliance’s three constituent parties on the formation of the government.Decision on the Speaker and to which party he would belong to has not yet made. No decision is made yet on Tejaswi, Lalu Prasad’s son, being made as the Deputy Chief Minister. This would be the 5th time that Mr. Kumar would take the oath as the Bihar CM. For the first time he became Bihar CM in 2000. He then headed the government for just seven days. He got to power in 2005 and in 2010. In February 2015, he took the oath as CM 4th time after the removal of Jitan Ram Manjhi from the chair.-Sumana
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Protests happen in Mangaluru, Puttur November 10, 2015 16:18
District administration went ahead with Tippu Jayanti amidst protests in Puttur, Mangaluru and Sullia on Tuesday. The function was organized at the Zilla Panchayat auditorium Mangaluru, where a big number of activists from Bajrang Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party congregated. B. Ramanath Rai, the in-charge minister of the district, took part in the program. Police men were there for the prevention of occurrence of any untoward incident. Slogans were raised and black flags were displayed by the activists. The protestors were taken by the police under custody. However they were released later. The official function later went on in the zilla panchayat auditorium. Protests similar to this were held before Taluk offices of Puttur and Sullia, where the Tippu Jayanti function had been organized. Even here, protesters were taken under control by police and later released. An alert was put by police here after the disturbance in Madikeri where a protestor died. -Sumana
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Maggi Noodles To Be Back In Market From Today! November 09, 2015 13:03
Nestle India has announced that Maggi noodles, India’s most popular snack and the company’s flagship product, will be back in the Indian market from today. The announcement was made by the company days ahead of the big Diwali festival in the country. Nestle India and Snapdeal has entered into agreements to rollout online offers. Nestle India Chairman and Managing director said, “Maggi Noodles rightfully belongs to the consumers and I feel happy to be able to give back to them their familiar taste during the auspicious and festive Deepawai season.” A release from Nestle India said, “Most states do not have a ban on the sale of Maggi noodles. For states where specific directions are required, we are engaging with them.”Currently, the states where Maggi noodles are manufactured include Punjab (Moga), Karnataka (Nanjangud) and Goa (Bicholim). A tweet from Nestle India said, "Your favorite Maggi Noodles are now back. Delighted to hand over Maggi Noodles to consumers to whom it belongs." According to Nestle India, all Maggi Noodles Masala samples have been cleared the test from three National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, which were mandated by the Bombay high court. -Sumana
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Army Test Fires BrahMos Supersonic Land Attack Cruise Missile November 07, 2015 17:00
On Saturday, the Army successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic land attack cruise missile in Pokhran. From a Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) that was deployed in full configuration, the missile was test-fired. According to Defence officials, “At 1000 hrs today, the Indian Army fired BrahMos land attack cruise missile successfully against a designated target at Pokhran test range in Rajasthan, demonstrating the weapon’s supreme operational capability.” BrahMos Aerospace chief Sudhir Mihra said, “BrahMos missile system, the most lethal and potent weapon system for precision strike available with the Indian Army, has proved again its effectiveness in today’s successful launch.” Already three regiments of BrahMos were inducted by the Army in its arsenal. All those are equipped with Block-III version of missile. Earlier in 2015, Block-III version of missile was tested. The capacity of the fire-and-forget missile is to take on surface-based targets by flying at a combined high-low trajectory. This would greatly help in the evasion of the enemy air defence systems. -Sumana
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PM Modi Announces Rs.80,000 Crore Package For J&K November 07, 2015 16:50
PM Narendra Modi has a Rs.80,000 crore economic package towards development of Jammu and Kashmir at the Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium. Large peoples’ gathering broke into joy to here the announcement. The much awaited economic package will provide relief for 2014 flood victims, businessmen, tourism, farmers youth employment and infrastructure in J&K. Mr. Modi said: “This is not the end, but the beginning. Not only Delhi’s treasures, but Delhi’s ‘Dil’ (heart) is always for the people of Kashmir.” PM said that he wants to make Kashmir a dream destination for tourists, while addressing a public rally. “Love for Kashmir draws me here. Kashmir has suffered a lot over the years. I felt the pain of flood victims. We will spend Rs.34,000 crore on Jammu-Srinagar Highway. It will cut the journey time from 12 hours to three-and-a-half hours.” “Without Kashmiriyat, India is incomplete. This is the land that gave birth to Sufism, which taught us to bring everyone together,” Modi added. “We must also provide employment opportunity for the youths in the valley and Ladakh region.” -Sumana
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Gujarat High Court Calls For Abolition Of Muslim Polygamy In India November 06, 2015 17:35
Gujarat high court has called for the abolition of Muslim polygamy in India as it is an act of "heinously patriarchal". On Thursday, a strong pitch was made by the HC for a uniform civil code. An amendment to the Muslim personal law was recommended by the court saying that the practice of polygamy in this day and age are often driven by selfish motives. While adjudicating on a petition, Justice Pardiwala said, "On the basis of modern progressive thinking, India must shun the practice (of polygamy) and establish a uniform civil code." The petition was by a Muslim man facing bigamy charges as he married for the second time without the consent of the first wife. The charge on the man was under the section 494 of the IPC, for bigamy. However, Muslim Personal Law validates his second marriage and so the court cannot prosecute him for bigamy. Justice Pardiwala quoted Article 44 of Part IV of the Constitution, which mandates that the state must "endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory." "If the state tolerates this law, it becomes an accomplice in the discrimination of the female, which is illegal under its own laws," the judge said. The judge also said that polygamy is forbidden by the Quran incase the reason for marrying more than once is sexual desire or self-interest, Justice Pardiwala said. "... It's for the maulvis and Muslim men to ensure that they do not abuse the Quran to justify the heinously patriarchal act of polygamy in self-interest." The judge also cited history saying that the polygamy was allowed by the Quran at that time for a fair reason. "The Quran allowed conditional polygamy to protect orphans and their mothers from an exploitative society... When men use that provision today, they do it for a selfish reason." -Sumana
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