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Abhinav Bindra Elected Chairman of International Shooting Sport Federation

30102014
Abhinav Bindra Elected Chairman of International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Athletes Committee
 First Indian to Receive this Honour. Also Becomes Member of ISSF Administrative Council as a Result
New Delhi, October 30, 2014: Abhinav Bindra, ace shooter and the country’s only individual Olympic Gold medalist, has been elected Chairman of the International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) Athletes Committee. The ISSF, which is the world body representing the sport of shooting, confirmed this today in a letter, a copy of which was marked to the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the representative body of the sport in India. Abhinav, will be the first Indian shooter to be bestowed with this honour. By virtue of being Chairman of the Athletes Committee, Abhinav will also now become a member of the Administrative Council of the ISSF.
Reacting to the development, Abhinav Bindra said, “It is a great honour, not only for me personally but also for the country as a whole. Athletes make the sport come alive. As such, this honour comes with the great responsibility of representing the views and concerns of shooting athletes from across the globe appropriately, effectively and in a balanced manner towards the betterment of the sport, and I look forward to doing justice towards serving that end.”
The NRAI President, Raninder Singh, said, “ It is a matter of great pride for the whole Indian shooting fraternity that Abhinav has been elected to such a prestigious position. He has always been eager to do his bit for the athletes and the sport of shooting. He has also been very proactive within the NRAI itself in trying to raise the bar of Indian shooting continuously. We are confident that he will shine as always in this new responsibility as well and wish him all the very best.”
It can be recalled that Abhinav was re-elected member of the ISSF Athletes Committee in elections held last month in Granada, Spain for a second time.




Bekijk online versie

30102014
Ontdek wat er te beleven is bij Amsterdam RAI!
Bekijk online versie
AMSTERDAM RAIINSPIRING PEOPLE
Direct naar het agenda overzicht »
Beste Naresh,
Bezoek Amsterdam RAI en waan je bij elk evenement in een andere wereld.
Laat je verrassen en verrijken door innovatieve producten, kennis, creativiteit en zoveel meer. Ontmoet mensen van ver en van dichtbij. Een bezoek verlegt grenzen, het inspireert!
Beleef het zelf tijdens één van onze evenementen dit jaar.
30 oktober
Congres Green Buildings in Apeldoorn
Congres Green Buildings in ApeldoornVakevenement Building Holland en CFP organiseren het congres Green Buildings 2014. Centrale vraag: Wat betekent de circulaire economie voor organisaties en gebouwen? Het congres is op 30 oktober in Apeldoorn.
Meer informatie over Congres Green Buildings in Apeldoorn »
31 oktober
t/m 2 november 2014
Heb jij je al aangemeld voor de Online Huishoudbeurs?
Online HuishoudbeursKom jij op 31 oktober t/m 2 november online workshops volgen en lekker shoppen vanaf je eigen bank? We geven veel gratis producten weg en hebben ieder kwartier een superdeal! Meld je gratis aan zodat je verzekerd bent van toegang en gebruik kan maken van de 2=1 actie voor de Huishoudbeurs in februari.
Meld je gratis aan voor de Online Huishoudbeurs »
8 november
t/m 9 november 2014
Love & Marriage Beurs icl. Nationale WeddingShow
Love and Marriage BeursBezoek de Love & Marriage Beurs in Amsterdam en laat je inspireren door één van de vele trouwspecialisten. Je kunt op één dag ideeën opdoen, informatie inwinnen, vergelijken en afspraken maken met verschillende aanbieders. De Love & Marriage Beurs is de leukste dag uit voor je bruiloft!Lees meer
Bestel hier je kaarten met korting »
22 november
t/m 23 november 2014
Hans Klok The New Houdini
EXTRA Show bijgeboekt
Hans Klok The New HoudiniOp 22 en 23 november geeft Hans Klok in het RAI Theater de allerlaatste voorstellingen van The New Houdini. Wegens groot succes is een extra show ingeboekt op zondag 23 november om 16.00 uur. Deze show, met meer illusies dan je kunt tellen, mag je niet missen! Lees meer
Reserveer nu »
25 februari
t/m 1 maart 2015
Voordelig naar de Negenmaandenbeurs met de 2=1 actie!
Voordelig naar de Negenmaandenbeurs met de 2=1 actie!De Negenmaandenbeurs is de plaats voor (aanstaande) ouders. Wil jij dit jaar de Negenmaandenbeurs voordelig bezoeken? Meld je dan nu aan voor de nieuwsbrief en maak in november gebruik van de voordelige 2=1 actie! Je betaalt slechts € 14,95 voor 2 kaartjes!
Schrijf je nu in »
Aankomende evenementen
Love and Marriage Beurs8 t/m 9 november 2014
Love and Marriage Beurs
IMAGE | PAN Amsterdam23 t/m 30 november 2014
PAN Amsterdam
IMAGE | Masters of LXRY4 t/m 5 oktober 2014
Masters of LXRY
AMSTERDAM RAII amsterdam
Over de Amsterdam RAI E-Newsletter
De Amsterdam RAI E-Newsletter is een publicatie van
Amsterdam RAI, Postbus 77777, 1070 MS te Amsterdam.Meer informatie over de nieuwsbrieven van Amsterdam RAI.
Contact opnemen met Amsterdam RAI?
T +31 20 549 12 12
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Disclaimer:
Dit e-mailbericht is uitsluitend bestemd voor de geadresseerde en kan vertrouwelijke of persoonlijke informatie bevatten. Indien dit bericht niet voor u bestemd is, wordt u vriendelijk verzocht dit aan de afzender te melden. Alle e-mailberichten van Amsterdam RAI zijn met grote zorgvuldigheid samengesteld. Voor mogelijke onjuistheden en/of onvolledigheid van de hierin verstrekte informatie, noch voor de tijdelijke ontvangst, kan Amsterdam RAI aansprakelijkheid aanvaarden. Evenmin kunnen aan de inhoud van dit bericht rechten worden ontleend. Amsterdam RAI aanvaardt geen enkele aansprakelijkheid voor schade en/of kosten die voortvloeien uit onvolledige en/of foutieve informatie in e-mailberichten.




the India China Institute co-sponsors Master Talk: Ming Cho Lee

30102014
the India China Institute co-sponsors
Master Talk: Ming Cho Lee
This event is open to the public.
Location: 66 West 12th St, the New School Auditorium (Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall)
Time: Monday, November 3, 3-5pm
Ming Cho Lee has designed nationally and internationally for 50 years, for opera, dance, Broadway, and regional theatre, and is the recipient of the National Medal of Arts, the highest national award given in the arts. Other awards include the Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture; Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement, Outer Critic’s Circle and Drama Desk Awards; the TCG Theatre Practitioner Award; many others from the theatre and Chinese communities; and five honorary degrees.
FOLLOW ON
TWITTER
FRIEND ON
FACEBOOK
ICI WEBSITE
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Copyright © 2014 The India China Institute, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you have been invited to participate in this event by a colleague from the India China Institute.
Our mailing address is:
The India China Institute
66 5th Avenue
9th Floor
New YorkNY 10011




Securing Food for All

30102014




Kuchipudi Dance Recital By Shallu Jindal

30102014
Media Invite
You are cordially invited to
Kuchipudi Dance Recital
By
Shallu Jindal
Disciple of
Padmabhushan Raja Radha Reddy & Kaushalya Reddy
On: November 1, 2014 (Saturday)
Time: 7:00 pm (Please be seated by 6:45pm)
At: Kamani Auditorium,
1, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi
RSVP:-
Abhishek Puri: +91 – 98110204659 abhishek.puri@hkstrategies.com
Nishita Jain: +91 – 9811264020 nishita.jain@hkstrategies.com




Indore Fans celebrated Shah Rukh’s Birthday with a unique cake

30102014
Indore Fans celebrated Shah Rukh’s Birthday
with a unique cake made with the city’s famous snacks !


Everyone knows that the King Khan commands an enormous fan following across the globe and his die-hard fans often do special things for their heartthrob every year on his birthday. This year too, he received a pleasant surprise ahead of his birthday at the recent Indore auditions of Zee TV’s tour in search of India’s happiest dancer – Dil Se Naachein Indiawaale.
SRK fans who came to watch the show brought something which was quite unheard of- a gigantic cake made of Indore’s famous snacks (farsan), which became quite the center of attraction for everyone at the auditorium. This three-tier cake was made with a lot of precision that it was difficult to imagine how anyone could have made it at home! It look liked the job of a professional chef to say the least! Along with the audience, Shah Rukh’s fellow judges on the show – Deepika, Boman, Abhishek, Vivaan and Farah surprised him too by doing a special performance on his blockbuster songs. An overwhelmed Shah Rukh was extremely touched by his fans in Indore and thanked them for making his birthday so special.
To watch all this masti and more, stay tuned to ‘Maruti Suzuki Alto K 10 Dil Se Naachein Indiawaale Co-powered byAskmebazaar.com & L’Oreal Paris Fall Repair 3X’ every Saturday and Sunday at 9 PM, only on Zee TV.




8th NTA ICT World Communication Summit & Awards, 2014

30102014
Invite your Nomination and kind presence to
8th NTA ICT World Communication Summit & Awards, 2014 &
National Education Summit & Awards 2014
“ICT for Empowerment, Education & Digital India”
on
11th December, Kolkata
Dear Sir,
Dr Malcolm Johnson, Director, (Deputy Secretary General – Elect ) International Telecommunication Union,-ITU Geneva( A UN Body) will present the 8th NTA ICT World Communication Awards, 2014 & 8th National Education Awards 2014 at Kolkata on 11th December, 2014 alongwith other VIPs.
International Telecommunication Union,-ITU Geneva is highest UN elected body in the world to promote Telecom & IT.
We request you to plan a visit to Kolkata (West Bengal) on 11th December and please block date for the same.
Earlier the Summit & Awards were postponed due to elections in India and Mauritius.
Chief Guest and Guest of Honor
Ms. Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister, West Bengal (Invited)
Hon’ble Dr. Malcolm Johnson 
Director, International Telecommunication Union-ITU Geneva (Confirmed)
Hon’ble Prof. (Dr.) S.S Mantha
Chairman, AICTE (Confirmed)
Hon’ble Prof. (Dr.) R. K Khandal
Vice Chancellor, Uttar Pradesh Technical University (Confirmed)
Hon’ble Shri R.N Jha,
Chief General Manager, BSNL (Confirmed)
Hon’ble Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
Minister of Communications and IT India (Invited) will join
Representatives from NIXI, MNRE, MSME, DOT, DeITy, TEPC, NIELIT etc. are expected to join.
The Awards are officially supported by Ministry of ICT, Mauritius &
  • National Computer Board, Mauritius,
  • Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization (CTO-UK),
  • AICTE-All India Council of Technical Education
  • AIU- Association of Indian Universities
  • Government of India- Telecom Export Promotion Council (TEPC),
  • Government of India- National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI),
  • Government of India-Department of Electronics and IT- National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT )
  • Government of India, Department of MSME
  • Government of India, Department of MNRE
  • ITU-APT Foundation, Geneva/India
  • Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) – Department of Electronics and IT
  • And several other international Industry associations.
National Telecom Awards/ICT World Communication Awards are being organized for last eight years. These are the only ICT recognition platform show in world which are supported by Government & various associations around the globe & presented by Dr. Hamadoun Toure, Secy Gen, ITU during 2012 & 2013.The event will attract all the senior decision makers in the industry around the globe.
This is also a unique opportunity to highlight Company’s/ Institutes/ Universities achievements to the assembled dignitaries & wider Telecom & Education community! And also avail the wonderful opportunity to interact and network with dignitaries & wider Telecom & Education community.

Dr. Toure, Secy Gen, International Telecom Union quoted in this behalf:
The past Awards have been presented by several Indian Government Ministers -
  • Hon’ble Shri Arun Shourie
  • Hon’ble Shri Kapil Sibbal
  • Hon’ble Mr. Farooq Abdullah
  • Hon’ble Mr. Sachin Pilot
  • Hon’ble Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia
  • Hon’ble Mr. Mukul Sangma
  • Hon’ble Mr. Gurudas Kamat
  • Hon’ble Mr. Shakeel Ahmed
  • Hon’ble Mr. Tapan Sikdar
  • Hon’ble Mr. Karia Munda
Other VIP’s at NTA ICT World Communication Summit & Awards
  • Hon’ble Shri SS Mantha, Chairman AICTE
  • Hon’ble Shri SK Kak, Vice Chancellor, MTU
  • Hon’ble Shri DS Chauhan, President Association of Indian Universities,
  • Secretary DOT, Secretary MNRE, Chairman TRAI etc
  • About 37 Ambassadors participated in 7th NTA ICT World Communication Awards in 2012 & 2013.
These Summit & Awards will include:
Telecom Industry
Education
§  Service Providers
§  Handset & Equipment Manufacturers
§  Accessory Manufacturers
§  E Commerce Companies around the globe
§  Content Providers & Mobile Applications
§  Enterprise IT Telecommunications §  Network Infrastructure Manufacturers
§ Vice Chancellors across India
§ Chairmen/Director of Education Institutes/Universities Across India
§ Publication Houses
§ Companies dealing directly with Education Institutes
§ Online Content Providers for Education Institutes
§ Etc
CMAI Association of India is apex premier and foremost non-profit trade promotion organization with 48,500 members and 54 MOU partners across the globe. CMAI is prominent promoting growth in communications, manufacturing trade sector through Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy, Research, Exhibitions, Trade shows, Conferences and Seminars, Technology events, Buyers-Sellers Meets B2B meetings promotion and fostering business and strategic relationships. More details are available at www.cmai.asia 
You are also requested to file nomination for yourself or others by logging on to http://www.ictwca.com/nomination.php  and for Education Institutes/Universities athttp://nationaleducationaward.com/IEESA/nomination.php or by sending email at president_cmai@cmai.asianavtesh@cmai.asia
For any further information you may contact directly – Navtesh, GM-International Trade  at navtesh@cmai.asia  or Sauravi Dutta, AGM at sauravi@cmai.asia or phone numbers +91 97 118 69771 and +91 83 769 75258 respectively for any further queries.
Speaker/Presentation opportunities exist at ICT World Communication Summit. 
REGARDS
Prof N K Goyal
President CMAI Association of India, Chairman Emeritus TEMA
Member Governing Council Telecom Equipment & Services Export Promotion Council, Govt. of India
Vice Chairman, ITU APT India, Adviser Gujarat Technological University

Chairman India Trade Promotion Services, Dubai UAE,  
Director NFL National Fertilizers Ltd, Govt. of India
+91 98 111 29879, president_cmai@cmai. asiawww.cmai.asia




Super Nani Film Press Conference held at EOD GIP, Noida

30102014

Sharman Joshi (actor) & Shweta Kumar (actress) came to EOD GIP, Noida to address the press conference based on their upcoming Movie “Super Nani”. Rekha is working after a long time in a movie. Rekha is playing a role of Nani (grandmother) in “Super Nani”.
“Super Nani” is an Indian drama film directed by Indra Kumar & the producer of the film is Indra Kumar along with Ashok Thakeria. Rekha, Sharman Joshi, Randhi Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Kumar & Shweta Kumar are in lead roles in this movie.
This film is actually based on the Gujarat play that is ‘Baa Ae Maari Boundary’. ‘Super Nani’ will be released on 31 October 2014.
Shweta Kumar (daughter of Indra Kumar) has worked in Karzzzz movie, this was her last movie and upcoming is Super Nani. She also came to address the Press Conference of ‘Super Nani’.
Shweta Kumar said “I love working for this movie, Super Nani is my second movie which I did. It was really a great fun working for this movie”.




UK Science and Innovation Network in India’s Newsletter.

30102014

Issue 74
Dear Mr Naresh Sagar,Orange
Welcome to the October Edition of the UK Science and Innovation Network in India’s Newsletter.
Top Story
The team is currently preparing for the forthcoming Ministerial Indo-UK Science & Innovation Council, to be held in New Delhi in November. This is the major set-piece event where the priorities and mechanisms for UK-India research and innovation cooperation are agreed every two years. This time, we’re hoping to agree the final shape of the Newton-Bhabha programme, and therefore what funding should soon be available to support more joint research. So watch this space to hear what has been agreed and what new opportunities are coming!
Funding Opportunities  fund
Want to keep up to date with all the opportunities funded through the UK’s Newton Fund?Follow this page on gov.uk!

For a full list of funding opportunities, please check out our monthly summary
Upcoming events events
Innovate UK | Date: 5-6th November | Venue: London | See the event website for more details

Affordable Assisted Living Technologies | Date: 19th November | Venue: Bangalore | See our blog for more details
Bengaluru Space Expo | Date: November | Venue: Bangalore | See the event website for more details

Refrigerated Vehicles Manufacture Workshop | Date: 9th December | Venue: Pune | See our webinar recording for more details
For a full list of upcoming events, please visit here.
Spotlight on… Renewable Energy  spotlight
Renewable energy has been a long term focus of our work developing collaborations between the UK and India – with projects and events across a range of technologies. Just this week, we’ve had a delegation of UK experts on wave and tidal energy visiting India. This follows a similar delegation earlier in the year on offshore wind, and a joint workshop in South Africa on biofuels. Renewable energies have also been the subject for significant joint research funding, including two of the Industrial R&D grants awarded recently. For a full picture of the funded projects, please see RCUK’s summary. And, with the food-water-energy nexus identified as a priority for the Newton Bhabha programme, that support is likely to continue. Let us know if you have ideas for future events that we could help with!
Reports reports
Each month, we want to help you understand research and innovation in the UK and India better. Where could you visit, what has happened, what’s been published?
Visits and profiles
Planning a visit to India soon? Check out our top tips for a successful trip. Or check out our map of Indian Science & Innovation to plan your itinerary. We’ve also produced a map of the UK if you’re heading in the other direction!
Recent Events
Recent Publications
News from the web news
Thanks for reading! Best wishes,
MarkSwatiRitaTomSunilSheryl and Vijay
Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe now to get next month’s edition direct!
Join Our Mailing List
In the meantime, stay connected…
Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter  View our profile on LinkedIn  View our photos on flickr  View our videos on YouTube  Visit our blog
For press related queries, please contact :  Chandeep Kaur, Press and Communications, New Delhi
T: +91-11-2419 2182  Email: Chandeep Kaur
Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.




THE ELECTION THAT CHANGED INDIA

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A DEFINITIVE AND INSIGHTFUL NEW BOOK BY ONE OF INDIA’S TOP JOURNALISTS
Rajdeep Sardesai
Penguin Books India cordially invites you to the launch of the much-anticipated
2014
THE ELECTION THAT CHANGED INDIA


on 7th November2014 at The Auditorium, Nehru Memorial Museum & Bhawan

Please find more details of the event enclosed.
Kindly send the names and number of people who would like to attend the event atinvitation@in.penguingroup.com
Please feel free to share the invite with family & friends.


Thanks!
————————————-
Penguin Books India
Penguin Random House

7th Floor, Infinity Tower – C
DLF Cyber City, Gurgaon 122002, Haryana
+91 124 4785686
+ 91 124 4785606




Newsletter KölnTourismus

30102014

Diese E-mail wird nicht richtig angezeigt? Hier geht’s zurWebansicht
Dear partners and friends of Cologne,
In order to make Cologne even better known as a travel destination, we have launched a broad range of activities. One project is the presentation of Cologne’s wonderful range of cultural attractions in the Yearbook of Cultural Brands. This is an outstanding platform for coming into contact with potential sponsorship partners. To advertise our marketing focus for 2014/2015 we produced a video clip on the theme of “Holy Cologne”, one of further videos on central touristic topics of Cologne.
Kind regards
Josef Sommer
The “cultural brand” quality seal
The Cologne Tourist Board has cooperated with the Cultural Department of the city of Cologne to place an advertorial in the Yearbook of Cultural Brands 2014/2015. The yearbook serves as an expert reference work for interested companies who would like to make a name for themselves by sponsoring a cultural event or institution. Through this cooperation Cologne has received the right for one year to call itself a “cultural brand”.»
Cologne Tourist Board trains new city guides
The Cologne Tourist Board provides more than 7,500 city tours for visitors every year. It offers tours based on over 100 different themes in 15 languages for groups. In order to further expand this core area of its expertise, the Cologne Tourist Board will be training new city guides starting in January 2015.»
15th Museum Night in Cologne
On Museum Night in Cologne, which will take place on 8 November 2014, a total of 46 museums and art venues will open their doors from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. This will be the 15th time that art connoisseurs will be able to enjoy the works of world-class artists, newcomers and Old Masters and discover the glamour of renowned museums as well as new exhibition venues, all in one night.»
“Holy Cologne” in a video clip
An initial impression of the wealth of religious and cultural highlights that are connected with the theme of “Holy Cologne” is provided by a video clip produced by the Cologne Tourist Board to advertise its marketing focus for 2014/2015. It will be followed by further videos focusing on central themes related to Cologne.»
Contact
KölnTourismus GmbH
Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1
D – 50667 Köln
Tel.: +49(0)221.34643-0
Fax: +49(0)221.34643-59429
www.koelntourismus.de
presse@koelntourismus.de
Disclaimer
CEO: Josef Sommer
Sales tax identification number according to § 27a
Value Added Tax Act: DE 236348173
Office and register court: Köln
Commercial register number: HRB 53248
You want to unsubscribe the newsletter, click here




Luis Miranda takes over as Chairman of the Board at Centre for Civil Society

30102014
Former Private Equity leader Luis Miranda takes over as Chairman of the Board at Centre for Civil Society
New Delhi-based Centre for Civil Society (CCS) has named Luis Miranda, former Chairman of IDFC Private Equity as the Chairman of its Board of Trustees. Luis takes over from Ashish Dhawan, Founder and CEO of Central Square Foundation (CSF) who formerly ran private equity fund, ChrysCapital.
Luis founded IDFC Private Equity in 2002 and served as the Chief Executive Officer and President at the firm until 2010. He was earlier a senior member of the start-up team at HDFC Bank. He is Senior Advisor, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure and is involved with various non-profits related to human rights, education and health care. Luis got his MBA from Chicago Booth, where he was influenced by Chicago School economists George Stigler, Gary Becker and Gene Fama.
Talking about the strategic role of think-tanks like Centre for Civil Society, Luis said “India still ranks abysmally low on a number of world rankings on important indicators like ease of doing business, economic freedom, competitiveness and innovation; in fact, it’s ranking has declined over the last few years. Modi’s recently launched ‘Make in India’ campaign, Jan Dhan Yojana for financial inclusion of hitherto unbanked Indians and the abolition of Planning Commission are welcome steps towards ensuring ‘maximum governance, minimum government’. However, this ecosystem needs to be complemented by organisations like Centre for Civil Society, which could potentially offer interventions to change systems in India and work on public policy solutions to make the country more market-oriented.”
In his new role as Chairman of Board of Trustees of CCS, Luis will provide strategic direction and energize CCS’ initiatives in education, livelihood and policy training as the organisation works toward promoting choice and accountability across private and public sectors.
On his appointment, Luis said “CCS has always stood for the basic right to freedom and choice. What is unique about CCS, is that we continue to relentlessly raise these ideas to ensure that they do not get lost in public policy discourses where individual rights are trampled upon, where markets are undermined and big government leads to inefficient allocation of resources. We remain focused on engaging more meaningfully with policy and opinion leaders to bring about social change through sound public policies.”




BOTH MAYA N AKHILESH FAIL TO CONTAIN RIOTS IN UP

30102014

Both Maya n Akhilesh fail to contain riots in UP.
मायावती हों या अखिलेश यादव, दोनों सीएम  यूपी के दंगों पर लगाम लगाने में
पूर्णतया विफल : Compared to year 2010, riots in UP increase by 19.97%
in 2011, by 35.57% in 2012 & by 45% in 2013 साल 2010 के मुकाबले 2011
में 19.97%,2012 में 35.57% और 2013 में 45% बढ़ीं हैं दंगों की घटनाएं  :
UP Govt. is a mere ‘Riots Bank’ महज ‘दंगा बैंक’ बनकर रह गयी है यूपी
की सरकारें
जी हाँ l उत्तर प्रदेश में चाहें  मायावती हों या अखिलेश यादव, ये दोनों
ही सीएम  के रूप में दावे तो बड़े बड़े करते रहे पर यूपी के दंगों पर लगाम
लगाने में पूर्णतः  विफल ही रहे हैं l इस कड़वी हक़ीक़त का खुलासा सामाजिक
संस्था ‘तहरीर’*  के संस्थापक ई० संजय शर्मा की एक आरटीआई पर राष्ट्रीय
अपराध रिकॉर्ड ब्यूरो के जन सूचना अधिकारी के०  पी०  उदय शंकर द्वारा दिए
गए एक जबाब से हुआ है l
*’तहरीर’  { Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights’ Initiative
for Revolution – TAHRIR }  लोक जीवन में पारदर्शिता संवर्धन, जबाबदेही
निर्धारण और आमजन के मानवाधिकारों के संरक्षण के हितार्थ उत्तर प्रदेश
में जमीनी स्तर पर कार्यशील संस्था  है l
संजय को उपलब्ध कराई गयी सूचना के अनुसार उत्तर  प्रदेश में साल  2010
में 4186,साल 2011  में 5022 ,साल 2012  में 5676 और साल 2013  में
दंगों की 6089 घटनाएं  सरकारी आंकड़ों में दर्ज हैं l  गौरतलब है  कि वर्ष
2010 से मार्च 2012 तक सूबे की कमान मायावती के हाथ में थी और मार्च 2012
से वर्ष 2013 तक की अवधि में अखिलेश यादव  सूबे के मुखिया  रहे हैं lइन
आकड़ों से स्पष्ट है कि उत्तर  प्रदेश में साल 2011  में साल  2010 के
मुकाबले  दंगों की 836  अधिक घटनाएं        (19.97%) हुईं l  साल 2012
में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  दंगों की 1489  अधिक घटनाएं (35.57%)  हुईं तो
वही साल 2013    में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  दंगों की 1903  अधिक घटनाएं
(45%) हुईं हैं l
संजय कहते हैं कि इन आकड़ों के साल-दर-साल विश्लेषण से  भी यह स्पष्ट है
कि उत्तर  प्रदेश में साल 2011  में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  दंगों की 836
अधिक घटनाएं  ( 19.97%) हुईं l  साल 2012  में साल  2011  के मुकाबले
दंगों की 654  अधिक घटनाएं ( 13.02%) हुईं तो वही साल 2013    में साल
2012  के मुकाबले  दंगों की 413  अधिक घटनाएं (6.78%) हुईं हैं जो  यह
सिद्ध कर रहा है कि साल 2010 से 2013 तक यूपी में लगातार दंगों की घटनाओं
में वृद्धि ही हो रही है और फिर चाहें वह  मायावती के नेतृत्व में  बनी
बहुजन समाज पार्टी की सरकार हो या  अखिलेश यादव के नेतृत्व में बनी
समाजवादी पार्टी की सरकार, सभी सरकारें  दंगे रोकने के मामले में महज
कोरी वयानवाजी कर जनता को गुमराह ही करती  रही हैं और दंगों को रोकने में
पूर्णतया विफल रही हैं l
सूबे में दंगों की संख्या में हो रही  बेतहाशा उत्तरोत्तर वृद्धि पर तंज
कसते हुए संजय कहते है कि इतनी तेजी से तो बैंक में रखा पैसा भी नहीं
बढ़ता है और सरकार को दंगों का उच्च व्याजदर पर डिपाजिट कर जनता को व्याज
समेत बापस करने बाले ‘दंगा बैंक’ की संघ्या दी है l  l
दंगों को उत्तर प्रदेश के सामाजिक और आर्थिक विकास के रास्ते की सबसे बड़ी
वाधा बताते हुए संजय ने कहा कि दंगों के परिपेक्ष्य में प्रशासनिक अमले
और स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधियों की स्पष्ट जबाबदेही के अभाव के कारण ही
प्रशासनिक अमला  और स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधि दंगों को रोकने के उपायों के
क्रियान्वयन के प्रति गंभीर नहीं हैं और सरकारें भी दंगे हो जाने के बाद
महज सरकारी खानापूर्ति कर मामले की इतिश्री कर देती हैं पर दंगों का असली
दंश स्थानीय जनता सालों साल झेलती रहती है l
संजय ने अब दंगों के परिपेक्ष्य में प्रशासनिक अमले  और स्थानीय
जनप्रतिनिधियों की स्पष्ट जबाबदेही के निर्धारण के लिए  सामाजिक संस्था
‘तहरीर’ के माध्यम से एक व्यापक मुहिम  चलाने का ऐलान करते हुए इस
सम्बन्ध में देश  के प्रधानमंत्री , गृहमंत्री और  सूबे के राज्यपाल,
मुख्यमंत्री को पत्र लिखकर प्रशासनिक अमले  और स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधियों को
दंगों को रोकने के उपायों के क्रियान्वयन के प्रति गंभीर बनाने हेतु
उनकी स्पष्ट जबाबदेही का निर्धारण करने हेतु नियम-कानून  बनाने  की मांग
करने का  भी ऐलान किया  है l
आरटीआई जबाब की स्कैन्ड प्रति इस मेल के साथ अटैच्ड है l

Urvashi Sharma
Founder & Chief Coordinator-UPCPRI
http://upcpri.hpage.com/
Uttar Pradesh Campaign to Protect RTI
http://upcpri.blogspot.in/
Lucknow-India

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50 INSPIRING MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES, UTTERANCES OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

October31, 2014 (C) Ravinder Singh ravinderinvent@gmail.com
None of these 50 Quotes of Swami Vivekananda approve of any Cheating,
Scam, Fraud, Dishonest Acquisition of Wealth, Exploitation of others,
Corruption, Bribes in India.
51.]  Learn from Good Leaders, Respect Seniors, Don’t Create Troubles
& Mischief, Create Intellectual Property, Inventors Led Industries,
Share Wealth & Knowledge.
http://www.swamivivekanandaquotes.org/2013/04/50-inspiring-and-motivational-quotes.html
50 Inspiring Motivational Quotes, Utterances of Swami Vivekananda
1)    All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have
put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.
2)    Arise, awake, sleep no more; within each of you there is the power
to remove all wants and all miseries. Believe this, and that power
will be manifested.
3)    Be free; hope for nothing from anyone. I am sure if you look back
upon your lives you will find that you were always vainly trying to
get help from others which never came.
4)    Be not afraid, for all great power throughout the history of
humanity has been with the people. From out of their ranks have come
all the greatest geniuses of the world, and history can only repeat
itself. Be not afraid of anything. You will do marvellous work.
5)    Be not in despair; the way is very difficult, like walking on the
edge of a razor; yet despair not, arise, awake, and fine the ideal,
the goal.
6)    Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be
nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.
These are bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. I know
where the shoe pinches.
7)    Calm and silent and steady work, and no newspaper humbug, no
name-making, you must always remember.
8)    Come out into the universe of Light. Everything in the universe is
yours, stretch out your arms and embrace it with love. If you every
felt you wanted to do that, you have felt God.
9)    Cowards only sin, brave men never, no, not even in mind.
10)    Do not be afraid of a small beginning great things come
afterwards. Be courageous. Do not try to lead your brethren, but serve
them. The brutal mania for leading has sunk many a great ships in the
waters of life. Take care especially of that, i.e. be unselfish even
unto death, and work.
11)    Do not figure out big plans at first, but, begin slowly, feel your
ground and proceed up and up.
12)    Do not wait for anybody or anything. Do whatever you can. Build
your hope on none.
13)    Go on bravely. Do not expect success in a day or a year. Always
hold on to the highest. Be steady. Avoid jealousy and selfishness. Be
obedient and eternally faithful to the cause of truth, humanity, and
your country, and you will move the world.
14)    Have faith in yourselves, and stand up on that faith and be
strong; that is what we need.
15)    Hold on to your ideals… .Above all, never attempt to guide or
rule others, or, as the Yankees say, ‘boss’ others. Be the servant of
all.
16)    I hate cowardice; I will have nothing to do with cowards or
political nonsense. I do not believe in any politics. God and truth
are the only politics in the world, everything else is trash.
17)    I want each one of my children to be a hundred times greater than
I could ever be. Everyone of you must be a giant— must, that is my
word. Obedience, readiness, and love for the cause— if you have these
three, nothing can hold you back.
18)    If you are really my children, you will fear nothing, stop at
nothing. You will be like lions. We must rouse India and the whole
world. No cowardice. I will take no nay. Do you understand?
19)    If you can think that infinite power, infinite knowledge and
indomitable energy lie within you, and if you can bring out that
power, you also can become like me.
20)    Infinite patience, infinite purity, and infinite perseverance are
the secret of success in a good cause.
21)    It is our own mental attitude which makes the world what it is for
us. Our thought make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly.
The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper
light. First, believe in this world, that.
22)    Know that every time you feel weak, you not only hurt yourself but
also the cause. Infinite faith and strength are the only conditions of
success.
23)    Let people say whatever they like, stick to your own convictions,
and rest assured, the world will be at your feet. They say, ‘Have
faith in this fellow or that fellow’, but, I say, ‘Have faith in
yourself first’. that’s the way.
24)    Man is born to conquer nature and not to follow it.
25)    Man never dies, nor is he ever born; bodies die, but he never dies.
26)    Neither numbers nor powers nor wealth nor learning nor eloquence
nor anything else will prevail, but purity, living the life, in one
word anubhuti, realization. Let there be a dozen of lion-souls in each
country, lions who have broken their own bonds, who have touched the
Infinite, whose whole soul is gone to Brahma, who care neither for
wealth nor power nor fame, and these will be enough to shake the
world.
27)    Never mind the struggles, the mistakes. I never heard a cow tell a
lie, but it is only a cow— never a man. So never mind these failures,
these little backslidings; hold the ideal a thousand times, and if you
fail a thousand times, make the attempt once more.
28)    Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the
greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin? to
say that you are weak, or others are weak.
29)    No great work can be achieved by humbug. It is through love, a
passion for truth, and tremendous energy, that all undertakings are
accomplished.
30)    No need for looking behind. FORWARD! We want infinite energy,
infinite zeal, infinite courage, and infinite patience, then only will
great things achieved.
31)    Oh, if only you knew yourselves! You are souls; you are Gods. If
ever I feel like blaspheming, it is when I call you man.
32)    Pay no attention whatsoever to newspaper nonsense or criticism. Be
sincere and do your duty. Everything will come all right. Truth must
triumph.
33)    Perfect sincerity, holiness, gigantic intellect, and
all-conquering will. Let only a handful of men work with these, and
the whole world will be revolutionized.
34)    Persevere on, my brave lads, We have only just begun. Never
despond! Never say enough!
35)    Purity, perseverance, and energy— these three I want.
36)    Purity, patience and perseverance overcome all obstacles. All
great things must of necessity be slow.
37)    Say, “I can do everything.” “Even if poison of a snake is
powerless if you can firmly deny it.”
38)    Say, “This misery that I am suffering is of my own doing, and that
very thing proves that it will have to be undone by me alone.”
39)    Take courage and work on. Patience and steady work— this is the only way.
40)    Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it,
dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every
part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other
idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual
giants are produced.
41)    “The earth is enjoyed by heroes”— this is the unfailing truth. Be
a hero. Always say, “I have no fear”.
42)    The remedy for weakness is not brooding over weakness, but
thinking of strength.
43)    This is the great fact: strength is life, weakness is death.
Strength is felicity, life eternal, immortal; weakness is constant
strain and misery: weakness is death.
44)    To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous
will. ‘I will drink the ocean’, says the persevering soul, ‘at my will
mountains will crumble up.’ Have that sort of energy, that sort of
will, work hard, and you will reach the goal.
45)    To work with undaunted energy! What fear! Who is powerful enough
to thwart you.
46)    Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true.
47)    We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves
to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has
been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that
whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present
actions; so we have to know how to act.
48)    We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you
think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.
49)    We reap what we sow. We are the makers of our own fate. None else
has the blame, none has the praise.
50)    Whatever you think, that you will be. If you think yourselves
weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you
will be.
Ravinder Singh, National General Secretary.
Sabka Bharat Mission 2019
Y-77, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016
Ph: 9650421857, 9718280435
Sabkabharatmission2019@gmail.com

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Government Of India Committed To Ensure “More Crop Per Drop”

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The 2014 Annual Conference Of The Indian National Association of The Club Of Rome
‘Securing Food for All’; the Critical Need for Coherence in Policies and Action

New Delhi, October 30, 2014: “The Government of India is committed to ensure “more crop per drop” and make India hunger free” said Shri Ajit Seth, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, while addressing The 2014 Annual Conference Of The Indian National Association of The Club Of Rome (CoR) at The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mansingh Road, New Delhi.

With the theme “Securing Food For All”-The critical need for coherence in policies and action” the 2 day conference had Policy makers and thought leaders from India & overseas deliberate on roadmap to tackle various National & International Economic, Environmental & Social issues on food scarcity, distribution, fundamentals of food policy & politics among other topics of discussion.     

Mr. Ranjit Barthakur, Secretary General, Indian National Association for the Club of Rome & Chairman (amalgamated (Former Tata Tea), said he was looking forward to a document that highlights policy coherence. Mr S Ramadorai, Vice Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services & Chairman Club of Rome, National Skill Development Agency & National Skill Development Corporation, was confident that the conference was positioned to extract meaning from the maze of policies and views that are there today and hopefully would show a clear direction to all stakeholders.

“To deliver true inclusive growth and economic access to food, it is important for government and private sector to work coherently” reiterated Mr Seth. Dr Ashok Khosla, President Emeritus, Club of Rome & Chairman, Development Alternatives emphasized the stark need for policy coherence.

With Prof M S Swaminathan, Chairman, National Commission on Farmers along with Shri Ajit Seth, as guests of honor, the first day of the conference saw eminent personalities including Shri T. Nanda Kumar, Chairman National Diary Development Board, Ms Naina Lal Kidwai, Group General Manager & Country Head  HSBC India, Sri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Former Union Minister BJP, Mr Nitin Desai, Former Under Secretary General economic & Social Affairs at the United Nations, Shri P D Rai, Member of Parliament, Sikkim Development Front.

The conference also saw the release of Balipara Foundation’s book, “Reflections on Managing WATER: Earth’s Greatest Natural Resource” edited by Dr Indira Khurana and Ranjit Barthakur.

About the Club of Rome
The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with the human problematique, particularly in relation to the issues of sustainability of today’s development patterns.  Founded in 1968 in Rome, the organisation brings together former heads of state, UN officials, high-level government officials, diplomats, scientists, economists and business leaders from around the world. The club‘s mission is “to act as a global catalyst for change through the identification and analysis of the crucial problems facing humanity and the communication of potential solutions to such problems to the most important public and private decision makers as well as to the general public.”

For more information contact: 

Abhinav Sood
Communications Inc
Ph         : +919810605190
E Mail  : abhinav.sood@communicationsinc.in,
                 sood.abhinav@gmail.com

Congress ends alliance with JMM in Jharkhand

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Congress ends alliance with JMM in Jharkhand
Congress has called off its alliance with ruling JMM in poll-bound Jharkhand on Friday after sharing power for some 16 months in the tribal-dominated state. 


AICC General Secretary B K Hariprasad said that the Congress would contest the Assembly polls in Jharkhand along with RJD and JD-U, with which it had faced bypolls in Bihar in August. 

Hariprasad said the Congress will take a call later on whether to withdraw support to the Hemant Soren Government. 

The five-phase Assembly poll in Jharkhand is scheduled to begin on November 25. 

The AICC General Secretary also said that the Congress would like to take along other like-minded small parties. 

There were reports that JMM was not ready to leave Jamtara, Ghatsila and Pakur seats to Congress while the Congress had sought 45 seats and asked JMM to accommodate the other two regional alliance partners like JD-U and RJD from its quota of remaining 36 seats. 

In the Lok Sabha poll held five months back, BJP had won 12 out of total 14 seats bagging 40.1 per cent votes while the Congress had polled just 13.3 per cent votes with ruling party JMM 12.1 per cent. 

Ever since its creation as a separate state in 2000 Jharkhand has seen altogether 9 chief ministers and three terms of President's Rule.

Modi’s Buddha diplomacy on anvil

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Modi’s Buddha diplomacy on anvil

Efforts afoot to rope in east and south-east Asia

ASHOK B SHARMA

A definite shift in India’s Look East Policy is underway with added emphasis on Buddha diplomacy under the new dispensation. The Prime Minister Narendrabhai Damodardass Modi plans to market the Buddha card to the countries in the region as India is the place of origin of Dhamam and Sangham. He indicated such a change in emphasis by his first official visit abroad to a neighbouring Buddhist country in South Asia, Bhutan and then to Nepal where Lord Buddha was born. His first official visit outside South Asia was to another Buddhist country, Japan.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping on his visit to India in September landed in Ahmedabad in Gujarat where Prime Minister Modi received him. Modi narrated to him the importance of the state in the Buddhist era and the visit of the ancient Chinese traveller Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsangin 7th century BC. The Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung on a visit to India on October 27-28, made offerings at Bodhgaya temple on his arrival.

The emphasis in the policy is likely to become more evident when the prime minister visits Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar for the India-ASEAN Summit and East Asia Summit slated in the second week next month. Further edge to the new Look East Policy will be given when he visits Brisbane for G20 Summit and have bilateral meetings with the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the middle of next month. Thereafter, Modi gets the chance of expressing his Neighbours First Policy at the SAARC Summit slated in November 26-27 in Kathmandu.

People-to-people contact is one of the cornerstone of Modi’s foreign policy. His plans for making this as central to South Asia and then integrating with the South-East Asia makes him deploy the soft power of Buddha diplomacy. As forging integration in South Asia may become difficult due to the belligerent attitude of Pakistan, Modi may have the option of taking along with him the BIMSTEC group of countries -  Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal – and seek integration with the 10-member ASEAN bloc.

With vast population of Buddhists in east and south-east Asia plans are afoot to make India a Mecca for world Buddhists. The work on phase-I Buddhists Tourist Circuit is gathering pace. This includes Lumbini in Nepal where Lord Buddha was born, Bodhgaya where he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh where he delivered his first sermon, Rajgir in Bihar where he lived and taught, Nalanda which became the centre of Buddhist learning and teaching, Kushinagar in UP where he died, Kapilavastu on India-Nepal border where Lord Buddha spent his first early years before embarking on long journey to enlightenment, Vaishali in Bihar where he delivered his last sermon, Sravasi in UP where he spent 24 rainy seasons at Jetavan monastery and Kausambi in UP where he preached.

As study undertaken by the International Finance Corporation has suggested an investment of Rs 500 crore each by the public and private sector over a span of four years. The government has proposed some initial investment in the current budgetary proposals. As the government is bullish in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), Modi is expected take up this issue with leaders of east and south-east Asian countries. As regards revival of ancient Buddhist centre of learning, Nalanda University several countries in the region have already pledged their contribution.

Buddha’s relics are found in many places across India and other parts of the world interred within hemispherical mounds called stupas. In the subsequent phases there are plans to develop ancient Buddhist sites across 17 states in the country, including Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha.

Believers from several Buddhist countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand have set up their monasteries around Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya where pilgrims stay. But the in modern times the need is to develop more luxurious accommodations and budget hotels for different classes of tourists. Since the conception of Buddhist Tourist Circuit in 1986 very little has been done and the country attracts a mere 0.005% of global Buddhist tourists. Most of the foreign tourist arrivals are in the winter season as they feel summer uncomfortable and, therefore, they miss out visiting Buddhist sites on major festive occasions like Buddha Jayanti in the month of Vaisakh (April/May). There are other festive occasions celebrated in India like Lasar or the Tibetan New Year, Hemis Fair in Ladakh, Ullambana, Sangha Dayor Magha Puja, Asatha Day and Pavarana Day.

While India is seeking help for revival of Buddhist sites, it is also helping to revive ancient temples and ancient sites in South-East Asia. Hence it seems to be a quid pro quo basis of cooperation. The Archaeological Society of India is engaged in engaged in reviving Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm Temple in Siem Reap in Cambodia. Vat Phou Temple in Laos, Ananda Temple in Bagan in Myanmar, Thiruketeeswaram Temple in Mannar in Sri Lanka. It is slated to take works on My Son group of temples in Vietnam.

India has the excellent opportunity to rope in Mahayana Buddhists from China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam, Theravada Buddhists from Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Vajrayana Buddhists from Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, western China, Russia and Nepal. Sikkim in India is the home to all sects of Buddhism. Countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which are now not Buddhist countries, have ancient Buddhist sites of importance to tourism.

Buddha in Indian diplomacy is a soft power that can connect to the people in the east and south-east Asian region. Particular interest to China would be travel route of the ancient Chinese scholars like Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsang), Faxian (Fa Hien) and others. Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh host number of sites which are of interests to Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhists. China which is ready to give alternative route to the Hindu pilgrim site at Mansarovar in Tibet via Nathu La in Sikkim should be liberal in allowing Tibetan pilgrims to visit India.

After hosting Olympics in Beijing, China has become assertive in projecting its ancient cultural identity with pride. Hence it has to look towards India for its ancient linkage, particularly in matters of spread of Buddhism and the visit of ancient Chinese scholars. Though its claim over Arunachal Pradesh has remained as a contentious issue between the two countries, many analysts believe that ultimately it has to look towards India in quest for preserving its ancient tradition and culture.

Buddha diplomacy, therefore, can be an effective tool and soft power for India’s engagement with in South Asia, South-East Asia, East Asia and Russia. People to people contact and cultural exchanges can go a long way to resolve contentious political issues in the near future. As a step ahead, Modi at the UN General Assembly proposed UN Day for Yoga which received instant support from Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It appealed to many Buddhist countries also. India-Buddhist countries axis is a well thought of plan in country’s diplomacy for the entire India-Pacific region desirous of looking back to its cultural past. Can Modi government attract considerable foreign direct investment (FDI) for developing Buddhist Tourist Circuit and make India a Mecca for global Buddhists? Future can only predict how far India’s Buddha diplomacy would go to bring about country’s bonhomie in the region and resolve contentious issues.

(Ashok B Sharma is a senior Columnist writing on strategic and policy issues in various national and international dailies and magazines. He can be reached at ashokbsharma@gmail.com His mobile phone no 09810902204) 

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Shilpotsav 2014 begins

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Shilpostav 2014, the annual fair of artisans from across the country, belonging to the weaker sections of the society, began at Dilli Haat in New Delhi today. Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Sudhir Bhargava inaugurated the ten days long festival which will continue till 10th of this month.
Speaking on the occasion the Secretary said that for progress of any section of society they should be financially independent. The Ministry of SJE is working towards empowering marginalized and disadvantaged artisans and in continuance of this Shilpostav 2014 has been organized.
The Secretary further added that there are 160 stalls where in artisans assisted by the Apex corporations i.e. National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), National Scheduled Caste Finance & Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Handicapped Finance & Development Corporation (NHFDC), National Safai Karamchari Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) and National Trust will display and sell their products. The National Organizations under the Ministry is also showcasing their schemes and facilities.
The range of products in this fair includes – silk sarees, durries, readymade garments, terracotta product, jute products, dress material, kashmiri shawls/stoles, leather, cane & bamboo products, hand embroidery, bead products, pearls, imitation jewellery, lakh products, decorative candles, wood carving, block printing, wooden toys, tie & dye, wood, marble artifacts, handloom etc.




LT Gen BK Chopra Takes Over As DGAFMS

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Lt Gen BK Chopra, Senior Colonel Commandant of Army Medical Corps assumed the appointment of Director General Armed Forces Medical Services here today.Lt Gen Chopra is a graduate of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College Kanpur and did his post-graduation in Surgery and Orthopaedics. He was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps in 1977 and has held various regimental, clinical and staff appointments during last 37 years in the armed forces. The General Officer has been appointed as President’s Honorary Surgeon by the President of India.
The General Officer has taken over the reins of Director General Armed Forces Medical Services from Air Marshal D P Joshi, who superannuated on 31 Oct 2014.




Radha Mohan Singh stresses need of taking Indian Agriculture to newer heights

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Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister of Agriculture has stressed the need to tap all talent and resources to take Indian Agriculture to newer heights. He has said that Indian scientists have great potential and they can take the agriculture to a new horizon. Delivering the key note address at 41st Foundation Day celebrations of Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) here today, ShriRadha Mohan Singh complimented ASRB for its valuable contributions in selecting quality human resource for agricultural research and development. He highlighted various achievements and records of agricultural production in India emphasizing this had become possible only due to strong commitment of agricultural scientists and farmers who worked synergistically at farms and fields. He expressed satisfaction over the transparent process of recruitment that has earned credibility for the ASRB and urged to completely digitize the entire procedure to ensure further transparency.
Agriculture Minister stressed upon various new initiatives being taken by the government to push up Indian agriculture further to new heights including over all development of villages to bring prosperity. Shri Singh said steps are being taken to strengthen infrastructure of the KVKs spread across the country including significant increase in their numbers. Citing various examples, he expressed happiness over adoption of scientific and technological interventions at grass root level.
Agricultural Minister released inaugural issue of the ASRB News (Hindi and English) and ASRB Profile (bilingual).
Dr. S. Ayyappan, Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR complimented ASRB for its achievements and glorious journey of four decades in bringing excellence to agricultural research system. He highlighted some of the key steps to ensure speedy recruitment of agricultural scientists maintaining high quality and transparency.
Dr. J.S. Samra, CEO, National Rainfed Area Authority, Government of India recalled the conditions in which ASRB was constituted and expressed his satisfaction over the performance of ASRB in view of its mandate and objectives. He made suggestions to further improve the services of ASRB for over all development of agricultural research in the country.
Earlier, Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Chairman, ASRB welcomed the Chief Guest and dignitaries and highlighted some of the significant achievements including new initiatives. Transformation from pen and paper examination to Computer based test for ARS-Preliminary and NET is one of the recent pioneer steps taken by the ASRB to upgrade and advance talent search, he added.
In the technical session, Prof. RaghavendraGadagkar, President, INSA delivered the Foundation Day Lecture on, ‘War & Peace: Conflict & Cooperation in an Insect Society’. He underlined the infinite potential and critical linkage of scientific endeavors to national development. Prof. Gadagkar elaborated upon social behavior and structure of some of the insects based on his own research experiences in a lucid and interesting manner.
Senior officials and scientists of ICAR, Directors of ICAR Institutes, officials and staff of ASRB and research students participated in the event.
Dr. V.N. Sharda and Dr. S.K. Bandyopadhyay, Members, ASRB proposed vote of thanks in inaugural and technical sessions respectively.




125th Birth Anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today chaired a meeting of the National Committee for Commemoration of the 125th birth anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. The Prime Minister expressed hope that the entire set of activities would be conducted in such a way that the common man became a part of the celebrations. The Prime Minister said this opportunity must be used to increase awareness about “Chacha Nehru” among the younger generation, and seek inspiration from his life and work. He called upon the committee members to work towards a clear delineation of the events and programmes.
The Prime Minister highlighted the proposed “Bal Swachhta Mission” to be organized in schools across the country between 14th and 19th November and proposal to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Shri Nehru as “Year of Bal Swachhta.” He also said “promotion of scientific temper among children” would be a prominent objective of the celebrations. The Prime Minister invited suggestions on these and any other related subjects.
Various members welcomed and appreciated the objectives mentioned by the Prime Minister. They expressed a range of views and gave constructive suggestions on the agenda. The Prime Minister said the suggestions would be reviewed by the Executive Committee chaired by Shri Rajnath Singh. The Executive Committee will work out the action plan for the entire year.
Commemorative coins on Pt. Nehru will be released as part of the celebrations.
Union Ministers Shri Rajnath Singh, Shri Arun Jaitley, Smt. Smriti Irani, Shri Shripad Naik and Shri Prakash Javdekar were among those who attended the meeting.




Three Pronged Strategy to Realize the Goal of Clean India

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Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has called for a three-pronged strategy to relialize the goal of Clean India which should include sustained campaign – continue the chain of nine; focus more on behaviroual change – encourage voluntary public participation; and to recognize ULBs, NGOs and Private Sector contributing significantly to the success of the Mission.
The Miniser reviewed implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission in national capital today with the Chief Secretary of Delhi, senior officials of Government of India, Delhi Government, MCDs, DDA, Delhi Police, DTC, DMRC and other agencies.
The Minister strongly felt that every socially conscious citizen and public representative should be persuaded to make nine people to take up the task of campaigning for Swachh Bharat and each one of them should pass on to nine others to keep the campaign going. Shri Naidu said “we should rope in not only social but also spiritual and religious leaders for this campaign. Respectable persons from the society also have to be brought in to spread the core message of this campaign.”
Shri Naidu said that MCDs and DDA should meet twice a week to sort out the issues which are hindering the solid waste management in the capital. He said local bodies should be involved to get feedback on regular basis. The Minister said all hospitals should be fumigated periodically at least once a fortnight. Orders for mandatory recycling of waste by government bodies should be issued. He directed that list of agencies responsible for O&M of public and community toilets should be made public. Shri Naidu said all street food vendors should compulsorily be made to have a waste basket or bucket.
The Minister said all officers should get together once a week for taking up Clean India Mission. He said all Municipal Corporations should prepare action plans for the construction of toilets/Dhalaos in slums/JJ colonies. The Minister directed that Dhalaos should be cleaned regularly and details of private agencies involved in the task should be in public domain. He said that identification of locations for processing solid waste should be done by all municipal corporations in consulation with the DDA within next 15 days. The Minister also asked Municipal Corporations to hold meetings and take the support of Traders’ Associations for installation of dust bins in market areas. He also directed that night shelters should be inspected regularly for ensuring cleanliness. The Minister was of the view that third party agencies should inspect DDA parks, DDA plots and municipal parks for cleanliness. He also directed that Delhi Metro and DTC buses should carry the logo and message of Swachh Bharat Mission.
The Minister suggested that all police stations should prepare action plans for cleanliness of police stations and their residential areas. Shri Naidu stressed on the need for extensive use of social media for community involvement in Swachh Bharat Mission. He said involvement of children and youth through NCC and NSS should also be ensured.
The Urban Development Minister reiterated that the Government will focus on infrastructure creation, construction of toilets, both individual and community, setting up of new treatment plants for solid and sewerage waste, distribution of enough dust bins etc. He also stressed that awareness about the Mission should be spread through educational institutions, restaturants, hotels, hospitals, railway stations, bus stands, public offices and places by prominently displaying the logo of Swachh Bharat and the quotes of Mahatma Gandhi and the Prime Minister in their premises.
Shri Naidu advised that the officers at every level should take note of complaints and feedback from the media, particularly the social media, relating to lack of sanitation, act upon them and take remedial measures as quickly as possible. He suggested that private sector should also be roped in Swachh Bhrat Mission as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
Shri Naidu felt that the most important aspect for the campaign should be to create Swachh Manasikata (Clean Mindset). Awareness among the people should be created that the country is theirs and that they have to do their bit by developing a sense of belongingness and responsibility and by keeping their surroundings clean. He said that the campaign will be successful only if it is converted into a Jan Aandolan (public movement). The idea of imposing fines on people who litter their surroundings leading to sanitation problems, can be thought of at a later stage.
Shri Naidu highlighted the need to have an assessment of implementation of the Mission at regular intervals for which a ward-wise, city-wise, state-wise, and a nation-wide index should be prepared and updated regularly.
The Minister said that a proposal is under government’s consideration to recognize performing Urban Local Bodies (ULB) in respect of sanitation and to institute a state level award to encourage their sustained performance and to motivate other ULBs.
The Urban Development Minister appreciated the efforts of the different agencies in implementing the Mission and urged them to keep the campaign going on in full vigour to achieve the goal of Swachh Bharat by 2019.




PM to Secretaries of Union Government: “We are one team.

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Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today called upon Secretaries of the Union Government to work together and decisively to build upon the momentum and positive atmosphere generated in the first five months of the new Government.
Interacting informally with Secretaries over high tea at his residence, the Prime Minister said “We are one team. Let us bring openness in Governance, come closer and work together.”
“Good things are starting to happen,” the Prime Minister said, as he encouraged Secretaries to come up with new ideas and proposals for the forthcoming Union Budget. He asked all Government departments to pre-pone budget related processes by three months, so that the moment a new financial year begins on April 1st, work could begin as per the provisions of the new Budget in real-time. He also called for shifting Government emphasis from output to outcome.
Referring to the Swachhta Abhiyaan, the Prime Minister said that based on feedback he was receiving on social media, attitudes of people were beginning to change, and the entire mission was already becoming people-driven. The Prime Minister said cleanliness is not about resources but about attitudes.
The Prime Minister suggested that all Secretaries visit the place of their first posting for a couple of days, as this would provide them several new insights on policy-making.
Shri Narendra Modi called upon the senior Government officers to study the ideas and suggestions being received on the MyGov platform. He said individuals giving good suggestions need to be identified, and teams can be built in this fashion.
He assured them that there would be no political interference and asked Secretaries to work fearlessly in the interest of the nation. He expressed appreciation for the involvement in various subjects that the Secretaries had exhibited in the course of conversation, and said this augured well for the country.
Secretaries expressed their views on a range of issues in a free and frank manner. They spoke of the initiatives they had taken over the last five months, and gave suggestions on what could be done in the near future, and beyond. They said they had got a new direction to work for the nation under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
This was the second such interaction that the Prime Minister had with Secretaries, the first being on June 4th this year. More than 80 Secretary-level officers were present at the interaction. Union Ministers Shri Rajnath Singh, Shri Arun Jaitley and Shri Venkaiah Naidu were also present, along with the National Security Advisor, Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary and Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.




IGL not to revise the retail price of CNG and domestic PNG

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NARENDRA KUMAR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDRAPRASTHA GAS LIMITED (IGL) 
“In-spite of revision in domestic gas prices announced by the government with effect from 1st November 2014, IGL has decided not to revise the retail price of CNG and domestic PNG in the interest of its  consumers in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad.”




2nd Day of NAPM Biennial Convention-2nd December at Jantar Mantar, Delhi

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NAPM ready for wide ranging struggles including Control Over Natural Resources and Community Rights, Strengthening Secular Forces for communal Harmony, Electoral Reforms etc. and to present a vision of alternative development cherished and evolved over twenty years of people’s struggles.

“United Action is the need of the hour” say senior activists Aruna Roy, Medha Patkar, Yogendra Yadav and Anil Sadgopalan
People’s movement will come together on 2nd December at Jantar Mantar, Delhi to challenge the neo-liberal communal onslaught and to fight dilution of hard won legislation like MNREGA, Land Acquisition Act, Forest Right Act and Environmental Rules. 
Second day of the 10th NAPM biennial convention started with articulation of people’s movement demand on fifteen thematic subjects including Control Over Natural Resources and Community Rights, Strengthening Secular Forces for communal Harmony, Electoral Reforms, Farmers and Workers in Agrarian Economy,  Atrocities on Dalit and Adivasi communities and their Struggle for Dignified life, Social Entitlements and Social Security for All, Rights of unorganised sector workers, Energy Crisis and others. Resolutions were taken to present alternative development policy which rejects the policy pursued by neo-liberal and communal forces of the country. People’s movement categorically rejected the dilution of pro-people acts like MNREGA, Land Acquisition, Forest Right, Labour Laws etc. and vowed to go to people to launch a struggle against this onslaught.

At a public meeting in the evening several renowned political and social activists namely Medha Patkar, Prof. Ajit Jha, Nikhil Wagle, Dr. Sunilam, Anil Chaudhary and Gautam Mody deliberated on “Role of People’s Movements in Political Transformation” and stressed on the need of creating an alternative transformative politics and gave a call to fight the communal and neo-liberal forces represented by Modi Government. Speakers also acknowledged the contribution of various people’s movement in changing India and stressed on the need to continue fighting as the people’s movement have been doing against all oppressive anti people policies.
A public meeting held on 31st evening on the topic of  “Social Justice, Developmental Policy and Future of India”, Yogendra Yadav categorically stated that twenty years of work of NAPM has demolished the blind faith on western model of development which is based on more and more consumption and this has been its biggest contribution. He called for unity of progressive forces to defeat the forces taking the country on the course of destruction of ecology and to preserve the earth for generations to come. Veteran communist leader Vinoy Viswam said that the present government says that it is for development, but who is not ? Question is what kind of development and for whom? Social activists Dayamanyi Barla from Jharkhand, Pushpa Bhave, Srinivas Khandewal , Khaleel Deshmukh and Vilas Bhongade spoke on the occasion and Kamayani Swami, a trade union activist from Bihar moderated the session.
The 10th biennial convention of NAPM based on “Politics of development and Social Justice Today” was inaugurated by eminent social activists Aruna Roy, Anil Sadgopal and Medha Patkar and eminent communist leader and ex-minister Vinoy Viswam on 31st Oct, 2014, at the Dr. Narendra Dabholkar Hall, Rashtra Seva Dal campus, Pune. More than Six hundred activists representing social movements in fifteen states are attending the convention. Various political and organisational issues will be discussed at length in the convention. Convention started with garlanding the statue of Savitri Bai Phule and Mahatma Jotiba Phule at Phulewada, Pune by veteran activists.
Addressing the gathering in the inaugural session, National Advisor of NAPM, Medha Patkar discussed the role of NAPM in transformative politics and developments in last two decades and underlined the contribution of people’s movement in resisting the neo liberal onslaught on the right of community over natural resources. She recalled how people have fought against coke plant in Plachimada and Enron in Maharashtra.
Veteran educationist Anil Sadgopal delivered the keynote address and said that public land is being taken away on the name of education. Government Schools are being shut down in thousands so that private corporations can benefit.
Aruna Roy, eminent social activist known all over the world for her contribution to Right to Information Movement and MNREGA and member of advisory committee of NAPM chaired the inaugural session and said that people’s movement should connect with the youth of the country and bring them to the leadership of movement like NAPM. She also remarked that Youth is being fooled on the name of Jobs but where are the Jobs?
A compendium “NAPM @ 20 : Alliance in struggle and reconstruction” illustrating the various struggles of people’s movement all across the country  was released by eminent tribal right activist B.D Sharma.
Eminent supporter and activists of people’s movement namely BD Sharma, Bhai Vaidya, Pushpa Bhave, Samar Bagchi, Bhau Bhuskute, Vikas Amte, Vinoy Viswam,  Anna Hazare,(in Absentia) Justice Sacchar (in Absentia) were felicitated at the convention for their contribution towards strengthening social movements.
The session started with songs and cultural programmes by Charul, Vinay (Loknad, Gujarat), Shakar (Odisha) and children of Sal Sabeel Green School (kerela). Various exhibitions and stalls reflecting the constructive side of various people’s movements were at display at the venue.

Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara – Lok Shakti Abhiyan, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, MP; Gautam Bandopadhyay – Nadi Ghati Morcha, NAPM, Chhattisgarh; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe – NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriel Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelakandan – NAPM Kerala;Saraswati Kavula, P Chennaiah – NAPM Andhra Pradesh,  B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini, Rajendra Ravi, Sunita Rani – NAPM, Delhi; Arundhati Dhuru, Richa Singh - NAPM, UP; Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Sumit Wanjale – Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao Andolan, NAPM, Mumbai; Manish Gupta – Jan Kalyan Upbhokta Samiti, NAPM, UP; Vimal Bhai – Matu Jan sangathan, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Vilas Bhongade – Gosikhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, Maharashtra; Ramashray Singh – Ghatwar Adivasi Mahasabha, Jharkhand; Anand Mazhgaonkar, Krishnakant -Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat; Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan, NAPM Bihar; Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar




PM shares “Mann Ki Baat” with citizens through AIR

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IMG_2386Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has said that recovery of black money from abroad is an article of faith, and a commitment for him. Sharing his thoughts with citizens on the programme “Mann Ki Baat” over All India Radio for the second time today, the Prime Minister said that though he was sure that countrymen trusted him on the matter of black money, still he wished to repeat his aim that whatever money had illegally gone abroad from India should return. He said it was natural in a democracy that there could be different views about how to approach this issue, but he wished to assure the people on the basis of the information currently with him, that the Government was on the right track.
The Prime Minister said no one could have imagined that the Swachhta Abhiyaan would become such a mass movement. He said good results are already visible. He said there are two aspects of this matter. The first is how the existing dirt can be removed. But the second, equally important aspect is how people are now enthused to say that henceforth, they will not do anything that spreads dirt. The Prime Minister said children too are now aware about cleanliness.
Shri Narendra Modi expressed satisfaction that people from all walks of life who come to meet him – these include Government officers, sports persons, cine-stars, businessmen, scientists etc – talk about taking responsibility for social issues. The Prime Minister said he sees this as a big change.
The Prime Minister praised the officers of the Ministry of Human Resource Development for coming up with two innovative schemes for specially-abled children. The first is: one thousand scholarships for specially-abled children to pursue technical education. The second is: a grant of one lakh rupees each to all Kendriya Vidyalayas and all Central Universities for creating appropriate infrastructure for the specially abled.
The Prime Minister also expressed happiness that sales of Khadi had more than doubled since his last radio address, when he had suggested to people to keep one khadi garment at home.
The Prime Minister referred to his visit and interaction with soldiers at Siachen on Diwali day. He said he went there because we could celebrate Diwali only because of them. He congratulated the armymen who had recently won the Cambrian Patrol event in Britain, where armies from 140 countries had participated.
The Prime Minister invited suggestions from people on how to tackle the menace of drug abuse among the younger generation. He said he would talk about this subject in his next radio address.
Shri Narendra Modi stated that an active citizen is the biggest strength of development. In order to enable people without access to internet to communicate with him, the Prime Minister has invited people to write to him at:
Mann Ki Baat
Akashvani
Sansad Marg
New Delhi




SIGNING OF MOU BETWEEN MSME & ILO

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INVITATION


Dear Sir/Madam,
You are requested to kindly cover the following event as per the programme below:
Event:            Signing of MoU between Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Director ILO Country office for India.
Date :                   3rd Nov. 2014 (Monday)

Time:                   4:30 pm

Venue:        Room No. 169, First Floor, Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi-110011




MB Chronowing smartwatch

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Hewlett Packard  with designer Michael Bastian to launch a smartwatch – MB Chronowing – that looks like a traditional wrist watch.
MB Chronowing smartwatch will be available exclusively via Gilt from November 7, at $349 for a silver-plated model.
A limited-edition variant of the MB Chronowing in black with sapphire glass and an alligator strap will be available for $649. Only 300 units of the limited-edition smartwatch variant will be available.
The smartwatch supports both the iPhone and Android devices for wireless pairing.




1984 Sikh genocide memorial

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1984 Sikh genocide memorial at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of thousands of innocent Sikhs killed in the massacre and those who laid their lives trying to save them and coincided with completion of 30 years of massacre of thousands of innocent Sikhs in November 1984.
Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM and President of Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Harsimrat Kaur Badal and DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK formally started the construction in simple yet impressive function, in the August presence of Jathedar Shri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib Giani Mal Singh and Jathedar Takht Shri Patna Sahib Giani Iqbal Singh, Damdami Taksal Chief Harnam Singh Khalsa, former Akali Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode, Nihang Jathebandi Head Baba Balbir Singh and Kar Sewa Baba Bachan Singh. Various religious leaders too graced start of the construction and large number of Sikhs from Delhi and other parts of the country also converged at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib.
Parkash Singh Badal paid tributes to the innocent Sikhs killed in the genocide termed today’s event as historic but very painful. “The massacre of 1984 is wrongly called as riots, it was actually genocide when innocent Sikhs were mercilessly done to death in most gruesome manner,” said Badal adding that it was Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) which stood by the hapless Sikhs at that time.
“It is very sad that Congress party leaders who led mobs to massacre Sikhs were rewarded with plum post instead of being punished,” said Badal in his emotionally charged address. He welcomed Rs. 5 lakh compensation announced by the NDA government for genocide victims’ families and demanded rehabilitation of these families, a special investigation team led by a Supreme Court Judge to thoroughly probe the genocide and condemning of the genocide in parliament.
Praising DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK, as son of the panth, Badal said he belongs to a true panthic family and GK’s father Jathedar Santokh Singh was his contemporary who laid his life for the panthic cause.
Praising the efforts of SAD for building the memorial Jaitley said that BJP would always support SAD and BJP-SAD coalition is unbreakable. “There is no question of breaking alliance,” he reiterated.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said that there was no example of such a genocide perpetrated by the congress party led government. He called upon the Sikhs living across the globe to unite under the supremacy of Shri Akal Takht and contribute for building the memorial. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving compensation to the genocide victims’ families and demanded justice for the perpetrators.
He also called upon the Sikhs living in the world to bring their children to the memorial so that they could know that Sikhs were gruesomely killed by then government.
DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK in his address said that memorial in shape of a wall has been named ‘Wall of Tears’ and would have names of all innocent Sikhs massacred in 1984 genocide. Memorial is designed by Renu Khanna and associates would have ‘Waiting for Justice’ written over it. A laser light on the memorial would light up the sky would be visible for several kilometers, informed GK.
“The pilgrims visiting the memorial would condemn the congress party and would also pray for the peace to departed souls,” said Jathedar Shri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Gurbhachan Singh. Former MP and minorities commission chairman Tarlochan Singh suggested union minister Harsimrat Kaur to locate documents from the government records related to late arrival of Army to control the massacre, reasons why Shri Darbar Sahib was mentioned as ‘enemy territory’ at time of operation bluestar and the Army officers who were given military honours after he operation. He also demanded that the army officer who were given honours at that time be directed to surrender the honours and medals.
Delhi unit President of BJP Satish Upadhay, MP Meenakshi Lekhi and Jaya Jaitley also took part in the function. School children paid floral tributes at the time of start of construction of memorial.
DSGMC general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa, senior Akali leaders Avtar Singh Hit, Onkar Singh Thapar and Avtar Singh Bhogal, DSGMC Senior vice-president Ravinder Singh Khurana, vice-president Tanwant Singh and MLAs Harmeet Singh Kalka and Jatinder Singh Shanty and member of the DSGMC were also present on the occasion.




Rotary announces US $ 4.9 million in grants to keep India Polio Free

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As cases in neighbouring Pakistan rise to record highs, Rotary and its partners work to keep India Polio Free. More cases detected in Pakistan its is imperative step of Rotary International to stepin.
New Delhi (27th October, 2014) – Rotary announces US $ 44.7 million in grants to fight against polio worldwide, including $4.9 million to keep the paralyzing disease from crossing India’s borders. The funds will be used by UNICEF and the world health organization (WHO) to support high quality immunization campaigns in India. UNICEF will receive USD 3.5 million out of the USD 4.9 million grants to India.

The funding commitment comes as India prepares to celebrate in January 2015 four years since its last case of polio. This tremendous achievement prompted WHO to declare both India and its entire southeast asia region polio free earlier this year, in March 2014. However, experts warn that India’s polio free status is fragile, particularly as polio cases in neighbouring Pakistan climb to record highs this year. Pakistan recently recorded its 200th case of polio, the highest case count in the country in more than a decade.

“Until polio is eradicated everywhere India remains at risk,” said Rotary’s National Polio Plus Chair for India Deepak Kapur. “Indians have worked hard to rid our country of this dreaded disease. However, the hard work must continue until polio is eradicated everywhere or we risk seeing it reenter our borders.”

“The grant from Rotary will provide critical funds to implement communication and mobilization activities to keep polio out of India. The UNICEF managed social mobilization network in India has been emulated around the world as a gold standard. UNICEF remains a committed partner in the polio eradication effort and our social mobilization network will continue to be active and harness this great momentum and leverage it for broader health initiatives for improving the lives of children,”said Louis georges arsenault, UNICEF India representative. “India’s experience of eradicting polio proves that the obstacles which stand in the way of our ambitious goals for children can be overcome.”

Polio is set to become the second human disease ever to be eliminated from the world (Small Pox is the first). To date, Rotary has helped 193 countries stop the transmission of polio through the mass immunization of the children. Rotary’s new funding commitment, targets countries where children remain at risk of contracting this incurable but totally vaccine preventable disease.

There are only three countries in the world where the wild poliovirus has never been stopped. Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, virus from these countries can travel and lead to outbreaks in other parts of the world. In fact, last year the majority of the world’s polio cases stemmed from outbreaks in the countries that had previously been polio free.

Rotary provides grant funding to polio eradication initiative partners UNICEF and the World Health Organization, which work with the governments and rotary club members of polio affected countries to plan and carry out immunization activities. Mass immunizations of the children via the oral polio vaccine must continue until global eradiction is achieved.

Approximately $18.5 million will go to the three remaining polio economic countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and the Pakistan. An endemic country is one where the wild poliovirus has never been stopped. Another $9.5 million is marked for the previously polio free countries currently reporting cases “imported” from the endemic countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia & Somalia. $10.4 million will go the polio free countries that remain at risk of reinfection; Democratic republic of congo, India, Niger, South Sudan, and Sudan.

The remaining $6.3 million will go towards polio eradication research.

To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.3 billion to fight polio. Through 2018, the bill & Melinda gates foundation will match two to one every dollar rotary commits to polio eradication (upto $35 million a year). As of 2013, there were only 416 confirmed polio cases in the world, down from about 350,000 a year when the initiative launched in 1988.

About Rotary

Rotary brings together a global network of the volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and the international levels from helping families in need in their own communities to working towards a polio free world. In 1988, Rotary was joined by the WHO, UNICEF and the CDC to launch the global polio eradication initiative. Visit rotary.org & endpolio.org for more about rotary and its efforts to eradicate polio.




SOS Children’s villages of India celebrates its 50 years of presence in India.

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  • Proudly announces settlement of 4500 children in Indian Society
  • Over 94% settled SOS youth enjoy above average psychosocial profile as per Human Development Society Report

New Delhi, October 31st, 2014

SOS children’s villages of India (SOS), a global NGO working actively in providing secure and loving homes for orphaned and abandoned children, celebrates its insightful, challenging and contributing journey of 50 years in India. On this occasion, SOS unveiled its “Youth Settlement” report which was further celebrated with scintillating performances by children and mother in a gala event. SOS has set new standards and examples for society by introducing its unique “Family Care Model”. The result is reflective through its 4500 children who are settled in society either through marriage or career.

The report focuses on evaluating psychosocial profile of the settled youth who belonged to SOS.  The research is a compilation of responses from 566 youth from Bawana, Bhimtal, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Cochin, Faridabad, Greenfields, Guwahati, Kolkata, Shilong, Trichur, Varanasi & Vishakapatnam which was conducted by Human Development Society an independent non-profit research company.

Below are some of the key findings of the report:

  • 94% of the settled youth enjoy above average psychosocial profile. This is synonymous with above average mental health, social life, coping skills and professional life.

  • No one scored very low to be categorized as ‘below average’

  • Only 6% occupied average positions. This is further reinforces the better psychosocial profile of settled youth.

  • Female settled youth enjoy slightly better psychosocial life than males.

Vaddi Madhurai, SOS Youth (Settled) from Andhra Pradesh Village said,” I was brought to the village in 1997 along with my brother. With the guidance and care of my SOS mother, today I am working as a nurse with Apollo Hospital in Delhi. I learnt the art of caring for others at SOS village.”

She further added “Today there are more than 31 million orphans in India, I hope they also get the support of the organizations such as SOS and other organizations also learn from SOS and their working model”.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Siddhartha Kaul, International President of SOS children’s villages said, “The concept of SOS children’s villages of India is unique and is built on strong foundation of family culture. We are proud to reach this milestone in India with a strong support from our donors, mother’s and various authorities in India. Globally our concept has been appreciated and has shown outstanding results which we hope can help the society in many ways.”

Mr S. Sandilya, President of the board, SOS children’s village of India, said “SOS children’s village in India has grown immensely over 50 years from the first SOS children’s village at Faridabad to 32 SOS children’s villages today. We are grateful to Dr. Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of the whole concept of children’s villages, who was instrumental in bringing SOSCV to India.

The day’s festivities witnessed the participation of about 100-150 people including the children, mothers and the employees. The winner of National Cultural Competition also participated in the gala event.


Mr. Rakesh Jinsi, Secretary General, SOS children’s villages of India, said,“We are delighted and proud on this occasion of the completion of 50 years in India. SOS mothers has been playing a key role in providing children with the sense of belonging and stability of a family life. The SOS mother has demonstrated responsible personal conduct, a family values and self reliance to the children. This has been exemplified by the children who have grown up to make a name for themselves in the fields ranging from aviation, healthcare, education etc.”

SOS is the brainchild of Dr.Herman Gmeiner, an Austrian, who pioneered the concept of bringing up orphans not just in a regular orphanage, but giving them the security & quality care of a home, the love and care of a “Mother” and a framework of sibling relationships providing them emotional security for lifetime. SOS children’s village has successfully settled 4500 children completely through marriage or career. At present more than 6500 children are growing in SOS children’s villages which runs across 22 states at 32 SOS children villages.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief guest, Palash Roy Chowdhury, country Manager (India), Pratt & whitney and Chair, UTC India CSR counsil said. “It has been a great experience to be associated with SOS children’s villages of India. The unique concept of SOS brings satisfaction and showcases the impact of the contribution made to the society.”

Recently SOS children’s villages of India was accredited with CRISIL rating of VO-2A indicating SOS’s “strong delivery capability and high financial profiencey”. With this, SOS becomes the first NGO to undergo evaluation process especially designed for voluntary organizations’ by CRISIL. CRISIL is a credible rating agency which provides an objective and independent third-party opinion. SOS has also been awarded an Accreditation Certificate for “Desirable Norms”, the highest form of rating by credibility alliance for a period of five years from 28th May, 2014 to 28th of May 2019.




French-Iranian artist’s first solo exhibition

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Untitled-1NEW
THE MINE is pleased to present the acclaimed French-Iranian artist’s first solo exhibition in the United Arab Emirates.
13. 81x100 2014L’indécise, 2014, Oil on canvas 81cm x 100cm
When faced with the narrative and richly colored paintings of Nazanin Pouyandeh, the viewer, whether or not already familiar with her work – is irresistibly led to question the very nature of her intended approach. If it is less than certain that he is able to identify the subject matter, it is specifically because the painting is first and foremost an illusion – and that hers in particular uses metaphors, narratives and a confused tangle of reality and fiction. Who is this devilish creature: a legendary figure or a true flesh and blood heroine? What are these people up to: are they playing a game whose rules they invented or are they exposing a sensitive event? And the woman with loosened hair, barefoot and encircled by a pile of fabric: who is she really?
By French art critic Philippe Piguet
***
Untitled-3
mopimageAbbas Kowsari, Ashura 10th Day, 75x105cm
To coincide with Abu Dhabi Art, MOP Foundation, a non-religious, non-political charity set up in the UK in 2004 and The Mine will be presenting artworks selected from the MOP Foundation Art Fund. Featuring over 20 artworks that have been generously donated by Iranian contemporary artists, the exhibition will highlight both emerging and established Iranian artists.
www.mopfoundation.com
***
Location MAP
TheMine logo Black-on-White CMYK-02
From DUBAI: Third interchange (Exit 43) on Sheikh Zayed Rd. Stay on the LEFT and follow Al Marabea Street. LEFT at the traffic light (landmark: AIRLINK). Take a RIGHT at the second traffic light and another sharp RIGHT into the gate. WAREHOUSE #38
From ABU DHABI: Take Exit 42 (Al Marabea Street), continue on the service road until you reach the Mercedes-Benz showroom. Take a RIGHT, then at the traffic light take a LEFT (landmark: AIRLINK), STRAIGHT and RIGHT at the SECOND traffic light. Another sharp RIGHT into the gate. WAREHOUSE #38




“Deciphering Modi Government’s Reforms Agenda”

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“Deciphering Modi Government’s Reforms Agenda” and “The Roadmap to Growth and Corporate Profitability”.
BW|BUSINESSWORLD LARGEST PSU’s AND BW500 FELICITATION CEREMONY.

Agenda:
4 pm – Registration
5 pm – 6 pm PANEL 1: Deciphering Modi Government’s Reforms Agenda
What should one make of what the Narendra Modi government has done since it came to power? Taking cues from the Budget, the Make-In-India initiative, the foreign visits and the labour reforms, is there a trend emerging?
  • Mr. Jyoti Sagar, Managing Partner, JSA
  • Mr. Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls Royce
  • Mr. Richard Rekhy, CEO, KPMG India
  • Mr. Arun Sawhney ,CEO & MD, Ranbaxy Laboratories
6 pm – 7 pm PANEL 2: The Roadmap to Growth and Corporate Profitability
The stock market is plateauing, the inflation is mellowing and the sentiment is high, but where’s the growth? How long does India need to wait for a spike in economic growth?
  • Mr. Zubin Irani, President, United Technologies
  • Mr. Harsh Chitale, CEO, HCL Infosystems
  • Ms. Preeti Das, CEO, Birlasoft India
  • Mr. Chris White, President and group CEO, Varun Beverages
7 pm – 7:15 pm – Keynote address by the chief guest
7:15 pm -7:30pm – Keynote address by the guest of honour
7:30 pm onwards – Award ceremony

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GAIL SIGNS MOU WITH STATE OIL COMPANY OF REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

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GAIL signs MoU with State Oil Company of Republic of Azerbaijan
To jointly pursue opportunities in LNG, upstream and petrochemical projects
New Delhi, Nov 3, 2014: GAIL (India) Limited today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with State Oil Company of Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). Under the MoU, GAIL and SOCAR intend to jointly pursue LNG opportunities through capacity booking, LNG procurement and promotion of LNG projects globally.
Both companies shall also cooperate in optimization of LNG marketing, sourcing and shipping requirements. In addition, GAIL and SOCAR will pursue business opportunities in upstream assets across the world and joint investment in petrochemical projects.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr B C Tripathi, Chairman and Managing Director, GAIL said “We are happy to enter into this strategic relationship with SOCAR. Skills and strengths of both the parties would be leveraged to explore business opportunities jointly in natural gas and LNG business including new business developments across the gas value chain.”
About GAIL: GAIL is India’s leading natural gas company with a presence along the entire hydrocarbon value chain spanning E&P, LNG, pipelines, LPG, petrochemicals, city gas distribution, etc. In order to meet the growing appetite of Indian market, GAIL has been expanding its global presence to secure long term gas supplies. GAIL has signed a 20 year Sales and Purchase Agreement with Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC, a unit of Cheniere Energy Partners, USA for supply of 3.5 million tonnes per year of LNG. In addition, the company signed long-term LNG supply contract for 2.5 million tonnes per annum with Gazprom Marketing and Trading Ltd., Singapore for 20 years. GAIL also signed a Terminal Service agreement for 2.3 million tonnes per year LNG liquefaction capacity with Dominion Cove Point LNG, USA. GAIL is also poised to make its foray into LNG shipping business with long-term charter hiring of multiple LNG vessels, mainly to transport LNG volumes from GAIL’s US portfolio to India.
About SOCAR: SOCAR is an integrated state oil & gas company of Republic of Azerbaijan and is involved in upstream, midstream and downstream operations encompassing exploration of oil and gas fields, production, processing and transporting oil, gas and condensate, marketing of petroleum and petrochemical products in domestic and international markets and supplying natural gas to domestic and industrial customers in Azerbaijan. SOCAR has its trading companies in Switzerland, Singapore and UAE and representative offices in a number of other countries.




BJP announces first list of candidates

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BJP has announced the first list of 63 candidates for Jharkhand and 45 candidates for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls. The 81 member Jharkhand and 87 member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will go to polls in five phases beginning from 25th of this month.
In Jammu and Kashmir, BJP has fielded Pawan Khajuria from Udhampur seat, Rajesh Gupta from Jammu ( East), Chering Dorge from Leh and Julfikar Ali Pathan from Mendhar constituency.
In Jharkhand, prominent candidates are former Chief Minister Arjun Munda who will contest from Kharsawan seat, while Luis Marandi will contest from Dumka and sitting MLA Simon Marandi from Litipara. Party national Vice President Raghubar Das will try his luck from Jamshedpur (East ) assembly constituency. The lists were announced by party General Secretary J P Nadda after the Central Election Committee meeting in New Delhi last evening. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha also published its first list of 28 candidates yesterday after a meeting of its core committee at Ranchi.
Even though the alliance between Congress and the JMM could not materialise for the assembly polls in Jharkhand, there is enough hint of alliance between the BJP and the AJSU. AJSU Supremo Sudesh Mahto reached New Delhi yesterday evening once again after a gap of 12 hours to hold talks with the senior BJP leaders. The JMM Supremo Shibu Soren yesterday announced that it will fight on all 81 seats, while other parties like JVM,BSP has started releasing the names of their candidates. Congress, which is to fight in alliance with the RJD and JD(U), has already released first list of 14 candidates, although one among them has yesterday joined the BJP.




Bill Gates to give $500 million to fight diseases

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US Philanthropist Bill Gates announced he will donate over 500 million dollar to fight malaria and other infectious diseases in the developing world, saying the Ebola outbreak is a call to action. The former Microsoft CEO told the 63rd annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in New Orleans that his Gates Foundation is committing more than 500 million dollar in 2014 to reduce the burden of malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, and an array of parasitic infections that are leading causes of death and disability in developing countries.




ISIS massacres 322 Sunni tribesmen in west Iraq

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Iraqi government said Sunday that at least 322 members of the Al-Bu Nimr tribe were murdered by Islamic State fighters over the past week, including dozens of women and children whose bodies were found dumped in a well.Tribal leader Sheikh Naeem al-Ga’oud said that 75 members of his tribe were killed on Sunday while trying to escape the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). They were gunned down and dumped near the town of Haditha.
“The number of people killed by Islamic State from Al-Bu Nimr tribe is 322. The bodies of 50 women and children have also been discovered dumped in a well,” the country’s Human Rights Ministry said on Sunday.
The Al-Bu Nimr tribe is a Sunni clan that has been fighting the Islamic State. The tribe held IS off in western Anbar province for weeks, before running out of fuel and ammunition. After the clan withdrew, IS rounded up the members and has been executing them since the beginning of last week.




Gyan, Vigyan aur Bharatiya Samaj : Ek Vihangam Drishti

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Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
cordially invites you to the
Public Lecture
 (‘Samaj aur Itihas’ series)

Gyan, Vigyan aur Bharatiya Samaj : Ek Vihangam Drishti

Prof. Deepak Kumar,
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi
Date : Friday, 7 November 2014
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Seminar Room, First Floor, Library Building
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
 Teen Murti House, New Delhi.
(Please find the attached abstract of the Public Lecture)

All are welcome.
Those wishing to have their names added to the email list may please email us atnmmldirector@gmail.com
 Web links to programmes for 2014:
Audio links of Public Lectures:
NMML Posters Link (Posters linked to the calendar):
Occasional Papers Links:
Facebook Link:




Intel news

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​Canada carries out airstrikes against Islamic State

The Canadian Air Force has completed its first strike against Islamic State militants in Iraq. Poor weather had previously hampered combat missions as currently Canadian fighter jets aren’t armed with all-weather laser-guided bombs.
“Coordinated with our coalition partners, two CF-18s (Hornet fighter jets) attacked ISIL targets with GBU-12 laser-guided bombs in the vicinity of Fallujah, Iraq,” said a statement issued by Canadian Defense Minister Rob Nicholson.
“The approximately four-hour mission included air-to-air refueling from Canada’s Polaris aircraft. All aircraft returned safely to their base,” the statement said.
The outcome of the airstrike, which was the Canadian Air Force’s first combat action since the war in Libya three years ago, is still being assessed.
“We are all proud about the first strike,” an officer in Ottawa familiar with the operation told Canada.com.As the laser-guided bombs can only be used in good weather, Canadian pilots had been unable to perform missions in Iraq for a couple of days, when the weather was cloudy. Now the task force expects GPS-guided bombs to arrive from Canada. This will enable operation against the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in all-weather mode, using a mix of laser and GPS-guided bombs.
“We have established an air bridge between Canada and Kuwait and expect them to arrive and be used in the coming days,” said Lt.-Col. David Devenney, Director of Public Affairs for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

PM Ponta leading in Romanian presidential elections

Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta is poised to win the Romanian presidency, despite alleged involvement in a corruption scandal exposed earlier in the campaign. The PM, whose leftist alliance is currently in control of parliament, faces some competition from Klaus Iohannis, leader of the National-Liberal party, who is backed by the two center-right parties. If neither candidate obtains an absolute majority today, a run-off will be held on November 16. The incumbent, Traian Basescu, is set to step down after serving two five-year terms. Though the president’s role is largely ceremonial, he is in charge of defense, foreign policy and naming the heads of the country’s security agencies.

At least 10 dead after migrant boat sinks off Turkey

10 people have been killed and another 20 are missing after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the northern coast of Istanbul. A rescue official said most of the dead were children and that the boat had been carrying between 30 and 40 migrants. Six people were rescued by the Turkish coastguard, while 10 bodies were recovered. According to local reports, the refugees were believed to have been heading for Romania.

Canadian fighter jets hit ISIS targets for first time

Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets have dropped their first laser guided bombs on Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS) targets since joining the US-led coalition against the extremist group, the country’s defense minister said on Sunday. “Coordinated with our coalition partners, two CF-18s attacked ISIL targets with GBU12 500 lb laser guided bombs in the vicinity of Fallujah, Iraq,” Defense Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement. “The approximately four hour mission included air-to-air refueling from Canada’s Polaris aircraft. All aircraft returned safely to their base.” Canada’s Parliament approved a six-month mission against IS in October, with the mission mandate also approving. Six CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, two CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft, and one C-150 refueling aircraft have joined the US-led coalition and stationed in Kuwait City since October 30. Around 600 Canadian soldiers have also been stationed at the base.

100 arrested in France following clashes with police over protester death

At least 100 protesters were arrested in France this weekend due to clashes with riot police after crowds rallied against police brutality in several cities across the country. The demonstrators protested the death of 21-year-old ecology activist Remi Fraisse, which was apparently caused by a police stun grenade last weekend. In Paris, 66 protesters were arrested as local media reported attacks on police and possession of unauthorized weapons. Meanwhile, another 34 activists were detained in Nantes and Toulouse, where six police officers were injured during the demonstrations. Following a rally in Paris on Sunday, protesters staged a peaceful sit-in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Shooting at national TV HQ in Burkina Faso

Shots were reportedly fired at the headquarters of RTB Television in Burkina Faso’s capital of Ouagadougou on Sunday. State-run TV came under gunfire shortly after the arrival of Sara Sereme, the head of the PDC opposition party and about 100 of her supporters, Reuters reported. They added that an army general was also present at the studios, planning to make a declaration on air before the station was shut down. Burkina soldiers seized control of the headquarters, AFP said. There were no immediate reports of injuries, with witnesses saying gunshots were fired in the air. At the end of October, the West African country’s president of 27 years resigned, amid unrest and an intensifying power struggle in the state.

​Electricity restored to Bangladesh after nationwide blackout

Officials blame the outage, which started around noon on Saturday, on the failure of a high-voltage transmission line from India. The outage, the country’s worst since 2007, resulted in the shutdown of power plants and substations. Hospitals, garment factories, and the Bangladeshi international airport were forced to use emergency generators to operate, while many offices sent their employees home. Most power was restored around 1 am on Sunday, and currently production of electricity is meeting almost all demand, according to Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, reports Reuters. Power outages are not uncommon in Bangladesh, one of the world’s most energy poor countries, where over a third of the population have no access to electricity.

​5th Russian convoy delivers aid to Lugansk

A Russian truck convoy carrying humanitarian aid, including food, construction materials, fuel and medicine has crossed the border into Ukraine after going through inspections by Ukrainian border guards and customs officers. The convoy, dispatched by the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations (EMERCOM), was carrying more than 1,000 tons of relief aid, according to Oleg Voronov, deputy head of the ministry, as cited by TASS. More than 50 vehicles have arrived in Lugansk and are currently being unloaded, while 50 more are en route to Donetsk, says Voronov. This is the fifth such aid convoy sent to war-torn southeastern Ukraine since August.

Pilots in Virgin Galactic space crash identified

The pilot killed in the crash of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo experimental rocket plane on Friday has been identified as Michael Alsbury, 39, Kern County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ray Pruitt said on Saturday. The pilot who survived was confirmed as Peter Siebold, 43. Siebold sustained serious injuries as he was ejected from the aircraft and parachuted to the ground, police said in a statement. The aircraft suffered an “in-flight anomaly” during a test flight, which led to the crash in the Mohave Desert, Virgin Galactic said. The firm’s founder, Richard Branson, said there is an ongoing investigation into what caused the crash, adding that he is“determined” to learn from the incident. “We owe it to our pilots to find out exactly what went wrong,” Branson said at a news conference in the Mojave. “If we can overcome it, we will make absolutely certain that the dream lives on.”




Rajnath Singh to visit Israel this week to boost defense ties

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Nov 3,
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Israel this week to give a boost to bilateral ties between the two countries. Ahead of the forthcoming visit, he said the discussions would be held on homeland and border security matters. During the visit, the Home Minister is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 6th November. Both sides are expected to sign a number of agreements on several issues. The visit to Israel is significant in the wake of expanding collaboration in defence sector between the two countries. The recent decision by the Government to $ 525 million anti-tank weaponry from Israel is being seen as a major step in this direction. India is Israel’s largest purchaser of defence equipment and Israel is the second largest supplier of arms and armaments for New Delhi after Russia. The two countries also have a Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism.
The Home Minister’s visit comes more than a month after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli premier Netanyahu in New York. During that meeting, Netanyahu had said sky is the limit in terms of prospects of cooperation between the two countries as he sought expansion of ties with India. Netanyahu was among the first global leaders to call Modi to congratulate him over his victory in Lok Sabha polls. Israel’s National Security Adviser Joseph Cohen had met Rajnath Singh and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval earlier this month. It will be the first visit of an Indian Home Minister to Israel since June 2000, when LK Advani visited Tel Aviv which marked an upswing in bilateral cooperation.




Blast killed Sixty one at Wagah in Pakistan

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In Pakistan, the death toll following suicide attack has mounted to 61. Ten women, eight children and three security personnel were among the 61 people who killed in the attack that took place yesterday when a suicide attacker detonated a powerful bomb at Wagah.
Over 100 people were injured in the incident and are being treated in different Lahore’s hospitals where emergency has been declared.
Lahore police spokesman Niyab Haider Naqvi said, the law enforcement agencies have launched operation in the residential areas in Wagah and arrested about 20 suspects from the Indo-Pak border area.
The blast took place when a large number of people were returning after attending the flag lowering ceremony at the main Indo-Pak land border crossing, which is heavily guarded by the Punjab Rangers. A young suicide-bomber blew himself up near the main exitgate of Parade Avenue at 6.03 pm local time, causing colossal devastation. At least three militant factions have claimed the responsibility of bombing.
On the other hand, Border Security Force (BSF) is on a high alert at Attari gate, as well as all along the nearly 300-kilometer border. The high alert follows yesterday’s blast on Pakistani side of Wagah. The Delhi-Lahore Sadda-e-Sarhad bus, which passes through Attari-Wagah joint check post gate has been stopped for the time being.
Speaking to AIR correspondent, Customs Commissioner, Sunil Kumar Sawhney has said that there has been no decision to stop trade between both the nations temporarily. However, he said situation will be reviewed on 6th Nov for a further decision.
Meanwhile, 129 passengers are ready to leave for Pakistan through Samjhauta Express which will arrive at 2.30 p.m from Pakistan. Attari Railway station sources have confirmed that a congregation of pilgrims will also leave for Pakistan tomorrow.




Autumn is one of the best seasons to visit Bhutan

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Kuzuzangpola(Hello)!
The warm days and cold nights of Autumn are slowly giving way to winter clearing the path for clearer blue skies and fantastic views of the majestic mountains around. During this season the sky is crystal blue and the warm rays of the sun dispels any lingering chills. Autumn is one of the best seasons to visit Bhutan with lots of festivals and events on the calendar throughout the country. And also one of the most suitable season for hiking and trekking with clearer and dry weather. This month we will be looking at some of the upcoming festivals in the country.
UP-COMING EVENTS
Jambay Lhakhang Festival (November)
Jambay Lhakhang is one of the oldest temples in the kingdom. It was founded by, Songtsen Gampo, a Tibetan King in the 7th century AD. The king was destined to build 108 temples known as Thadhul-Yangdhul (temples on and across the border) in a day to subdue the demoness that was residing in the Himalayas. The temple is one of the two of the 108 built in Bhutan. A second is located in Paro, the Kichu lhakhang also built on the same day.
Black-Necked Crane Festival (November)
Annual black-necked crane festival is organized to generate awareness and understanding on the importance of conserving the endangered Black‐necked cranes to strengthen the linkages between conservation, economic welfare and sustainable livelihoods of the community; provide an avenue for the local community to renew their commitment to conservation of the black-necked cranes, and to showcase their cultural heritage and skills.
Pemagatshel Tshechu (November)
The district is known for its numerous festivals and folk songs. The most notable folk song is the Ausa, a song that is sung during the departure of family members, friends and relatives. Since the construction of the dzong in the early 1980’s, they have also celebrated the annual Tshechu over a three day period. Many Mask Dances or Cham which are believed to confer blessings upon the spectators and teach them the ways of the Buddhist dharma are performed during the festival.
Monggar Tshechu (November)
The main inhabitants of this region are the Tshanglas and the Kurtoeps. They speak distinct languages known as Tshanglakha and Kurtoepaikha. This region is famous for its exquisite wood carvings.The new Dzong in Mongar was built at the initiative of the third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 1953. Today the dzong is the centre of administration where all important decisions are taken.
Trashigang Tshechu (November)
Every village in the district has its own distinctive annual festival but the highlight is the three day Tshechu that is held in Trashigang Dzong during the 7th to 11th days of the tenth monthof the Bhutanese calendar (December). The Tshechu is attended by the Brokpas, a semi-nomadic people that reside in the valleys of Merak and Sakteng, the Khengpa community and people from as far as Samdrup Jongkhar, Pema Gatshel and Trashiyangtse.
Dochula Druk Wangyel Tshechu (December)
The Tshechu is takes place every December 13th  at the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang Festival Ground located at Dochula Pass around 22km from the capital city Thimphu. Dochula Pass is one of the most scenic locations in the entire kingdom, offering a stunning panoramic view of the Himalayan mountain range.
For further information, please contact:
Tourism Council of Bhutan, India Representative Office
C/o Charson Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd.
1104 Arcadia, 11th Floor, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021 – India
Tel: 91 (22) 65172273; Fax: 91 (22) 22828835; Email: exec.office@charsonadvisory.com
Tourism Council of Bhutan 
Tarayana Centre, Chubachu, Thimphu, Bhutan
Tel: 975 2 323251/2 ; Email: info@tourism.gov.bt; Web: www.tourism.gov.bt




The biennial exercise DOSTI-XII was conducted at Male

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The exercise between the Indian Coast Guard and the Maldives National Security Service (Coast Guard) code named ‘DOSTI’ was institutionalized in 1991 and thereafter conducted on biennial basis. Since then 11 editions of the exercise have taken place. Sri Lanka joined the 11th edition of exercise in 2012, thus making it a trilateral exercise.
The biennial exercise DOSTI-XII was conducted at Male, Maldives from 28-31 Oct 2014. Prior to conduct of the DOSTI XII, an Initial Planning Conference (IPC) was conducted at Kochi, India from 15-16 Sep 2014 to work out the details of the programme.
A total of five ships and two aircrafts participated in the exercise DOSTI XII. Two ships from Indian Coast Guard, ICGS Samar with Integral Helicopter, ICGS Rajdoot alongwith a Dornier aircraft, one ship from Sri Lankan CG, SLNS Samudura and two ships from MNDF CG, MCGS Huravee and Shaheed Ali participated in the exercise. During the four days, various activities were undertaken including classroom training, sports activities and adventure tour for bonding between the crew. The exercise at sea included evolutions responding to actual emergencies of Search and Rescue, Medical evacuation, Anti-Piracy and Pollution Control response at Sea which will further enhance the ability of each Coast Guard to attend to real emergencies at sea.
The exercise at sea was witnessed by High level delegations from Maldives as well as Directors General of the Coast Guards of India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The Director General of Indian Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal AVSM & Bar visited Male, Maldives to oversee the conduct of the exercise.
The conduct of training exercise DOSTI – XII has further cemented the cooperation among India-Maldives- Sri Lanka and also enhanced the ongoing Indo-Maldives Maritime Co-operation and develops inter-operability which would be useful to deal with maritime issues of common interest in the region.

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NAPM Salutes Struggle of Irom Sharmila

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NAPM Salutes Struggle of Irom Sharmila and Supports Demand to Repeal AFSPA
November 4, 2014 : Irom Chanu Sharmila';s hunger fast has entered 15th year and her struggle for repeal of AFSPA continues. National Alliance of People';s Movements (NAPM) salutes her resolve and continues to supports her ongoing struggle for repeal of AFSAP. 14 years, after she began her hunger strike on November 2, 2000 she continues to be force fed through her nose by the Government, arrested with charges for attempt to commit suicide (released and then arrested again every year), criminalised as a high security prisoner, denying her access to family, friends, supporters and the media. It is a shame that in this land of Gandhi, a non-violent protester has been subjected to such humiliation for more than fourteenyears now. Even as she continues her struggle along with many in the NE and J&K, we appeal to our comrades in human rights groups and people’s movements across the country to demand for repeal of AFSPA along with other draconian laws like UAPA, MCOCA, CSPSA and others and resist the increasing militarization of democratic spaces.
May 22, 1958 Armed Forces Special Powers Act, a colonial legacy used against Mahatma Gandhi, was promulgated initially in the Naga areas of Assam (later divided between 4 states) and later in Mizoram, initially in parts of Manipur and later in all of Manipur. The Ordinance after a brief discussion in the Parliament was endorsed and got the status of Act on August 18, 1958, despite stiff resistance from various quarters who challenged it as a martial and draconian law. Since then it has been in force in one part or the other of the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir (since 1991). Even though continuation of the ‘;disturbed area'; status under the AFSPA in many part of the country is illegal in view of the violation of the mandatory six monthly periodic review directed by Supreme Court in its 1997 Judgement.
AFSPA continues to be the most potent repressive tool of the Indian state that empowers even a non commissioned officer of the armed forces of union to kill on mere suspicion and provide legal immunity from prosecution, thereby causing untold misery and agony among the peoples of the affected regions. The imposition of AFSPA is synonymous to heavy militarisation in these states leading to gross civil and political rights violations including enforced disappearances, extra-judicial execution, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, arbitrary arrest and detention. All this together has meant severe economic, social and cultural cost including erosion of civil administration, lack of access to education, basic health care, destruction of properties and sources of livelihood, and environmental destruction and ‘;normal'; functioning of democratic institutions in these areas.
The continued and selective use of AFSPA against communities who have been demanding self-determinations rights is a cause of worry in the context of the increasing militarization of the society in the sub-continent especially after 9/11 and the growing communalisation of the polity in India as a whole and suppression of people';s democratic rights in the name of national security.
There were some attempts made by the UPA government to start a dialogue on the issue, however, nothing has come out of the issue. It is high time that such an Act was repealed and rights of people restored.
Continuing with our efforts for establishing the democratic values in the society and in solidarity with the struggles of democratic movements of North East and J&K NAPM calls upon the Government of India :
  1. To repeal immediately :
  • The Armed Forces (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura) Special Powers Act, 1958 (as amended in 1972), and
  • The Jammu and Kashmir Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990
2. To refrain from inserting any part of the Acts into any other legislation granting unbridled powers to the armed forces of the union or the State police.
3. Immediately work out and announce a phased, time-bound demilitarisation plan to withdraw the Army and other para military forces from internal security duties in NE States and J&K.
It needs to be noted that AFSPA is not only opposed by the movement groups and the rights bodies but also by the Government’s own commissions and committees appointed to look into the matter. For example, the Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy in 2005, the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Dr. Veerappan Moily in 2007 and several others have recommended and damned the use of AFSPA and demanded immediate measures towards withdrawal from civil areas. Internationally, the UN bodies including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the U N High Commissioner for Human Rights and recently the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders have consistently urged for its repeal. However, all these have gone to the deaf ears of the Government.
Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM);Prafulla Samantara – Lok Shakti Abhiyan Lingraj Azad – Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti Meera – Narmada Bachao Andolan, NAPM, MP; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe – NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriel Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelakandan – NAPM Kerala; P Chennaiah Ramakrishnan Raju – NAPM Andhra Pradesh,Arundhati Dhuru, Richa Singh - NAPM, UP; Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union & Rukmini V P, Garment Labour Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Vimal Bhai – Matu Jan sangathan Jabar SinghNAPM, Uttarakhand; Anand Mazgaonkar, Krishnakant - Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat;Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar; Faisal Khan, Khudai Khidmatgar, NAPM Haryana; Kailash Meena, NAPM Rajasthan;Amitava Mitra & Sujato Bhadra, NAPM West Bengal; B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini & Rajendra Ravi, Madhuresh Kumar and Kanika Sharma – NAPM, Delhi;
For details contact or write to napmindia@napm-india.org | 9818905316
===============================================
National Alliance of People’s MovementsNational Office : 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014
Phone : 011 24374535 Mobile : 09818905316
Web : www.napm-india.org | napmindia@gmail.com
Twitter : @napmindia




Singh receives ‘The Grand Cordon of the Order of Paulownia Flowers’

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Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh receives ‘The Grand Cordon of the Order of Paulownia Flowers’ from the Japanese Emperor in Tokyo
Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh receives 'The Grand Cordon of the Order of Paulownia Flowers' from the Japanese Emperor in Tokyo




St. Edmunds’ teams shine

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  • Boys and girls team both register comfortable wins 
Jaipur, November 4, 2014: Boys and girls from St. Edmunds hardly broke a sweat beating their opponents Neeraja Modi and Anslem Pink City respectively on Day 7 of the Premier League of Indian School Basketball League organized by Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with IMG-Reliance (IMG-R) at Vidyashram School, Jaipur on Tuesday.
The boys team from St. Edmunds beat Neeraja Modi 40-18 while the girls team beat Anslem Pink City 20-17. Anslem Pink City boys team were handed a 29-46 defeat by Anslem North City while Candlewick boys lost to Seedling 14-35.
In the other matches in girls category, Seedling School gave a walkover to Neerja Modi while Sanskar School also got one against St. Wilfred.
Venue: Vidyashram
Boys
Neerja Modi (Manish 6) lost to St. Edmunds (Sandeep 12) 18-40; Anslem Pink City (Akash 10) lost to Anslem North City (Bhavya 15) 29-46; Candlewick (Ayush 9) lost to Seedling (Jayant 8) 14-35
Girls
Anslem Pink City (Jaishree 5) lost to St. Edmunds (Jhanak 7) 17-20; Seedling School gave walkover to Neerja Modi; Sanskar got W/O against St. Wilfred

About the Basketball Federation of India
The Basketball Federation of India or BFI is the governing and controlling body of basketball in India, and is responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels. BFI has been involved in conducting camps, clinics, events, and training sessions at its academies for the development of basketball. BFI came into being in 1935 and took complete control over Indian basketball in 1950. Prior to that time, the Indian Olympic Association handled the conduct of Indian basketball championships. Since 1950, the BFI has been conducting various such championships, from the grassroots to senior team participation in international tournaments. In addition, the BFI has been responsible for the establishment of strong sub-junior and junior level programs. The BFI has to its credit produced several international players of repute, among them 17 have been bestowed with the honor of Arjuna Award. More information at www.indiabasketball.org

About IMG Reliance
IMG Reliance Pvt Ltd., is an equal joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India’s largest and most recognized private sector company, and IMG Worldwide (IMG), the world’s leading sports marketing and management company. The joint venture company will develop market and manage sports and entertainment in India. Its current assets include India’s premier fashion event, Lakmé Fashion Week and South Asia’s only ATP World Tour event, the Aircel Chennai Open. IMG Reliance has entered agreements with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to create a new professional basketball league and manage all aspects of the commercial rights to the game in India and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), to improve, popularize and promote the game of football throughout India, from the grassroots to the professional level. IMG Reliance has also created a scholarship program to identify and train talented young Indians from sports including – basketball, soccer and tennis at IMG’s world-class sports training facilities at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.

For further information, please contact our team-
WordsWork
Gautam Sheth – +91 – 98692 33393 (Mumbai)
Anu Sharma – +91 – 99990 69511 (Delhi)
Ankit Rana – +91– 97174 44620 (Delhi)




India flies the festive season with Honda Wings of trust!

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Honda hits a new high in October; clocks 5.4 lacs units in retail

  • Records 103% growth in festive sales over last year
  • Registers robust domestic 27% growth in April to October, FY 2014-15
  • Accomplishes fastest network expansion in history of Indian 2wheeler Industry with opening of 800th Dealer
  • Recognized No. 1 Brand in Indian two-wheeler industry (Economic Times 100 Most Trusted Brands survey 2014)

Manesar, November 01, 2014: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) – the Only Honda in Indian 2wheeler industry gave a flourishing finish to festive season 2014.

India celebrates with Honda:
For the first time, Honda’s two-wheeler retail sales breached the psychological 500,000 mark in October with 5.4 lacs unit retails across India.

Almost all dealerships worked overtime on Dhanteras when Honda sales surpassed 1 lac unit mark in a single day. The auspicious Dhanteras day saw a phenomenal 110% jump in sales to 1.65 lakh units, as compared to 78,500 units sold last year. Honda Dream Series motorcycles contributed 30% to sales on Dhanteras while Honda Activa contributed 45%.

October Performance FY’2014-15:
Honda’s two-wheeler sales closed at 377,112 units in October’ 2014 with its domestic market share at 25%.

Quote from Company:
Announcing the sales report, Mr. Y S. Guleria, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, said, “This was our first festive season as Only Honda. We posted a phenomenal 103% growth over last year. As part of Honda’s Utsav strategy, our touch-points were fully armed to meet this season demand backed by an aggressive marketing campaign. Our achieving 5.4 lacs retails in a single month and selling over 1 lac units in a single day is a testimony of customer trust in Honda. There was overwhelming customer demand for both motorcycle and scooters cutting across urban and rural geographies. Honda’s recognition as the Most Trusted Brand was an icing on the cake and we thank our customers and stakeholders for the unflinching trust on brand Honda.”

Honda’s growth story in October extended beyond sales as well. Company announced the opening of its 800th Honda Exclusive Authorized Dealer under its aggressive network expansion plans. With this, Honda network now reached 3170 touch points across India.

Honda’s front runner brand value received a further validation when it emerged as the ‘Most Trusted Brand in the Two-wheeler category in The Economic Times Brand Equity’s Annual Survey in 2014.

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Dhowan to hand over Fast Attack Craft to Seychelles

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Dhowan to hand over Fast Attack Craft to Seychelles tomorrow
Navy Chief Admiral R K Dhowan will on Friday hand over the second Indian Fast Attack Craft (FAC) to the Seychelles that will strengthen its Coast Guard against piracy and other threats.
Dhowan, who reached Seychelles on Thursday on a four-day visit, will also hold talks with top officials besides calling on the President there.
India has provided a comprehensive maritime security solution including provisioning of military hardware, training, consultancy as well as hydrographic assistance to the Seychelles government.
The first craft, SCG Topaz (formerly INS Tarmugli) was gifted to the Seychelles islands by India in 2005 and has served the Seychelles Coast Guard well, having carried out several anti-piracy patrols and captured several pirates.
The handing over of the second attack craft will further bolster the strength of the island nation’s Coast Guard and serve as another visible, potent symbol of the friendship between the two countries, a statement by the Navy said.
INS Tarasa, which has been recently refitted at Naval Dockyard Mumbai, will join her sister ship SCG Topaz as part of the Indian Navy’s assistance to Seychelles Coast Guard in capacity building towards meeting her maritime security needs.
In addition, the Indian Navy would also position a maintenance and support team to assist the Seychelles Coast Guard.
“The Indian Navy remains committed to support Seychelles in its endeavours to ensure good order at sea and protection of its vast Exclusive Economic Zone,” it said.
The new vessel is a Car Nicobar Class and features a more efficient hull-form design than the earlier FAC version.




Ansari pitches for creation of South Asian Economic Union

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Ansari pitches for creation of South Asian Economic Union

“Creation of SAEU would prove to be a milestone in regional cooperation efforts. Most regions in the world are moving towards greater economic integration, as South Asia lags behind,” Ansari said at 7th South Asia Economic Summit, organised by Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS).The logic of a economic union lies in re-distribution of common and shared resources within the region in an efficient and effective manner, he said, adding that it would enhance manifold the bargaining power of member countries in global arena and help in realising full potential of trade complementarities.”There are definite advantages of moving towards an economic union but the road map has to be well thought out and a strategy has to be in place, which is ambitious but realistic,” Ansari said.
The 18th SAARC Summit would be held in Nepal later this month with focus on “Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity”.
The Vice President said the overall objective of SAEU was to ensure the transformation of South Asia into a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.
“SAARC countries must consider the mutual benefits that could be derived from greater economic integration and thereby contribute to the furtherance of their common developmental agenda. They should, therefore, collectively address the challenges that confront them in the process of regional integration,” he said.
While SAEU would require greater regional economic policy co-ordination, priority should also be laid on to undertake investment in regional infrastructure, especially transport connectivity that would facilitate ease of travel and trade and support the realisation of SAEU. Regional trade facilitation projects such as coordinated border management, regional single window and regional transit might ease the way for an economic union, he said.
“Infrastructure development, capacity-building measures, removal of NTBs, and supportive policies and institutions that promote economic activities along identified transport corridors are essential to increase regional trade,” he said.
Intra-regional trade in South Asia has doubled since the region implemented the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).
The intra-regional exports have increased to about USD 22 billion in 2013 from USD 10 billion in 2006.
The region is expected to achieve substantial tariff reduction by 2016 as SAFTA implementation makes further progress.




Rajnath Singh and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discusses evolving threats to global community from terror

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Israeli industry delegation to visit India
The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh met Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, on November 06, 2014 in an hour long meeting, during his official visit to Israel. The meeting was held in an extremely cordial atmosphere and fruitful discussions were held on a wide range of issues. The two leaders discussed the regional situation and the evolving threats to the global community from terror. The Union Home Minister said that terror was a threat not only to countries like India and Israel but to the whole world. They reviewed existing cooperation and future possibilities in this area.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu spoke about India and Israel as being two old civilizations, each with a capacity for science and innovation. He said that his uncle, who was a mathematician, always used to tell him that the best mathematicians came from India. The Union Home Minister commended the achievements of Israel and Israeli scientists in different fields and also referred to Indian achievements in science, including the concept of zero, decimals and algebra.
Mr. Netanyahu said that he was greatly impressed by his meeting with Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in New York and believed that relations between the two countries were poised for rapid development.
Shri Rajnath Singh has expressed satisfaction at the growth in bilateral ties in a range of areas, including defence and agriculture. He noted the signing of agreements in the area of homeland security that had opened another area of mutually beneficial cooperation. In this context, he emphasized the importance of capacity building and training. He said that the future emphasis should be to build a hi-tech partnership befitting two leading knowledge economies. Both leaders agreed that the Free Trade Agreement under discussion between the two sides should be signed early.
The Union Home Minister made a special reference to the ‘Make in India’ campaign launched by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and invited Israeli industry, including in the defence sector, to take advantage of the investment friendly policies adopted by the new government.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu briefed the Home Minister on technologies that had been developed by Israel in areas such as aviation security, border protection and water harvesting. He said Israel was ready and willing to discuss transfer and development of such technologies with India. He said that he agreed with the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi that Israeli industry, including the defence industry, could ‘make in India’ and thereby reduce costs of manufacturing products and systems developed by Israel. He said that a delegation from Israeli industry would be happy to visit India to explore manufacturing opportunities in different sectors. In this context, the Home Minister also mentioned the possibility of together exploring third country markets in Africa and Latin America, where Indian industry has a strong presence.




Modi’s telephone call with Prime Minister Tony Abbott of Australia

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OZ buzz with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia from 14-19 November 2014, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott called Prime Minister on telephone this morning to discuss the agenda for the G 20 Summit in Brisbane. Prime Minister Abbott also conveyed that he and the Australian people were keenly awaiting Prime Minister Modi’s four-city bilateral visit to Australia.Prime Minister Abbott invited Prime Minister Modi to share, in particular, his vision for accelerating global economic growth and employment generation, based on his personal experiences of reforms and growth at the state level and his plans for India. Prime Minister Abbott also sought PM’s support for Australia’s infrastructure initiatives in the G20.
Prime Minister Modi deeply appreciated Prime Minister Abbott’s personal attention to his visit to Australia. He especially thanked Prime Minister Abbott for his special gesture of hosting a reception for him at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance he attached to his visit to Australia, as a step towards qualitatively transforming a relationship that he greatly values.
Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Abbott for his leadership in developing a meaningful agenda for the G 20 Summit and expressed confidence that the Brisbane Summit would be one of the most memorable G 20 Summits, which will impart new momentum in the global economy. Describing G 20 as the key forum for global economic coordination, Prime Minister Modi looked forward to attending his first G20 Summit. Prime Minister offered full support for Prime Minister Abbott’s priorities for the G20 Summit.
Prime Minister Modi shared his concerns on ‘jobless growth” prospects and felt that focusing on transforming the quality of life of people, not just on issues like the health of the financial markets, is necessary for creating employment-generating economic growth.
He also suggested that, in addition to facilitating financial flows for infrastructure financing, there was a need to look at innovative mechanisms for infrastructure development, including research on transforming waste into infrastructure inputs and creating a virtual centre for information exchange, guidance, identifying opportunities and facilitating flows, which would be beneficial to the poor countries as well.




Modi among world’s most powerful, Putin tops

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PM Modi among world
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made his debut among the world’s most powerful people, ranked 15th on the Forbes list topped by Russian President Vladimir Putin who pipped his US counterpart Barack Obama for a second year in a row.The list of 72 most powerful people in the world also included the names of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani at 36th, ArcelorMittal Chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal at 57th and Microsoft’s Indian-born CEO Satya Nadella at 64th.On Modi, Forbes said “India’s newest rock star doesn’t hail from Bollywood.
He is the newly elected Prime Minister who sailed into office in May with a landslide victory, ushering the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into power after decades of control by the Gandhi dynasty.”
“Modi is credited with massive reconstruction projects in his home state of Gujarat. His administration promises to bring economic rejuvenation to other beleaguered parts of India. The world is as impressed as the citizens of India: So far he’s toured the US and China and met with his Southeast Asian neighbours,” the magazine said.
This year there are 12 newcomers on the list, including Modi and Egypt President Abdel el-Sisi.
Alibiba founder and China’s richest man — Jack Ma also makes a first appearance on the list after his record-breaking USD 25 billion initial public offering in September, as does terror group Islamic State’s chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
A notable omission from the list is Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, who was the highest ranked Indian last year at 21.
The next Indian after Modi on the list is Ambani at 36th.
This is the second year in a row that Putin carries the crown.
Obama had previously been on the top of the list for every year with the exception of 2010, when Hu Jintao, the former political and military leader of China, was ranked 1.
The top five remain the same as 2013 – Chinese President Xi Jinping ranked third, Pope Francis at No. 4 and the world’s most powerful woman German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranked fifth.

Chhattisgarh politicians terrorize Christians, pressurize police

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Chhattisgarh politicians terrorize Christians, pressurize police EFI Religious Liberty Commission calls on Chief Minister to restore rule of law in villages
From: EFI RLC <efirlc.india@gmail.com> Thu, 6 Nov ’14 1:47p
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION
Evangelical Fellowship of India
805/ 92, Deepali Building, Nehru Place, New Delhi, India
PRESS STATEMENT
Chhattisgarh politicians terrorize Christians, pressurize police
EFI Religious Liberty Commission calls on Chief Minister to restore rule of law in villages
NEW DELHI / RAIPUR, 5 NOVEMBER 2014 : The EFI Religious Liberty Commission has called upon the Chief Minister of the State of Chhattisgarh to intervene urgently to restore the rule of law in various villages where cadres of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have attacked Christians. Senior leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata party, including members of the Legislative Assembly, instead of reassuring the minority community have led forcible conversions ceremonies.
In a letter to Dr. Raman Singh, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Reverend Vijayesh Lal, Secretary of the EFI Religious Liberties Commission said “the situation has suddenly deteriorated rapidly in the last four months, and today the tiny Christian community in the state lives in a state of terror and trepidation, fearing for their lives, their security an their homes. Above all they fear for their identity as Christians, their freedom of faith, and the safety of their places of worship.”
Rev Lal said Panchayati Raj structures had been perverted by violent and aggressive cadres of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal who have coerced officials and village heads. The police have not been able to assure safety and security. “In fact we see gross impunity, and sometimes connivance with the lawless elements.”
The EFIRLC specifically referred to violence in Madota village, Police Station Bhanpuri, District Bastar, Chhattisgarh (about 40 kilometres from Jagdalpur) which shows an unholy nexus between the hoodlums on the ground, political organisations and politicians in high office. In and its surrounding areas Christian families have had many visits from Hindu groups forcing them to convert to Hinduism or face the consequences. The village has already witnessed an order prohibiting the visit of any Christian pastor or leader who is not a local of Madota village. No such rule exists for leaders of the VHP who frequent the village.
The village saw anti Christian violence on 14th September when people at prayer in the Carmel Pentecostal Church were attacked by members of Bajrang Dal and VHP. Over 30 karyakartas [cadres] of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad entered the church, raising slogans of “Isaiyon ko maro, Ramrajya leke aao”, [Eliminate the Christians, Bring in the Kingdom of Lord Rama] and began beating up the persons present, including women and children. They threatened the members of Christian community present there that if they did not come back into their old religion i.e. the Hindu fold, they would not be allowed to drink water from the communal water sources, they would not be allowed to reap their harvests and would be dispossessed of their lands, and might even lose their lives. The Christian community tried to register a complaint at the local police station at Bhanpuri, however the Town Inspector (TI – Stationhouse Officer), he refused to register an FIR [First Information Report].
On 9th October the local BJP MLA Dinesh Kashyap led an event at Kunkuda village, in which he claimed to re-convert to Hinduism, 33 Christians from 10 families.
“All this is not acceptable in a democracy. It also goes counter to the promise of communal harmony made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation from the Red Fort on 15th August 2014, and later. We hope you will also intervene with the non-state actors, including the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, and call upon them to desist from such activities,” Rev Vijayesh Lal said.
Encl; Factsheet on Anti-Christian violence in Chhattisgarh:
CHHATTISGARH FACTSHEET OCTOBER 2014
Christians in Chhattisgarh especially in the Bastar area have been facing massive politically inspired opposition, which has manifested itself in the form of physical violence and social discrimination. The apathy, impunity and partisanship of the administration at various levels has compounded the human tragedy, and the gravity of the violation of Constitutional guarantees of Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Association and Movement, and most important, the Freedom of Relgion and Belief.
The current wave of incidents against Christians first came into light in May 2014 when Christian families were denied ration and ration cards after they refused to bow down to the demands set by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The VHP had asked each Christian family to contribute 200 rupees per member towards Hindu festivities initiated by the VHP in Sirisguda village. The Christians who had always contributed money during village festivals by their free will could not comply as the money demanded was too much, and the Christians are poor. This resulted in their being denied food for more than 2 months. The village leadership kept silent.
When Christians reported this matter to the district authorities, activists of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, which is also very active in the region, beat them up. The Gram Sabha, the village council, of Sirisguda passed a resolution outlawing non-Hindu faiths from the village. A section of the Panchayat Raj Act (129 G) was used to adopt a resolution proscribing all religious activity in the village areas which did not adhere to the Hindu faith. Even the Collector of the District, Mr. Ankit Anand, who is the highest civil servant and administration of the region, admitted was against the law.
Since then, according to media reports, more than 60 villages have passed similar resolutions in the area. There have been frequent reports between July 2014 and now of Christians being beaten up in Bastar District in various places including Sirisguda, Belar, Gadiya, Parapur etc.
In Madota village, Police Station Bhanpuri, District Bastar, Chhattisgarh (about 40 kilometres from Jagdalpur) and its surrounding areas Christian families have had many visits from Hindu groups forcing them to convert to Hinduism or face the consequences. The village has already witnessed an order prohibiting the visit of any Christian pastor or leader who is not a local of Madota village. No such rule exists for leaders of the VHP who frequent the village.
On 14th September, Christians gathered peacefully at the Carmel Pentecostal Church near Madota village were attacked by members of Bajrang Dal and VHP. As the Chhattisgarh Lok Swantrya Sangathan, the state unit of People’s Union for Civil Liberties, a prominent national Human Rights group noted, “When the Christian community was conducting worship in their Church, 30-35 karyakartas [cadres] of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad entered the church, gave slogans of “Isaiyon ko maro, Ramrajya leke aao”, [Eliminate the Christians, Bring in the Kingdom of Lord Rama] and began beating up the persons present, including women and children. They threatened the members of Christian community present there that if they did not come back into their old religion i.e. the Hindu fold, they would not be allowed to drink water from the communal water sources, they would not be allowed to reap their harvests and would be dispossessed of their lands, and might even lose their lives. The Christian community tried to register a complaint at the local police station at Bhanpuri, however the Town Inspector (TI – Stationhouse Officer), he refused to register an FIR [First Information Report].”
“On 16 September 2014, 40-50 members of the Christian community went to the District Head Quarters at Jagdalpur and informed the Superintendent of Police regarding the above incident. The SP Jagdalpur directed the Inspector of Police Station to go to the village and effect a compromise between the two communities. On 19 September 2014, the Inspector of the Bhanpuri police station summoned both parties to the dispute to come to the Police Station. The leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad – Yogendra Kaushik and Surendra Yadav – both residents of Jagdalpur, also went to the Police Station. They threateningly told the Police Officer that he should not get involved in this issue and that only their writ would run in Madhota village. They told the Christians that they must get re-converted to the Hindu fold otherwise they would face consequences. Slogans of “Bajrang Bali” were shouted in the Thana itself. The TI then advised the Christian pastors who had accompanied the villagers not to enter the village, and not to conduct any collective prayer meetings. The villagers and the Pastors had no choice but to obey.”
On 9th October the local BJP MLA Dinesh Kashyap led an event at Kunkuda village, in which he claimed to re-convert to Hinduism, 33 Christians from 10 families. The VHP Jagdalpur unit organized the program and Dinesh Kashyap not only presided over the event but also washed the feet of the people being reconverted. Christians in the area have reported that the re-conversion ceremony was a farce and that already Hindu members were paraded as Christians who are embracing Hinduism.
The event raises important questions as to the role of Mr. Kashyap who is the brother of Kedar Kashyap, the BJP Member of Parliament from the area and the law. As a local MLA does Mr. Kashyap represent the interests of Hindus alone? Was the procedure for conversion, which requires information and permission from the district administration, followed and were affidavits submitted? If not then Mr. Kashyap and the members of the VHP have a lot to answer for.
On 19th October another Church was targeted at Madota village. The PUCL report said: Once again while the Christians were conducting their prayers in the Church, the karyakartas [cadres] of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad surrounded the Church and 5-6 of them entered the Church premises. The people can recognize Daulat, Sadhu, Bhadu, Nauratan and Raju by name and face from amongst these. These people had come with a photo of Bajrang Bali and began to abuse and beat the Christians. They initially wanted to put up the photo of Bajrang Bali in the church, but later they hung it on the borewell and declared that no Christians would be allowed to drink water from the borewell. The people again went to the PS Bhanpuri, where the TI refused to register their complaint. The next day, i.e. on 20th October 2014, they went to meet the SP, district Bastar. The SP not being available, they met the Additional Superintendent of Police Mr. Vijay Pandey, who assured them that he would personally look into the matter. He said that he would come to the village on 25th October 2014 and bring the City Magistrate along with him so that the matter could be resolved.
On 25th October 2014, the Village Kotwar [official] announced by beating of drum that the district authorities would be visiting the village. The Christian community comprising 25-30 families gathered near their Church from 10 am, but none of the officers came to the village. At around 2.30 pm (afternoon), a crowd of about 250-300 people armed with lathis [canes, or staves] came in a procession to the village, and started beating up the Christians including women and children. Some were pursued right up to their houses and beaten there. Many ran away into the adjoining forest. Six Christians were severely injured including a woman whose hand had been fractured. Mr. Bhupendra Khora was informed by the villagers of this and he immediately contacted the SP, Bastar. Though the SP was not present, Mr. Khora appraised his Reader of the tense situation, and he sent the police force to the village. When the police arrived, the VHP people were still beating the Christians and they ran away after seeing the police. When the ambulance service (called 108 in Chhattisgarh) was called, the Village Kotwar, who is himself a member of the Bajrang Dal and 2-3 others also got into the ambulance along with the injured Christians claiming that they had been hurt by the Christians, though they had no visible injuries. These persons were also admitted into the hospital. Persons named Bhagirathi, Sadhu, Bhadu, Raju and others of the VHP were detained in bailable offences. The Christian pastors were also detained under Section 151 Criminal Procedure Code.
On 27th October 2014, about 2,000-2,500 persons surrounded the Bhanpuri police station to demand the release of the VHP members. They were however produced before the judicial magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. The Pastors were produced in the SDM';s court, but since he was on leave and did not accept the bail bonds, they were also sent to jail.
Under the pressure of the VHP cadres, the injured Christians were discharged from the hospital, whereas the VHP persons with hardly any injuries continue to be admitted there.
The PUCL noted that “the Christian community in Village Madhota is in terror. They are not being allowed to access the communal sources of water nor to harvest their crops. No Christian is being allowed to leave the village since the two roads leading from the village, one towards Bhanpuri and the other towards Jagdalpur are being guarded by the VHP persons. Many Christians are outside the village and unable to enter the village for fear. The Pastors are facing death threats if they enter the village.”
The PUCL said the main source of the impunity of the VHP members is because they are being fully supported by Mr. Kedar Kashyap, Minister in the Chhattisgarh government who is carrying out a campaign of “Ghar Vapasi” in which Christians are being re-converted to Hinduism often forcibly. The District President of the VHP – Surendra Yadav – and the Janpad Panchayat Member of neighboring Village Usuri who is a BJP as well as VHP leader of the area and his close aide Mohan Mourya are inciting and mobilizing the villagers of Madhota and surrounding villages to attack the Christian community.
Rev. Dr. Richard Howell,
General Secretary,
Evangelical Fellowship of India,
New Delhi, India
Rev. Vijayesh Lal,
National Director,
Religious Liberty Commission,
Evangelical Fellowship of India,
New Delhi, India.
Email : vijayesh@efirlc.org
Contact No. (M): +91 9810176973
Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations




Mrs Shallu Jindal participation in Delhi International Arts Festival

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From: Nishita Jain <Nishita.Jain@hkstrategies.com> Thu, 6 Nov ’14 5:42p
To: <recipients undisclosed>
Show full Headers
1 attachment
Media Invite


You are cordially invited to


Kuchipudi Dance Recital

at

Delhi International Arts Festival


By

Shallu Jindal



Disciple of


Padmabhushan Raja Radha Reddy & Kaushalya Reddy




On: November 8, 2014 (Saturday)

Time: : 6:30 pm

At: Rabindra Bhawan,
Sangeet Natak Akademi,
Firoz Shah Road, New Delhi


RSVP:-

Abhishek Puri: +91 – 98110204659 abhishek.puri@hkstrategies.com

Nishita Jain: +91 – 9811264020 nishita.jain@hkstrategies.com




France shows the way at Urban Mobility India 2014

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France shows the way at Urban Mobility India 2014
November 25th – 28th, 2014, Manekshaw Centre

UBIFRANCE – the French Trade Commission will be taking part in Urban Mobility 2014 7th edition – November 25 – 28 in Delhi (Manekshaw Centre), an event organised by the Ministry of Urban Development of India. This annual event will draw decision-makers in the urban transport sector from across the country and will welcome leading companies from France to showcase their expertise and state-of-the-art technologies in the field of urban mobility.

On this occasion, UBIFRANCE will bring together at the same stall several high-profile companies representing the urban development sector in France and looks forward to sharing with the Indian market some of the best technologies and practices in sustainable urban infrastructure. Some of the French companies present include: SYSTRA, LOGIROAD, PARKEON, POMAGALSKI, VOSSLOH COGIFER.

The French Development Agency (AFD) which has participated in the financing of various urban transport projects in India and over the world, will conduct technical seminars on topics covering different aspects of urban mobility such as alternative modes to foster a comprehensive urban mobility.
UBIFRANCE will organise a series of B2B meetings between French and Indian stakeholders of the sector to share ideas in order to steer urban development on to a sustainable path.

Improved urban transport strategies can bring a myriad of benefits to India, from reductions in CO2 emissions to a more mobile and inclusive society. Urban Mobility is ideally suited to furthering the Indo-French dialogue on these subjects. In Europe, the French railway industry, with 1500 companies and a combined turnover of 4 billion euros (25% from exports), is second only to Germany. Indian companies that are actively committed to sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, digital technologies, construction, urban management and mobility, will all have the opportunity to approach potential partners at the French Pavilion set up at the tradeshow.

7th in the series, Urban Mobility India (UMI) 2014, Conference and Exhibition will be held at Manekshaw Centre, with ‘Sustainable Transport for Sustainable Cities’ as the theme, and will bring together urban transport professionals and officials in the country as well as international experts in order to share views and experiences in urban transport. Current issues of national importance in the field of urban transport will be discussed through talks covering different aspects of the sector and presenting the latest developments in this field through case studies. Participants from France will come in on panel discussions on key urban transport issues in order to exchange innovative ideas with Indian companies and to foster industrial partnerships.

About UBIFRANCE- the French Trade Commission
UBIFRANCE is the French agency for international business development, a key public partner in export for French companies. Its complete range of services include providing information (on markets, legal, regulatory, international financing, calls to tender, sector watch), export consulting, sales activities (prospecting missions, partnership meetings, trade events abroad, communication in the international press, etc.)…. To support French companies of all sizes and all sectors in their development on foreign markets, UBIFRANCE mobilizes the expertise of 1,500 persons in France (Paris and Marseille) and in 60 other countries through the French Trade Commissions and a network of Press Services.

For further information, please contact:
Claude MASEGOSA
Head of Infrastructure, Transport, Industry Department
French Trade Commission
Consulate General of France, Bangalore
Tel: +91 11 24 19 63 55
Email:
 claude.masegosa@ubifrance.fr 

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Myanmar to open permanent residence to foreigners

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Myanmar government to introduce the permanent residence system for foreigners for the first time in history soon to attract and facilitate them to work, invest and live in the country, official sources said on Saturday.By-laws are being enacted for the system and measures are being taken properly as soon as possible, Vice President U Nyan Tun told the related management committee chaired by him.
“The system is the one that will strengthen the favorable conditions of Myanmar at right time and it will enable scholars, experts, intellectuals and investors from other countries as well as former Myanmar citizens to contribute to the national development,” U Nyan Tun said.
Measures are also being taken for protection of national security and interest and small and medium enterprises investment, said Secretary of the Committee U Khin Yi, who is also Minister of Immigration and Population.
U Khin Yi has presented the system to the parliament to be applied in the fiscal year 2014-15, saying that the government will also promote the system of granting online visa.
Since Myanmar introduced visa-on-arrival system on June 1, 2012, travelers from 67 economies including ASEAN countries have benefited from the system so far.
Since taking office by the civilian government in 2011, tourist arrivals in Myanmar remarkably reached 1.06 million in 2012 and 2. 04 million in 2013.
The country targets three million tourist arrivals by the end of 2014.
Statistics also show that since 1988, contracted foreign investment in Myanmar reached nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars with 783 foreign enterprises as of September 2014. media agencies




Laxmikant Parsekar is new Goa CM

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Laxmikant Parsekar is new Goa CM
Laxmikant Parsekar was sworn-in as Goa Chief Minister. Nine other Ministers also take oath on Saturday.
Earlier, Senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said Laxmikant Parsekar, currently health minister, was unanimously elected at the legislature party meeting and chosen as the next Goa chief minister.
Speaking to the media, Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that with complete unanimity all the MLAs chose Parsekar as the legislative leader.
The Goa cabinet will constitute of 10 ministers and portfolios will be decided and distributed later, Rudy added.




Rajnath Singh, Netanyahu review cooperation in combating terror

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 Rajnath Singh, Netanyahu review cooperation in combating terror
Contending that terror is a global menace, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Tel Aviv have reviewed existing cooperation and future possibilities of enhancing engagement in dealing with the threat.
Both the leaders also expressed their countries’ keenness to strengthen ties, with Netanyahu emphasising that he “believes that relations between the two countries were poised for rapid development” following his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September in New York.
During that meeting, the Israeli Premier had said that “sky is the limit” in terms of prospects of cooperation between the two countries.
Singh and Netanyahu discussed the regional situation and the evolving threats to the global communities from terror.
Singh said terror was a threat not only to countries like India and Israel but to the whole world. Vowing to strengthen India’s “very warm” relations with Israel, Singh on his first bilateral visit to Israel said, “India and Israel share very warm and cordial bilateral relations. We look forward to strengthen it further”.
Fresh from his participation at Interpol General Assembly in Monaco, Singh told that he also made a strong pitch for cooperation in the field of cyber security during his one hour conversation with the Israeli Premier.
Singh was earlier widely quoted in the press for highlighting the use of social media for indoctrination by Jihadi elements and the urgent need to device ways to curb this practice through the use of internet.
He also made a special reference to Modi’s “Make in India” initiative and invited Israeli industries, including the defence sector, to take advantage of the investment friendly policies adopted by the new government.
Expressing satisfaction at the growth in bilateral ties in a range of areas, including defence and agriculture, Singh noted that signing of agreements recently in the area of Homeland security had opened another sector for mutually beneficial cooperation.
Singh particularly emphasised on the importance of capacity building and training in this context.
“The future emphasis should be to build a hi-tech partnership befitting two leading knowledge economies,” the Indian leader said.
Both leaders also agreed that the Free Trade Agreement under discussion between the two sides should also be signed early.
Netanyahu briefed the Indian Home Minister on technologies that had been developed by Israel in areas such as aviation security, border protection and water harvesting.
Responding favourably to Modi’s ‘make in India’s initiative, the Israeli leader said that his country is ready and willing to discuss transfer and development of technologies with India.
“Israeli industries, including the defence industries, could ‘make in India’ and thereby reduce costs of manufacturing products and systems developed by Israel,” the Israeli Premier said.
The Israeli leader also expressed willingness to send a delegation from Israeli industries to visit India to explore manufacturing opportunities in different sectors.
Singh, in this context, proposed exploring together third country markets in Africa and Latin America, where Indian industry has a strong presence.
The Indian Home Minister earlier took a helicopter tour of the Jordan Valley and Israel’s northern and southern Region with National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen to get a sense of the security situation in the region.
Cohen had recently met Singh in New Delhi and discussed “common challenges” faced by the two countries and their solutions, emphasising his country’s “willingness to expand cooperation in all fields and in any level”.
Israel has extended a red carpet welcome for the Indian leader making several exceptions which are reserved only for heads of states.




PM handles spade to promote “Clean India”

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PM Modi calls upon people to make Varanasi cleanest city in the world
Modi picks up spade, digs silt to forward his “Clean India” campaign Saturday in Hindu holy city Varanasi.
On the second day of his visit to his Lok Sabha(Indian lower house of parliament) constituency of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assi Ghat, where he offered prayers and later joined a clean up drive.
After the prayers, Modi, who was accompanied by a few BJP leaders, picked up a spade and began vigorously digging the huge amount of silt that had deposited along the ghat after the rainy season.
Speaking to media assembled at the spot, he said that just like the launch of Swacch Bharat(Clean India) Campaign in Delhi, he was nominating nine noted persons from UP to take the drive forward in the state.
Besides the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, those nominated by Modi include Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari, Sufi singer Kailash Kher, comedian Raju Srivastava, cricketers Mohd Kaif and Suresh Raina, Chancellor of University of Blind at Chitrakoot Swami Ram Bhadracharya, Sanskrit scholar Devi Prakash Dwivedi and writer Manu Sharma.
After leaving Assi Ghat, where he started off with special prayers to the holy river, he visited a nearby ashram set up by the followers of spiritual leader Sri Anandamayi Maa where he garlanded a statue of the 20th century saint and paid a visit to a charitable hospital in the premises.
The Prime Minister later left for Delhi.
On Friday night, meeting the city’s intelligentsia over dinner, the Prime Minister gave an assurance to them that the sanctity (garima) of Varanasi would be kept intact and that “Kashi would be transformed into a modern city while retaining its traditional flavour, as the world has seen in London and something we had attempted with success in quake-hit Bhuj when I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat”.
He also shared a number of plans for the city’s modernisation which included battery-operated cars as modes of public transport, door-to-door garbage collection and a “Palace on Wheels” train running from Delhi to Varanasi via Ayodhya and Prayag (Allahabad).
The Prime Minister also said that he wants the entire sprawling campus of Benares Hindu University to be converted into a Wi-Fi zone and to ensure that every school of Varanasi had separate toilets for boys and girls besides drinking water.
He also said that he wished to transform the ghats of Varanasi into a major tourist attraction with the help of cleanliness and state-of-the art illumination technology.
Addressing party workers, he had denounced coalition politics by blaming “fractured verdicts” for lowering the image of the country and asserting that India had begun to get its due on the international stage ever since his party had come to power with a complete majority.
“Things like lowering of diesel and petrol prices and government officials reporting for duty on time could have happened earlier. But it took a strong government to make these things a reality,” Modi said.
Modi said his government was sensitive to the people’s needs and hence his party was blessed with victory in Assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra, states where the BJP had snapped ties with allies just ahead of elections.
He expressed confidence that the party will emerge victorious in poll-bound Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir as well.
On Friday, the Prime Minister had adopted a village under Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana and came down heavily on the practice of female foeticide.
Stressing on the need for “greater self reliance”, he had said that villagers should give up the notion that the government is the doer while people were only beneficiaries.
Inaugurating the Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum, the Prime Minister pitched for giving a boost to the textile sector “which is second only to agriculture in terms of the number of people involved” and announced a package of Rs 2375 crore to revive 16 district cooperative banks of eastern UP which were closed down recently.
Encouraging use of Khadi, Modi said on more than one occasion he was delighted to learn that ever since he gave a call on Gandhi Jayanti exhorting people to buy “at least one Khadi item, however, small it may be” there has been “an 125 percent increase in the consumption” of the hand-spun fabric.




Global Snippets

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 Former Finance Minister hits out at Congress PM

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has hit out at then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the multi-billion dollar telecom scam.
Chidambaram has said in a recent interview that Singh should have resigned after the scam broke out and then Congress-led government could have tackled the matter better.
“I think 2G (telecom scam) could have been handled differently in the sense that the Prime Minister could have put his foot down and said I am sorry, I will not let you go forward with the first come first serve (FCFS) route,” he said.
Chidambaram added: “Or after licenses had been granted and issue was brought up, he could have said cancel licenses without waiting for the judgment. The government should have canceled all the licenses without waiting for the Supreme Court (judgment).”
The telecom scandal rocked the then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, with CAG Federal auditor pointing out that the scam led to a loss of U.S. 40 billion dollars to the exchequer.

ourth victim of Marysville-Pilchuk High School shooting dies

A fourth victim of the recent Marysville-Pilchuk High School shooting in Washington State has died. It is the shooter’s cousin, 15-year-old Andrew Fryberg, according to medical officials at Harborview Medical Center.“Unfortunately, Andrew Fryberg, 15, passed away this evening, November 7, at Harborview Medical Center,”Q13FOX quoted them as saying on Friday. The only survivor of the shooting is 14-year-old Nate Hatch, who is also the shooter’s cousin. He was released home on Thursday. According to the Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary, the accused sent his friends text messages telling them to meet him at the cafeteria, with promises to kill them. His motives are still being investigated.

IMF mission to visit Ukraine Nov. 11-25

The mission of the International Monetary Fund will work in Ukraine from November 11 to 25, TASS reported, citing a statement by Jerome Vacher, IMF representative in the country. The current economic situation in Ukraine will be discussed, as well as the government’s efforts to achieve macroeconomic, financial stability and the resumption of the economic growth. Ukraine officials earlier said the mission will be assessing the country’s “real need [for] further financing.”

Roadside bombs kill 6 people in NW Pakistan

Two roadside bombs, minutes apart, struck a minibus and a motorcycle in a northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border, AP reported. At least six people were killed, according to a government administrator in Pakistan, Meraj Khan. Five passengers in the minivan and the cyclist were killed and four people were wounded in Friday’s blasts in Mohmand tribal region, Khan said. Those dead included members of a local anti-Taliban militia. No one claimed responsibility for the attacks but Pakistani officials has blamed local militants for previous similar attacks in the area.

17 arrested in worldwide drug website bust – Europol

Seventeen people have been arrested in an international crackdown on underground websites selling illegal drugs, AP quoted a top Europol official as saying Friday. The agency’s cybercrimes division coordinated raids in more than a dozen countries on Thursday. In a US operation, the FBI announced the arrest in San Francisco of a man accused of running the Silk Road 2.0 online drug bazaar.

Putin to meet Cameron, Hollande at G20 summit in Australia

President Vladimir Putin will meet with UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande during the November 15-16 G20 summit in Australia’s Brisbane, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Friday. Putin and US President Barack Obama will have an opportunity to talk on the sidelines of the event, RIA Novosti quoted Ushakov as saying. Over the weekend, meetings are planned between the Russian president and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and also Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China.

Indian passenger plane hits buffalo, Spicejet airline suspends flights

An Indian airline has suspended flights from a rural airport after one of its planes hit a buffalo on the runway, AFP said. The accident occurred just before takeoff, and none of the 140 passengers and crew on the Spicejet flight was injured. The buffalo was “essentially invisible against a dark background,” the budget airline said. It suspended all flights from Surat Airport in the western Indian state of Gujarat, citing a “growing menace” of stray animals at some airports in India.

Lavrov to meet with Kerry in Beijing on Saturday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet in Beijing on Saturday, TASS news agency reported. They are expected to meet at the preparatory events for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing on November 8, a Russian Foreign Ministry source said Friday. Lavrov and Kerry last met in Paris on October 14 to discuss a broad range of issues, including events in Ukraine and Iraq. APEC leaders are due to meet in Beijing on November 10-11.

At least 10 blasts hit Fatah houses, cars in Gaza

At least 10 explosions which struck in the space of a few hours before 04:30 GMT hit houses and cars belonging to members of the Fatah movement in Gaza on Friday, AFP said. There were no immediate reports of any casualties from the blasts. They were condemned by both Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’ Fatah and its Islamist rival Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip. The stage for commemorations of next week’s 10th anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader and Fatah founder Yasser Arafat was also targeted in the blasts.Israeli death toll rises to 3 after Palestinian attack on pedestrians
An Israeli man who was injured after a Palestinian rammed his car into pedestrians died on Friday, Reuters reported, citing a hospital official. A man of about 20 died at Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem of his injuries, according to the spokeswoman. This takes to three the death toll in the incident, including the assailant shot dead at the scene. The militant Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack at a light rail stop in Jerusalem.

Japan’s regional authorities approve restart of Sendai nuclear plant

Regional authorities in Japan on Friday approved the restart of the idled Sendai nuclear plant of Kyushu Electric Power Co, Reuters said. The move paves the way for a revival of the stalled industry, more than three years after the Fukushima disaster. The two-reactor Sendai plant is located 1,000km southwest of Tokyo in Kagoshima prefecture. On Friday, 38 of the 47 members of Kagoshima’s prefectural assembly backed the restart. The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed to restart the fleet of 48 offline reactors.

​6.9 earthquake strikes off Papua New Guinea

Earthquake of magnitude 6.9 strikes off Papua New Guinea 73km NE of Finschhafen, US Geological Survey reports. The quake shook near Kandrian, New Britain at a depth of 60 km. No casualties or damage reported.

53 million email addresses stolen in Home Depot hack

Home Depot announced some 53 million email addresses were stolen when hackers infiltrated its payment system in September, the Wall Street Journal reports. That is in addition to the 56 million credit and debit card accounts that were also compromisedduring the five-month attack on company checkout terminals. As a result, Home Depot cautioned that customers should keep an eye out for email phishing scams that may attempt to gather even more personal or financial data.

​US Coast Guard looking for F-16 reportedly crashed in Gulf of Mexico

The US Coast Guard has undertaken a search and rescue mission following reports that an F-16 has gone missing some 60 – 75 miles off the coast of Panama City, Florida. Tyndall Air Force Base lost communication with the aircraft around 9:15 am on Thursday, during a routine training mission, and the Coast Guard sent out two vessels and two aircraft to begin the search. The incident is currently under investigation, though officials told AP that they suspect the F-16 has crashed in the Gulf of Mexico.

Police prevent radical Jews from praying at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque

Around 150 Jewish extremists marched in Jerusalem to pray near the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, but were prevented by police from reaching Islam’s third holiest site, AFP reports. The shrine is also revered by Jews, who are allowed to enter the compound itself, but are forbidden from praying there for fear of triggering tensions with Muslim worshippers. The protest march took place a day after two hit-and-run attacks by Palestinians saw a policeman killed and soldier seriously injured.

No plans to change rules at Jerusalem Al-Aqsa mosque – Israel

Israel has told King Abdullah of Jordan that there are no plans to change the current rules and customs at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem – the most sacred Jewish site and the third holiest place in Islam. “Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s commitment to preserve the status quo on the Temple Mount as well as Jordan’s special status at the site,” AFP reported a statement from Netanyahu’s office as saying. The statement said the two leaders had talked by phone about the “latest incidents” at the site. On Wednesday morning, Israeli police and Palestinian protesters clashed at the site.

Syrian rebel group says ‘women and kids’ killed in US-led airstrike

Syrian Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham said that civilians were killed in the latest US airstrike on Syria as the anti-ISIS coalition targeted a base near the Turkish border.“The air strikes came last night and hit a number of areas in the liberated Idlib countryside,”the statement said, reported Reuters. Women and children died in the assault according to the group.

Spain’s Supreme Court says it won’t withdraw veto on Catalonia independence vote

Spain’s Supreme Court again rejected the Catalan government’s appeal against a ban on Sunday’s independence poll in the region. Spain’s courts initially rejected the vote for failing to comply with legal standards, such as the creation electoral roll, and independent monitoring, and approval from the rest of the country, and then again when the local government repositioned the poll as a “popular consultation.” According to the ruling, the vote, which would have asked Catalans two questions about the desired degree of independence, will now be suspended for at least five months, though it is unclear if the local government will accept the decision.

Canadian train derails in alleged landside, 1 person missing

A train conductor is missing after a train derailment about 20 kilometers north of Sept-Iles in Canadian province of Quebec, CBC News reports. A landslide allegedly forced the locomotive off the tracks, which run along the Moisie River. The Iron Ore Company of Canada confirmed that the train locomotive, which was transporting empty railcars, was found submerged in the river.

France says conditions not yet met for Mistral warships’ delivery to Russia

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said that the conditions for the delivery of two Mistral warships to Russia have not yet been fulfilled. “Today the conditions have not been met for [the warships’] delivery to Russia,” he told reporters in Serbia. France has come under international pressure to cancel the delivery because of Russia’s role in the Ukraine crisis.

US attacks 5 Khorasan targets in Syria with air strikes

The United States says it has destroyed facilities and vehicles belonging to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Khorasan Grou

WHO-approved Ebola human vaccine trial to begin in Geneva in Nov.10

115 volunteers will begin a human trial of the Canadian VSV-ZEBOV vaccine at the Geneva University Hospital on November 10. The volunteers for the vaccine, which has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation, will be joined by those in Germany and 100 people in Gabon and Kenya in Africa. Early results are expected by the end of the year.

Spain’s central govt warns Catalonia against using public funds for vote

Spain’s central government on Thursday warned the region of Catalonia that it is banned from using public resources to stage a symbolic independence referendum on Nov. 9, AFP said. “Efforts to use public resources to stage the consultation or other actions linked to it could go against the court ruling,” the central government’s representative wrote in a letter to the Catalan government. The letter was also sent to the regional education department which oversees schools where ballot boxes will be installed Sunday.

Israel allows Palestinian farmers to ship produce from Gaza Strip to West Bank

Israel on Thursday allowed Palestinian farmers to ship produce from the blockaded Gaza Strip to the occupied West Bank, Reuters said. For the first time since 2007, the transit is being allowed via Israeli territory. The shipments, which were halted after Hamas won an election and took control of the Gaza Strip seven years ago, are aimed at spurring economic recovery in the enclave, after a seven-week war last summer, Israeli authorities said. A truckload of cucumbers destined for the West Bank was moved through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing point with the Gaza Strip.

Four‘IS’ supporters’ arrested in Berlin

Around 50 police officers carried out anti-terror raids in Berlin on Wednesday against suspected supporters of the Islamic State (also known as ISIS/ISIL). Four men aged 28 to 37 years old were arrested on suspicion of preparing a serious act of violent subversion, the Local reported. Four apartments in the Schoneberg area of the capital were raided early Wednesday morning. In Stuttgart, 24-year-old Ismail I. admitted in court Wednesday that he had returned to Germany from Syria to buy supplies for IS fighters.

100,000 Belgians march in 1st anti-austerity protest against new govt

Around 100,000 Belgians staged a march through central Brussels on Thursday in protest at the new government’s proposed austerity cuts, Reuters reported. The center-right government, installed a month ago, has pledged to raise the retirement age and limit scope for early retirement. An inflation-linked wage hike due next year will be canceled and the health and social security budgets cut. The unions plan a series of regional strikes every Monday starting November 24, culminating in a national strike December 15.

Palestinian who ran over 3 Israeli soldiers in West Bank ‘turns himself in’ – army

A Palestinian who ran over three Israeli soldiers in the southern West Bank turned himself in, AFP reported, citing an army statement. “The Palestinian suspected of running over the three soldiers last night turned himself into the security forces,” the statement said. It added that the man had been taken for investigation.

Gorbachev to meet Merkel as Germany marks 25th anniversary of fall of Berlin Wall

Former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev is set to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel during his upcoming trip to Germany, RIA Novosti reported. Gorbachev Foundation spokesperson Pavel Palazhchenko also said that the former Soviet leader will make a number of public appearances, and the central event will be the ceremonial meeting dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9. The New Policy Forum, which was created by Gorbachev, is to take place during his trip to Germany.

Dutch experts working at MH17 crash site in E. Ukraine – OSCE

Dutch experts have arrived at the site of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane crash in eastern Ukraine, RIA Novosti reported, citing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. They are being accompanied by the observers of the OSCE and Emergencies Ministry employees from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. The experts are currently working near the village of Grabovo, where the plane with 298 people aboard from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in July. The team of Dutch experts arrived in Donetsk on Wednesday to carry out the preparations necessary before the plane wreckage is finally removed.

Criminal case opened in Russia over shelling of school in Donetsk, E. Ukraine

The Russian Investigative Committee (SKR) has opened a criminal case over a shelling of a school in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, where children were killed. The killing is qualified as an international crime that involved the use of illegal methods of warfare, TASS reported, citing SKR spokesman Vladimir Markin. Also on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry’s envoy for human rights and the supremacy of law Konstantin Dolgov said that those responsible for the killing of children in Donetsk are to be punished severely.

Pakistan summons US ambassador as Pentagon says Islamabad supports militants

Pakistan summoned the US ambassador after a Pentagon report alleged that Islamabad supports militant proxies in neighboring India and Afghanistan, AP reported. The Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Pakistani National Security and Foreign Affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz conveyed the complaint to US Ambassador Richard Olson. The US Defense Department’s report, ‘Progress Towards Security and Stability in Afghanistan’, said militants continue to enjoy safe havens in Pakistan. According to Pentagon, the fighters are used as a hedge against Islamabad’s loss of influence in Afghanistan and as a counterweight to India’s superior military.

Hong Kong protesters clash with police in Mong Kok district

Hong Kong protesters clashed with police early on Thursday in the district of Mong Kok that has become a flashpoint for street brawls, Reuters reported. Scuffles between hundreds of protesters and dozens of police armed with batons and shields broke out after 2am local time at one of three remaining demonstration sites, for the first time in more than two weeks. On Wednesday, Regina Ip, a former Hong Kong security chief and a top adviser to the city’s embattled leader, proposed members of the Federation of Students be given seats on the committee, according to a report by broadcaster RTHK. media agencies




Burma Campaign UK

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Dear friend
Burma Campaign UK News Update
Journalist killed by Burmese Army
In October, Burmese Army soldiers killed freelance journalist Par Gyi (also known as Aung Kyaw Naing). He was covering the conflict in Mon State, where fighting broke out in September.
The army said that Par Gyi had been shot while trying to escape and claimed he was working for an ethnic armed group. However, this claim has been widely dismissed. Par Gyi is a well-known activist and journalist and worked as a security guard for Aung San Suu Kyi during the 1988 democracy uprising.
As pressure increased for an investigation into his death, his body was exhumed and has been sent for post mortem examination. Witnesses at the exhumation say that there were signs that he had been tortured.
His murder is a shocking reminder of how extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention and torture are still being used against citizens in Burma.
The murder of Par Gyi comes at a time when journalists in Burma are facing increased threats and intimidations. Journalists have been arrested under criminal charges and given long prison sentences, like the Bi Mon Te Nay journalists recently sentenced to two years on prison.
If you haven’t taken action to free the Bi Mon Te Nay journalists yet, you can send an email here.
Drop the charges against Andy Hall!
Burma Campaign UK supported a demonstration outside the Thai embassy in London in October to fight for the charges against workers’ rights defender Andy Hall to be dropped.
Andy helped expose how a factory in Thailand was committing human rights abuses against migrant workers, including migrants from Burma.
Abuses included child labour, workers being beaten, having documents confiscated, being paid illegally low wages and facing dangerous working conditions.
Instead of the company taking action to stop these abuses, it has launched legal cases for defamation against Andy Hall.
He is facing millions of pounds in fines and up to seven years in a Thai prison, just for exposing human rights abuses in a Thai pineapple factory.
This case is a clear attempt to silence Andy Hall and intimidate all those working to protect migrant workers in Thailand, the majority of whom are from Burma.
The good news is that the first case against Andy was thrown out of court at the end of October. However, he is still facing three other charges.
UN human rights rapporteur warns of “backtracking” on reforms
The new UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, has warned of “signs of possible backtracking” on reforms and a “shrinking of democratic space”.
In her report to the UN General Assembly, she highlighted the continued detention of political prisoners and the use of repressive laws, the ongoing conflict in Kachin and Shan States, religious discrimination and hate speech, serious human rights violations by the Burmese army, including attacks on civilians, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and torture, and the systematic discrimination and persecution against Rohingya.
Despite the growing human rights abuses in Burma, the British government continues to focus on promoting trade. When questioned in parliament recently, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire avoided talking about the fact that the number of political prisoners in Burma has more than doubled so far this year. He also avoided answering a question about whether or not he shared concerns expressed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma about the backtracking of reforms.
Help Us Continue Our Work
This news update shows just some of the terrible ongoing human rights abuses in Burma, and how Burma Campaign UK is working tirelessly to end them. We won’t let the international community forget about human rights, and we will always be holding the British government to account for their policies, and pressuring them to return to putting human rights first.
We rely on donations from supporters like you. Without your support, our work would end. If you can, please consider making a donation.
Thank you for your continued support.
Anna
Burma Campaign UK




INSTITUTO CERVANTES DE NUEVA DELHI

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INSTITUTO CERVANTES DE NUEVA DELHI  –  CULTURA  –  8 NOVIEMBRE 2014  –  Web

Taller: “Samba y Tango”

Workshop:
“Samba & Tango”
8/11/2014 – 10/01/2015
Instituto Cervantes, sábados y domingos a las 5:30 p.m.

Taller: “Samba y Tango” 

Sinópsis: Los participantes en este taller no sólo aprenderán a bailar tango, si no que contarán con unas sesiones especiales de samba impartidas por dos grandes maestros de ambos géneros procedentes de Brasil, Marcelo Amorim y Anna Elisa.La Samba es un género musical de raíces africanas surgido en Brasil, del cual deriva un tipo de danza. Es una de las principales manifestaciones de la cultura popular brasileña y un símbolo de la identidad nacional. Es considerado una expresión musical urbana de la ciudad de Río de Janeiro, donde este formato de samba nació y se desarrolló entre fines del siglo XIX y las primeras décadas del siglo XX. Fue en la antigua capital de Brasil que la danza practicada por los esclavos libertos entró en contacto con otros génerosmusicales y los incorporó, adquiriendo un carácter singular: polca, maxixe, lundu, xote, entre otros. De esta forma, si bien existen otras formas regionales en Brasil, fue la samba carioca la que alcanzó la condición de símbolo de la identidad nacional brasileña.
El tango es un género musical tradicional de Argentina y Uruguay, nacido de la fusión cultural entre inmigrantes europeos (españoles e italianos, principalmente), descendientes de esclavos africanos, y nativos de la región del Río de la Plata. Musicalmente suele tener forma binaria (tema y estribillo) o ternaria (dos partes a las que se agrega un trío). Muchas de las letras de sus canciones están compuestas basándose en un argot local llamado lunfardo, letras que suelen expresar las tristezas, especialmente «en las cosas del amor», que sienten los hombres y las mujeres de pueblo, sin que ello sea obstáculo a la inclusión de otras, incluso humorísticas y políticas.
- Fechas:  8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 de noviembre, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 de diciembre y 3, 4 Y 10 de enero.
– Los días 15 y 16 de noviembre Marcelo Amorim y Anna Elisa impartiran el taller de Samba para los alumnos inscritos.
– Horario: 5:30 a 7:00 p.m. (sábados y domingos)
– El taller se impartirá en inglés y español.
– Matrícula: 3.600 INR
– Profesora: Kiran Sawhney, Marcelo Amorim y Anna Elisa.(+)
Workshop: “Samba & Tango”
Synopsis: Those who participate in this workshop will learn not only tango, but also samba. Two great Brazilian masters, Marcelo Amorim and  Anna Elisa, will teach some classes on the 15th and 16th November.
Samba is a Brazilian musical genre and dance style originating in Bahia, Brazil, and with its roots Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions, particularly Angola and the Congo. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival. Considered one of the most popular Brazilian cultural expressions, samba has become an icon of Brazilian national identity.
Tango is a traditional dance of Argentina and Uruguay, born of cultural fusion between European immigrants (Spanish and Italian, mainly), descendants of African slaves, and natives of the region of the Rio de la Plata. Musically is mainly binary (theme and chorus) or ternary (two parts to which is added a trio). Many of the lyrics of their songs are written on a local slang called lunfardo, and the lyrics often express sadness, especially regarding of the matter of love felt by men and women, without that hindering the treatment of other issues, even humorous and political.
- Dates: 8th , 9th , 15th, 16nd , 22nd , 23th , 29th , 30th of November, 7th, 13th, 14th , 20th 21st of December and 3th, 4th and 10th of January.
– On November 15th and 16th Marcelo Amorim and Anna Elisa will direct the Samba classes for the students of the course.
– Time: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)
– No previous knowledge of Spanish is needed. Lessons will be taught in English and Spanish – Enrollment fee: 3.600 INR
–  Teacher: Kiran Sawhney, Marcelo Amorim and  Anna Elisa. (+)
AGENDA
09/11/2014Auditorio, Instituto Cervantes, a las 4:30 p.m.García Márquez en el cine: “Milagro en Roma”Sinopsis: La hija de Margarito Duarte, modesto empleado judicial de una pequeña población colombiana, muere de repente a la edad de 7 años. 12 años después, al exhumar el cuerpo, los restos de la niña continúan intactos. Margarito Duarte con la ayuda del pueblo inicia un proceso para llegar a Roma y pedirle al Papa la santificación de su hija.
Ver trailer.

García Márquez & the Cinema: “Miracle in Rome”
Synopsis: The daughter of a humble public official dies unexpectedly. Twelve years later, when she is exhumed, the father discovers her body is intact. With money collected in the town, the father travels to Rome with his daughter’s body, so the Pope can decide whether she is the first Colombian saint or not.

In Spanish with English subtitles.
Todos los que formamos parte del Instituto Cervantes de Nueva Delhitenemos el placer de invitaros a los actos de celebración del 5º aniversariodel centro, que tendrán lugar el próximo martes 11 de noviembre, y que contarán con la presencia del Embajador de España en India, Don Gustavo de Arístegui, y representantes de las delegaciones diplomáticas latinoamericanas:5:00 p.m. Teatro:
La hija de Rappaccini” de Octavio Paz.
6:30 p.m.  Conferencia:
“Ventana abierta a Gabriel García Márquez” por   Conrado Zuluaga.
¡Os esperamos!
All of us from Instituto Cervantes in New Delhi are pleased to invite you to the celebration of its 5th Anniversaryon November 11th, with the pressence of H. Ex. Mr. Gustavo de Arístegui, Ambassador of Spain in India, and memebers of the Latinamerican diplomatic delegations:
 5:00 p.m. Theatre:
“Rappaccini’s Daughter” by Octavio Paz.In Spanish
6:30 p.m. Talk:
“Open Window Gabriel García Márquez” by Conrado Zuluaga.In Spanish with simultaneous English translation.
Hope to see you!
COMING SOON
PRÓXIMAMENTE12/2014Instituto Cervantes
Teatro: La casa de bernarda AlbaTheatre: The house of bernarda Alba
12/2014
Kolkata
Festival internacional de cine para niños de Calcuta
Kolkata International Children’s Film Festival
EL INSTITUTO CERVANTES
EN EL MUNDO

Río de Janeiro: Ciclo de cine peruano (+)
Rio de Janeiro: Peruvian Film Series(+)
Roma: La muerte tiene permiso. (+)
Rome: Death has permission
(+)
Agenda




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Union Cabinet expanded, 21 take oath

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Manohar Parrikar and three others were on Sunday inducted into the Union Cabinet as Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his Council of Ministers, bringing in 21 new ministers as Shiv Sena kept away from the exercise.<
Suresh Prabhu, a former Shiv Sainik and Power minister in Vajpayee government, senior BJP leader J P Nadda and Jat leader from Haryana Birender Singh, who joined BJP ahead of Assembly elections, were the other Cabinet ministers to take oath of office and secrecy at a function in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi,Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitely, Nitin Gadkari and BJP President Amit Shah and others dignitaries were present on the occasion.
In a last minute development, Shiv Sena today decided not to participate in today’s cabinet expansion in New Delhi. Shiv Sena MP Aanand Adsul and Chandrakant Khaire informed that no one from Shiv Sena will take oath as minister in today’s cabinet expansion.
Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackrey has called Mr. Anil Desai, who has reached the Delhi Airport just a while ago, to return back. Speaking to some private news channels, Mr Adsul and Khaire alleged that BJP’ central leadership declined to hold talks with Shiv Sena over the latter’s joining in Maharashtra government as a result Shiv Sena leadership decided to stay away from the swearing in ceremony.
Bandaru Dattatreya and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who were ministers in the Vajpayee government, and Mahesh Sharma, newly-elected MP from Gautam Buddh Nagar bordering Delhi, were sworn-in as Ministers of State with Independent Charge.
14 other Ministers of State were sworn-in. They are Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Ram Kripal Yadav, Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, Sanwar Lal Jat and Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya Giriraj Singh, Hansraj Ahir, Ram Shankar Katheria, Jayant Sinha, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Babul Supriyo, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Vijay Sampla (all BJP) and Y S Chowdary, a Rajya Sabha member from TDP.





PM Modi to visit Myanmar to participate in 12th INDIA-ASEAN, 9th East Asia Summit.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Myanmar on Tuesday to participate in 12th INDIA-ASEAN Summit and 9th East Asia Summit. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Secretary East in the External Affairs Ministry Anil Wadhwa said, this would be the first multilateral engagement of Mr Modi with ASEAN and East Asian nations. Prime Minister will review strategic partnership with ASEAN leaders.
The emphasis will be on Act East Policy to highlight deep roots of cultural and civilizational linkages, common strategic economic and political perspective. He said India would emphasize on enhancing people-to-people contacts, augmenting trade and focus on regional security architecture in the next ASEAN-India five-year plan of action starting 2016.
Besides, multilateral meetings, Mr Modi will hold bilateral meetings with ASEAN and East Asian leaders including President of Myanmar. Prime Minister will also meet Nobel Laureate and opposition leader of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the summits.




यूपी देता रहा दुहाई, महिलाओं की इज्जत न बचने पाई ;

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Media Release मीडिया रिलीज़ – यूपी देता रहा  दुहाई,  महिलाओं की इज्जत
न बचने  पाई ; सीएम रहीं चाहे ‘लालची’ बहन मायावती,  या फिर हालिया
‘लुपलुप’ अखिलेश भाई l Compared to year 2010, Crimes against Women in
UP increased continuously by 12.25% in 2011, by 16.86% in 2012 & by a
whopping 61.37% in 2013 महज ‘ अपराध मशीन’  बनकर रह गयी है यूपी  की
सरकारी मशीनरी  l साल 2010 के मुकाबले 2011 में 12.25%,2012 में 16.86%
और 2013 में 61.37% बढ़ीं हैं महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों की घटनाएं l  As
CM of U.P. Both Maya n Akhilesh fail to contain Crimes against Women
मायावती हों या अखिलेश यादव, दोनों सीएम  यूपी में महिलाओं के विरुद्ध
अपराधों पर लगाम लगाने में पूर्णतया विफल l Uttar Pradesh Government
Machinery turns into Crime Producing Machine  साल 2010 से 2013 तक यूपी
में लगातार बढ़ते रहे महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराध l साल 2013    में साल
2010 के मुकाबले  रेप  की 1487  घटनाएं अधिक (95.10%) घटनाएं , महिलाओं
की शालीनता को भंग करने की 4510 घटनाएं अधिक (161%) और दहेज़ निरोधक
अधिनियम की 1162  घटनाएं अधिक (1010%) हुईं l यूपी में महिलाओं के अपहरण
की घटनाओं में साल 2010 से 2013 तक  लगातार वृद्धि l साल 2013    में साल
2010 के मुकाबले  महिलाओं के अपहरण  की  78.07% घटनाएं अधिक l
उत्तर प्रदेश में चाहें  मायावती हों या अखिलेश यादव, ये दोनों ही सीएम
के रूप में महिलाओं की सुरक्षा के सम्बन्ध में दावे तो बड़े बड़े करते रहे
पर हक़ीक़त तो यह है कि ये दोनों ही सीएम  यूपी  में महिलाओं के विरुद्ध
अपराधों पर लगाम लगाने में पूर्णतः  विफल रहे हैं l इस कड़वी सच्चाई का
खुलासा सामाजिक संस्था ‘तहरीर’*  के संस्थापक ई० संजय शर्मा की एक आरटीआई
पर राष्ट्रीय अपराध रिकॉर्ड ब्यूरो के जन सूचना अधिकारी के०  पी०  उदय
शंकर द्वारा दिए गए एक जबाब से हुआ है l
*’तहरीर’  { Transparency, Accountability & Human Rights’ Initiative
for Revolution – TAHRIR }  लोक जीवन में पारदर्शिता संवर्धन, जबाबदेही
निर्धारण और आमजन के मानवाधिकारों के संरक्षण के हितार्थ उत्तर प्रदेश
में जमीनी स्तर पर कार्यशील संस्था  है l
संजय को उपलब्ध कराई गयी सूचना के अनुसार उत्तर  प्रदेश में साल  2010
में 20169,साल 2011  में 22639 ,साल 2012  में 23569 और साल 2013  में
महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की 32546 घटनाएं  सरकारी आंकड़ों में दर्ज
हैं l  गौरतलब है  कि वर्ष 2010 से मार्च 2012 तक सूबे की कमान मायावती
के हाथ में थी और मार्च 2012 से वर्ष 2013 तक की अवधि में अखिलेश यादव
सूबे के मुखिया  रहे हैं lइन आकड़ों से स्पष्ट है कि उत्तर  प्रदेश में
साल 2011  में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की
2470  अधिक (12.25%) घटनाएं  हुईं l  साल 2012  में साल  2010 के
मुकाबले  महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की 3400  अधिक (16.86%)  घटनाएं
हुईं तो वही साल 2013    में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  महिलाओं के विरुद्ध
अपराधों  की 12377  अधिक (61.37%) घटनाएं हुईं हैं l
संजय कहते हैं कि इन आकड़ों के साल-दर-साल विश्लेषण से  भी यह स्पष्ट है
कि उत्तर  प्रदेश में साल 2011  में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  महिलाओं के
विरुद्ध अपराधों  की 2470  अधिक घटनाएं  ( 12.25%) हुईं l  साल 2012
में साल  2011  के मुकाबले  महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की 930  अधिक
घटनाएं ( 4.10%) हुईं तो वही साल 2013    में साल  2012  के मुकाबले
महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की 8977  अधिक घटनाएं (38.09%) हुईं हैं जो
यह सिद्ध कर रहा है कि साल 2010 से 2013 तक यूपी में महिलाओं के विरुद्ध
अपराधों  की घटनाओं में लगातार वृद्धि ही हो रही है और फिर चाहें वह
मायावती के नेतृत्व में  बनी बहुजन समाज पार्टी की सरकार हो या  अखिलेश
यादव के नेतृत्व में बनी समाजवादी पार्टी की सरकार, सभी सरकारें  महिलाओं
के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की घटनाओं को रोकने के मामले में महज कोरी वयानवाजी
कर महिलाओं को गुमराह ही करती  रही हैं और महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों
की घटनाओं को रोकने में पूर्णतया विफल रही हैं l
संजय को उपलब्ध कराई गयी सूचना के अनुसार उत्तर  प्रदेश में  साल 2013
में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  रेप  की 1487  घटनाएं अधिक (95.14%) घटनाएं
हुईं, महिलाओं की शालीनता को भंग करने की 4510 घटनाएं अधिक (161%) हुईं
और दहेज़ निरोधक अधिनियम के अंतर्गत 1162  घटनाएं अधिक (1010%) दर्ज  हुईं
हैं l
यद्यपि महिलाओं के विरुद्ध सभी श्रेणियों के अपराधों में वृद्धि हुई है
किन्तु यूपी में महिलाओं के अपहरण की घटनाओं में साल 2010 से 2013 तक
लगातार वृद्धि ही हुई है l उत्तर  प्रदेश में साल  2010 में 5468,साल
2011  में 7525 ,साल 2012  में 7910 और साल 2013  में  महिलाओं के अपहरण
की 9737 घटनाएं  सरकारी आंकड़ों में दर्ज हैं l  इस प्रकार उत्तर  प्रदेश
में  साल 2013    में साल  2010 के मुकाबले  महिलाओं के अपहरण  की
78.07% घटनाएं अधिक हुईं l
सूबे में महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की घटनाओं की संख्या में हो रही
बेतहाशा उत्तरोत्तर वृद्धि पर तंज कसते हुए संजय कहते है कि इतनी तेजी से
तो  कारखानों की मशीनों की  प्रोडक्टिविटी ( उत्पादकता ) भी नहीं बढ़ती है
और उत्तर प्रदेश की सरकारी मशीनरी  को अपराध पैदा करने बाली ऐसी मशीन की
संज्ञा  दी है जिसकी अपराध पैदा करने की प्रोडक्टिविटी ( उत्पादकता )
उच्च दर पर बढ़ती ही जा रही है l
महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  को उत्तर प्रदेश के  विकास के सभी मार्गों
की सबसे बड़ी वाधा बताते हुए संजय ने कहा कि महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों
के परिपेक्ष्य में सरकार की कमजोर इच्छाशक्ति, सरकार की  दोषियों को
बचाने  या बेकरूर को फसाने के दुरुद्देश्य से बेवजह  दखल देने की
प्रवृत्ति तथा प्रशासनिक अमले  और स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधियों की स्पष्ट
जबाबदेही के अभाव के कारण ही सरकार, प्रशासनिक अमला  और स्थानीय
जनप्रतिनिधि  महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों को रोकने के उपायों के
क्रियान्वयन के प्रति गंभीर नहीं हैं और सरकारें भी महिलाओं के विरुद्ध
अपराधों की घटनाएं हो जाने के बाद महज सरकारी खानापूर्ति कर मामले की
इतिश्री कर देती हैं पर वैज्ञानिक सबूतों के आधार पर महिलाओं के विरुद्ध
अपराधों की घटनाओं की त्वरित विवेचना और न्यायालयों में इन मामलों का
त्वरित निपटारा न होने के कारण ही इन अपराधों की घटनाओं में लगातार
वेतहाशा  वृद्धि हो रही है l
संजय ने अब महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  के परिपेक्ष्य में सरकार ,
प्रशासनिक अमले  और स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधियों की स्पष्ट जबाबदेही के
निर्धारण के लिए  सामाजिक संस्था ‘तहरीर’ के माध्यम से एक व्यापक मुहिम
चलाने का ऐलान करते हुए इस सम्बन्ध में देश  के प्रधानमंत्री , गृहमंत्री
और  सूबे के राज्यपाल, मुख्यमंत्री को पत्र लिखकर प्रशासनिक अमले  और
स्थानीय जनप्रतिनिधियों को  महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों को रोकने के
उपायों के क्रियान्वयन के प्रति गंभीर बनाने हेतु उनकी स्पष्ट जबाबदेही
का निर्धारण करने हेतु नियम-कानून  बनाने  और महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों
की घटनाओं में वैज्ञानिक सबूतों के आधार पर महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों
की घटनाओं की त्वरित और समयबद्ध विवेचना एवं  न्यायालयों में इन मामलों
का त्वरित और समयबद्ध निपटारा किये जाने की मांग करने का  भी ऐलान किया
है l
संजय का कहना है कि वह यह जानना चाहते हैं कि यूपी में महिलाओं के
विरुद्ध अपराधों में हो रही वृद्धि को यूपी की जनसँख्या वृद्धि-दर  से
जोड़ने बाले सपा मुखिया मुलायम  सिंह यादव इन आंकड़ों पर क्या कहेंगे और
इन आंकड़ों पर क्या कहेंगे हालिया आगरा यात्रा के दौरान अन्य प्रदेशों  के
अपराधियों  द्वारा ही यूपी आकर अपराध करने का वक्तव्य देने बाले यूपी
सीएम अखिलेश यादव l संजय जानना चाहते हैं कि क्या यूपी की जनसँख्या साल
2010 के मुकाबले 2011 में 12.25%,2012 में 16.86% और 2013 में 61.37% बढ़ी
है ?  संजय यह भी जानना चाहते हैं कि क्या यूपी की पुलिस इतनी नपुंसक हो
गयी है कि अन्य प्रदेशों  के अपराधी यूपी आकर अपराध करने लगे हैं ? संजय
जानना चाहते हैं कि यदि  यूपी की पुलिस इतनी ही नपुंसक हो गयी है तो आखिर
इन अपराधों पर लगाम लगेगी कैसे ?
हालिया अखिलेश दास रिश्वत-प्रकरण से बेनकाब हुई मायावती एवं  पिछले ढाई
साल से अपने चाचाओं और पिताजी के  फरमानों के भंवर में फंसकर अपने बजूद
तक को खो  रहे अखिलेश यादव के द्वारा महिलाओं के विरुद्ध अपराधों  की
रोकथाम के  लिए किये गए प्रयासों  की सफलता के परिपेक्ष्य में  संजय ने
कहा “यूपी देता रहा  दुहाई,  महिलाओं की इज्जत न बचने  पाई ; सीएम रहीं
चाहे ‘लालची’ बहन मायावती,  या फिर हालिया ‘लुपलुप’ अखिलेश भाई l”
आरटीआई जबाब की स्कैन्ड प्रति इस मेल के साथ अटैच्ड है l

Urvashi Sharma
Founder & Chief Coordinator-UPCPRI
http://upcpri.hpage.com/
Uttar Pradesh Campaign to Protect RTI
http://upcpri.blogspot.in/
Lucknow-India
Contact – 9369613513
Helplines – 8081898081,9455553838




DELHI COMES ALIVE WITH THE COLOURS OF THE NORTH EAST

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North East Festival charms Delhiites with its varied offerings; 2nd day of the festival witnesses unprecedented turnout  


  • Music, dance, fashion, food, exhibition of art, photography, cartoon, film, discussions and much more at display in the 2nd day of the Festival

  • A dazzling fashion show sees icons from the North East like Shiva Thapa, Rajani Basumatary, Mahadev Deka walk the ramp in stunning outfits from the region

  • Musicians take centrestage in the evening with some amazing performances – Guru Rewbwn Mashangva, Assamese heartthrob Zubeen Garg, et al enthral crowds

  • Lively discussion sessions on ‘Opportunities for investment in IT and ITES in North East’ and ‘Entrepreneurship and investment in North East India’ sees eminent speakers discussing on issues related to investments and opportunities in the region

  • Film festival showcasing the best of North East on celluloid begins

New Delhi, 9th November, 2014: The 2nd day of the ongoing North East Festival turned out to be a roaring success and Delhi embraced the North East with open arms. After a successful inaugural last year, the second edition of the North East Festival is being held in great style from 7th to 10th November 2014 at IGNCA, Janpath, New Delhi.

A dazzling fashion show with some of the most famous fashion designers of the North East like Dhiraj Deka, Garima Saikia Garg, Yana Ngoba, LD Roslyn Konshai along with other upcoming designers showcased their finest creations. Icons of the region like Shiva Thapa, Rajani Basumatary and Mahadev Deka rounded off the show by walking the ramp.

The evening saw the crowd go wild as the biggest names in music took centrestage in rocking style. King of Naga folk blues Guru Rewben Mashangva, Assamese heartthrob Zubeen Garg, Tetseo Sisters, Mayukh Hazarika, Frisky Pints set the stage on fire with their performances.

This year’s edition of the festival will be focused on the various business and investment opportunities that the region presents, apart from showcasing the multifarious culture and rich heritage of the North Eastern states. There were lively discussion sessions on ‘Opportunities for investment in IT and ITES in North East’ and ‘Entrepreneurship and investment in North East India’ sees eminent speakers discussing on issues related to investments and opportunities in the region.

Adding colour to the proceedings, artistes from various states of North East India along with Sangeet Natak Akademi presented a range of ethnic dances from the region. Sumptuous cuisines carrying fragrances of the North East were in abundance in the various food stalls along with exquisite handicrafts and ethnic handlooms from the region. Various music bands like from NER like Foot Wings, Stuti Choudhury, Minutes of Decay etc. performed all through the day much to the delight of the onlookers.

A film festival featuring the best of North East cinema commenced as well, which was inaugurated by Rajani Basumatary, one of the biggest film directors from the region.

The “North East Festival”, has become a brand which is synonymous with the unification of the various stakeholders of North East under one dynamic platform. North East Festival is organised by the reputed socio-cultural trust, Trend MMS, in association with North East Community of Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, Ministry of DoNER, Govt. of India and IGNCA.


Highlights:
  • State kiosks wherein each state of North East India will highlight its resources and projects
  • Agri & Food Processing Exhibition cum Sale – Organic Farming, Floriculture
  • Exhibition cum sale of Handloom & handicrafts
  • Tour Operators Meet
  • Ethnic food festival – showcasing the best delectable cuisines from the entire region
  • Photography exhibition showcasing the vibrant culture, tribes and important landmarks of the region
  • Art Exhibition showcasing top artistes of North East both modern and traditional art forms
  • Film Festival of North East to promote young upcoming flimmakers
  • Traditional Sports of North East
  • Fashion show displaying the rich ethnic fabric collections by top North East designers.
  • Cultural programs in evening – musical performance by popular musicians from the North-East Region like Zubin Garg, Tetseo Sisters, Guru Rewben Mashangva, Imphal Talkies, Soulmate, Girish the Chronicle, Vinyl Records and Bollywood singer – Ash King
  • Day time Carnival – Tribal dance from various tribes of North East, Musical performance by around 30 talented musical bands of the region
  • Round-table discussions on issues of security of North Eastern people in Delhi, IT& ITES opportunities, Educaton, Sports, Agriculture Food Processing, Tourism,with participation from all major stakeholders of the region and the policymakers of the country




राजीव गुप्ता -‘सबसे पहले भारत’

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आमंत्रण : श्री लालकृष्ण आडवाणी एवं संस्कृति मंत्री श्री श्रीपाद नाईक द्वारा पुस्तक विमोचन कार्यक्रम
From: Rajeev Gupta <vision2020rajeev@gmail.com> Sun, 9 Nov ’14 10:08a
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
नमस्कार.
11 नवम्बर, 2014 , मंगलवार के शुभदिन पर सायं 3:30 बजे से लेकर 6 बजे तक स्वामी विवेकानन्द के विचारों पर आधारित मेरी पुस्तक ‘;सबसे पहले भारत'; का विमोचन कार्यक्रम दिल्ली स्थित दीनदयाल शोध संस्थान , नजदीक  वीडियोकान टावर, झंडेवालान पर रहेगा जिसमे आप सादर आमंत्रित हैं.
इस कार्यक्रम की अध्यक्षता वरिष्ठ पत्रकार श्री रामबहादुर राय जी करेगें, विशिष्ठ अतिथि श्री लालकृष्ण आडवाणी जी और श्री श्याम परांडे जी होंगे, मुख्य अतिथि श्री श्रीपाद नाईक जी , केन्द्रीय संस्कृति मंत्री रहेंगे तथा मुख्य वक्ता के रूप में वरिष्ठ चिंतक और लेखक श्री नरेन्द्र कोहली जी रहेगें.
इस पुस्तक को रूपा पब्लिकेशन ने प्रकाशित किया है.
धन्यवाद सहित.
आपका
राजीव गुप्ता
09811558925




NORTH EAST FESTIVAL STARTS WITH GREAT FANFARE IN THE CAPITAL

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  • ‘Insurgence to Resurgence’ is the theme of the festival this year; aims to attract investment and tourism promotion for the North East Region

  • Bigger and better than before, the four day carnival to focus on the opportunities in the 8 North Eastern states and will include IT & ITES,  Agri- Food Processing, Tourism, Handloom & Handicraft

  • Music, dance, fashion, food, exhibition of art, photography, cartoon, film, discussions and much more

  • Felicitation of sports icons from the North East who have brought glory for the country

New Delhi, 8th November, 2014: After a hugely successful inaugural last year, the second edition of the North East Festival kicked off in great style in a brand new avatar in the capital. Being held from7th to 10th November 2014 at IGNCA, Janpath, New Delhi, this year’s edition of the festival will be focused on the various business and investment opportunities that the region presents, apart from showcasing the multifarious culture and rich heritage of the North Eastern states.

North East Festival is organised by the reputed socio-cultural trust, Trend MMS, in association with North East Community of Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, Ministry of DoNER, Govt. of India and IGNCA.

The chief guests for the evening – Gen. Dr. VK Singh, Union Minister (Independent Charge), DoNER, MoS (External Affairs and Overseas Affairs), Govt. of India and Mr. Kiren Rjiju, Hon’ble MoS (Home), Govt. of India along with MC Mary Kom, Brand Ambassador of the North East Festival inaugurated the four day extravaganza. In the inaugural session, medal winning athletes from the North East who brought glory for the country in the recent CWG & Asian Games,  including names like Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, L. Devendro Singh, Dipa Karmakar, etc. were felicitated under NEC Chairman’s Sports Awards for Excellence in International & National Sports meets.


Adding colour to the proceedings, artistes from various states of North East India along with Sangeet Natak Akademi presented a range of ethnic dances from the region. Sumptuous cuisines carrying fragrances of the North East were in abundance in the various food stalls along with exquisite handicrafts and ethnic handlooms from the region. Various music bands like from NER like Guwahati Lights, Akhu – Imphal Talkies, Vinyl Record, Soulmate, The Local Train etc. performed all through the day much to the delight of the onlookers.

During the morning session, a discussion was held on ‘Alienation feeling in the North East & Implementation of Bezbaruah Committee Recommendation’ with the help of North East Community of Delhi.

The “North East Festival”, has become a brand which is synonymous with the unification of the various stakeholders of North East under one dynamic platform.

Speaking about this year’s edition, Shyamkanu Mahanta, Organiser in Chief, North East Festival said, “This year, the theme is ‘Insurgence to Resurgence’ with focus on highlighting the positive stories of entrepreneurship and development.  The objective is to present people of Delhi to understand North East India in one platform and to encourage tourism to the North East Region. This year our focus is on what we could contribute to our region beyond the festival, be it skill & entrepreneurship development or investment and tourism promotion.”

24,807 Indian Inventors Em-migrated to Developed Nations

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Poor land route connectivity deters India-ASEAN bonhomie

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ASHOK B SHARMA
In a situation where economies are seeking integration with neighbours in the form of institutional grouping, India has made attempts for engagement with the ASEAN bloc primarily for trade and integration of the economy, more particularly to derive benefit for its remote north-eastern region. But this has not been realised in full potential due to poor land route connectivity despite inking of free trade agreements in goods and services with ASEAN.
Myanmar is north-east India’s gateway to ASEAN. India and Myanmar have a 1643 km long border between them and also share a long maritime boundary.
The axis of economic activity has shifted to the India-Pacific region, described by US as “pivot” and hence it intends to play a rebalancing role in the region. The ASEAN nations have decided to form an economic community in 2015. Myanmar, which is in a transition phase to democracy, is set to have a new democratic order after polls in 2015. Keeping in view the possible developments in the region India had earlier formulated North East Vision Document 2020 that includes plans for land route connectivity with Myanmar and beyond. It has set up its mission to ASEAN in Jakarta with a separate ambassador to take forward its multi-faceted relations with this grouping.
However, in matters of land route connectivity between India and ASEAN the progress has been slow as compared to the connectivity drive by China. Indian Prime Minister Narendrabhai Damodardass Modi needs to take up this issue at the India-ASEAN Summit slated in Nay Pyi Taw in the second week of this month.
Myanmar is well connected with Yunnan province in China. There is a flourishing trade at Muse-Jiagao border trading point. In 2012-13 Myanmar’s exports to China was $1584 million while China’s export to Myanmar was $1153 million. Compared to this officially recorded trade between India and Myanmar through border trade points at Moreh and Zokhawthar was only $6.5 million in 2012-13. Much of the trade is through unofficial channels and some through allowed barter trade arrangement where about 23 farm commodities are allowed. Main items of India’s imports are betel nuts, dried ginger and pulses while main items of India’s exports are cumin seeds, turmeric and soybean meal.
Myanmar exports primary farm products like rice, maize, pulses, vegetables, fruits, fishery items apart from jade and other gemstones to China, while China exports fertilisers, machinery, motorcycles, steel products, apple, pear, organs, hybrid seeds, cotton yarns, garments, milk powder, electrical and electronic items.
The trading point has three gates for entry and exit of vehicles for different purposes. Gate no 1 is for passenger vehicles, small goods vehicles and for people crossing either sides. Gate no 2 allows passage of people with baggage or headloads but not with vehicles. Gate no 3 is for heavy trucks carrying goods.
Myanmar citizens are allowed to go into China within 90 km radius from the border with a temporary passport and stay for six to seven days. Chinese citizens are allowed to come into Myanmar up to 105 mile zone which is seven miles from Muse.
Muse Border Trade Inspection Zone is a vast 48-acre site set up in 2006. Customs, immigration, police and revenue authorities all have their offices under one roof. However, there is no food testing facility. There are facilities for warehouses and cold storages. There is a border rice market and a fishery market. An yearly China-Myanmar Border Trade Fair is held alternately on either side of the border since 2001.Most of Myanmar traders have opened Yuan accounts in Chinese banks across the border. Muse branch of Myanmar Economic Bank issues draft payable in Yuan. There are number of money exchangers at the border. Hence business transaction is not a problem. Few factories have been set up for processing bulk imports of many items from China.
Muse on the Myanmar side is located about 112 miles from Lashio, the main town in northern Shan state. Lashio in turn is 165 miles north of Mandalay. Much of the road from Mandalay goes over hilly terrain with winding lanes and the average time taken to cover the whole distance is over 12 hours by truck. The road is doubled land. Though landslides are regular features in Lashio-Muse segment, efforts are made to clear the debris.
Another example of cross country connectivity are pipelines from Kyaukphyu to Yunan province in China for supply of gas and crude petroleum products. China has made its presence in Kyaukphyu Economic and Technological Development Zone, deep sea port and railway project. It intends to take lease of Great Coco Island close to India’s Andaman & Nicobar Islands as part of its Maritime Silk Route plan and presence in India-Pacific.
India has not yet been able to develop Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Manipur at Moreh-Tamu trading point at India-Myanmar border over 45 acre land since the setting up of Land Ports Authority in 2012. Tamu-Kalay-Kalewa road has been built with Indian assistance, India has agreed to rebuild 71 bridges and upgrade 120 km Kalewa-Yagi segment while Myanmar would upgrade the 65-km Yagi-Monywa segment by 2015 which would ultimately ensure connectivity from Imphal in India to Mandalay in Myanmar. This will help to realize the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral connectivity with remaining gaps near Mae Sot in Thailand, with other roads leading to Laos. It is expected that the Trilateral Highway will be operationalised by 2016.
But India needs to gear up its internal connectivity of Manipur with the rest of north-eastern states and lay Jiribam-Imphal railway track and establish rail connectivity between Imphal and Kalay.
Another identified border trade point at India-Myanmar border is Zokhawthar-Rhi. India has agreed to build the 80 km Rhi-Tiddim road in Myanmar. It would be important to get Myanmar to upgrade the Tiddim-Kalay road so that this could then provide a seamless link to Mandalay from Mizoram in India.
Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project is one of the highest significance. Its implementation began in 2010. The road segment of the project has not kept to schedule, but is expected to progress alongwith the water component of the project. India has decided to set its consulate in Sittwe. There are plans for setting up a Land Customs Station at Zorinpuri on the Kaladan project route to handle goods from Indian ports through Sittwe and facilitate trade between north-eastern states like Mizoram, Tripura and lower Assam with Chin and Rakhine states of Myanmar.
Starting with Pangsau pass in Arunachal Pradesh, India has plans to set up 10 border haats along the Myanmar border. There is also a need to revive the old connectivity of Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar – the Stilwell Road.
India is working with Myanmar to operationalise an Imphal-Mandalay bus service. A project for a road from the Mizoram border at Rhi to Tiddim is slated to be taken up by India.
Air connectivity is also important Air India has bi-weekly services from Kolkata to Yangon with frequency rising to three flights a week during Buddhist pilgrim season (October-March) when these flights gets extended to Bodh Gaya. Air flights should connect Imphal and Mandalay. Flights from Aizawal to Kalemyo and Mandalay would further ensure connectivity.
Myanmar is a key member of the CLMV group – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The CLMV group are partners in the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation through which India undertakes development projects in the Mekong’s lower reaches. More stress should be given to activate the BIMSTEC group – Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand – for ensuring connectivity with ASEAN. The Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had proposed all round connectivity among north-eastern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. India must echo the same instead of pursuing the BCIM—Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar corridor – as proposed by Beijing. Sooner the better.
(Ashok B Sharma is a senior Columnist writing on Strategy and policy Issues in several national and international newspapers and magazines. He can be reached atashokbsharma@gmail.com His mobile phone no 09810902204)




AAP Submission to SIT on Black Money!

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Arvind Kejriwal added 5 new photos to the album AAP Submission to SIT on Black Money!
To
The Chairperson,
SIT on Black Money,
Ashoka Hotel,
New Delhi.
Dear Sir,
The present NDA government has made the following three U-turns on the issue of black money after forming the government at centre. Therefore, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court led SIT remain the only hope for the people of India to get black money back to India and to get the guilty punished.
1. Prime Minister himself said in his speeches during elections that lakhs of crores of black money was stashed abroad. He promised the people that he would bring this money back to India and Rs 3 lakhs would be given gratis to each citizen from this amount. However, now the Prime Minister said in his “Mann ki baat” recently that he was not sure of how much money was lying abroad and it could even be just a few crores.
2. BJP had repeatedly demanded disclosure of the names on the list during UPA government. BJP even went to the extent of stalling Parliament proceedings when UPA refused to disclose those names. BJP promised to disclose these names when voted to power. However, after forming government at the centre, now NDA refuses to disclose those names citing exactly the same reasons which were being cited by previous UPA government.
3. BJP promised to bring back black money within 100 days. Now they say they are not sure when would it come. In fact, they are not even sure whether it would come at all. Why did BJP make sudden U-turns just within a few months of forming the government? It seems this is because some of the names on the list are believed to be close to BJP. Some people even believe that some of these names could even have funded BJP.
The proximity of two prominent persons to the Prime Minister, whose names are on the list, has become well known recently. These two names are – Sh Mukesh Ambani and Sh Anil Ambani. The Prime Minister recently announced 9 people as his brand ambassadors for swachh bharat abhiyan. Mr Anil Ambani was named one of them. Subsequently, the Prime Minister went for the inauguration of Mr Mukesh Ambani’s hospital. The speech of Ms Nita Ambani, wife of Sh Mukesh Ambani, was tweeted by PMO’s handle live during the ceremony. A photograph of Mr Mukesh Ambani putting his hand around Mr Modi is doing the rounds, which shows how close Mr Mukesh Ambani is to the Prime Minister. The photograph is attached herewith.
We are writing all this to prove that a message has gone to the entire bureaucracy that some of the names on the list are very close to the new Prime Minister (incidentally, they were close to the previous Prime Minister too) and that no action should be taken against them. We are told that now, no one in the bureaucracy has the courage to take any strict action against the high and mighty on the list.
Information received from reliable whistleblowers tells us that selective action is being taken against those on the list depending upon how powerful one is. This selective action falls in following categories:
1. Some people have been raided, interrogated and made to pay taxes, penalty and are now being prosecuted. Why similar action has not been taken against others?
2. Around 200 people on the list were made to sign “consent” that they did not have objection if HSBC Bank provided their complete bank statements to Indian government. We understand that HSBC has provided complete bank statements of around 100 such people. The bank statements provided by HSBC match with the balance written in the government’s list. This establishes the credibility of this list. If some people have been made to sign “consent” statements and their complete statements obtained, then why this action has not been take against others? Also, we are told that those who have signed consent statements are being “unofficially” granted immunity from prosecution. Why?
3. The most powerful people on this list including some people from the Ambani family have been let off by making them revise their earlier returns in back date. They have been let off without any investigations. No penalty or prosecution has been launched against them. Why have they been selectively let off and not subjected to investigations, penalty and prosecution as in other cases?
This clearly shows that action is being taken against those on the list selectively. Income Tax Department raided the premises of a few entities. These people confessed having illegal moneys in bank accounts abroad. They also told the entire modus operandi of how these accounts are opened and operated.
They informed the income tax authorities that the Indian branches of these foreign banks provide home delivery services to High Networth Individuals (HNI) in India to open and operate bank accounts abroad. A person does not need to travel abroad even once to open or operate an account. The representatives from these banks approach HNIs in India, collect cash from them and open their bank accounts in their
foreign branch. If that person needs to operate the account, he/she merely makes a phone call to the Indian branch and services are provided at his door step. Copies of statements made by 3 people whose premises were raided by income tax authorities are annexed.
This clearly shows that these banks are directly involved in encouraging tax evasion and are transferring funds across borders through hawala. However, the government has not taken any action against these banks. If strong action were taken against these banks and their officials, these banks would provide complete list of all Indian accountholders in their foreign branches. This is exactly how US government was able to pressurize these banks into giving the list of all US citizens who had accounts in their foreign branches.
The source of these funds also needs to be established. In our opinion, tax evasion in these cases is a small issue. Source and destination of these funds could be some crime also. These funds could either be sourced from or their destination could be for extortion, murder, terrorism etc. Even if the money has been siphoned from the accounts of any company through under or overinvoicing, it still constitutes a
criminal activity. Therefore, this information should be passed onto other agencies and source and destination of these funds ought to be established.
In nutshell, we would urge SIT to take following action:
1. SIT should send a strongly worded message to all investigating agencies and its officials that howsoever mighty one be, same investigating procedures should be applied to all. No one should be let off. If any officer is found to be lenient against anyone on the list, the officer would be proceeded against.
2. Those on the list should not be selectively investigated. Similar action should be taken against all of them. The revised returns filed by the most powerful people on this list should be rejected and they should be subjected to same investigations as others.
3. Complete bank statements (from the time that the account was opened till date) of all names on the list should be obtained from HSBC.
4. Each transaction in each bank statement (both credit and debit) should be investigated. This would lead to newer accounts as each transaction would involve a new person who may also have an illicit account.
5. The foreign banks which indulged in hawala and who encouraged tax evasion should be proceeded against and compelled to give complete lists of all Indian accountholders in their branches abroad.
6. This information should be shared with other agencies to investigate the source and destination of these funds to find out if these funds had anything to do with any criminal activity.
We are confident that if the government shows political will and undertakes honest investigations, it is possible to get most of the black money back to India. However, it appears that first the UPA and now the NDA do not have the political will.
Aam Admi Party is fully committed to get black money back to India and to get the guilty punished. We would be more than willing to help you in any way whenever you need us. I have filed an affidavit in Supreme Court in this regard. The same is annexed hereto.
Warm regards
Yours sincerely
Arvind Kejriwal!
Arvind Kejriwal's photo.
Arvind Kejriwal's photo.
Arvind Kejriwal's photo.
Arvind Kejriwal's photo.




*INAUGURATION* OF A PAINTING EXHIBITION

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*INAUGURATION* OF A PAINTING EXHIBITION “*FROM YAMUNA TO BABBA* -

Invitation: From Yamuna To Babba | Painting Exhibition | Nov. 11, Tues, 6 pm | at HICC
From: Hicc Programmes <hicc.programmes@gmail.com> Mon, 10 Nov ’14 10:44p
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
Dear Friends,*Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre *invites you all to the
*Inauguration* of a painting exhibition “*From Yamuna to Babba* – *Myths
and Legends from India and Hungary*” by *Rozália Hummel *(Srimati Radhika),
being held on *Tuesday, 11th Nov, 6.00 pm* at the *Gallery *of the Centre.
The show will be opened by the *Chief-Guest*, *Dr. Satya Vrat Shastri*,
Chairman, Sanskrit Commission, Govt. of India.
The artist began her artistic career in 1979, in France and moved to India
for the first time in 1981. Since then, she has been a consistent visitor
to the country, a keen spiritual learner and discovered Indian Art and
philosophy.
Kindly mark the dates in your calendar.
*​*​
(*Please, do find the e-Invite below)*
​​Looking forward to your gracious presence at the programme!
Thanks and Regards,
*Omita Sharma *
■  Project Officer
Balassi Institute – Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre
1A Janpath (near Hotel Claridges), New Delhi, 11 00 11, India
Tel: +91 11 2301 4497, 4992;       Mobile: +91 75 0375 1722
E-mail: pr.hicc@gmail.com
■   www.delhi.balassiintezet.hu




Obama and Putin at the Beijing APEC summit

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Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama are continuing their personal interaction at the APEC summit in Beijing, the Kremlin has confirmed. With relations between Moscow and Washington strained, the two have chosen to communicate out of public view.
The Russian and American presidents have finally talked to each other behind the scenes of the APEC summit, Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, informed.
“Putin and Obama continue communicating on the sidelines of the forum,” Peskov told journalists on Tuesday.
The first encounter they had on Monday was hardly more than a brief greeting.
“There was no conversation,” Peskov said. “Actually, they greeted each other – there was a short contact on the sidelines of the event we were talking about.”
“Obama and Putin had a ‘brief encounter’ during APEC summit events on Monday night, but did not have time to cover issues,” an anonymous high-ranking US official told RIA Novosti.
Later the two presidents exchanged a couple of phrases at the ceremony when all the dignitaries at the summit take a group photo in national costumes of the country hosting the event – China.
Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (L-R), Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan and U.S. President Barack Obama arrive for a dinner hosted by the Chinese President at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing, November 10, 2014. (Reuters / Mikhail Klimentyev / RIA Novosti / Kremlin)
Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (L-R), Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan and U.S. President Barack Obama arrive for a dinner hosted by the Chinese President at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing,
On the eve of the summit, the White House has said there are no plans for personal meeting between Obama and Putin at the Beijing APEC summit, or at the ensuing G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia.
Tensions between the two countries became more apparent after the sanctions imposed on Russia by the West and the suspension of Russia from G8 in March over the crisis in Ukraine.
The US, a staunch supporter of the new regime in Kiev, has been accusing Russia of supporting rebels in the Ukraine’s east and thus fanning the conflict there. Russia has denied any involvement, apart from offering political advice and humanitarian aid. RT news




Red carpet awaits PM Modi in Australia

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ASHOK B SHARMA
Relations between India and Australia in the Asia-Pacific region seem to be warming up. After Tony Abbott’s recent visit to India, it is now the turn for Australia to lay the red carpet for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visits the country for G20 summit in Brisbane middle of November.
Abbott has extended invitation to Modi who will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia since Rajiv Gandhi came to see Bob Hawke in 1986. He will be one of the three world leaders to address the joint session of the federal parliament. The other two leaders to address the Australian parliament are the Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Former Chinese President Hu Jintao addressed Australian parliament in 2003 and so did the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. But this will be the first occasion for an Indian Prime Minister to address the Australian Parliament. This shows the growing recognition and acceptance of India.
But Australia is equally conscious of keeping China in good humour. It declined to join the India-US-Japan Trilateral, which is being upgraded to the level of foreign ministers, at the instance of Beijing. But Abbott has agreed for a first bilateral naval exercise with India scheduled in 2015. Both the countries will join together in the commemoration of 100 years of the First World War in which soldiers of both the countries fought side by side.
Australia has supported India’s full membership of four international export control regimes – Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Wassenaar Agreement and Australia Group and also membership of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
Canberra has assured to be a long-term uranium supplier to India and cooperate in production of radio isotopes and nuclear safety. Abbott termed this nuke handshake as “a sign of the mutual trust and confidence that our two countries have in each other”
Abbott is appreciative of India’s Look East Policy and has recognised the importance of India as a “valuable partner” in Asia-Pacific region. He has also lauded Modi’s recent visit to Japan and termed the outcome as “successful”. He termed the geopolitical importance of Asia-Pacific saying “So as economic weight shifts to the Indo-Pacific region, the strategic balance moves too.”
Though Abbott is conscious of the importance of Asia-Pacific region, it is ready to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit over Russia’s role in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines MH17, in which 38 Australians lost their lives. Abbott has taken a strong personal interest in the MH17 disaster, in which 298 people were killed, when Russian-backed separatists shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine.
Along with the US, Russia is a key player in the region. The relationship between NATO powers and Russia has turned sour over the latter taking over Crimea. The shooting down of Malaysian Airlines MH17 has added to the problem. Putin’s assertive nature is not much appreciated by the West. Kiev and the West have accused Moscow-backed separatists of shooting down the plane with a surface-to-air BUK missile supplied by Russia. Moscow denies the charge and has pointed the finger back at Kiev. Australia has demanded that Russia cooperate with the criminal investigation and help in booking the culprits to justice.
Initially, Australia had been reluctant for Putin to attend the G20, but member nations indicated that he should, in order to address the geo-political tensions. At home Abbott faces the strong opposition to Putin’s visit from the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten who has reiterated his stance that he did not want Putin in the country. The issue needs to be resolved in the interests of Asia-Pacific region. The ball is now in Australia’s court.
There are obvious reasons why Australia needs India more. India is already Australia’s fifth-largest export market. Australia wants the bilateral trade to grow to its full potential which is now stagnating at only $15 billion. Further, Australia is eager to conclude the negotiations on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with India by 2016 which would boost bilateral trade and investment.  At present Indian investment in Australia is about $11 billion whereas Australian investment in India is $600 million. In fact, Australia sees massive opportunity for investments in India with Modi’s call for “Make in India”.
India too is interested in investing in resource rich Australia. Leading Indian investors like Sterlite Industries and Aditya Birla group are in copper mines while Asian Paints and Reliance are in uranium exploration. Australia has massive reserves of uranium, gold, copper, zinc among other minerals and its coal feeds power plants in India.  In fact, Australian coal, iron ore and gas has powered the economic transformations of Japan, Korea and China.
Australia had worked over three decades to boost its bilateral trade with China to the level of $150 billion. While consolidating its gains there, Australia now wants to tap the untapped potential in bilateral trade with India.
Both the countries are looking forward for finalisation of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in the Indo-Pacific region. At present Australia is the chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association. The region is important and concerns for maritime security remain vital as trade grows. This apart, Australia has come to the rescue of Modi’s dream project of cleaning river Ganga by signing an agreement on water management.
Human resources development is an area of India’s interest. There is a 450,000-strong Indian community in Australia and 36,000 Indian students are pursuing their study there, particularly in vocation education. India and Australia have also agreed for cooperation in vocational education and training. Australia’s New Colombo Plan will now facilitate Australian students to pursue their studies in India.
During Abbott’s visit a MoU signed between the two countries for cooperation in sports will promote exchange programmes, sharing of experiences, particularly so in cricket which is interests to both the countries.
Modi’s forthcoming visit to Australia is likely to be significant. Former Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh deliberately missed the bus to Australia by declining to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth hosted by Julia Gillard in 2011 which many analysts believed was because the Labour government reversed John Howard’s decision to allow uranium exports to India. Earlier former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declined to attend the CHOGM meeting hosted by Howard in Coolum in 2002 which many viewed as a consequence of Canberra overreacting to India’s nuclear tests in 1998. All eyes would now be on Modi in Brisbane.
(Ashok B Sharma is a senior Columnist writing on Strategy and policy Issues in several national and international newspapers and magazines. He can be reached at ashokbsharma@gmail.com His mobile phone no 09810902204)




Bhagat Singh College continue their slide

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Bhagat Singh College continue their slide
New Delhi, November 10, 2014: Bhagat Singh College continued their slide on Day 5 of Indian College Basketball League (ICBL) organized by Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with IMG Reliance (IMG-R) at the Ramjas College on Monday.
Playing their third game in the league, they los to Sri Venky College 28-51. This was their third loss in as many games. In the first match of the day, Kirori Mal College beat Moti Lal College 45-30.

In a high scoring fixture, Hindu College got the better of SGTB Khalsa by 76-54 thanks to Aman’s 17 points. In the last match of the day, Hansraj College outclassed Zakir Hussain College 68-34.

At Ramjas College: Premier League Results
Men’s: Kirori Mal College beat Moti Lal 45-30; Sri Venky College beat Bhagat Singh College 51-28; Hindu College beat SGTB Khalsa 76-54; Hansraj College beat Zakir Hussain College 68-34
Tomorrow’s fixtures: 11:30 AM Onwards At SGTB Khalsa College: Men’s: Moti Lal College vs Arya Bhatt College, Kirori Mal College vs Venky College, SGTB Khalsa vs Ramjas College, Hindu College vs Zakir Hussain College
About the Basketball Federation of India
The Basketball Federation of India or BFI is the governing and controlling body of basketball in India, and is responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels. BFI has been involved in conducting camps, clinics, events, and training sessions at its academies for the development of basketball. BFI came into being in 1935 and took complete control over Indian basketball in 1950. Prior to that time, the Indian Olympic Association handled the conduct of Indian basketball championships. Since 1950, the BFI has been conducting various such championships, from the grassroots to senior team participation in international tournaments. In addition, the BFI has been responsible for the establishment of strong sub-junior and junior level programs. The BFI has to its credit produced several international players of repute, among them 17 have been bestowed with the honor of Arjuna Award. More information at www.indiabasketball.org




Indian Manufacturing In Deep Trench

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Indian Manufacturing In Deep Trench, Need Heavy Lift – Excl

November11, 2014 (C) Ravinder Singh ravinderinvent@gmail.com
When General Electric is not performing as per expectations Companies
look for new CEO but in India the blame for all failures is either
Un-employability, or Corruption or Inflation or Poverty but Company
owners never admit they are under qualified and incompetent.
But what is most shocking is that in 1981 wages to workers of
Industries were 133% of profits of the owners that gradually reached
even 150% but there was gradual decline in wages as proportion to
profits of the Industries to just 22% by 2012.
Employers who make Rs.4,51,629 crore profits compared to Rs.99,856
crores wages to Industry workers never admit to their INCOMPETENCE.
Annual Survey of Industries
Table 1 : Annual Series For Principal Characteristics
(Value Figures in Rs. Lakhs, Mandays in Thousand and Others in Number)
CHARACTERISTICS    1997-98    1998-99    99-2000    2000-01    2001-02    2002-03    2003-04
5. OUTSTANDING
LOANS    32460512    22820981    25378161    25795392    26921926    26339233    28977564
6. NUMBER OF WORKERS    7652254    6364464    6280659    6135238    5957848    6161493    6086908
11.WAGES TO WORKERS    2978167    2482648    2630427    2767074    2743824    2968905    3047777
12.TOTAL EMOLUMENTS    5237112    4462585    4784351    5071873    5105957    5515801    5833675
21.NET VALUE ADDED    16644124    14546105    15497442    14362141    14430212    17234004    20295377
28. GROSS  CAPITAL  FORM    8203739    7217800    6466535    6141480    7387299    6397638    7418762
29. PROFITS    5445612    4730623    4733475    3569880    3488385    6185254    9236632
There are three Levels of Factories – First Producing High-Tech
Products for World Market – India is almost Zero in this. Second level
is Products for Indian Market in this also Indian companies are very
poor performers 50% to 90% of the products are imported or carry
Sticker of Indian Brand. Third level is cheap low tech products in
which Indian Companies have dominance.
EU Companies Foreign Trade is 91% and 87% IPR dependent – India almost none.
Fact is Indian Industries don’t have any R&D capability don’t ENGAGE
BEST INDIAN ENGINEERS. Their GLOBAL IPR footprint is ZERO. Even in
BRANDING there are just three in Brand Value – State Bank, Airtel, &
Reliance WHICH ARE LOCAL BRANDS UNRECOGNISED OUTSIDE INDIA.
As per Global Wealth Report 2014 share of India in Global Wealth has
improved from 1.0% to 1.4% since 2000 but in this population growth
was 30% so per capita share growth was practically ZERO.
Median Wealth of Chinese adult is $7033 to India’s $1006 only so there
is WIDE gulf in poverty levels between two most populated countries.
Here in the Clippings of Survey of Industries during BJP rule of 6
years 1998-2004 – Industry went through EXTREME HARDSHIPS. Number of
Workers were reduced by 1.6m when GoI then claimed to have created 10m
new jobs every year.
Inventors & Engineers should run Industries not Chartered Accountants
or Traders. Industry must invest 2% of Revenue On R&D, Introduce
Strict Quality Control, Pay adequate wages to workers, Develop
Products for World Market, Sell Direct to Consumers.
Ravinder Singh, Inventor & Consultant,
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROJECTS
Y-77, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India. Ph; 091- 9718280435, 9650421857
Ravinder Singh* is a WIPO awarded inventor specializing in Power,
Transportation,
Water, Energy Saving, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Technologies and Projects.

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West Africa Emerges top in Africa for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

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WW Color Logo_Green Blue
   |    Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Contact: Gaelle Gourmelon, ggourmelon@worldwatch.org , (+1) 202-745-8092, ext. 510
        

West Africa Emerges as Leading Region in Africa for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency


Although access to energy services remains severely constrained in the region, renewables and energy efficiency measures contribute to improved access

Washington, D.C.—     The ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report produced collaboratively by REN21 and ECREEE with lead authorship from the Worldwatch Institute, provides a regional perspective on the renewable energy and energy efficiency market and industry development in West Africa.
Launched on November 10, 2014, the report concludes that renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies have rapidly become cost effective solutions for overcoming the diverse energy challenges facing the ECOWAS region  (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo).
“It is clear that the ECOWAS Member States acknowledge the enormous potential that renewables and energy efficiency bring to accelerating energy access and meeting the region’s energy needs,” says Christine Lins, Executive Secretary of REN21. “Through their commitment to developing renewable energy and energy efficiency across the region, ECOWAS Member States have taken a proactive role in ensuring their ability to address current energy sector challenges through the uptake of renewables, while simultaneously building a resilient system that prepares the region to effectively meet future energy needs and ensures sustainable energy access for all.”
The Executive Director of ECREEE, Mahama Kappiah, says that non-availability of reliable and up-to-date energy information in West African countries constrains opportunities for investments in the energy sector. The ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report is therefore a “tool to make information on these activities in the ECOWAS region readily available to different stakeholders, as well as to local and global investors, developers, and project promoters by showcasing the ECOWAS region as one of the most active regions in Africa for the promotion of renewables and energy efficiency.”
“This report presents countries undergoing rapid change, including in the energy sector,” says Alexander Ochs, Director of the Worldwatch Institute’s Climate and Energy Program. “While we are witnessing important projects throughout the region, most ECOWAS countries are just starting to make use of the enormous renewable energy potentials at their doorsteps-and on their roofs, too. With national policies and regional cooperation just taking shape, the big renewable energy boom in West Africa is yet to come. An economically, socially, and environmentally prosperous Africa can only be built on the foundation of a sustainable energy system.”
The ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report, covers recent developments and trends in the energy sector in the ECOWAS region. It uses up-to-date renewable energy data, provided by network of contributors from and around West Africa, and is targeted at policymakers, industry, investors and civil society to enable them to make informed decisions about the diffusion of renewable energy. By design, the report does not provide any analysis or forecasts.
Some Key Findings:
  • As of early 2014, the ECOWAS region had an installed capacity of 39 megawatts (MW) of grid-connected renewable electricity (excluding hydropower). The total installed renewable capacity, including hydro, was 4.8 gigawatts (GW).
  • Renewable energy technologies account for an estimated 28.8 percent of the region’s total installed capacity of grid-connected electricity.
  • Regional new investment in renewable power and fuels from six leading ECOWAS Member States (Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) was USD 29.7 million in 2013, down significantly from the peak of USD 370 million in 2011.
  • Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, and Sierra Leone are regional leaders in the contribution of renewables to their final energy consumption-at 30.3 percent, 22.4 percent, and 19 percent, respectively, in early 2014-largely as a result of their use of modern biomass.
  • Hydropower accounted for 57 percent of total installed electricity capacity in Ghana; it also played a significant role in Guinea (34.2 percent), Togo (28.8 percent), Côte d’Ivoire (28.2 percent), and Nigeria (16.2 percent). As of early 2014, only 19 percent of the ECOWAS region’s estimated 25 GW of hydropower potential had been exploited.
  • Wind energy provided 27 MW of installed electricity capacity, with 25.5 MW of this coming from Cabo Verde’s Cabeolica wind farm, sub-Saharan Africa’s first commercial-scale public-private partnership.
  • Cabo Verde leads the ECOWAS region in installed capacity of grid-connected solar photovoltaics (PV), with 6.4 MW. Ghana has an installed capacity of 1.92 MW.
  • The region’s use of solar PV technology is limited largely to distributed and off-grid functions. Senegal leads with installed capacity of 21 MW, followed by Nigeria with 20 MW and Niger with 4 MW.
  • By the end of 2014, 13 ECOWAS Member States had adopted renewable energy support policies,with all 15 Member States having at least one policy or one target at the national level promoting renewable energy technology development.
  • As of early 2014, feed-in tariffs had been adopted by Ghana and Nigeria and were being developed in the Gambia and Senegal. Cabo Verde became the first and only country within the ECOWAS region to adopt net metering.
  • As of early 2014, the share of the population using improved biomass cook stoves was 20 percent in the Gambia, 16 percent in Senegal, 10 percent in Sierra Leone, 6 percent in Nigeria, and 2.1 percent inBurkina Faso.
  • As of early 2014eight ECOWAS Member States-Benin, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo-had energy-efficient lighting initiatives.
  • Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeriahave established domestic programs for energy efficiency in the building sector.




Invitation: Book Launch | AMRITA SHER-GIL: Art and Life

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 Invitation: Book Launch | AMRITA SHER-GIL: Art and Life, A Reader | Nov. 19, Wed, 6 pm | at HICC
hicc.delhi New Delhi
To
aarti.sharma@gmail.com
BCC
me
Today at 12:52 PM




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Alliance Française de Delhi and Institut Français en Inde 
Present
        Writers, etc.
  Session 34

Akash Kapur
 In conversation with
Manu Joseph
 On Friday,14th November 2014, 6:30 pm
at
M.L. Bhartia Auditorium
Alliance Française de Delhi
72, Lodi Estate, New Delhi – 110003
Free Admission. Right of admission reserved.
invite writers 34.jpg




Indian Citizenship to be Minority Community nationals of Pakistan and Afghanistan

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The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has considered the difficulties being encountered by the minority community nationals of Pakistan and Afghanistan for submitting their applications for grant of Indian Citizenship. Shri Rajnath Singh has permitted the manual acceptance of applications for grant of Indian Citizenship to such individuals who had entered India prior to 31.12.2009.
The eligible applicants, who were facing difficulty in submitting online applications, can now submit their applications offline also with their passports. However, the Long Term Visa (LTV) of the applicant should be valid at the time of submitting citizenship application at the office of the District Magistrate/Collector/Deputy Commissioner. An affidavit filed before the authority prescribed under Rule 38 of the Citizenship Rules 2009 will be considered in lieu of Renunciation Certificate.
The children of minority community, who entered India on the basis of their parents Passport, can apply without Passport for grant of Indian Citizenship after regularization of their stay in India. In the case of children of minority community born in India, they can also apply without Passport for grant of Indian Citizenship after regularization of their stay in India. These children will have to register with the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) of the concerned district for the regularization.
Shri Rajnath Singh approved the above guidelines for the grant of Indian citizenship to the minority community nationals of Pakistan and Afghanistan by the Foreigners Division of the Ministry and hoped that the grievances of these applicants would be suitably addressed.




41.5 Percent Growth in “Tourist Visa on Arrival” (VoA): October, 2014

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As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, the Government launched the “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) Scheme in January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The Government extended this Scheme to the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011. Recently Govt of India has extended Visa on Arrival (VoA) Scheme for South Korea for which Ministry has started receiving data w.e.f 15th April 2014. The following are the important highlights of VoAs issued during October, 2014.
(i) During the month of October 2014, a total of 2,705 VoAs were issued under this Scheme as compared to 1,911 VoAs during the month of October 2013, registering a growth of 41.5%.
(ii) During January- October 2014, a total number of 21,995 VoAs were issued as compared to 15,770 VoAs during corresponding period of 2013 registering a growth of 39.5%.
(iii) The number of VoAs issued under this scheme during October 2014 for nationals of the twelve countries were South Korea (683), the Philippines (469), Japan (423), New Zealand (373), Singapore (345), Indonesia (225), Finland (105), Myanmar (34), Vietnam (20), Luxembourg (17), Cambodia (10) and Laos (1) .
(iv) The number of VoAs issued under the Scheme, during January- October 2014 were Japan (4,373), South Korea (4,243), New Zealand (3,263), Singapore (3,027), the Philippines (2,996), Indonesia (2,450), Finland (865), Myanmar (327), Vietnam (216), Cambodia (109), Luxembourg (108) and Laos (18).
(v) During January- October 2014, the highest number of VoAs were issued at New Delhi airport (10,378) followed by Mumbai (4,218), Chennai (3,014), Bangalore (1,487), Kolkata (1,418), Kochi (712), Hyderabad (547) and Trivandrum (221).




125th Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru.

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INVITATION
Dear Sir/Madam,
                        You are cordially invited to cover the following event:
EVENT:Inauguration of Commemoration of 125th Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru.  Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh will be the Chief Guest.
DATE:14th November, 2014
TIME:11:00 A.M.
VENUE:Auditorium, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, Teen Murti House, New Delhi




7th edition of Indian Air Force (IAF) Placement Fair 2014

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I N V I T A T I O N

        IAF TO ORGANISE PLACEMENT FAIR 2014

Dear Sir/Madam   
  1. Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Arup Raha PVSM AVSM VM ADC will be inaugurating the 7th edition of  Indian Air Force (IAF) Placement Fair 2014 for retired IAF personnel.   You are cordially invited to cover the function as per the following details.
            Date :        14 November 2014
            Function :  Placement Fair 2014
            Venue :      Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park (Near Dhaula Kuan)
            Time :        1030 hrs
  1. You are requested to depute your correspondent/Cameraman/ Photographer to cover the event.  An IAF mini coach will leave Shastri  Bhawan (Opp Gate No. 3) at sharp 0925 hrs.  Those who intend to reach directly, are requested to reach latest by 1030 hrs.




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INVITATION
Dear Sir/Madam,
You are cordially invited to cover the following event:-
 
Event
 
:
 
Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh to address the concluding session of NHRC’s two-day National Seminar on Prison Reforms

Date:November 14,  2014 (Friday)
Time:1600 Hours
Venue:Multi-Purpose Hall, Kamla Devi Block, India International Centre, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi – 110 003




CRPF Blood Donation Camp organized at AIIMS Trauma Center.

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INVITATION
      Dear Sir/Madam,
            
     You are cordially invited to cover the following event.
 
Event
Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare will be the chief guest at CRPF Blood Donation Camp organized at AIIMS Trauma Center.
 
Date
 
14th November (Friday)

 
Time
 
10.00 am

 
Venue
 
Trauma Center, AIIMS, New Delhi






Uma Bharti to inaugurate the Pavilion of the Ministry of Resources, River Development

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INVITATION

Dear Sir/Madam,
                You are cordially invited to cover the following event:
EventUnion Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti to inaugurate the Pavilion of the Ministry of Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in India International Trade Fair 2014
Date   November 14, 2014

Time3.30 PM

Venue     Hall No. 7E, Pragati Maidan,  New Delhi




Guerrero’s state assembly building torched

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A protests over the apparent killing of 43 students by corrupt police and thugs from drug gangs gave rise on Wednesday, hundreds of protesters,  wearing masks, rallied in central Chilpancingo, Guerrero’s capital,in Mexico.
The demonstrators, students and teachers, set fire to the session hall in the empty state assembly building while also torching several cars outside. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.
Moments earlier, protesters torched the education department’s audit office in another part of Chilpancingo.
At least five people were injured in the clashes, local media quoted by the Associated Press news agency reported.
Anger has intensified in Mexico since Attorney General Jesus Murillo said last week that evidence suggests 43 missing trainee teachers were murdered by gangsters, incinerated in a bonfire at a garbage dump and their ashes thrown in a river.
The students were abducted by corrupt police in September, Murillo said. Media agencies




News round the world

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Virgin Galactic spaceship pilot ‘didn’t know’ co-pilot unlocked brakes

Peter Siebold, the pilot of the Virgin Galactic spaceship that tore apart over the Mojave Desert didn’t know his co-pilot had prematurely unlocked its brakes, AP reported. Protocol for the test flight required the co-pilot to announce the step, federal investigators said on Wednesday. Siebold told the National Transportation Safety Board that he was not aware co-pilot Mike Alsbury had pulled a brake-unlocking lever before the rocket designed to fly tourists to the edge of space had finished accelerating. At this point, SpaceShipTwo began to disintegrate over Southern California. It is not clear if Siebold didn’t hear Alsbury, or the co-pilot never indicated he was taking the action. The crash on October 31, about 120 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, killed Alsbury, injured Siebold and cast a shadow over the immediate future of space tourism.

Keystone XL pipeline legislation clears procedural hurdle in US Senate

A bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline cleared a procedural hurdle in the US Senate on Wednesday. A vote on the project is expected next week, Reuters said. TransCanada Corp’s pipeline that would send some 800,000 barrels per day of Canadian oil sand petroleum to refineries in Texas.

2 Warhol images of Elvis, Brando sold for $151mn

Two Andy Warhol paintings of Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando sold for more than $151 million at auction in New York, AFP said. ‘Triple Elvis’ – a 1963 silkscreen depicting three images of the King of Rock and Roll posing as a gun-slinging cowboy – sold for $81.9 million at the Christie’s sale on Wednesday. The other Warhol classic sold was ‘Four Marlons’, a giant set of four images of the legendary actor taken from his 1953 motorcycle gang classic ‘The Wild One’. However, both of auction prices were well short of the all-time record for a Warhol work set by ‘Silver Car Crash’, which fetched $105.4 million in November last year at Sotheby’s.

Private forensics expert to testify at Ferguson grand jury in Brown case

A private forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on Michael Brown will testify before a grand jury, AP reported. Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Brown’s parents, confirmed that former New York City Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Baden is scheduled to testify Thursday, but a spokesman for St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch declined comment. Brown’s parents are pleased Baden will testify, but skeptical about the process, according to Crump. They were in Geneva, where the UN Committee Against Torture is hearing testimony this week about US policies. Michael Brown was shot in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson on August 9 after Officer Darren Wilson ordered Brown, and a friend to stop walking in the street.

Medvedev has brief talks with Obama

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama had talks for several minutes after the East Asia Summit. They also had an opportunity to speak with each other on Wednesday evening at an official dinner given by summit host President Thein Sein of Myanmar, TASS reported. Medvedev told reporters that the US should take first step towards improving Russia-US relations. “To overcome current problems it is just needed to lift sanctions, shift relations in working field, come back to normal, calm and productive talks; then everything will stabilize,” Medvedev said.

Surgeon detained over deaths of 13 women after sterilization

Police have detained a doctor over mass sterilization surgeries in central India that left 13 women dead and dozens ill in hospital, AFP reported. R.K Gupta was detained for questioning late Wednesday in Chhattisgarh state. In five hours, the doctor operated on 83 women who were paid $26 under a government-run sterilization scheme to reduce population growth. The doctor, who says he has conducted more than 50,000 such operations, blamed adulterated medicines for the tragedy. India is the world’s top sterilizer of women, and efforts to rein in population growth have been described as draconian, Reuters said. Birth rates fell in recent decades, but population growth is among the world’s fastest.

Probe into downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 Flight

The international investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 has been extended by nine months. Under a deal struck between Australia, the Netherlands, Ukraine and other states, investigators will now have until August 2015, AAP reported.“Australia continues to encourage the international community to remain focused on finding, prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators of this cowardly attack,” Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said in a statement on Thursday.

8 missing after attack on Egypt naval vessel in Mediterranean

An Egyptian Navy vessel came under “terrorist” attack in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday, AFP reported. Five servicemen were injured and eight others are missing at sea, according to the military. Four boats used by the assailants were destroyed and 32 of the suspected militants were reportedly arrested. MENA news agency said that a naval vessel had been set alight in an exchange of fire with assailants about 70km from Egypt’s shore off the coast of the Damietta province in the northeast.

Japan’s PM appears to opt for early elections

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to have opted for early election, a senior official within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party told the media, Jiji news agency reported. “It looks like Shinzo Abe has finally made up his mind and it’s fair to consider that he decided to go to the people,” Tadamori Oshima asid, according to a former deputy chief of the party. The announcement comes amid increased rumors around the possibility of early elections. Sankei newspaper revealed reports on Wednesday that Abe was considering calling a general election for December and postponing tax increases.

Ebola death toll surpasses 5,000

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has now claimed 5,147 lives, the World Health Organization announced on Wednesday. According to its latest statistics, more than 400 new infections were reported in Sierra Leone during the week leading up to November 9, but the outlook in Guinea and Liberia is a little more hopeful.“There is some evidence that case incidence is no longer increasing nationally in Guinea and Liberia, but steep increases persist in Sierra Leone,” the WHO said in a statement. “Cases and deaths continue to be under-reported in this outbreak.”

French defense minister says Mistral to be handed over to Russia, date unknown

The Mistral helicopter carrier will be handed over to Russia soon, but the exact delivery date is unknown, TASS quoted French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as saying on Wednesday. “The contract is being implemented, but the exact date of delivery has not yet been set,” the French minister told the National Assembly. Earlier reports indicated the French Defense Ministry was set to implement all contract obligations with Russia on the delivery of its Mistral-type helicopter carriers. Under the €1.12 billion contract, Russia was to receive the first of the two warships, the Vladivostok, in October. The second ship, the Sevastopol, is expected to be handed over next year.

EU disburses €260mn in loans to Ukraine

The EU has given €260 million ($333 million) in loans to Ukraine as part of a €1.61-billion aid package. EU Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici was quoted by dpa as saying that the money is aimed at helping Ukraine with its urgent financial needs, as well as economic reforms. The EU also increased humanitarian assistance for Ukraine by €7.8 million, to a total of €32 million, to help “the population affected by the conflict,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.

Azerbaijan says Armenian military helicopter downed in Nagorny-Karabakh

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry says its forces have shot down an Armenian military helicopter in Nagorny-Karabakh. The helicopter was shot down Wednesday afternoon after it “tried to attack Azerbaijani positions,” AP reported, citing the statement. A Nagorny-Karabakh representative said the helicopter belonged to its armed forces, adding that it had been on “a training flight.” The fate of the pilots in the Russian-made Mi-24 helicopter was not immediately known.

Pope Francis tells G20 leaders not to forget poor

Pope Francis has called on G20 leaders who gather in Brisbane this weekend not to forget the poor. World powers “must not forget that many lives are at stake behind these political and technical discussions,” the pontiff wrote in a letter to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who holds the G20’s rotating presidency. The pope cited such problems as malnutrition, a rise in the number of the unemployed, a high percentage of young people without work and an increase in social exclusion. He also expressed hope that the talks would mark a step towards “eliminating the root causes of terrorism, which has reached proportions hitherto unimaginable.”

9 suspected ISIS supporters arrested in Germany after raids

German police have arrested nine men suspected of supporting militant groups in Syria, Reuters said. Numerous properties were also raided in one of the largest sweeps against alleged Islamists in Germany yet, prosecutors said on Wednesday. More than 240 police officers took part in the operation in the most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia. A network was targeted which is believed to help radical organizations, including the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

Spain PM Rajoy declares Catalan breakaway vote ‘failure’

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has described the Catalonia region’s symbolic voteon independence a failure, AFP reported. “We have witnessed a deep failure for the independence movement,” Rajoy said Wednesday, adding that constitutional reform was“the only legal and responsible course.” However, the premier said he was open to reforms to answer Catalan demands.

Suicide bombings, car bombs kill 23 in Iraq

Suicide bombings and car bombs killed 23 people in Iraq on Wednesday, Reuters reported. A car bomb, followed by a suicide bombing, killed 11 people at a police building in al-Nisour Square in Baghdad, and 21 people were wounded. In Diyala province north of Baghdad, Army Colonel Faisal al-Zuhairi and five of his men were killed by a suicide bomber. Another suicide bomber in an explosives-laden car attacked an army checkpoint in the town of Yusifiya, 15km south of Baghdad, killing six people and wounding 20, according to police.

Russian cosmonauts could visit Chinese space station in future – official

Russian cosmonauts could visit Chinese space station Tiangong-1 in the future, RIA Novosti quoted Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) chief Oleg Ostapenko as saying on Wednesday. Their Chinese colleagues could, in their turn, visit the International Space Station (ISS), he added. Setting up such an exchange program has not been ruled out, and both sides have expressed interest, according to Ostapenko.

Kiev redeploying troops in E.Ukraine – defense minister

Ukrainian armed forces are redeploying troops in eastern Ukraine, RIA Novosti quoted the country’s defense minister, Stepan Poltorak, as saying on Wednesday. The task is to be ready “for combat activities,” he said. The redeployment is being conducted in the area of Ukraine’s special operation in Donbass. Earlier reports said OSCE monitors had seen a military convoy on the outskirts of Donetsk.

2 new Ebola deaths in Mali capital

Mali has two new Ebola deaths that are not connected to the first case in this West African country, AP said, citing an official. A sick imam has died from Ebola in the capital, Bamako, and a nurse who treated him has also died, officials said on Wednesday. Tests have confirmed the patient and nurse at Clinique Pasteur both had Ebola. The first case reported in Mali last month was a 2-year-old girl who contracted the virus in neighboring Guinea and later died.

Iran confirms centrifuge tests, says atom deal not violated

Iran has confirmed it tested a new centrifuge that could speed up its enrichment of uranium, Reuters reported. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said such tests were conducted before the Geneva agreement between Iran and the world powers, and these have continued after the deal was reached. The US said on Monday that Tehran had ceased the activity. Iran dismisses suggestions the move may have violated last year’s nuclear deal with world powers. The IR-5 was simply an ordinary piece of kit belonging to Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, IRNA quoted Afkham as saying.

French lawmakers to vote Nov. 28 on recognizing Palestine

French lawmakers will hold a vote on November 28 about whether to recognize the Palestinian state, AFP reported on Wednesday. Left-wing MPs were reported earlier to be preparing a motion calling on the government to grant recognition. The Swedish government was the first in the EU to officially recognize Palestine.

Israel border policeman arrested for fatal shooting of Palestinian

Following a probe by a Justice Ministry department, Israeli authorities have arrested a border policeman on suspicion of firing live bullets which killed a young Palestinian during a West Bank demonstration, AFP reported. Nadeem Nuwarah, 17, was killed on May 15 during a day of clashes in Beitunia, southwest of Ramallah, between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters. He died after being hit in the chest by a live bullet, according to an Israeli human rights group. At the time, Israel denied live bullets were used. The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, denies firing live bullets, lawyer Benny Katz told army radio.

US-led strikes kill 865 people, 50 civilians in Syria – report

Airstrikes by US-led forces in Syria have killed 865 people, including 50 civilians, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday. The majority of the deaths, 746, were Islamic State fighters, the group said, adding that the actual figure could be much higher. Eight of the civilians were children and five were women, Reuters said, citing the report. The airstrikes, which started on September 23, also killed 68 members of Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, according to the Observatory.

Yemen bomb attack kills ‘dozens,’ 6 Al-Qaeda militants killed in drone strike

A bomb attack on a gathering of Shiite Huthi fighters in central Yemen killed “dozens of people” on Wednesday, according to military and tribal sources. The blast targeted the residence of a local tribal chief in the central town of Rada, AFP said. It was being used as a camp by the Shiite militia, who have overrun the Yemeni capital and other parts of the country. No group has claimed the attack. Meanwhile, six suspected Al-Qaeda militants were killed in a drone strike in South Yemen, Anadolu reported, citing an official.

Hong Kong protesters threaten to occupy roads to UK consulate

Hong Kong students plan to occupy roads surrounding the city’s British consulate, AFP reported. The move reflects protesters’ anger at a “lack of support” from the UK. The organizers condemn Britain for not standing up to China over “breaches” of the agreement made before Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997. Meanwhile, the city’s authorities have urged protesters to leave the main rally sites after more than six weeks of demonstrations. Police will back up bailiffs in clearing barricades, and the operation could start in the next few days.

US drone kills 6 militants in NW Pakistan

A suspected US drone strike on a Taliban hideout, in a northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan, has killed six militants, according to Pakistani intelligence officials. Four missiles struck the compound in the town of Datta Khel in the North Waziristan tribal region on Tuesday, AP reported. North Waziristan had been considered to be a strong base for local and foreign militants. On June 15, Pakistan’s army launched a major operation there and now the military says more than 80 percent of the region has been cleared.

Republic of Transdniester ‘ready for independence referendum’ under intl supervision

Moldova’s breakaway Republic of Transdniester is ready to hold a referendum under international scrutiny on independence, provided that the results are recognized, President Yevgeny Shevchuk said. He believes such a decision would be the simplest way to settle relations with Moldova. The republic’s authorities have always proposed that this referendum should be held if international organizations were prepared to recognize it, he said.

Merkel says new economic sanctions on Russia not planned

There are no plans at present for further economic sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday. She said, however, that she was unhappy that “large parts of the Minsk agreement are not being implemented,” Reuters said. The chancellor reiterated her intention to have EU travel bans extended to newly-elected officials in self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine.

UN: 13.6mn displaced in Iraq, Syria

About 13.6 million people have been displaced by wars in Syria and Iraq, according to the UN refugee agency. Some 7.2 million displaced are within Syria. Many of those people remain without food or shelter as winter starts, the UNHCR said on Tuesday. “Now when we talk about a million people displaced over two months, or 500,000 overnight, the world is just not responding,” Reuters quoted Amin Awad, UNHCR’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, as saying. The UNHCR is short of $58.5 million in donations to prepare 990,000 people for winter. The required funds would cover basic supplies such as plastic sheeting and warm clothing.

Pilot ejects as Belarusian MiG-29 military jet crashes

A Belarusian military aircraft crashed in Brest Region on Tuesday, BelTA reported, citing the country’s Defense Ministry. “As a result of an emergency” a MiG-29 aircraft crashed during a scheduled flight at about 10:30 GMT, the pilot managed to eject, a source in the ministry said. The pilot has been found and is said to be in good health. No casualties or damage were reported.

 Ministry for Yoga, Traditional Medicine

India has set up a ministry to promote alternative therapies such as yoga and traditional ayurveda medicine, Media reported. “This is our system and it has not received enough prominence. We will take it to the masses,”Shripad Naik, who took charge of the ministry, said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly called for greater use of India’s health remedies and exercises.

Abbas accuses Hamas of attempts to ‘destroy Palestinian unity’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday accused the Hamas movement of trying “to destroy” efforts to broker national unity, citing a series of bomb blasts in Gaza last week. Speaking in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Abbas said Hamas was behind the attacks targeting leaders of his Fatah movement in Gaza, AFP reported. The rival faction was trying “to sabotage and destroy the Palestinian national project,” according to the Palestinian leader.

PM Abe says Japan, China ‘need each other’

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pressed ahead with tentative efforts on Tuesday to allay the deep hostility behind Japan and China. “We need each other. We are in a way inseparably bound with each other,” AFP quoted Abe as saying in Beijing after an Asia-Pacific summit. The two states “both have responsibility for peace and prosperity of the region and of the world,” the premier added. The countries’ relations are at their lowest in decades over competing claims to Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Abe in Beijing on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Iraqi army drives out IS militants from refinery town of Beiji

Iraqi soldiers battling the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) have recaptured Beiji town center, 155 miles north of Baghdad, AP said. The top army commander in Beiji, General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, was quoted by state television as saying that troops had recaptured the city’s local government and police headquarters. The town is home to the country’s largest oil refinery. Retaking Beiji could allow Iraqi forces to use it as a base to attack neighboring Tikrit, which was taken by the extremists this summer. It’s also a morale boost for Iraq’s security forces.

S. Korea prosecutors to appeal court rulings on 15 ferry crew

South Korean prosecutors said on Tuesday they would appeal against court rulings on the 15 crewmembers of a capsized ferry. Earlier on Tuesday, they were given prison terms ranging from five to 36 years, Reuters said. The captain of the ferry, which sank killing about 300 people, mostly children, was acquitted of homicide. However, he was found guilty of negligence and sentenced to 36 years in jail. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for the captain.

Scientists say anti-typhoid gene found

Scientists claim they have found a gene variant that may provide better protection against typhoid fever, AFP reported. The discovery came from screening the genomes of hundreds of infected people and healthy controls in Vietnam and Nepal. Hopes arise that it will aid the development of better vaccines for typhoid and other bacterial diseases.“We found that carrying a particular form of the HLA-DRB1 gene provides natural resistance against typhoid fever,” study co-author Sarah Dunstan of the University of Melbourne said in a statement in Nature Genetics.

Dutch experts on site of MH17 crash ‘initiate debris delivery delay’

Dutch experts on Tuesday arrived at the site of a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet which crashed near the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk in July, RIA Novosti said. The specialists from the Netherlands “initiated an indefinite delay in the delivery of debris,”TASS reported, citing the Information Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR). The Netherlands does not accept the wording of a protocol prepared with the participation of representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the DNR, according to a source at the Donetsk Ministry of Emergency Situations.

New monitoring team established in Australia for asylum camps after abuse claims

Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is establishing a new monitoring team for centers holding asylum-seekers, after a series of abuse allegations, AFP said. Asylum-seekers face mandatory detention on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island and the small state of Nauru as Australia wants to stop would-be refugees from risking their lives on people-smuggling boats. The team will recommend “action to deal with credible allegations of misconduct should they arise,” the minister said Tuesday.

Beijing’s air quality ‘top priority’ for Xi Jinping during APEC meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said Beijing’s air quality readings have been at the top of his agenda in the last few days. The city was desperate to keep smog under control during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Xi said he wanted all the guests to “feel more comfortable.” To avoid a spike in smog levels Beijing imposed the most stringent controls on traffic and industry since the 2008 Olympic Games, Reuters said. A large number of industrial facilities within a 200km radius of the capital were shut down completely.

Captain of S. Korean ferry jailed for 36 years

The captain of the South Korean ferry that sank in April was jailed for 36 years Tuesday. Lee Jun-seok, 69, was also acquitted of murdering more than 300 people who died in the disaster. Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty, but a three-judge court said they failed to prove the captain had acted with an intention to kill. He was convicted of gross negligence and dereliction of duty, including abandoning his vessel while hundreds of schoolchildren and other passengers remained trapped on board. Three other senior crew members were sentenced to jail terms of between 15 and 30 years.

​56 people, incl women & children, killed in Pakistan bus collision

At least 56 people, 17 women and 18 children among them, were killed on Tuesday, as a passenger bus collided with a truck in southern Pakistan, officials said. “The Karachi-bound passenger bus, which was coming from northwestern city of Swat went on the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with a goods container, killing 56 people,”senior local police official Nasir Aftab told AFP. The accident happened 450 kilometers north of Karachi, near the city of Khairpur.

Putin, Obama talk after first APEC session

Russian President Vladimir Putin has talked with US President Barack Obama after the first APEC session in Beijing on Monday, TASS reported. After the session was complete, all the leaders made their way to the photo shoot, while Putin and Obama stayed behind, approaching the group only a few minutes later. During that time, both leaders talked.“Putin and Obama are continuing to talk on the sidelines of the forum,” Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Putin met with Obama at the APEC summit, the Kremlin has confirmed. But, the encounter between the two leaders was hardly more than a mere greeting and small talk. Peskov said the two said hello and had a brief talk at the welcoming ceremony.
Media agencies





Indirect Tax Revenue rises 5.6% during Apr-Oct 2014-15

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Indirect tax revenue collections have increased from Rs 2,69,909 crore in April-Oct 2013-14 to Rs. 2,85,126 crore during April-Oct 2014-15 registering an increase of 5.6%. It is an achievement of 45.7% of the Budget Estimates for 2014-15. Service Tax collections have also increased from Rs. 81,758 crore in April-Oct 2013-14 to Rs. 90,673 crore during April-Oct 2014-15 registering an increase of about 11%. Collections from Customs have increased from about Rs.98,707 crore during April-Oct 2013-14 to Rs.1,06,123 crore during April-Oct 2014-15 registering an increase of 7.5%. It is an achievement of 52.6% of the Budget Estimates for 2014-15

 Indirect Tax Revenue Collections                                                                                                   (Rs. in crores)
Tax HeadB.E.
 2014-15
For the month Oct% GrowthFor the period
April – Oct
% Growth% of BE achieved
2013-142014-152013-142014-15
Customs201819140641680019.5987071061237.552.6
Central Excise*2054521397414169 1.48944488330(-) 1.243.0
Service Tax21597313252134151.2817589067310.942.0
Total6232444129044384 7.52699092851265.645.7
Source: Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Note: *Exclusive of cess administered by other departments. BE: Budget Estimates




UNICEF: Steep drop in childhood pneumonia deaths in last decade,

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Steep drop in childhood pneumonia deaths in last decade,
but much further to go UNICEF
NEW DELHI, 12 November 2014 榮bsp;Significant declines in child deaths from pneumonia prove that strategies to defeat the disease are working, UNICEF said on the fifth World Pneumonia Day. But much more is needed to stop hundreds of thousands of children from succumbing to this preventable illness each year.
Pneumonia is still among the leading killers of children globally accounting for 15 per cent of deaths, or approximately 940,000 children per year but deaths from the disease have declined by 44 per cent since 2000, according to figures released recently by UNICEF[1].
India accounts for the highest number of under-five deaths in the world, with 1.34 million children dying every year[2]. Pneumonia contributes to 23% of total under five deaths in India. Each year there are 35 million episodes of pneumonia, of which approximately 388,100 result in child deaths[3].
㐮eumonia is still a very dangerous disease it kills more children under five than HIV/AIDS, malaria, injuries and measles combined and though the numbers are declining, with nearly 1 million deaths a year, there is no room for complacency,䠳aid Dr. Mickey Chopra, head of UNICEFⳠglobal health programmes. 㐯verty is the biggest risk factor, and that means our efforts need to reach every child, no matter how marginalized.䠼/span>
Deaths from pneumonia are highest in poor rural communities. Household air pollution is a major cause of pneumonia, so children from households which rely on biomass fuels such as kerosene, wood, dung or charcoal for cooking or heating, are at high risk.
Overcrowded homes also contribute to higher pneumonia levels. In addition poor children are less likely to be immunized against measles and whooping cough, which are also among major causes of the disease.
Early diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia, and access to health care, will save lives, thus strategies must target low income communities.
The increased use of vaccines against pneumonia, particularly in low income countries has led to progress against the disease, but inequities exist even in countries with wide coverage.
レosing the treatment gap between the poor and the better off is crucial to bringing down preventable deaths from pneumonia,䠄r Chopra said. 㔨e more we focus on the causes and the known solutions, the faster we will bring this childhood scourge under control.伯span>
UNICEFⳠSupply Division has today put out a call to innovators for new, improved and more easily affordable respiratory rate timers to aid in the timely recognition and management of pneumonia.
In India, low cost interventions to avert these deaths are available but often fail to reach those who need them the most. The Government of India has recently launched an Integrated Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhea (IAPPD). The plan is being targeted in four states which account for more than half of under-five deaths. (UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh). The strategy involves several sectors and is based on an integrated approach of protection, prevention and treatment
The IAPPD is in line with the Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhea. Scaling up of simple measures such as early and exclusive breastfeeding; handwashing with soap; vaccination; and provision of micronutrients will reduce the incidence of pneumonia. In addition, prompt diagnosis, referral and access to appropriate treatment are vital for preventing child deaths due to pneumonia.
###

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do.  Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org.

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For further information please contact:
Caroline Den Dulk, Chief of Communication, UNICEF India,   Tel: +91-995 8176291, Email: cdendulk@unicef.org
Geetanjali Master, Communication Specialist, UNICEF India, Tel: 91-981 810 5861, E-mail: gmaster@unicef.org
Sonia Sarkar, Communication Officer- Media, UNICEF India, Tel: +91-981 017 0289, E-mail: ssarkar@unicef.org




Stop playing with lives of women!

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NAPM calls for stringent action in incident of death of women at Government run Sterilisation camp in Chhatisgarh
                                              
Ensure gender just and human rights approach to family planning!

12th Nov, 2014, New Delhi: The tragic incident of death of 13 women, with more than 20 women presently in critical condition, at the Government Sterilization ‘camp’ in Kanan Penderi village of Bilaspur district of Chhatisgarh is yet another instance of serious violations of medical guidelines and brutal repression of reproductive rights and health of women in India. It is a painful reminder of not just the inadequacies of our public health system  but more importantly a reminder of the wrong focus of health programmes in India, which should focus on health of women, not just on sterilisation. In a state like Chhatisgarh, which has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality, the state government organizes such camps regularly with the motive to control population while turning a complete blind eye to other more important health care needs of women. Furthermore, the incident exposes how human lives are being risked in these botched, ill-equipped and target driven camps. Shockingly, at this camp, 83 women underwent laparoscopic tubectomies with only one instrument in less than 5 hours i.e. less than 4 minutes per operation, completely flouting the central government’s guideline (Standard Operating Protocols for sterilisation camps), of not conducting more than 10 tubectomies with a single instrument, and not more than 30 by a single doctor, in a day. This clearly points out that the operations were performed in a rush and without adequate equipment, thereby blatantly ignoring important hygienic considerations.

While organizing free public health camps is a welcomed strategy to counter the increasing commercialization and privatization of health delivery systems, the general trend to have one-day camps with unsaid high targets to do as many operations as possible within a single day is clearly a flawed strategy. Furthermore, the fact that there are monetary incentives for the doctors and the health workers as per the number of operations they conduct add to the problem of rushing and undermining of ethical and medical procedures.

India’s Family planning programme, in recent decades, has been targeting only women and almost negligible number of vasectomies are being performed on men, which in fact is a far safer method with zero side effects and post-surgery recovery period unlike tubectomy or hysterectomy for women which has post-surgery hormonal disturbances and health implications. Furthermore, targeting with monetary incentives to women is problematic as it also suggests coercion especially when the women are from poor and marginalized communities.

National Alliance of People’s Movements expresses its outrage and strongly condemns the medical negligence and failure of the government to ensure safe health care to women. We demand an immediate and independent inquiry into the incident by a team comprising of women’s organisations and civil society networks working on health issues and its report be made public. We demand that stringent punishment be given, including disqualification of medical practitioners involved. A broader investigating body must be set up to look at the phenomenon of sterilizations of women on the national scale so that this once incident doesn';t get cast as a one off incident. The Government must ensure that medical, procedural and ethical guidelines are strictly followed in every government run hospital and health camps. We strongly demand that the focus must shift to expansion and availability of non-surgical contraception to women and enhancing their contraceptive choices, along with programmes to women’s empowerment and counseling around medical needs and reproductive choices.

Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara – Lok Shakti Abhiyan & Lingraj Azad– Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti & Meera – Narmada Bachao Andolan, NAPM, MP; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe – NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriel Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelakandan – NAPM Kerala; P Chennaiah & Ramakrishnan Raju – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, Arundhati Dhuru, Richa Singh - NAPM, UP; Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union & Rukmini V P, Garment Labour Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Vimal Bhai – Matu Jan sangathan & Jabar Singh, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Anand Mazgaonkar, Krishnakant - Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat; Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan & Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar; Faisal Khan, Khudai Khidmatgar, NAPM Haryana; Kailash Meena, NAPM Rajasthan; Amitava Mitra & Sujato Bhadra, NAPM West Bengal; B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini & Rajendra Ravi, Madhuresh Kumar and Kanika Sharma – NAPM, Delhi




Massive protest by AMU girls

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Massive protest by AMU girls against negative portrayal of AMU in media

Aligarh, 12 Nov 2014:’Daughters are not against their father’ and ‘Media dont pollute AMU’ were the slogans  of the girls who were protesting against their negative image in media as well as the image of Aligarh Muslim University.
The AMU Students girls as well as the boys  were  shocked and angered by intense negative portrayal of Aligarh Muslim University in certain sections of the media and the came on road to protest their feelings. For them the  anti-women depiction of the historical campus of AMU is not only factually wrong but also an unnecessary sensationalization of a simple administrative issue into an issue of gender bias.




Mohit shines as Hansraj College beat Hindu College

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New Delhi, 12th November 2014: Mohit scored 44 points to guide Hansraj College to a convincing victory over Hindu College  84-64 on day 7 of the Indian College Basketball League organized by Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with IMG Reliance (IMG R) at the SGTB Khalsa College. Satyajit top scored for Hindu college with 23 points.
In another high scoring game, hosts SGTB Khalsa defeated Zakir Hussain College 80-64. Naveen scored 25 points for the victors. Sri Venketeswara College got the better of Motilal College 46-32 while Kirori Mal College got a walkover  as Aryabhatta College didn’t turn up.
Premier Results:
Venue: SGTB Khalsa College
  • Kirori Mal College walkover Aryabhatta College
  • Motilal College (Satish 11) lost to Sri Venketeswara College (Nirmal 15) 32-46;
  • Hindu College(Satyajit 23) lost to Hansraj College(Mohit 44) 64-84;
  • SGTB Khalsa(Naveen 25)  beat Zakir Hussain College(Bhavya 31) 80-66.




AAP press release on Maharashtra trust vote

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From: Media Cell AAP <mediacellaap@gmail.com> Wed, 12 Nov ’14 7:29p
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
Press Release
Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the highly immoral manner in which the BJP Govt in Maharashtra proved  it’s majority on the floor of the Vidhan Sabha.This is a gross violation of the first principle of parliamentary democracy .A vote of confidence involves the unambiguous recording of division of votes in order to secure the trust of the people of the state.Bynot doing so,the BJP in connivance with the speaker of the house has made great travesty of democracy.The people need to be convinced beyond doubt that their Govt is in absolute majority.The electorate has a right to know whether their elected representative has voted for or against the Govt and a division of votes is necessary for the same.
It must be noted that as per parliamentary procedure,the Speaker has no choice but to concede to a division of votes should it be sought even by a single legislator and can only be waived by absolute unanimous consensus of all legislators of the house.The Speaker is constitutionally mandated to be neutral but by taking sides,the newly elected Speaker-Haribhau Bhagde has shown utter disregard for the Constitution of India.Moreover,in the pandemonium of a voice vote with 140 odd people on both sides,it is impossible to precisely ascertain which side has clear majority and hence the Speaker’s decision to go with a voice vote and not concede to demands of a Vote Division is shocking.
PM Modi had himself referred to the ‘NCP’ as the ‘Naturally Corrupt Party’ while campaigning in Maharashtra and CM Devendra Fadnavis had categorically stated that there is no question of a partnership with the NCP.Despite such vociferous declarations,today’s act of forming a Govt with the tacit support of the NCP is the epitome of political hypocrisy.
The AAP has in the past exposed the unholy nexus between top BJP and NCP Leaders who have been benefeciaries of the humongous irrigation scam.Today’s events have only strengthened the beliefand perception that BJP’s Anti-Corruption Stand is mere lip service and grossly insincere.This has set a dangerous precedent for our democracy and the BJP has further lowered the standard of politics in this country.
Regards.
AAP Media Cell





AAP Press Conf today at 4 pm (Marathi Patrakar Sangh) by Mayank Gandhi,

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 PRESS INVITE – AAP Press Conf today at 4 pm (Marathi Patrakar Sangh) by Mayank Gandhi, Nandu Madhav on issue of Maharashtra Assembly trust vote
From: AAPMaharashtra News <News@AAPMaharashtra.org> Thu, 13 Nov ’14 11:42a
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
13th November, 2014
PRESS INVITE
We kindly invite you to cover a Press Conference by AAP National Exec member Mayank Gandhi and State Exec member Nandu Madhav on the issue of the highly immoral and illegal manner in which the BJP';s Devendra Phadnavis government proved its majority on the floor of the House.
Date: 13th November, 2014
Venue: Marathi Patrakar Sangh
Time: 4.00 pm 

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International news

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Russian troops ‘have not crossed Ukraine border’

Russian troops have not crossed the Ukrainian border, Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said Thursday. The Russian diplomats are examining a report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the issue, he said, as cited by RIA Novosti. “There have been no troops or any military crossing the border,” he said, adding that “there is no presence of the Russian military on the Ukrainian territory.”

ESA’s Philae probe working on comet as hours left on battery

Europe’s Philae probe was conducting experiments Friday on a comet 510 million km from Earth with just hours of onboard battery life left, AFP reported. It landed at an angle with one leg dangling, likely in a crevice shadowed from battery-boosting sunlight. The robot lab stayed for the second day on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which is racing towards the Sun at 18 km per second. Philae landed on the comet after a seven-hour, 20km descent from its orbiting mothership Rosetta, which had traveled more than a decade and 6.5 billion km.

UN agency halves Kenya refugees’ food rations, cites aid shortfall

Food rations for half a million refugees in Kenya will be slashed in half due to an aid shortfall, the UN said on Friday in an appeal to donors. Food rations, which include grains, pulses and cooking oil, will be cut from around 2,100 to 1,050 kilocalories per person per day, AFP reported. “Cutting rations is the last resort,” UN World Food Program (WFP) deputy chief for Kenya Paul Turnbull said, calling for $38 million more in cash. WFP needs an immediate $15.5 million to feed refugees until January. Most of the refugees in northern Kenya’s camps come from neighboring war-torn South Sudan and Somalia.

Obama to pledge $3bn for UN climate fund

US President Barack Obama will pledge $3 billion to a UN fund aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change in poorest countries, AFP reported, citing a US official as saying Friday. The president was heading to a G20 summit in Australia. “It is in our national interest to helping vulnerable countries to build resilience to climate change,” the administration official said.

India detain drug makers after sterilization deaths

Indian police have arrested the head of a drug manufacturing company and his son after 13 women died after undergoing sterilizations, AFP said. Ramesh Mahawar, the director of Mahawar Pharma, and his son are suspected of destroying evidence related to the deaths, police superintendent Om Prakash Pal said on Friday.

OSCE sees no threats to work of Dutch investigators on МН17 flight crash site

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has described the conditions of work of Dutch investigators at the site of Malaysian Airlines МН17 flight’s crash in Donetsk Region, eastern Ukraine, as safe. The organization’s monitors accompanied the investigators and “would not do so if it was unsafe,” TASS quoted OSCE deputy Chief Monitor in Ukraine Alexander Hug as saying on Friday. The OSCE is assisting the investigators in accessing the site, according to Hug.

Japan plans to give $1.5bn for UN climate fund – sources

Tokyo plans to give up to $1.5 billion to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund to help developing countries fight global warming, AFP said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to announce the pledge at a gathering of the leaders of the Group of 20 biggest economies in Brisbane, Australia, Kyodo News reported Friday, citing its sources. The cash will come on top of a reported $2.5 billion that Washington is stumping up for the GCF. Its mechanism is designed for wealthy countries to help poorer ones become greener.

Military helicopter crashes in NE Nigeria

A Nigerian Air Force helicopter burst into flames midair and crashed near a university in Nigeria’s northeast, witnesses said on Friday. The crash, which is the second to down a military chopper in a week, happened late Thursday in the city of Yola, initially sparking fears that Boko Haram insurgency was mounting an attack, AFP said. The aircraft was thought to be carrying weapons to troops fighting militants. There was no immediate information on casualties. The explosions caused panic among students.

World leaders gathering in Australia for G20 summit

Thirteen world leaders are due to arrive in Australia on Friday for the G20 summit in the Queensland State capital, Brisbane, to be held this weekend, the BBC reported. The summit will focus on promoting growth, and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said leaders would discuss job creation, identifying tax cheats and strengthening the global economy. Ukraine will also be discussed, and campaigners want climate change on the agenda. Local government workers in Brisbane have been given a day off because of the number of travel restrictions in place.

Israel to allow men of all ages to attend Al-Aqsa mosque prayers

Israel is lifting an age barrier for the main weekly Muslim prayers Friday at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound for the first time in months, according to a police spokesman. “No age limit on the Temple Mount, we’re hoping things will be calm and quiet today,” spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told AFP. Extra police units were deployed in Jerusalem in the morning to prevent any incidents in and around the Old City. The decision to lift age restrictions is linked to talks in Jordan on Thursday. US Secretary of State John Kerry said steps were agreed between King Abdullah II and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lower tensions at the mosque compound.

​Seventh Russian aid convoy to go to E. Ukraine on Friday

The Russian Emergencies Ministry said it is to send its seventh convoy of humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Lugansk. So far, more than 8,000 tons of food, medicine, fuel, building materials, and other essentials have been sent by Russia to the war-torn breakaway region of eastern Ukraine, the ministry added. Earlier, the Foreign Ministry said it requested assistance from Ukraine for the delivery, adding that it hopes the International Committee for the Red Cross will participate as well.

Burkina Faso factions agree to transitional government following coup

Political forces in the West African nation of Burkina Faso agreed on a framework for a transitional government following talks between opposition parties, the military, religious leaders, and civil society groups. The decision comes two weeks after President Blaise Compaore was ousted in a military coup. The transitional government will be tasked with bringing the country back to civilian rule and getting it ready for elections. Compaore was forced to resign on October 31 following mass protests against a move to change the constitution in order to extend his long-standing leadership. “Today was the day of compromise,” Herve Kam, a member of the Balai Citoyen civil society group, said. “Both soldiers and civilians agree on a civilian transition. The institutions of the transition will be led by civilians.”

New counter-terrorism bill bans British jihadists, some airlines from UK

British Prime Minister David Cameron revealed some details about the nation’s new counter-terrorism bill, which will be officially presented later in November. One of the measures includes a right to refuse British nationals returning to the UK after being involved in jihadist fighting abroad, Cameron said in an address to Australia’s parliament on Friday. Other parts of the bill will deal with airlines – such as not allowing certain airlines to land on UK territory if they do not comply with British no-fly lists and security screen procedures. Cameron made the first mention of the laws in September. Britain raised its security threat level to the second-highest in August due to increasing danger posed by returning Islamic State fighters from Iraq and Syria. “We have to confront this threat at its source,” Cameron said in Canberra.

EU leaders to make decision on more Russia sanctions

The decision on whether to impose more economic sanctions against Russia will likely be made by EU leaders in mid-December, rather than by foreign ministers who are meeting in Brussels on Monday, Reuters quoted diplomats as saying. The foreign ministers may produce a list of Ukrainian rebel figures and possibly some Russians to be added to the list of personal sanctions already in place, according to an internal paper seen by the news agency. They will be required to keep in mind “that the main separatist leaders are already listed…and the fact that the targeted separatists could be at some point agents in the implementation of the peace plan.”

Former Saakashvili minister dies of heart attack in London

Former Georgian economy minister and wealthy businessman Kakha Bendukidze has died in Britain, Georgia’s First Radio reported on Thursday, along with several other sources. He was staying in a London hotel when he suffered an apparent heart attack, reports said. He had recently returned from Switzerland, where he was treated in a cardiology clinic. Bendukidze, who earned a fortune in Russia, served as Georgia’s economy minister and minister for reform coordination in President Mikhail Saakashvili’s government following the Rose Revolution in the country. His latest political activity included serving as an advisor to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic urges Minsk group meeting

Representative of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, Denis Pushilin, has urged an immediate resumption of talks on settlement in eastern Ukraine. The group should summon a meeting with the participation of the OSCE, Ukraine and Russia, according to his statement published on the republic’s official website. Donetsk and Lugansk republics are ready to send their representatives for talks, he said, adding that any attempts to settle the conflict without them will not improve the situation.

France calls on Israel to reverse decision on 200 settlements in E. Jerusalem

France has called on Israel to “immediately” reverse a decision on the building of 200 new settlements in East Jerusalem. “The decision by the Israeli authorities approving the construction of 200 new homes in the Ramot settlement again directly threatens a two-state solution,” French Foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said. The new housing is slated for a sprawling hillside complex of apartment buildings and private homes at the northern edge of Jerusalem. It will be built on land Israel captured in the 1967 war and annexed to the city, a move never recognized internationally.

Arrest warrants issued for Pakistan protest leaders Khan, Qadri

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has issued arrest warrants for opposition leader and former cricketer, Imran Khan and cleric Tahir ul-Qadri, Reuters said. The warrants issued late on Wednesday accused their supporters of storming parliament and the state television building on September 1. Opposition leaders reacted with outrage on Thursday, and the move is feared to provoke fresh unrest. Media agencies




Does Cameron Agree With Aung San Suu Kyi That Reforms Have Stalled?

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Burma Campaign UK
To
me
Nov 13 at 11:50 PM




Nehru ‘Leader and Architect’ of India – Modi ‘Just Arrived’

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November14, 2014 (C) Ravinder Singh ravinderinvent@gmail.com
On 125th birth anniversary its time recall contribution of Architect
of India, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru. His greatest Contribution was Free &
Compulsory Education, Free Healthcare, Secularism & Socialistic
Economic Policy, Rights to Women and to lessen Social Inequalities.
His is Dream of India has been Compromised like Free & Compulsory
Education, Socialist Wealth Distribution. Nehru led India from 1929 to
1964 continuously.
Indian National Congress ruled India for latest ten years didn’t
seriously implement Nehru’s ideas. Gulf between Rich & Poor had
widened in last two decades. When price of wheat is $540-$860 in
international market Indian farmers are paid just $200. Average adult
wealth in India is $4645 but Median wealth is $1006 only. With better
income distribution majority of Indians Would Have Been Thrice Richer
than today. Industry workers are paid just 1% of GDP as wages and
Employers earn 4.5 Times than wages to Workers which was 59% in
1988-89.
Chacha Nehru ‘Nehru also outlined a commitment in his five-year plans
to guarantee free and compulsory primary education to all of India’s
children. For this purpose, Nehru oversaw the creation of mass village
enrolment programmes and the construction of thousands of schools.
Nehru also launched initiatives such as the provision of free milk and
meals to children to fight malnutrition. Adult education centres,
vocational and technical schools were also organised for adults,
especially in the rural areas.’
‘He declared that the aims of the congress were freedom of religion,
right to form associations, freedom of expression of thought, equality
before law for every individual without distinction of caste, colour,
creed or religion, protection to regional languages and cultures,
safeguarding the interests of the peasants and labour, abolition of
untouchability, introduction of adult franchise, imposition of
prohibition, nationalisation of industries, socialism, and
establishment of a secular India.’ – 1929
“The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any rate organised
religion, in India and elsewhere, has filled me with horror and I have
frequently condemned it and wished to make a clean sweep of it. Almost
always it seemed to stand for blind belief and reaction, dogma and
bigotry, superstition, exploitation and the preservation of vested
interests.”
GDP growth was slow during Nehru’s rule because of Very Low Tax
Collection and No Control over Banks, Zero INVENTING, Black Money
Generation etc which hurt India even today. In last 14 years wealth
contribution of India was up from 1% to 1.4% to the world GDP in per
capita terms is just 20% growth over world average in 14 years or just
1.5% above world average.
Modi has just arrived – His Main IDEA of ‘Unearthing Black Money’ is
going nowhere.




Hungarian Vadocz replaces John Goossens at FC Pune City

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Guwahati, 14 November 2014: FC Pune City, the Pune franchise of the Indian Super League has signed Hungarian midfielder Krisztian Vadocz as an injury replacement to Dutch John Goossens. The 29-year-old centre midfielder Vadocz who joined the team here in Guwahati ahead of their match against NEUFC, has plied his trade for Odense Boldklub (in Denish Superliga) and CA Osasuna (in La Liga).
Born in Budapest, Vadocz made his professional debut aged 17, with hometown’s Budapest Honvéd FC, and caught the eye of Ligue 1 outfit AJ Auxerre in the 2005 summer. In June 2007 AJ Auxerre released Vadócz and he joined NEC Nijmegen.
Later he went on to represent La Liga outfit CA Osasuna. In his first season, he did score some important goals for Osasuna, against UD Almeria and at Atlético de Madrid (4–2).  In his three years with the Spanish outfit, Vadocz scored 9 goals in his 71 appearances.
He made his debut for both Hungary’s under-21 and the full side in 2004. He netted his first goal for the latter a year later, in a 3–2 friendly win over Antigua and Barbuda in Miami, Florida.
On this development, FC Pune City CEO Gaurav Modwel said, “John Goossens’ presence will be sorely missed in the camp as well as on the field. But I have full confidence in Krizstian Vadocz’s ability to fit into our setup.”
Head coach Franco Colomba too sounded optimistic. “Goossens has been a remarkable player, but then we have the season to look forward to and Vadocz’s vast experience as a midfielder across various international leagues and at the international level shall bring the right balance to the FC Pune City team.”
Dutch national Goossens has been ruled out for the rest of Indian Super League season, suffering injury to his ribs during Match 24 on November 7th, 2014 match against Atletico de Kolkata at Salk Lake Stadium, Kolkata.




SONY SIX set to redefine tennis viewership in India with Champions Tennis League’s (CTL) novel format

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New Delhi, November 14, 2014: SONY SIX, India’s premier sports and entertainment channel has acquired the broadcasting rights for Champions Tennis League, a pan-India city-based tennis championship league set to take place from November 17 to November 26, 2014.
The television-friendly format of CTL lends itself to the taste and sensibilities of the Indian audience, who have been generally seen to enjoy watching fast-paced sports like the T20 cricket. The ‘each set is a match’ structure is already being talked about amongst national and international tennis fraternities alike. Also renowned names like Mark Woodforde, Louise Pleming, Luke Jensen and Prakash Amritraj will be seen keeping the viewers engaged with their quick witted and insightful commentary on the game. Apart from the pacey and competitive tennis, the tournament will feature after-match parties, fashion shows and interactions with the fans on the rest days; thereby acting as a ‘carnival of tennis’ for both tennis fans and the general match-goers.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Prasana Krishnan, Business Head, SONY SIX said, “The format for CTL is tailor made for television. The short and exciting structure of the matches will ensure that audiences are entertained and engaged throughout the course of the tournament. Also, with the entry of CTL, the viewership for tennis in our country should finally extend beyond the Grand Slams and select ATP and WTA tournaments.”
With CTL, SONY SIX will further add to its exciting mix of entertainment-based sports programming led by global phenomena such as the NBA, the FIFA, the Pepsi IPL and the Ultimate Fighting Championship among others. The inaugural CTL not only boasts of a first-of-its kind format but will also be the first international tennis tournament to be held in cities like Pune and Chandigarh, which have traditionally not been the bastions for the sport in the country.

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PM modi: Replace outdated and unsafe military equipment

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Change.org
Dear Naresh,
‘Friends of the Army’ feel old Army equipment has caused the death of several soldiers over the years. They are asking the Prime Minister of India to immediately replace outdated and unsafe military equipment, specially the Cheetah helicopters which killed three soldiers last month.

PM modi: Replace outdated and unsafe military equipment that endangers the lives of our soldiers

Friends of the Army 
India
Bareilly: Three army officers were killed after their Cheetah helicopter crashed in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh on Oct 1, 2014.
The accident took place at around 7.45 am, moments after the army helicopter took off from an army aviation base. Two pilots and an engineer were killed.
The helicopter was reportedly on a testing flight. Just two minutes after take-off, it reportedly caught fire and crashed.
The army has been trying to get replacements for its 40-year-old Cheetahs but has failed because of corruption scandals and bureaucratic delays.
This is not an isolated incident – technical snags in these Cheetah helicopters are common and there is one major crash every year where precious lives are lost (Guwhati and Leh being the most recent ones).
The people of India salute Army personell for their efforts in the face of any disaster, be it terrorist attacks or floods, but the time has come to actually do something for them. Please support this petition to urge the government to do away with these outdated and unsafe equipment that endangers the lives of our armymen.
The person (or organisation) who started this petition is not affiliated with Change.org. Change.org did not create this petition and is not responsible for the petition content.
This email was sent by Change.org to Nksagar_1@yahoo.com. You can edit your email preferences or unsubscribe from these emails.
Start a petition   ·   Contact us   ·   Privacy policy




Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launches the nationwide Bal Swachhta Mission

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The Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launched the National Bal Swachhta Mission in New Delhi today. The Bal Swachhta Mission is a part of the nationwide sanitation initiative of ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ launched by the Prime Minister on 2nd October, 2014. Speaking at the launch of Bal Swachhta Mission, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that children can play a very important role in achieving a Swachh Bharat. She said that they can become ambassadors of cleanliness and motivate others to keep their homes, schools, and surroundings clean. Cleanliness habits should be imbibed in the children in informal ways like small games, poems, storytelling, conversation with children among others, she added. The Minister praised the message of cleanliness given by the children on the occasion through their innocent performances. The Minister said that the cleanliness drive has to be a nationwide effort and should include sustained measures taken up on a continuous basis.
The Minister also released a book on Bal Swachtta Mission prepared by NIPCCD. The children entertained the audience and gave their message of cleanliness through a cultural program and fancy dress programme. Smt. Maneka Gandhi visited the model Anganwadi hub centre located at Maidan Garhi.
The nationwide Bal Swachhta Mission will have the following six themes:-
1. Clean Anganwadis
2. Clean Surroundings e.g. Playgrounds
3. Clean Self (Personal Hygiene/Child Health)
4. Clean Food
5. Clean Drinking Water
6. Clean Toilets
During the Bal Swachhta Week from 14th to 19th November, one of the above themes would be covered at each Anganwadi Centre in the states. The Women and Child Development Departments of various states have been asked to implement the Bal Swachhta Mission with the help of Departments of School Education, Urban Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Information and Publicity. The events will be organized at State, District, Block, and Gram Panchayat level.




Six Crore Aadhaar Issued in Uttar Pradesh So Far

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Over 6 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated in Uttar Pradesh by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), so far, out of a total population of 19.98 crore (as per Census 2011). The State was among the four (4) new States allocated to UIDAI for Aadhaar enrolments earlier this year. Currently more than 2.5 lakh residents are enrolled per day in Uttar Pradesh through 5,781 active enrolment stations deployed in 71 districts of the State. The pace of enrolments will further accelerate with engagement of Enrolment Agencies by the State Registrar.
The UIDAI has, till date, issued over 70.7 crore Aadhaar numbers. Nine States/UTs including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh have crossed 90 percent Aadhaar coverage, while a further seven States/UTs have Aadhaar coverage of between 70 and 90 percent.
The 6 crore Aadhaar number holders of Uttar Pradesh can now avail many services with their Aadhaars such as opening a Bank account, obtaining a SIM card, a PAN card, an LPG connection etc. More services are likely to be available on Aadhaar in the coming days.
Aadhaar facilitates “anytime, anywhere” online authentication of a resident through universal verification of one’s identity based on the demographic and biometric information of an individual, thereby eliminating any chance of duplication or fraud.




Home Minister pays tribute to Pandit Nehru;

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Home Minister pays tribute to Pandit Nehru; Calls upon the people to work for nation’s development
The Union Home Minister has called upon the people to imbibe the scientific temperament and work for the nation’s development, which he said would be a real tribute to the first Prime Minister of the country, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Speaking at a function here today to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Pandit Nehru, Shri Rajnath Singh said that Pandit Nehru continues to get love and respect of the people, even after so many years because of his contributions, personality, commitment to the nation, and connect with the people.
Describing Pandit Nehru as ‘Rashtra Purush’, the Home Minister said that Pandit Nehru steered the nation at the crucial juncture, and gave it a new direction. The Union Home Minister lauded Pandit Nehru for his inclusiveness and having an accommodating approach even towards his political opponents. He said that Pandit Nehru had faith in the maturity and capability of Indians, and that is why India has today become the largest democracy, and not confined to elites only.
Shri Rajnath Singh also mentioned about the contribution of Pandit Nehru in the domains of foreign policy, science and technology, planning, and industrial development. Shri Singh said that the first prime minister was a pragmatic person, as indicated by his adoption of Mixed economy.
The Union Home Minister expressed the need to stand together in the national interest. He said that we should not say something which could tarnish the nation’s image or instil sense of fear among the people. The Minister said that sense of confidence among the citizens should be inculcated. He also thanked the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in taking a lead in celebrating Pandit Nehru’s 125th birth anniversary in a befitting manner.
Earlier, the Union Home Minister released two commemorative coins in the memory of Pandit Nehru, brought out by the Finance Ministry. He also launched a portal on the first Prime Minister of India, which contains Pandit Nehru’s photos, audio-video recordings, selected works, and various aspects of his personality.




Nehru Portal launched, Commemoration coins released

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A sum of Rs. 20 crore has been releasedto the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) this year for launching a Nehru Portal on the lines of Gandhi Heritage Portal, publication of selected works of Jawaharlal Nehru, renovation and modernization of Nehru Museum and other activities of such nature. This was stated by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and Tourism, Dr Mahesh Sharma at the inaugural function of the year long commemoration of 125th Birth Anniversary of JawaharLal Nehru in New Delhi today. Elaborating on the contributions of the first Prime Minister to independent India, the Minister said that Nehru’s thrust for science and technology provided India with a respectable identity all over the world. Nehru underlined the necessity to promote a scientific temperament among the people who only recently had the taste of independence, the Minister added. Nehru’s vision of a modern India has been a source of inspiration across the generations, the Minister further added. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest, Shri RajnathSngh, Union Minster for Home Affairs said, that India is an ancient nation and it was Nehru who gave her a modern identity. Nehru envisioned India not only in terms of a developed country but as a country which will lead other nations, the Minister added.
The Union Home Minister also launched the Nehru Portal carrying a rich collection of oral, audio, visual and archival material. The commemorative coins of denominations of Rs. 5.00 andRs. 125 were also released to mark the occasion. An exhibition on ‘Nehru and First Union Cabinet’ was another highlight of the commemoration. The celebrations, including conferences, exhibitions, Bal Swachhta Missions and similar programme in 155 Bal Bhawans, will continue till 14th November next year. NMML has also been sanctioned a corpus grant of Rs 150 cr this year by the Ministry of Culture.




M.Venkaiah Naidu unveils Bronze Statue of Sardar Patel

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Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel rendered yeomen contribution to the freedom struggle of the Country and for its unification after Independence, but justice was not done to Sardar Patel during his life time and even later. Shri Naidu was speaking after inaugurating a large size bronze statue of Sardar Patel at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh this morning.
Giving an account of SardarPatel’s eminence and his contributions, Shri Naidu said, being an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi, despite huge following and support in the Congress Party, Sardar Patel agreed to work under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharalal Nehru, as per the wishes of Gandhiji and this was a great sacrifice in the national interest. Shri Naidu said, Patel who was an eminent barrister gave up his practice to join freedom struggle and became Sardar after leading the peasant movement at Bardoli.
‘With the interests of the nation uppermost in his mind, Sardar Patel who emerged as an eminent leader in his own right, worked with Pandit Nehru for over 30 years, under the leadership of Gandhi ji. His contribution as the Home Minister to the unification of the country and putting in place well organized civil services were evidence of his great vision and capacity to act decisively in testing times. However, Sardar Patel was denied justice during his life time and even after his death. Sardar Patel was honoured with Bharat Ratna, 41 years after his death, while it could have been much earlier.’ Said Shri Venkaiah Naidu.
Shri Naidu observed that several great leaders made significant contributions to the freedom struggle and after, and all of them should be regarded equally and their legacies should be promoted without any discrimination.
Minister of Municipal Administration Dr.P.Narayana and Minister of Health and Medical Education Dr.K.Srinivas of the Andhra Pradesh Government also attended the unveiling programme. Mayor of Nellore Shri Abdul Aziz presided over the function.




Uma Bharti to Inaugurate Jal Manthan on November 20

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Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti will inaugurate the national conference on issues for optimal use of water resources called “Jal Manthan”on November 20, 2014 in New Delhi. The three day event has been organized by the Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation take up wide ranging consultations with the state irrigation ministers, Secretaries for Water Resources and a range of other stakeholders. The focus will be on refining policies of the Ministry to make them more people friendly and responsive to the needs of the states.
The first day of the conference will be devoted for deliberations on the three flagship schemes being implemented by the Union Government through Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, viz., Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies and Flood Management Programme. New proposals, such as, Incentivizing States for Water Sector Reforms India Water Resources Information System and Hydrology Project III would also be introduced. The programme will involve participation from concerned Ministers and Principal Secretaries from the State Governments and provide them an opportunity to highlight their concerns and impediments being faced by them in effective implementation of these Schemes.
The second day will be devoted to issues related to inter-linking of rivers in the country. It is proposed to deliberate on various aspects of inter-linking as the programme has evoked strong reactions from civil societies and environmental groups. The Event would provide a platform to address the concerns and clarify issues raised by them. On the third day of Conference, it is proposed to hold deliberations on broader issues of water conservation and management with civil societies, non-governmental organisations and water user communities. The focus will be on water Security Humane Face to Water Projects Farm Water Management and Rejuvenation of Water Bodies.
It may be recalled that the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharati has emphasized the need to hold wider consultations amongst various stakeholders engaged in water resource development and management to achieve synergy of water resource development with environment, wild-life and various social and cultural practices. About 300 experts are expected to attend the conference.




AAP march against rising crimes against Dalits in Maharashtra

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From: AAPMaharashtra News <News@AAPMaharashtra.org> Sat, 15 Nov ’14 8:10a
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Show full Headers
15th November, 2014
Maharashtra has seen a sharp rise in violent, brutal and inhuman crimes against Dalits. The recent murder in Ahmednagar district was truly horrific and shocking, as was the police’;s apathy in the issue. Aam Aadmi Party has organised a march to register our protest against the incident, encourage swift and speedy justice for the victim’;s families and to demand rehabilitation of the victim’;s families. We appeal to Mumbaikars to join this yatra today, 15th November. AAP leader and candidate from Pune in the Lok Sabha election, Subhash Ware will lead the rally and will be joined by Anjali Damania and others.
Start point: Chembur Naka, Near Satish Hotel
Time: 3.00 pm




Sanjay Kumar two shots clear on penultimate day, emerges firm favourite for title

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Sanjay Kumar two shots clear on penultimate day, emerges firm favourite for title 
Prabagaran, Mukesh occupy second and third places to stay in the hunt 
Shillong, Meghalaya, November 14, 2014: Lucknow golfer Sanjay Kumar’s bogey-free 67 in round three ensured he stayed two shots clear of the rest of the field at the Rs. 40 lakh Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Open Golf 2014. Sanjay’s three-day total stands at 11-under-199 at the richest tournament to be staged in North-East India. Sri Lankan K Prabagaran and Mukesh Kumar of Mhow stayed in the hunt as they occupied second and third places at nine-under-201 and eight-under-202 respectively.

Sanjay Kumar (66-66-67), the overnight leader, continued his surge on day three at the Shillong Golf Course with an error-free three-under-67. The 43-year-old was off to a brilliant start on Friday as he sank a 15-footer to gain a stroke on the first hole. He consolidated his lead with another eight feet birdie conversion on the fifth. The ice cool golfer produced an immaculate approach shot on the 11th that led to a tap-in birdie. Sanjay was steady for the rest of the day and never looked in danger of dropping a shot.

Sanjay, looking for his first win on the PGTI in three years, said, “I feel I’ve adapted well to this course. I’ve planned my round well on the first three days. I just need to continue doing the same on the last day in order to have a shot at the title.

“I had a good start today with long birdie conversions on the first and fifth and set the tone for the rest of the round. I’ve not won on the PGTI for a long time now and so there is a burning desire to get a title under my belt. I think my strength is that I never put too much pressure on myself and always stay calm on the course no matter what the situation is,” added Sanjay.

K Prabagaran (67-67-67), a winner on the PGTI in 2014, shot a third consecutive 67 to keep himself in the hunt. Prabagaran held on to his overnight second position after capping another solid round with five birdies and two bogeys.

Prabagaran said, “My short-game shaped up really well on day three. I played just two poor shots on the back-nine that cost me bogeys. I’ll go into the final round with a lot of self-belief as I have a title against my name this year. Keeping the errors out of the game will be crucial in the final round.”

Mukesh Kumar (64-72-66), who shot an ordinary 72 on day two, made a strong comeback on Friday as he posted an eventful 66 to climb from overnight tied fourth to third position. The experienced Mukesh, who mixed six birdies with two bogeys in round three, will also be a strong contender for the title on the final day. The Mhow golfer landed it within a couple of feet for birdies on the fourth and eighth and sank two long birdie putts on the ninth and 16th.

Kolkata golfers Shankar Das and Mohammad Sanju lie tied fourth at six-under-204 while Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow and Sri Lankan N Thangaraja are a further shot back in joint sixth place.

Delhi’s Manav Jaini shot the day’s best score of five-under-65 to be tied 14th at one-under-209.




Modi Can Commit 75% GHG Cut By 2030 At G-20 – Lead The World

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi can offer 75% Cut in GHG Emissions by
2030, Technologies are available which are Most Economical too.
India Can Cut 75% GHG, 3 Billion Tones GHG Yearly By 2030
India’s Energy Policy is loaded entirely in favor of Costliest and
Most Polluting Coal based power. Even the latest Super Critical
Thermal Plants are not effective mainly because such units are located
in hot regions, high ambient air and circulating water temperature and
shortage of water adds up to much lower thermal efficiency and in
addition there are substantial Transmission & Distribution losses. Use
of low quality coal releases around 200 million tones of Fly Ash at
power stations, partly in air also.
Business As Usual situation India may consume 2000 million tone of
Coal every year producing over 800 million tones of Fly Ash at power
stations including 160 million tones released in air by 2030.
Thus Indian power is Costliest and Most Polluting due to extensive use
of thermal coal for power generation.
Green Energy Programs to Avoid 3.0 Billion Tones of CO2 by 2030 are: -
1.]  India should be developing 200,000 MW of Multipurpose Hydro
Power+, producing 800m Units of Electricity and avoiding 0.8 Billion
Tones of CO2 every year and around 40 tones of Fly Ash emissions in
air.
+ Additionally Prevent or Moderate Floods in 40 million hectares of
flood affected land and supply 500 BCM of addition Clean Blue Water
for Irrigation, Municipal other uses, reduce water pumping for
irrigation etc.
2.]  100,000 MWe of Nuclear Power shall produce around 750 BU of green
electricity avoiding 750 million tones of CO2.
3.]  200,000 MWp Solar Power with Tracking shall generate 450 BU of
green electricity to be ready by 2020.
4.]  Energy Efficiency 500 BU Annually by 2030 avoiding 500 million
tones of CO2 every year.
5.]  Wind, Biomass, Tidal, Bio-Fuels together shall produce 200 BU of
electricity or 200m avoid Tones of CO2.
6.]  Electric Transport like Railways, Electric Vehicles, Trams etc
shall avoid 300m of CO2 in replacing petroleum.  `
All these programs are Commercially Viable and produce Cheaper
Electricity than by polluting Coal Based power require just $2.5
Trillion investments including T&D. India to Lead The World in Saving
Planet Earth From Impact Of GHG/ Climate Change.
(C) Ravinder Singh ravinderinvent@gmail.com




Quake of M7.3 – MOLUCCA SEA

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Globe with Earthquake Location

Preliminary Earthquake Report
Magnitude7.3
Date-Time
  • 15 Nov 2014 02:31:42 UTC
  • 15 Nov 2014 10:31:42 near epicenter
  • 15 Nov 2014 06:31:42 standard time in your timezone
Location1.885N 126.509E
Depth46 km
Distances
  • 154 km (95 mi) NW of Kota Ternate, Indonesia
  • 155 km (96 mi) ENE of Bitung, Indonesia
  • 155 km (96 mi) NW of Ternate, Indonesia
  • 167 km (103 mi) W of Tobelo, Indonesia
  • 1070 km (663 mi) SW of Koror Town, Palau
Location UncertaintyHorizontal: 0.0 km; Vertical 6.2 km
ParametersNph = 116; Dmin = 155.9 km; Rmss = 1.13 seconds; Gp = 20°
Version =
Event IDus c000sxh8




Condemn the brutal attack on active villager from Rajasthan

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Condemn the brutal attack on active villager from Rajasthan for fighting against illegal mining activities

15th Nov, 2014, New Delhi: On 14th NovemberShankarlal Mina, who is active in the struggle against stone quarry mafias and is from village Toda, Neemka thana (Tahsil), Rajasthan, was brutally attacked in village market in broad day light. The attack, in which his hand and leg have been fractured, was by stone quarry mafia and goondas of former MLA Ramesh Khandelwal who lost appeal at NGT. Please note that NGT Bhopal bench in September put stay on all mining activities and illegal stone crushing in Neema ka thana as well as in Sikar district.

Take immediate action! 

Send Protest letters to CM, Rajasthan
Email: cmraj@rajasthan.gov.in and cmrajasthan@nic.in
Fax: 01412227687

I.G. Jaipur Range, Mr. D.C Jain
Email: igjaipur2-rj@nic.in
Fax: 01412281889
Phone: 01412281824




Bulgarian participation in NATO-led missions,

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Invites you to the inauguration of the exhibition

A documentary exhibition of photographs covering 2004 – 2014, portraying Bulgarian participation in NATO-led missions, collective specifics of the Alliance, training events and negotiating processes.

Monday, 17th November, 2014
6:30 p.m.                             
                                                             
Instituto Cervantes
48 Hanuman Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi

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​7.3 earthquake rocks Indonesia

A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake was recorded 150 kilometers (93 miles) off the coast of Kota Ternate, Indonesia, on Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake occurred at 10:31 am local time at a depth of 47 kilometers (29.2 miles), according to the USGS. The powerful trembler caused some panic among residents. Initial warnings of a potential tsunami that was issued following the quake has been cancelled. "The height of the tsunami in Manado [the capital of Indonesia's North Sulawesi Province] was 0.03 meters [0.09 feet]," the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics told Sputnik Saturday.

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Repatriation of black money kept abroad is a priority: PM Modi

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Repatriation of black money kept abroad is a priority: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unequivocally said that repatriation of black money kept abroad is a “priority” for his government, as he sought close global coordination to achieve this objective.
Raising the black money issue at an informal meeting of leaders of the five-nation BRICS bloc, Modi set the tone on this key issue ahead of the G20 summit in the wake of his commitment to bring back every penny of black money stashed abroad.
“Repatriation of black money kept abroad is a key priority for us,” Modi told the BRICS leaders.
Calling for close coordination on the issue of black money kept abroad, Modi also said this unaccounted money is also linked to security challenges.
As India makes attempts to retrieve the black money, the Prime Minister has already made it clear that close cooperation to retrieve the black money from abroad is a key issue for him.
The G20 host Australia yesterday vowed a “very aggressive” crackdown on tax avoidance.
India is also seeking strong action by the Group of 20 industrialised and emerging economies against tax havens.
“A key issue for me would be to highlight the importance of international cooperation against black money,” Modi had said, as he is set to renew the country’s commitment at the G20 summit to a global response to deal with cross border tax avoidance and evasion.
India is also expected to urge the G20 to pressure tax havens into revealing more information on black money from India to help retrieve this illegal money.
Besides Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Jacob Zuma and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, were the other leaders who took part in the informal interaction.




India-US breakthrough on WTO hailed as ‘win-win’ situation

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India-US breakthrough on WTO hailed as
The resolution of a row between India and the US over food subsidies was on Friday hailed as a “win-win” situation by leading industrialised countries Japan, the EU and the UK who expressed confidence that a landmark global trade pact stalled for months can now move forward.The recent breakthrough in the trade facilitation agreement figured prominently at the three separate bilateral meetings Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with his British and Japanese counterparts — David Cameron and Shinzo Abe and European Commission president Herman Von Rompuy.It was Modi’s first meeting with Cameron while Abe hosted a dinner for the Indian Prime Minister in their second interaction in three months.
Separately, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Secretary-General Roberto Azevedo said the recent developments including the breakthrough by India and the US has breathed new life into the global organisation.
“All the three leaders congratulated the PM and extended their support when the matter comes up before the WTO. They also said all the countries can now move together,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said while briefing reporters on how the breakthrough found its resonance at the bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 Summit starting in Brisbane on Saturday.
The whole world is looking at the “win-win” deal arrived at between India and the US, he said.
The bilateral meetings took place shortly after Modi arrived here on a five-day visit to Australia, the first in 28 years by an Indian Prime Minister after Rajiv Gandhi visited this country in 1986.
The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) has been stalled since July, when India refused to endorse it unless its food stockpiles were exempted from possible punitive measures, prompting the US to accuse it of taking the WTO “to the brink of crisis”.
The new deal has raised expectations that the Bali package would be implemented soon.
Modi’s call on Wednesday at the East Asia summit in Myanmar to the world community to reject any linkage between religion and terrorism while forging an international partnership in giving a comprehensive response to fight all forms of terrorism, was also endorsed by the leaders of Japan, Britain and the EU.
Another common thread in the three meetings was the move by the Indian government to modernise railways.
Modi told the three leaders that his government was determined to modernise railway stations and amenities besides giving a push to the planned Bullet train linking Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
At their meeting, Cameron told Modi that relations with India are at the top of the priorities of the UK’s foreign policy.
The British Premier also invited Modi to visit the UK to which the Indian Prime Minister said he would do so at the earliest.
Modi told Cameron that his vision was “very inspiring” and the two countries can partner in any way they can.
The stalled India-EU Brodbased Investment and Trade Agreement (BITA) figured in the meeting between Modi and the EU Chief Rompoy.
The planned agreement has hit a roadblock over movement of services and automobiles issues over concerns raised by both the sides.
The two leaders hoped a way can be found with Modi saying there is no paucity of political will in India.
Modi told the EU leader that India is willing to be progressive on this issue.




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Dhanush missile successfully test-fired

Dhanush missile successfully test-fired

India has successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile from a naval ship off the Odisha coast on Friday night.
The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval variant of India’s indigenously-developed ‘Prithvi’ missile, was test fired from a ship in the Bay of Bengal at around 7.40 PM by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence force.”The missile launch was part of an exercise by the armed forces and the missile reached the designated target with high precision,” Director of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) M V K V Prasad said.
“The missile launch and its flight performance was monitored from the ITR at Chandipur, Odisha,” he said.
‘Prithvi-II’ surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was also test-fired from a test range at Chandipur earlier in the day.
The single-stage, liquid-propelled Dhanush has already been inducted into the armed services and is one of the five missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), defence sources said.
“The trial was conducted by the SFC of the Indian defence force in co-operation with DRDO,” a defence scientist said. Dhanush missile is capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1,000 kg and hit both land and sea-based targets.




Reform process bound to face resistance: PM

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  Reform process bound to face resistance: PM
As he seeks to accelerate his economic reform drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said reform process is bound to face resistance and wanted it to be insulated from political pressures.
Making a strong pitch for economic reforms, Mold told fellow G20 leaders at a Retreat that reforms should lead to simplification of processes and that methods of governance must be reformed.
The retreat was hosted by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the Queensland Parliament House where the leaders met without aides shortly before the annual summit of the 20 industrialised and major economies kicked off at the Brisbane Convention Centre in the afternoon.
A barbeque lunch was served to the G20 leaders.
“Reform is bound to face resistance…must be insulated from political pressures,” said Modi.
The Prime Minister also made it clear that reform has to be driven by the people and that it cannot be undertaken by “stealth”.
Asserting that reform must be people-centric and people-driven, he said globally reforms are handicapped with perception of being government programmes and a burden on the people and this needs to change.
Modi felt that reforms should lead to simplification of processes and that governance methods must be reformed.
Noting that reform is a continuous multi-stage process and that it must be institutionalised, the prime minister said it must be technology driven and must have scale and address root causes..
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters on Friday that Prime Minister Abbott had specially requested Modi to outline his vision for reforms at the informal meeting of G20 leaders at the retreat in addition to his intervention at the main summit.




Brazilian police arrest 27 in Petrobras graft case

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Twenty-seven people were arrested by Brazilian police in connection with a corruption case involving state-owned oil giant Petrobras. Among the arrestees is the former director of engineering and services, Renato Duque, AFP reported. Thirty police teams took part in the arrests that swept the country. Police also searched 11 companies during the operation and seized $277 million worth of assets belonging to 36 individuals and three companies. The breakthrough in the case against Petrobras reportedly came after former official Paulo Roberto Costa made a plea deal with the prosecutors, revealing that the firm gave out millions of dollars to politicians of the ruling Workers Party between 2004 and 2012. According to police, a total of around $3.9 billion was paid out during that time.




US general arrives in Iraq

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US general arrives in Iraq as military campaign broadens

General Martin Dempsey, the top US military officer and Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff arrived on Saturday in Baghdad in a surprise visit, as the US prepares to expand American assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces battling the Islamic State. “I want to get a sense from our side about how our contribution is going,”Dempsey told Reuters before landing in Baghdad.




​7.3 magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia

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​7.3 magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia

A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake was recorded 150 kilometers (93 miles) off the coast of Kota Ternate, Indonesia, on Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake occurred at 10:31 am local time at a depth of 47 kilometers (29.2 miles), according to the USGS. The powerful trembler caused some panic among residents. Initial warnings of a potential tsunami that was issued following the quake has been cancelled.“The height of the tsunami in Manado [the capital of Indonesia's North Sulawesi Province] was 0.03 meters [0.09 feet],” the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics told Saturday.

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Celebrate New Year in Kenya

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All India, 15th November 2014 : Christmas and New Year is seen as a time of remembering the past, as we live in the present, and hope for the best to come in future, and this is the perfect time to take holiday to your favourite destination with your loved ones. And which other place than Kenya offers the travellers beach and safari celebration.
The Christmas and New Year’s holidays in Kenya are marked with the spirit of celebration and reverence. As the vast majority of the population is Christian, the celebrations in the country are in full swing. Fireworks, dance, songs and music are a part and parcel of the celebrations with the options of partying on the white sandy beaches or taking a safari in the wild.
This holiday period is in fact one of the most popular times for tourists and is testament to the wonderful climate, beautiful beaches and the festive mood during this time of the year.
Situated on the equator, this East African country has been described as ‘the cradle of humanity’. With its scenic beauty and abundant wildlife, Kenya is one of Africa’s major safari destinations. Spend New Year here and you are sure to have an entertaining night!
If you are looking for a peaceful and quiet with your family this historical Swahili town situated on Lamu Island offers a completely different experience to the tourists. This place is a paradise; unaltered by the effects of tourism and the influence of the outside world it is perfect for those who are searching for a quiet escape to rejoice New Year eve with family and loved ones.
Those who love a nice, upscale affair will be pleased by what Nairobi has to offer on New Year’s Eve. Visit the best hotel bars in the city or the hottest nightclubs and ring in the New Year with a champagne toast. You can even take a safari ride in the afternoon that provides refreshments and end with an amazing view of the fireworks as well as the Nairobi skyline.
There are private parties with DJ are thrown in to put the best of tunes, performances and all the expected party galore. New Year party in is a great way to socialize with friends and families and take some time off from hectic schedule. Shopping centres sparkle with decorations, animations and shows attracting crowds during the day and on late night shopping.
Whether you want an adventurous holiday or cosy break on an island by the fire with a fine wine, or party until the sun comes up, this is a destination that will start your New Year right.


 

Sanjay Kumar posts super 65 on final day to register impressive five-shot victory

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Prize_Presentation_Picture_-_Chief_Minister_s_Meghalaya_Open_Golf

Mukesh Kumar finishes runner-up

Shillong, Meghalaya, November 15, 2014: Lucknow golfer Sanjay Kumar came up with an outstanding final round score of five-under-65 to register a comprehensive five-shot win at the Rs. 40 lakh Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Open Golf 2014. Sanjay ended the week with a total score of 16-under-264 at the richest tournament to be staged in North-East India. Mukesh Kumar of Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, finished a distant second at 11-under-269 after returning a 67 in round four.

Sanjay Kumar (66-66-67-65), who started the final day two shots ahead, was in control of the situation from start to finish. The 43-year-old had a quiet front-nine, sinking a lone birdie on the fourth. However, Sanjay gathered steam on the back-nine as he delivered four birdies including three on the trot from the 13th to the 15th. The seasoned professional who is known for his cool temperament landed it within four feet on the 13thand 14th and sank his longest putt of the day, a 15-footer, on the 15th. Sanjay thus ended up with the day’s joint best score of 65.

Sanjay, who bagged his seventh professional title and first on the PGTI in three years, said, “I’ve waited a long time for this win. I feel I’m back at the top of my game now. I’ve had a fantastic week and particularly enjoyed the weather conditions and course conditions here. I’d love to come back to the Shillong Golf Course for more professional events in the future.”

He added, “Even though I had a relatively quieter front-nine, I played some solid golf to not drop a stroke at any stage. I made a good par save on the eighth. When I birdied the 13th I knew I’m not too far from victory. It was important to have a good cushion at the top especially with the experienced Mukesh right behind me. I ensured I didn’t lose focus despite missing a few short putts early on. I dedicate this win to my family.”

Sanjay has now climbed from 15th place to sixth position in the 2014 Rolex Rankings.

Mukesh Kumar (64-72-66-67), another seasoned campaigner, who started the final round three shots off the lead in third place, carded a 67 on the last day to finish runner-up. Mukesh had five birdies and two bogeys on Saturday and missed two crucial eagle opportunities from 10 feet on the sixth and 10th. On the sixth he ended up with a birdie but on the 10th he three-putted for par. He had some consolation at the end, closing the day with a 15-feet birdie conversion on the 18th.

Mukesh, who climbed from 12th to ninth in the Rolex Rankings, said, “I just didn’t convert enough opportunities today. Sanjay is a player difficult to dislodge when he’s leading and therefore I needed to make a charge in the final round. However, the two missed eagle opportunities cost me dearly. I’ve really enjoyed playing and Shillong and look forward to coming back here every year.”

Kolkata’s Shankar Das submitted a card of four-under-66 in round four to finish third at 10-under-270. Shankar continues in second position on the Rolex Rankings but has now narrowed the gap between himself and the leader Rashid Khan to less than two lakh rupees.

Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow and Sri Lankan K Prabagaran were joint fourth at eight-under-272.


 

All Corruption No Governance Railways, German, LPG, Drugs, FCI

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November15, 2014 (C) Ravinder Singh ravinderinvent@gmail.com
Close on heals scores of deaths for nth time Chhattisgarh due to
Infections in Hospitals, Spurious Drugs, Un-sterilized Surgical
Instruments, Simple Greed leading to all Vasectomy Operations had not
made the state government vigilant enough to take preventive action,
in the latest case Drug Supplier Simply had no Drug Manufacturing
Facility but was getting state government orders on regular basis – it
is reported that –.
Indian Railways had preferred to Place ORDER on Private Companies who
neither Has Design or Testing or Manufacturing Facility and Experience
worth Rs. Thousands of Crores. This perhaps led to Shunting of Railway
Minister to lesser important department.
But what is common in both is that Rail Coach Factories are located in
Non BJP states Punjab and Tamil Nadu so BJP missing out on GDP growth
and profits.
I had for five years wanted GoI to import 20,000 Double Decker Coaches
to replace standard Coaches Under Some Long Term Foreign Aid.
Indian Railways have Ready Design of Double Decker Coaches just want
ORDERS, and in such situation placing Orders on Private Companies is
most unfortunate.
It was Most Unfortunate that Education Minister of India Cut the
German Language course taken by 80,000 Kendriya Vidyalayas School
Children under Foreign Aid and Forcing them to take Sanskrit instead.
It is alright if some States where Sanskrit is spoken by people it
should be recognized as third language after Hindi and English but
applying to Kendriya Vidyalayas spread all over India is most stupid.
LPG subsidy distribution through Cash Transfer is MISCHIEF of Sam
Pitroda who wanted to introduce Mobile Phones based Cash Transfer
system and wanted to engage his Company.
I was procuring Various Gases for a Power Station in 1975 – each
Cylinder Had a Number – these days BAR CODE is applicable for sale of
most Consumer Goods could have been applied to LPG Cylinder Marketing
easily. This is ACCURATE & RELIABLE way to Distribute & Take Back LPG
Cylinders. Cash Transfer doesn’t Curb PILFERAGE & DIVERSION Of LPG for
Commercial Use.
FCI instead of Silos built Brick Rooms to store Grains in Bags, which
is most inefficient and unsafe storing of foods and totally manual in
loading and unloading.
Farmers Storing Processing & Marketing of Foods would reduce Wastes
and Ensure FRESH grade supply of foods.
Ravinder Singh, National General Secretary.
Sabka Bharat Mission 2019
Y-77, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016
Ph: 9650421857, 9718280435
Sabkabharatmission2019@gmail.com


 

‘Rethinking the Nehru Legacy: The Long Twentieth Century’

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Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
cordially invites you to a Conference
at 9.00 am on Monday-Tuesday, 17-18 November, 2014
in the Seminar Room, First Floor, Library Building
on
‘Rethinking the Nehru Legacy:
The Long Twentieth Century’

Our commemoration takes the form of a reflection on Nehru and his world. His universe obviously included India, but it embraced all of humanity. As he shaped India in so many different ways over more than five decades, he was aware, more than most of his generation, that it was an India in the world, not an India locked into itself. He ceaselessly reflected upon how this particular was related to an universal and how they shaped each other. Perhaps India itself provided a model of it, of how the immense multiplicity within India could constitute the larger entity, which he summed up in the formula, “unity in diversity.” To this end, the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library is hosting a series of three events, each with a distinct focus and thematic coherence.  This conference will be the third of the event in the series.  This would not be specific to India, although India would obviously not be excluded. It will be a reflection on the entire century, from 1914 to 1991 if dates have to be given, and the legacy into the twenty-first century. It should not be specific to Nehru either. It should be conceived as an examination of the universes he occupied and from which he drew so much sustenance, without constantly relating it to Nehru’s thought and action. It would embrace all the big questions of the day, which engaged Nehru’s attention, as it did that of everyone else who reflected on the human condition. The principal themes would be the usual ones of democracy and nationalism, war and barbarism, science and religion, the division and the integration of the world, and finally on utopia and dystopia. It should be left to scholars to range freely on subjects of their choice with the one constraint, that they should not limit themselves to one small issue. As a tribute to Nehru it should be large and grand in vision and accomplishment.  All are open events and aim to provide a platform for original and creative scholars to share their approaches with us.

Programme Schedule:                              Monday, 17th November, 2014


9.00 am. – 9.05 am.



Opening Remarks and Welcome:
Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan,
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library,
New Delhi.

9.05 am.- 10.05 am.



Session I

Chair:

Prof. Madhavan K. Palat,
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund,
New Delhi.
Speaker:
Prof. Sunil Khilnani,
India Institute,
King’s College, London, UK.
‘Nehru and the Making of Asia’s futures



10.05 am.- 10.25 am.
Tea Break

10.25 am.– 11.25  pm.

                                      Session II
Chair:



Dr. Ashok Desai,
Author and Commentator,
New Delhi.
Speaker:

Prof. Madhavan K. Palat,
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund,
New Delhi.
‘Nationalism:
Universal, composite and unitary’

11.25 pm. – 11.45 pm.



11.45 am. – 12.45 pm

Tea Break



Session III


Chair:

Mr. Anil Nauriya,
NMML.
Speaker:
Prof. Andre Beteille,
Delhi School of Economics and National Research Professor, Government of India.
‘The Pursuit of Equality’
12.45 pm. – 1.45 pm.
Lunch


1.45 pm. – 2.45 pm.



Session IV

Chair:

  

   Speaker:
Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan,
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library,
New Delhi.

Dr. Ashok Desai,
Author and Commentator,
New Delhi.
‘From Jailbird to Ruler:
Nehru’s precipitate initiation’



2.45 pm. – 3.05 pm.

3.05 pm. – 4.05 pm.


Chair:



Speaker:
Tea Break

Session V


Dr. Rashmi Pant,
NMML.
Mr. Anil Nauriya,
NMML.
‘Nehru, Gandhi and the Cabinet Mission:
A debate revisited’





Tuesday, 18th November, 2014


9.00 am. – 10.00 am.
Session VI



Chair:
Ms. Vrinda Grover,
NMML.

Speaker:
Mr. Dinesh C. Sharma,
Journalist and Author,
New Delhi.
‘Nehru and the Computer Revolution:
Foundations and Transitions’


10.00 am. – 10.20 am.
Tea Break


10. 20 am. -11.20 am.
Session VII

Chair:



Speaker:


Mr. T. N. Ninan,
Jawaharlal Nehru Fellow,
New Delhi.
Prof. Pulapre Balakrishnan,
Centre for Development Studies,
Thirvananthapuram, Kerala.
‘Nehru and the Economy:
A twenty-first century view’


11.20 am. – 11.40 am.
Tea Break


11.40 am. – 12.40 pm.
Session VIII


Chair:

Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan,
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library,
New Delhi.



Speaker:





12.40 pm. – 1.40 pm.




Dr. Arupjyoti Saikia,
Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati.
‘Assam, Nehru and the Making of India’s Eastern Frontier 1946-1950s’


Lunch
1.40 pm. – 2.40 pm.
Session IX



Chair:



Speaker:

Prof. Madhavan Palat,
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund,
New Delhi.

Dr. Srinath Raghavan,
Centre for Policy Research,
New Delhi.
‘Nehru’s India in a Changing World:
Foreign and security policy in the early years’



2. 40 pm. – 3. 00 pm.
Tea Break


3.00 pm. – 4.00 pm.
Session X


Chair:
Dr. Rakhee Kalita Moral,
NMML.

Speaker:
Prof. Sajal Nag,
NMML.
‘Nehru and the Northeast:
Discovery, ideas and the imagination for a borderland’

4.00 pm.:
Concluding Session


 

G20 summit: Repatriation of black money kept abroad is a priority, PM Modi

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The black money kept abroad is not only headache for India but it is global problem,developing nations where the rule of one party or one man exits the problem takes national dimensions and the peace of the country gets jeopardized. An international awareness to quell this this political epidemic would make the nation be govern in right earnestness. Rich becomes richer and poor tends to be more poor. Modi has taken bold initiative to fight this evil from the apex level.Thus Prime Minister Narendra Modi at G 20 summit on Saturday unequivocally said that repatriation of black money kept abroad is a “priority” for his government, as he sought close global coordination to achieve this objective.
Raising the black money issue at an informal meeting of leaders of the five-nation BRICS bloc, Modi set the tone on this key issue ahead of the G20 summit in the wake of his commitment to bring back every penny of black money stashed abroad.
“Repatriation of black money kept abroad is a key priority for us,” Modi told the BRICS leaders.
Calling for close coordination on the issue of black money kept abroad, Modi also said this unaccounted money is also linked to security challenges. As India makes attempts to retrieve the black money, the Prime Minister has already made it clear that close cooperation to retrieve the black money from abroad is a key issue for him.
 G20 host Australia on Friday vowed a “very aggressive” crackdown on tax avoidance. India is also seeking strong action by the G20 industrialized and emerging economies against tax havens. “A key issue for me would be to highlight the importance of international cooperation against black money,” Modi had said, as he is set to renew the country’s commitment at the G20 summit to a global response to deal with cross border tax avoidance and evasion.
India is also expected to urge the G20 to pressure tax havens into revealing more information on black money from India to help retrieve this illegal money.reports PTI
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