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Bhubaneswar loses over one mn trees in cyclone Fani

OVER one million trees that once stood tall and provided green cover to the Odisha capital have been felled by the raging winds of cyclone Fani, the uprooted trunks and bare branches testimony to the intensity of storm that barrelled through the State last week. The extremely severe cyclonic storm on May 3 did not result in major casualties but the environmental damage in the city is immense and it will take more than a decade to recover, officials said. Uprooted trees and fallen ..

Global food prices rise to highest levels in a yr: UN

GLOBAL food prices climbed in April to their highest level in almost 12 months and were driven up by the cost of meat and dairy items, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Food Price Index issued on Thursday. The increase spanned all the covered food commodities except cereals, whose prices fell for the fourth month in a row amid large export availability and expectations for record global output in the coming year, said FAO. The Food Price Index, ..

Sixth phase campaigning ends

CAMPAIGNING came to a close on Friday evening for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 59 constituencies spread across seven States on May 12. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Digvijay Singh and BJP’s Pragya Singh Thakur are among 968 candidates in the fray. Voting will be held in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, ten in Haryana, eight seats each in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, seven in Delhi and four in Jharkhand. Bharatiya Janata Party ..

SC to interact with wife of IPS officer who committed suicide blaming WB CM

THE Supreme Court on Thursday said it would like to interact with the wife of Gaurav Chandra Dutt, IPS Officer who had allegedly committed suicide in February blaming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee forhis death, to know the reason for withdrawal of her plea seeking probe. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked petitioner Sreyashi Dutt, who has sought to withdraw her plea seeking investigation in the matter, to appear before the apex court on any day in July as per ..

SC reserves verdict on pleasseeking review on Rafale order

FORMER Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Friday sought from the Supreme Court setting aside its earlier verdict that dismissed their petition for criminal investigation into the Rafale fighter jet deal case.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions seeking review of its December 14 judgement last year which had dismissed the pleas challenging India’s agreement with France to procure 36 Rafale fighter ..

Panel on Ayodhya gets time till Aug 15 to explore solution

THE Supreme Court on Friday extended till August 15 the time for a panel of mediators, headed by former apex court judge Justice F M I Kalifulla, to explore an amicable solution to the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute at Ayodhya. A five judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said they have received the report from Justice Kalifulla in which the panel has sought extension of timetill August 15 to complete mediation proceedings. &#..

Indian diaspora should contribute to devpt agenda back home: Venkaiah

Indian diaspora should contribute to devpt agenda back home: Venkaiah..

Badal compares Modi-Rahul battle to one between elephant, ant

IN the wake of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Parkash Singh Badal upped the ante by comparing the battle between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi to one between an elephant and ant.Speaking to ANI in Varanasi on Friday, the 91-old-leader said, “People of India need to think who they want as their Prime Minister? Who can fight Modi in a battle? This Gandhi? That would be like a battle between an elephant and an ant. That will be ..

Bihar Dy CM appears in defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi

APPEARING before a court here on Friday in pursuance of his defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said his image has been tarnished by the Congress chief’s “why all thieves have Modi in their name” remark. The senior BJP leader requested the court to take cognisance of the comment under sections 499 and 500 of the IPC which relate to defamation, and issue summons to the Congress President and put him on trial. He contended ..

Congress won’t get even 50 seats, says Modi in Mumbai

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Congress won’t get even 50 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.Speaking at an election rally here along with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Modi cited a survey to support his claim. “Dont waste your vote. Better to vote for a party that is coming to power and you can strengthen it with your vote,” Modi said. “The only question now is if the BJP will better its own 2014 tally,” he added. Modi ..

Cong decision not to field Priyanka against Modi disappointing: Jaitley

TAKING a dig at Congress, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said he was “disappointed” by the party’s decision of not fielding Priyanka Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi after building up a “suspense for an eventual thriller” in the Lok Sabha elections. Modi is contesting from Varanasi for the Lok Sabha and there were speculations that Congress would field Priyanka against him. However, the party on Thursday again named Ajay Rai, a political lightweight ..

Girl reaches out to Modi, seeks help to free her father from jail in Varanasi

WITH a ray of hope in her eyes, a young girl on Friday reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking help to free her father from jail. Jyoti anxiously was standing in between the huge crowd of BJP workers in Varanasi when Prime Minister Modi was addressing the party workers ahead of the filing of his nomination from temple city for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, Modi noticed her and asked one of his SPGs to enquire about her concern. Jyoti immediately handed over a letter ..

SC stays judicial inquiry into Jaya’s death

THE Supreme Court on Friday stayed the proceedings of an inquiry commission set up to probe the death of then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai in 2016.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was hearing the appeal of Apollo Hospitals against the April 4 order of the Madras High Court rejecting its objection against the ongoing inquiry into the death of the AIADMK leader at the hospital. “Notice. Stay of further proceedings of the inquiry commission,..

Navy officer from MP dies fighting fire on board INS Vikramaditya

A 30-YEAR-OLD Indian Navy officer died on Friday while “bravely” fighting a fire onboard aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya when it was entering the harbour in Karwar in Karnataka.The Indian Navy said that Lt Cdr DS Chauhan’s “daring efforts” prevented the fire from causing major damage to the combat capability of the 44,500 tonne carrier. Chauhan, who hails from Ratlam in Madhya Prtadesh, got married only last month. He is survived by his mother ..

Lanka Police Chief quits over failures to prevent Easter Sunday killings

SRI Lanka’s Police Chief on Friday became the latest senior official to quit over failures to prevent the Easter massacre, as President Maithripala Sirisena said the top leader of the Islamist extremist group blamed for the deadly attacks died in the blast at the Shangri-La hotel. Sirisena, who is also the Defence Minister, said Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara resigned over failures which led to the worst terror attack in the country’s history. “The ..

SC directs RBI to disclose info on bank inspection report under RTI

THE Supreme Court on Friday granted RBI “last opportunity” to withdraw its policy exempting the central bank from disclosing information, like annual inspection report on lenders, under the transparency law and cautioned that future violations would be “viewed seriously”.The top court made clear that RBI was “duty bound to furnish all information relating to inspection reports and other material” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act except ..

Modi files nomination for Varanasi LS seat

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination papers for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat on Friday, accompanied by a galaxy of top BJP and NDA leaders in a massive show of strength for the country’s ruling alliance.As the temple town virtually stopped in its tracks with roads cordoned off for traffic and crowds lining the streets to see the VIP cavalcade, Modi exhorted voters to not fall into the trap of those who say he has already won the election so it is fine to not exercise ..

Odisha rich in resources, its people are still poor

Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah addresses a rally HITTING out at the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Government in Odisha, BJP President Amit Shah said on Friday the State is rich in natural resources and minerals, but its people continue to remain poor under the Naveen Patnaik-led dispensation. Addressing a rally here, Shah said the BJD Government’s rule in the State was marked by “misrule and corruption”. Taking a jibe at the Chief Minister, Shah said, “Even ..

Cong, NCP supporting those who want to separate J&K from India,

Cong, NCP supporting those who want to separate J&K from India, PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that the Congress and NCP were in support of those who were advocating for the separation of Jammu and Kashmir from India. “Congress and NCP are supporting those who want to separate Jammu and Kashmir from the country. I do not expect anything better from the Congress, as they are the ones who are responsible for giving birth to such separatist ideologies,” ..

21 killed, 50 hurt in Pak suicide

Pakistani security officials inspect the site of a bomb blast at a fruit market in Quetta on Friday. AT least 21 people were killed and 50 others injured in a suicide bombing at a crowded market in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Friday, in an attack believed to be targeting the Shiite Hazara ethnic minority community. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and ordered an inquiry. The explosion at around 7:35 AM took place in the busy wholesale market ..

good man

THE untimely demise of Mr. Manohar Parrikar has delivered a severe blow to the country. That he was the reigning Chief Minister of Goa, or that he also served as Defence Minister with distinction, are only incidental details about the life and work of Mr. Manohar Parrikar. What was more important was that he was without doubt and beyond words one of the very good people in public life. He played his role in public life like very few would do. And as he did that and passed through ..

Of giving the sublime best

By Vijay Phanshikar, Life has loveliness to sell, All beautiful and splendid things, Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, And children’s faces looking up Holdin..

Reliance Foundation Founder & Chairperson Nita M Ambani poses for photo with Armed Forces’ jawans

Reliance Foundation Founder & Chairperson Nita M Ambani poses for photo with Armed Forces’ jawans at the special Musical Fountain show at Dhirubhai Ambani Square as a post-wedding celebration in Mumbai on Tuesday...

No dialogue with Pakistan before action on terror outfits: Sushma

NEW DELHI, EXTERNAL Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said India cannot have dialogue with Pakistan unless the neighbouring country acted against terror outfits on its soil, asserting that “talks and terror cannot go together”. Talking on ‘India’s World: Modi Government’s Foreign Policy’, she stated that Pakistan needs to control the ISI and its army who are bent on destroying the bilateral relations time and again. “We ..

Happiness

Words are not only meant for speaking, they all have specific meanings in themselves. And expressions! They are not only a medium to exhibit your current mood or mental state but are also a great way to add up something new to the situation, may it be good or bad. Happiness is such a mental state that causes people to have a vision that they can do everything they want. And why not? People must follow the things which make them happy and are also ethically correct. Everyo..

Put the ‘spring’ in your step

It’s that time of the year when you get rid of shawls and overcoats and stuff them into the back of your closet. Here are six shoe trends to get that ‘spring’ in your step. Alisha Malik, Vice President Marketing and Creative Face of Metro Shoes Ltd, and Shweta Nimkar, Founder and CEO, PAIO Shoes, suggest how: Flower power: Spring is all about the bright and the beautiful. It's glorious outside and isn't it wonderful when this flower power translates ..

Fashion isn’t just a one evening story! It’s a daily mantra!

Celeb-inspired daily wear outfit ideas!Fashion isn’t just a one evening story! It’s a daily mantra! Your daily wear has to be comfortable and stylish! But does it mean wearing baggy clothes that are too airy? Are you wearing fabrics that aren’t suitable for the weather today? Are you not sure of what pair of heels would go with your work dress today? There can be a lot of confusion around your daily wear outfit ideas especially when you want a stylish look for yourself. ..

Simple Workout Routines For Mothers

By Sharmilee Agarwal Kapur,With a day that begins with an alarm clock, racing against time to get children ready for school, packing lunch boxes, rushing to work or staying at home to manage household chores and then coming back to dinner preparation, children's homework, tucking them to sleep and then finally setting the next day's alarm, a mother seldom gets time to relax, let alone carve out designated time for some much-needed exercise. That's why we have ..