Advertisement
CURRENT AFFAIRS
27 SEPTEMBER,2008 |
||||
|
TOP STORIES OF THE DAY |
HIGHLIGHTS |
A fortnight after the serial bomb blasts in Delhi, a 13 year old boy was killed and 18 persons injured when two motor-cycle borne youth dropped a packet in a flower market in Mehrauli area in south Delhi at about 2.15 p.m. Deputy Commissioner of Police, South told reporters that the boy picked it up to give it back to the bikers but it exploded killing him on the spot. 11 of the injured were rushed to AIIMS where seven are in a critical condition. The explosive shattered the window panes of several adjacent shops in the market located close to the historic Qutab Minar.
Soon after the explosion, Home Minister Shivraj Patil reviewed the situation with top officials of his ministry. Union Home Secretary talked to Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal on the situation in Delhi. The Home Minister also visited the AIIMS trauma Centre to inquire about the injured. He earlier visited the blast site.
The Delhi Police have sounded an alert and launched an extensive checking of vehicles in the capital. The bomb experts examined the blast site.
The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has said that there has to be a zero tolerance for acts of terror.
The President, Vice President, the Prime Minister, Congress President and several other leaders have condemned the blast.
The Chief Minister Mrs Sheila Dixit who visited the injured in the hospital has announced 5 lakh rupees as compensation for the next of kin of the dead and 50,000 rupees for each of the injured.
Security has been tightened in Mumbai as Maharashtra was put on high alert following the Delhi blast. Security has been beefed up at important places in the city including railway stations on Central, Western and Harbour Lines, and places of worship. Security was stepped up at the Chennai airport as well.
Addressing a party rally in Muradabad, senior BJP leader Mr. L K Advani accused the UPA government of being unable to tackle terrorism and underlined the need for strong anti-terror laws in the country.
****************
After the completion of his US visit, the Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is leaving later tonight for France on the second leg of his visit. He will attend the Ninth India-European Union summit at the port city of Marseilles. Besides seeking to strengthen India- EU economic cooperation, Dr Singh will also call for strengthening the counter-terrorism mechanism. In Paris, he will have a bilateral meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to consolidate ties in the areas of trade and investment, defence, space, civil nuclear cooperation and high technology. Both countries are working on a pact on nuclear cooperation and are likely to sign pacts on civil aviation and social security.
Our correspondent covering the Prime Minister's visit reports that Dr. Manmohan Singh held a series of meetings with several world leaders on the side lines of the UN General Assembly. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Dr. Singh called upon world leaders for a joint action to deal with the menace of terrorism which is threatening world peace and stability.
The Prime Minister said that the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) waiver for India is a vindication of its impeccable record on non-proliferation front.
In his meeting with the Pakistan President the two leaders agreed to hold a special meeting with Anti Terror Mechanism to focus on the probe on the Indian Mission in Kabul. The high point of his engagements was his meeting with US President where Mr. Bush Conveyed to Dr. Singh that the US Congress is close to giving its final nod to the Indo-US civil Nuclear Agreement.
Dr. Singh will attend the reception organized by Indian embassy in the United States in New York before leaving for France.
The formal vote on the approval legislation for the US-India civilian nuclear agreement is likely to take place tonight in the US House of Representatives. The decision to postpone the vote followed a 40-minute debate in which support for the bill came along bi-partisan lines. Our correspondent covering the prime minister's visit has filed this report.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, a known opponent of the deal, supported the Senate version of the Bill saying the deal is a positive step as it will bring India into the non-proliferation regime. The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has lent strong support to the Indo-US nuclear deal.
External Affairs Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee is leaving for the United States tonight in this regard.
****************
The Centre has constituted a 3-member ministerial committee to address the concerns of the armed forces over the disparities in the 6h pay commission report. The External affairs Minister Mr Pranab Mukerjee will head the committee. The Defence Minister Mr A.K.Antony and the Finance Minister Mr P. Chidambaram are the two other members in the committee. The move follows a direction from the prime minister who is presently in New York.
****************
In Orissa, a higher Revenue Comission court will be set up to resolve tribal land disputes in Kandhamal district. The state Chief Minister announced this today while reviewing the law and order situation in Phulbani. Meanwhile, qouting district administration sources, our correspondent reports tht except for Raikia, normalcy is prevailing in the other parts of the district.
****************
A central team of agricultural scientists assessed the flood damages in Bihar today. The five-member team headed by Central Agriculture Commissioner Dr. N.B. Singh made an aerial survey of five worst hit districts. AIR Patna correspondent reports that the team also held a meeting with the chief minister
****************
Security forces today foiled a bid by a big group of armed militants to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir under a fire cover by the Pakistani Forces. A BSF spokesman said Pakistani Rangers opened fire on Chak Fagwari Border Out Post along the International Border in Pargwal sub-sector of Jammu in the wee hours. After the exchange of fire for nearly an hour the militants escaped to the Pakistani side.
****************
In Syria, at least 17 people have been killed by a car bomb in the capital Damascus. State television said 14 people, all of them civilians, have been wounded in the blast.
****************
Former India Captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth today became the new Chairman of the National Senior Cricket Selection Committee. He replaces Dilip Vengsarkar. BCCI's Annual General Meeting took the decision in Mumbai today. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar made way for Shashank Manohar as the new BCCI President. Sharad Pawar will head the BCCI's marketing committee. N Srinivasan took over as Board's Secretary from Nianjan Shah.
Rajiv Shukla who was elected as Chairman of the Finance Committee briefed the media on the new office bearers.
****************
In cricket, Rest of India lifed the Irani Trophy at Vadodara today defeating Ranji champions Delhi by 187 runs. Chasing 387 for a win, Delhi were skittled for a paltry 190 runs in their second innings. For Delhi, Gautam Gambhir top scored with 91. For Rest of India, skipper Anil Kumble took three wickets while fellow spinner harbhajan Sing claimed four wickets.
Final scores: Rest of India - 252 and 302
Delhi- 177 and 190
****************
Saina Nehwal crashed out of the China Masters Super Series Badminton tournament today. In the semi-finals at Changzhou, the ace Indian shuttler suffered a straight-game defeat at the hands of Hong Kong's Zhou Mi, 4-21, 19-21 in just 26 minutes. In the other semi-final local girl Lin Wang beat compatriot Yihan Wang in three sets.
****************
Leaders of various political parties have called upon the people to come together to fulfill the dreams of the martyrs of providing a safe nation and equal rights to all. They attended the National Function 'Mera Rang De Basanti Chola', to celebrate the 101st Birth Day of Saheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh at his native village Khatkar Kalan in Nawan Shehar district in Panjab today. Our Jalandhar Correspondent reports that on this historic occasion, the district has been renamed as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar .
**************** |
Courtesy
