Sushma rejects Nawaz’s proposal at UN
In a caustic reaction on Thursday to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s four-point peace initiative at the United Nations General Assembly, Indian foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj told Islamabad to give up terror before Delhi agrees to talks. She refuted Sharif's claims that Pakistan was a victim of terror and his call for the demilitarisation of Kashmir. Exercising its Right of Reply, India conveyed that Pakistan was illegally occupying portions of Kashmir and should vacate it immediately. Vikas Swarup, the spokesperson of the external affairs ministry, later tweeted that Pakistan was a "prime sponsor" of terrorism.
Beef lynching stirs up political storm
As outrage grew over the lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq, a man accused of slaughtering a calf in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, leaders of various parties criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for polarising politics in the country. Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan demanded that Modi “rein in [his] volunteers”. Meanwhile, Vice-President Hamid Ansari said all citizens have the right to life regardless of their faith.
Only Rs 3,770 crores collected in black money drive
The central government has received 638 declarations disclosing foreign assets worth Rs 3,770 crore in its three-month compliance window, in a tepid response under the new black money law. Opposition parties were quick to point this out as another failing of the Narendra Modi government. Though the law stipulates up to 10 years in prison for those with undisclosed foreign assets, the three-month scheme allowed those making disclosures to pay 30% tax and an equal penalty.
Railway minister proposes independent regulator
In an attempt to pull the cash-strapped Indian Railways out of its slump, railway minister Suresh Prabhu is planning to set up a tariff regulatory authority staffed with professionals from the private sector to determine passenger and freight fares based on market conditions. The committee will also monitor efficiency and passenger safety issues. The move could well be considered a key reform item of the Bharatiya Janata government, with railway fares remaining largely unchanged during the United Progressive Alliance's two terms.
Delhi faces worst dengue outbreak in 19 years
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has released data showing that 504 cases of dengue have been reported in the last five days, making this the biggest outbreak since 1996. In total, 6,486 people have bit hit by the disease this year, with health officials saying that the more deadly viral strains 2 and 4 have been circulating, and that the number of unreported cases might be even higher.
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In a caustic reaction on Thursday to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s four-point peace initiative at the United Nations General Assembly, Indian foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj told Islamabad to give up terror before Delhi agrees to talks. She refuted Sharif's claims that Pakistan was a victim of terror and his call for the demilitarisation of Kashmir. Exercising its Right of Reply, India conveyed that Pakistan was illegally occupying portions of Kashmir and should vacate it immediately. Vikas Swarup, the spokesperson of the external affairs ministry, later tweeted that Pakistan was a "prime sponsor" of terrorism.
Beef lynching stirs up political storm
As outrage grew over the lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq, a man accused of slaughtering a calf in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, leaders of various parties criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for polarising politics in the country. Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan demanded that Modi “rein in [his] volunteers”. Meanwhile, Vice-President Hamid Ansari said all citizens have the right to life regardless of their faith.
Only Rs 3,770 crores collected in black money drive
The central government has received 638 declarations disclosing foreign assets worth Rs 3,770 crore in its three-month compliance window, in a tepid response under the new black money law. Opposition parties were quick to point this out as another failing of the Narendra Modi government. Though the law stipulates up to 10 years in prison for those with undisclosed foreign assets, the three-month scheme allowed those making disclosures to pay 30% tax and an equal penalty.
Railway minister proposes independent regulator
In an attempt to pull the cash-strapped Indian Railways out of its slump, railway minister Suresh Prabhu is planning to set up a tariff regulatory authority staffed with professionals from the private sector to determine passenger and freight fares based on market conditions. The committee will also monitor efficiency and passenger safety issues. The move could well be considered a key reform item of the Bharatiya Janata government, with railway fares remaining largely unchanged during the United Progressive Alliance's two terms.
Delhi faces worst dengue outbreak in 19 years
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has released data showing that 504 cases of dengue have been reported in the last five days, making this the biggest outbreak since 1996. In total, 6,486 people have bit hit by the disease this year, with health officials saying that the more deadly viral strains 2 and 4 have been circulating, and that the number of unreported cases might be even higher.
