Monday 30 September 2013

2100 HRS. 
29-09-2013
 
THE HEADLINES
  •  Prime Minister meets his Pakistani counterpart in New York.
  • BJP appoints Rajnath Singh as Election Committee Campaign Chief, replacing Narendra Modi.
  • In UP, the administration foils an attempt to hold Mahapanchayat at Kheda village in Meerut district.
  • In Pakistan thirty seven people killed and over a hundred injured in a massive bomb explosion in Peshawar.
  • In Nigeria, Boko Haram kills 40 students of a Post-secondary school in Yobe state.
  • Syrian opposition coalition expresses readiness to join UN led efforts for a political solution to the ongoing crisis in the country.
  • N. Srinivasan unanimously elected BCCI President for a third term.
  • India win Sultan Johor Cup beating Malaysia 3-0.
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The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh  held his first meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Nawaz Sharief in New York today. The meeting ended a shortwhile ago. Initial reports say Dr. Manmohan Singh raised terrorism issue and violations along LOC.   
Overall impression from meeting was that it was useful, because it  provided an occasion for high level contact and discussion on the issues which are troubling the relationship. And this was necessary at this time.  We will now see how both sides take it forward over the next few months.
Addressing the UN General Assembly last night, the Prime Minister once again made clear India's stand on Jammu and Kashmir.
There must be a clear understanding of the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that there  can  never, ever, be a compromise with the unity and territorial integrity of India.
In a hard-hitting speech, Dr. Singh asked Pakistan to shut down the terrorist machinery on its soil. He reiterated that terrorism remains a grave threat to security and stability everywhere and extracts a heavy toll of innocent lives around the world.
The Prime Minister said India is committed sincerely to resolving all issues with Pakistan including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir through bilateral dialogue on the basis of the Shimla agreement. Dr. Manmohan Singh asserted, however, for progress to be made it is imperative that the territory of Pakistan and the areas under its control are not utilised for aiding and abetting terrorism directed against India.                                                              <><>
In Uttar Pradesh, the situation in Kheda village in Sardhana police area of Meerut is under control where the villagers clashed with the police defying prohibitory and ban orders to hold the Mahapanchayat today. Administration said more than 50 people have been arrested. The Mahapanchayat was convened by some political leaders to protest the slapping of the National Security Act against BJP MLA from Sardhana, Sangeet Som who is in the jail on charges of inciting communal flare up in the recent Muzaffarnagar violence.
Our Lucknow correspondent reports that two government vehicles were burnt by the mob and many vehicles were ransacked. Police said a youth was also injured by a rubber bullet used by the police but he is out of danger.
Security forces have been deployed at several villages to maintain peace and law and order. Ignoring the administrative arrangements large numbers of people were reached at the Kheda village raising slogans against the state government and making demands for quashing of FIRs lodged against locals and their leaders. Initially Administrative officers tried to disperse the mob with persuasion but it was not heeded by them. The villagers turned violent following use of force by the police. Sunil Shukla, AIR News Allahabad.
Meanwhile, CM Akhilesh Yadav said in Lucknow that nobody will be spared if he or she tries to break the law. The opposition parties including BSP, BJP, RLD and Congress have severely criticised the government for its alleged failure to handle the situation in Sardhana.
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The BJP has named party President Rajnath Singh as the election campaign committee chief replacing Narendra Modi. The decision was taken at the party's Parliamentary Board meeting in New Delhi this evening. Modi, who is the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming general elections, was anointed as election campaign committee chief in June this year. 
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The Congress has accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of ignoring the people of his state which is facing a flood threat. Talking to the media in New Delhi today, party leader Rashid Alvi said at a time when Modi is needed by the people of Gujarat, he is misguiding the nation. Alvi's remarks follow Narendra Modi's criticism of the UPA government at a rally in Delhi this afternoon.    
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Five people were killed when a private chopper crashed near Murbad in Thane district adjacent to Mumbai this morning.  Speaking to media persons Thane Rural SP Anil Kumbhare said the identity of the deceased was yet to be ascertained. He said the deceased including the pilot were the employees of a private operator United Heli Charters.
Air Traffic Control sources said the chopper had taken off from Juhu aerodrome in Mumbai at 7. 45 for Nagpur via Aurangabad where it had to refuel.  The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has rushed a team to the accident spot to investigate the cause of the mishap.
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In Pakistan at least 37 people, including nine from one family, were killed and 103 others injured when a massive car bomb exploded in the historic Qissa Khwani market in Peshawar today. Among the injured at least 12 are in a critical condition.  The police said 225 kg of explosives were planted in a parked car and it was detonated by remote control. The blast damaged shops and caused many vehicles to go up in flames.
Some reports said there were two blasts but it is yet to be confirmed by the authorities. The provincial Information Minister said that the Peshawar Police Station was the main target of the attack.  Pakistani Taliban were generally blamed for such attacks. However, the banned militant group has denied its involvement in today's blast.  This is the third blast in the city since last Sunday when over 80 people were killed as twin suicide bombers struck a historic church. 
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In Nigeria, suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed at least 40 students during an early morning attack on a post-secondary school dormitory in the north-east of the county. An Army spokesman said that gunmen stormed the School of Agriculture in Yobe State early this morning firing on students as they slept. At least 18 students are being treated for injuries at a hospital in the state capital of Damataru. The school is located in Gubja, a rural area some 50 kilometers away.   North-eastern Nigeria is under a state of emergency amid an Islamic insurgency by the Boko Haram group. Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government to create an Islamist state, and has launched a number of attacks on schools.
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The Syrian opposition coalition has said that it is ready to join the UN led efforts to hold an international conference in Geneva to find a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Syria. The move follows a meeting of the UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon with the Chief of the Syrian Opposition national coalition, Ahmed-al Jarba in New York yesterday.    Meanwhile, Syria’s Prime Minister Wael Al Halqi has said that his country will fully cooperate with UN inspectors on dismantling Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.
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Norwegian airlines, Air Shuttle, is returning one of its brand new Dreamliners to Boeing, demanding repairs after the jet has suffered repeated breakdowns. Norway's airlines has said that it will not take back the Boeing 787 Dreamliner until it is more reliable. The airlines spokesman said the aircraft's reliability is simply not acceptable, its passengers cannot live with this kind of performance.
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The Sri Lankan government has said that provincial councils including the Tamil-dominated Northern Province will have no land and police powers. Minister of Information and government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said this in Colombo today as the main Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met in the Sri Lankan capital today to deliberate on the future functioning of the Northern Provincial Council.
The Supreme Court on Thursday annulled an earlier Appeal Court ruling that provinces have the right to exercise land powers. It may be noted that TNA won 30 out of 36 seats in last week's first-ever Northern Provincial elections in 25 years in the formerwar-torn region,which was seen as a rejection of government policies there
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Punjab, the food bowl of the country, is reaping double benefits by introducing solar powered submersible pumps on 70 per cent subsidised rates to those farmers who are using drip irrigation. This double benefit programme is not only saving electricity used for irrigation but also saving 40 to 60 per cent water and giving many fold increased yield. More from our Correspondent:
Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has already given 100 solar-powered submersible pumps in the last few months among farmers on 70 per cent subsidized rates. Centre is providing 30 per cent share in it and rest is borne by the state. 500 more such pumps will be given by PEDA within this year. Rajesh Bali,AIR News,Jalandhar
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India will soon have a unique ‘Khadi Mark’- logo to authenticate the purity of Khadi. This was disclosed by Mr. Devendra Desai, Chairman of Khadi and Village Industry Commission KVIC. Our Ahmedabad correspondent reports that Mr.Desai said that President Pranab Mukherjee will dedicate this unique ‘Khadi Mark’- logo to the nation at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi tomorrow. He said that this will give a new identity to Indian Khadi- which is also the thought process of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. Mr. Devendra Desai said that this will boost the sale of Khadi and also the employment generation in rural India.
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N. Srinivasan was today unanimously elected as BCCI President for a third year. The New set of office bearers were elected at the Board’s Annual General Meeting which was held in Chennai today. Sanjay Patel was elected as Secretary while Anirudh Chaudhary was elected as Treasurer.
Ranjib Biswal of Odisa has been elected as IPL Chairman. Our correspondent reports that Mr Srinivasan can chair meetings of the cricket body only after the  Supreme Court gives its final verdict on the case filed against his candidature by the Cricket Association of Bihar secretary Aditya Verma.
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India beat Malaysia 3-0 in  Sultan of Johor Cup under 21 hockey tournament.  In the final match held at Taman Daya Stadium in Malaysia, Amon Mirash Tirkey scored the first goal for India in the 22nd minute. In the second half Yousuf Affan netted the second goal in the 54th minute while Indian skipper Manpreet Singh hit the third goal when six minutes were left. India and Malaysia played out a 3-3 draw in the final pool game which was the dress rehearsal for the final. Both India and Malaysia finished with 13 points and were unbeaten in the round robin stages but the Indians managed the top position on account of a better goal difference.
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India has lost to Qatar in the 17th  Asian Senior Men's Volleyball championship in Dubai today. Indian spikers lost out in a close fight against  Qatar in five sets.
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Olypian Swaran Singh Virk led the Indian rowers to  clinch a gold at the 15th Asian Senior Rowing Championship at Luan, China today. India won two silver and as many bronze medals in the championship.

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