1400 HRS
18th October, 2013
THE HEADLINES:
- Election process begins in Chhattisgarh today with the issuance of notifications for first phase of assembly polls.
- Non Gazetted officers of Andhra Pradesh government resume work in Rayalaseema and coastal regions following suspension of their strike.
- Over 1,500 VHP activists arrested in different parts of Uttar Pradesh for trying to reach Ayodhya on the occasion of Sankalp Diwas today; Centre asks State government to maintain status quo in Ayodhya.
- Sensex zooms over 400 points in afternoon trade; Rupee rallies to a two-month high of 60 rupees 92 paise against the dollar.
- Defending Champion Indian Oil, Mumbai to take on Punjab & Sind Bank, Delhi in the final of the Surjit Hockey Tournament in Jalandhar this evening.
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In Chhattisgarh, the election process began today with the issuance of notifications for the first phase of assembly polls. With the issuance of notifications, filing of nominations begins in these constituencies. The last date of filing of nomination will be 25th October, scrutiny of nominations will take place on 26th October and the last date of withdrawal of nomination will be 28th October. Our correspondent reports that in the first phase, 18 constituencies in the most naxal affected region of Chhattisgarh will go to polls on the 11th November. These include all the 12 constituencies of Bastar division and six constituencies of Rajnandgaon division.
In Chhattisgarh, a massive security umbrella has been thrown over majority of Naxalite affected constituencies as election process for the first phase began today. Twelve constituencies in Maoist affected tribal Bastar division and six constituencies in Rajnandgaon division are going to polls on November 11. As nomination process began today, security has been tightened for candidates and leaders of different political parties, particularly in the wake of May 25 Maoist attack in Bastar that killed frontline Congress leaders. Vikalp Shukla, AIR News, Raipur
Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampat will reach Chhattisgarh this evening on a two day visit. During his visit, he will review the election preparations in the state.
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In Andhra Pradesh, the non-gazetted officers of the state government in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions have reported to their duties today following suspension of their strike. After holding talks with Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, the state Non Gazetted Officers Association suspended its strike yesterday saying they will continue their agitation against bifurcations while some other Gazetted Officers Associations called off their stir.
After a gap of over two months, the normality is being restored in government offices in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions. The activities at various departments gained momentum with over three lakh employees reporting to their duties this morning. The district senior officers are taking stock of the situation in an effort to speed up completion works which were pending for past two months. Employees could not draw their salaries to a tune of 2700 crore rupees while the state owned Road Transport Corporation acquired losses of about 745 crore rupees due to strike. Lakshmi, AIR NEWS, Hyderabad
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Uttar Pradesh government has arrested more than 1500 VHP activists who were trying to reach the temple city of Ayodhya on the occasion of Sankalp Diwas from different parts of the state today. Most of the arrests have been made in Ayodhya . The VHP has announced that it will go ahead with its proposed 'Sankalp Diwas' in Ayodhya today despite a ban by the state government. Heavy security arrangements are in place in the temple city. The VHP had given a call to observe 'Sankalp Diwas' in Ram Sewak Puram in Ayodhya to resolve for launching an agitation for building the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Faizabad DM said that the situation is totally under control and nobody will be allowed to participate in the banned Sankalp Diwas.
"The state administration seems determined to make the VHP's Sankalp Diwas, a no show like the outfit's earlier programmes of Chaurasi Kosi and Panch Kosi Yatra within last two months. The police has arrested BJP MP Yogi Adityanath today from Gonda with his supporters while he was trying to proceed to Ayodhya. Nearly 1200 VHP activists have been taken into custody from Karsevak Puram, Digambar Akhara and Hanuman Garhi of Ayodhya. Meanwhile IG Lucknow Subhash Chandra is camping in the temple city to closely monitor the situation. With Rajendra Soni from Faizabad, Merajuddin, AIR NEWS, Lucknow."
Meanwhile, the Centre has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain status quo in Ayodhya and prevent any attempt to flare up tension in the state. According to official sources, senior officials of state government are regularly briefing central government officials about the prevailing situation in Ayodhya and have conveyed that no congregation will be allowed near the site.
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Tamil Nadu State Q Branch Police arrested 33 members including the captain of the US Ship MV Seaman Guard Ohio. The arrested include ten crew members comprising of two Ukrainians and four Indians. The vessel has 25 security guards of British, Estonian and Ukrainian origin including four Indians.
Our correspondent reports that several cases have been booked under the provisions of the Arms Act 1956, Essential Commodities Act 1995 and Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel order 2005.
The movement of the ship MV Seaman from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal remains a mystery as the ship which had docked at the Cochin port during August did not possess any weapons at that time. Sources said that the inquiry was conducted by various agencies including the Country's highest intelligence on the storage of arms and ammunition onboard the ship. The private ship which is known to provide security to the other ships in the Arabian Sea also had refuelled with 1500 litres of diesel illegally from a local fishing boat. The arrested persons are likely to be produced before the Court anytime today. Joy, AIR News, Chennai.
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The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a PIL seeking court monitoring of the digging being undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India, ASI for gold at Daundia Khera village in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh. A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam asked the petitioner to remove the defects in the petition which will be taken up for hearing next week.
The petitioner submitted that court monitoring is required in the case as the valuable resources might vanish. The gold excavation is being carried out by the ASI after a seer, Shobhan Sarkar, dreamt that 1,000 tonnes of gold is buried near the fort of Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh in Daundia Khera village. Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh was a martyr of the 1857 revolt.
Meanwhile, the ASI has started excavation today at the site in Unnao district. Sources say, it may take the agency five weeks to hit the treasure or find the truth.
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At the Bombay Stock Exchange, strong buying interest by investors had lifted the Sensex a hefty 405 points, or 2 percent, to 20,820 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier, in morning deals, the Sensex had climbed 118 points, or 0.6 percent, to 20,533. The Sensex rose on fresh buying by investors, amid rising regional Bourses, and on speculation that the US central bank could maintain its monetary stimulus to the US economy for a longer period. Stock markets in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan had added between 0.3 percent and 1 percent, today. But Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended flat, yesterday.
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Rupee rallied to a two-month high of 60 rupees 92 paise against the US dollar in late morning deals today on persistent selling of the US dollar by banks and exporters on the back of sustained capital inflows from foreign funds. The domestic currency resumed higher at 61 rupees 19 paise per dollar as against the last closing level of 61 rupees 23 paise at the Interbank Foreign Exchange Forex Market.
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International observers have reached Maldives to oversee the re-vote for the Presidential elections. The Indian delegation includes former Chief Election Commissioners of India, JM Lyngdoh, BB Tandon, N Gopalaswami, and former High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, SM Gavai. Commonwealth Secretariat and European Union have also sent high powered teams for the contentious polls. The term of the present government finishes on the 11th of next month. In the polls held last month, Mohamed Nasheed had won over 45 percent of popular votes and was to face Abdulla Yameen in the final round. The Supreme Court had scrapped the polls on a petition by the Jumhoree Party that had alleged discrepancies.
Even as International observers arrive in Maldives to oversee the re-vote for the Presidential elections, Election Commission is struggling to ensure that elections are held on schedule tomorrow. Two candidates Abdulla Yamin of PPM and Gasim Ibrahim of Jumhoree Party have not approved the voters’ list so far - a precondition set by the Supreme Court. Election Commission expressed apprehensions a short while back on the possibility of continuing with the process if the lists are not signed soon. The Indian delegation of observers will be briefed by the Election Commission this evening. Abhishek Dayal, AIR News, Colombo
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In Cambodia, flash flood has killed at least 152 people and affected over 4 lakh families in 20 provinces. Disaster officials said today that flood hit the country twice this year between August and October. The first flood killed 13 people and the second claimed 139 lives. Besides thousands of people have been forced to flee homes for higher grounds. Over three lakh hectares of paddy crop have been submerged.
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Former Grameen Bank Managing Director and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus has criticized the Bangladesh government's move to bring the micro finance institution under the supervision of Bangladesh Bank. He said, the bank belongs to the people and the government's move to control it will destroy the institution which has changed the lives of millions of people and brought the country a Nobel Prize.
Yunus who had been the MD of the bank since its inception was asked to step down in Mach 2010 on the grounds that he had crossed the age to remain in the post. A 3-member Grameen Bank Commission was set up in 2012 to look into the working of the bank and recommend its future structure. The Commission Report recommended splitting the institution into 19 units and bringing it under the control of the Bangladesh Bank.
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Official figures in China say the country's annual economic growth rate has increased after slowing for the previous two quarters. The National Bureau of Statistics shows the economic growth at an annual rate of 7.8 per cent between July and September, up from 7.5 per cent in the previous quarter. The industrial production, which measures output at factories, workshops and mines, rose 10.2 per cent while retail sales, was up 13.3 per cent and fixed asset investment rose 20.2 per cent during the first nine months of the year. Economists surveyed ahead of the release of the report card had said the jump was mainly a result of government stimulus since late June that featured increased rail and urban fixed asset investment and tax cuts.
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Maharashi Valmiki Jayanti is being observed today. A number of functions and rallies are being organised across the country on the occasion. The ancient sage Valmiki is the author of the epic Ramayana. He is referred to as the Adi Kavi or First Poet as he composed the world's first Sanskrit poem.
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Defending Champion Indian Oil, Mumbai will take on Punjab & Sind Bank, Delhi in the final of the Surjit Hockey Tournament in Jalandhar this evening. While Indian Oil entered the final beating Army XI, Punjab & Sind Bank defeated ONGC, Delhi to make it to the final. All India Radio will broadcast live commentary alternately in Hindi and English on the match from 7 PM till the end of the match.
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Brazilian government has created a committee to monitor the price of hotel rooms and airline tickets during next year's Football World Cup. President Deilema Rousseff ruled out setting price cuts but said she would not tolerate, what she called, abuse of prices. A study published last month by Brazil's Tourism Board reported that some hotels were preparing to increase prices by 500 per cent.
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