01.01.2013

• NATIONAL

• IAF to airlift 370 stranded passengers between Jammu, Leh
• Jammu: Indian Air Force will today airlift 370 passengers stranded between winter capital city Jammu and Leh belt of Ladakh region, officials said.
• Direct cash transfer Scheme rolled out in Rajasthan
• Jaipur: Centre''s ambitious Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme was today rolled out in three districts of the Rajasthan.
• Tharoor's suggestion "needless diversion", says BJP
• New Delhi: BJP today termed as a "needless diversion" the controversial tweet of Union Minister Shashi Tharoor suggesting that the name of the Delhi gangrape victim be made public and demanded that he should instead focus on passing a stringent anti-rape law.
• Ramakrishnan takes over as Director of VSSC
• Thiruvananthapuram: S Ramakrishnan, a senior Scientist of ISRO with more than four decades of experience in rocketry in the Indian space programme, today took over as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here.
• Direct cash transfer scheme rolls out in Delhi
• New Delhi:  The govt's ambitious direct cash transfer programme was rolled out in two districts of Delhi today with only four out of 26 identified schemes being covered.
• Peaceful protests continue against Delhi gang-rape
• Chandigarh: Tributes continued to pour in for the Delhi gang-rape victim as employees of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking today observed two minute''s silence in the memory of the girl who died at a Singapore hospital.
• Dikshit in damage control mode
• New Delhi: Days after stoking a controversy, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today appeared in damage control mode saying her remarks that Rs 600 were enough to buy a month''s supply of foodgrains for a family of five was meant to suggest that the amount would help them get basic rations.
• High speed train on Delhi-Mumbai route on track
• New Delhi: Railways today expressed optimism over progress in its plans to run passenger trains on busy Delhi-Mumbai corridor at 200 km per hour and launching for the first time train sets services on shorter routes.
• Osmania Univ student killed; ex-classmate suspect
• Hyderabad: A 23-year-old post graduate student of Osmania University was allegedly strangulated to death by her friend at his residence in Chatrinaka area of Old City, police said today.
• Won't allow male hawkers in women's coaches: Patil
• Mumbai: Male vendors won''t be allowed to sell their wares in the ladies compartments of local trains, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said today.
• Delhi shivers at season's lowest of 4 degrees Celsius
• New Delhi: Bone chilling cold and dense fog rang in the New Year in the capital today as mercury plummeted to the season''s lowest of four degree Celsius.
• Will try to fine tune operational strategies: IAF chief
• New Delhi: Aiming to validate and fine tune its operational strategies and timely integration of new technologies and inductions, IAF has planned two exercises early this year, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said today.
• Police to include Singapore doctor as witness
• New Delhi: The Singapore doctor who carried out the postmortem of the 23-year-old gangrape victim will be included as a witness by the Delhi Police in the 50-page charge sheet.
• Tharoor favours making public identity of gangrape victim
• New Delhi: In remarks that can stoke a controversy, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor today favoured making public the identity of the 23-year-old gang-rape victim wondering what interest is served by keeping her name under wraps.
• Pak judicial panel to arrive India in January
• New Delhi:  The Pakistani Judicial Commission, which will cross examine four witnesses in 26/11 terror attack case, is expected to arrive here by the end of January.
• Haryana Minister calls Geetika 'servant' of Kanda
• Sirsa: Haryana Minister Shiv Charan Sharma was at the centre of a controversy after calling suicide victim Geetika Sharma a "servant" of his former ministerial colleague Gopal Kanda who is the prime accused in the case.
• Maoist violence has declined in Jharkhand: Jairam
• Ranchi/Garhwa: Union Rural Development minister Jairam Ramesh today said that Maoist violence by and large had declined in Jharkhand.
• Panchayat member accused of raping 15-yr-old girl
• Bulandshahr: A 15-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a Zila Panchayat member in a village here.
• IAF airlifts 203 stranded passengers from Leh town
• Jammu: Coming to the rescue of stranded passengers in Jammu and Ladakh regions, India Air Force today airlifted 203 stranded people from Leh town to Jammu.
• Govt constitutes task force to look into women's safety issues
• New Delhi: A special task force, headed by the Union Home Secretary, has been set up to look into the safety issues of women in the national capital on a fortnightly basis.
• J-K govt to review laws relating to sexual offences
• Jammu: Amid growing public consensus over toughest possible punishment to the rapists, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to tighten the existing laws dealing with sexual offences to make them more deterrent.
• Air Marshal Burli takes over Air Force Academy chief 
• Hyderabad: Air Marshal Ravi Burli today took over the command of Air Force Academy at Dundigal near here.
• Spl Public Prosecutor not to speak to media on gangrape case
• New Delhi: Lawyer Dayan Krishnan, who has been appointed as the Spl Public Prosecutor in gangrape case, made it clear that he would not speak to media on the case.
• Delhi rape victim's ashes immersed in river Ganga
• Ballia (UP): Ashes of Delhi gang-rape victim were immersed in river Ganga at Bharauli ghat as hundreds of people, including women and children, bid adieu to the braveheart with teary eyes.
• Odisha bans use of 'gutkha', chewing tobacco
• Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today announced a state-wide ban on the manufacture, sale and use of guthka and chewing tobacco containing nicotine.
• MDMK to contest Lok Sabha polls
• Chennai: After boycotting the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls and a token contest in the Sankarankoil (SC) bypoll later, MDMK has decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2014.
• Maoists a big problem: Gogoi
• Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the presence of Maoists in the state was a "big problem" and promised measures to tackle it.
• J&K witnessed 71 border firing incidents; 7 killed
• Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir witnessed over 70 incidents of cross-border firing along Indo-Pak border in which seven persons including four security personnel were killed and 15 others injured this year.
• SPO shoots self in J-K
• Jammu: A Special Police Officer allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said today.
• Mentally challenged girl raped
• Bangalore: A 17-year-old mentally-challenged teenaged girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour at Machanayakanahalli here, police said today.
• Narayanasamy blames TN for fishermen's plight
• Puducherry: Union Minister of State V Narayanasamy today blamed the Tamil Nadu government for its "inaction" to facilitate a dialogue between Indian fishermen and their counterparts in Sri Lanka.
• Rajni Patil is Cong candidate for RS by-poll in Maha
• New Delhi: Former MP Rajni Patil is the Congress candidate for a Rajya Sabha by-poll in Maharashtra, the party said today.
• Raj police to submit charge-sheet in rape case
• Jaipur: Rajasthan''s Barmer police would be setting an example by submitting the charge-sheet in a gang rape case within a week''s time.
• Naxal camp unearthed in C'garh, two ultras held
• Raipur: Security forces unearthed a Naxal camp and arrested two ultras following a gun battle with them in Chhattisgarh''s Narayanpur district, police said today.
• 23-yr-old woman found dead at classmate's house
• Hyderabad: A 23-year-old student of Osmania University was found dead under mysterious circumstances at the house of her classmate in Chatrinaka area of Old City here, police said today.
• Protest for girl's death by diving into cold water
• Shillong: Numbed by the death of the Delhi gangrape victim, 28 men and children took a dip in a pool having sub zero temp last night to ring in 2013 in memory of the brave girl.
• Subhash Chawla elected Chandigarh MC Mayor
• Chandigarh: Subhash Chawla of Congress was today elected new mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.
• CPI(M) in Kerala launches land rights campaign
• Thiruvananthapuram: Launching a massive land rights campaign, CPI-M in Kerala today asked the UDF government to take immediate steps to take over surplus land and distribute it to the landless.
• Spurned lover attacks girlfriend, attempts suicide
• Thane: A jilted lover allegedly attacked a girl with a blade and later consumed poison in Kopri area of Thane city, police said today.
• Mild tremors in Vizag
• Visakhapatnam: Mild tremors were experienced in some parts of Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh this morning.
• Rajasthan shivers as mercury dips
• Jaipur: Mercury plummeted in parts of Rajasthan with Churu recording a freezing minimum of 0.7 degree Celsius.
• Five New Year revellers killed in accident
• Thiruvananthapuram: Five New Year revellers were killed and one was seriously injured when the car in which they were travelling collided with a lorry at nearby Kallamblam, police said today.
• Curfew lifted from Pulwama town in J-K
• Srinagar: Authorities today lifted four-day curfew from Pulwama town in south Kashmir following improvement in law and order situation in the area, officials said.
• Jayalalitha for harsher punishment for rape accused
• Chennai: Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa said her govt would request Centre to make necessary changes in law to include death penalty and chemical castration.
• Green issues to be discussed during Maha Kumbh
• Lucknow: In a unique initiative, an environmental kumbh would be held during the Maha Kumbh in Allahabad to discuss green issues related to the river Ganga.
• Bomb near gangrape accused's house, man held
• New Delhi: A 37-year-old man was arrested for allegedly planting two ''bombs'' made of simple explosives near the house of one of the accused in the gangrape of 23-year-old girl.
• Investor confidence to be top priority in 2013
• The economic turnaround, however, may take time and more efforts on the part of the government as well as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as global factors do not indicate the possibility of a strong revival.
• Common test, NCERT books keep HRD busy
• Kapil Sibal, who termed the single nationwide test for engineering programmes as his "dream", did realise it before he made way for M M Pallam Raju as the HRD Minister in October but not before he faced stiff resistance from the IITs who vetoed his plans.
• Cold and chilly start to New Year in Delhi
• New Delhi: Delhi ushered in the New Year with bone chilling cold and dense fog today with mercury plummeting to the season's lowest of four degree Celsius.
• Water Ministry busy with national disputes in 2012
• New Delhi: International arbitration against Pakistan over Kishenganga project, the Cauvery water dispute, bringing states on board for National Water Policy among other things kept Water Ministry officials busy in 2012.
• 2012 saw new schemes for overseas Indian workers
• Fulfilling a long-standing demand, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in January announced the pension and life insurance scheme for overseas Indian workers to benefit over 5 million workers, especially those in the Gulf, and help them save for their return, resettlement and old age.

• INTERNATIONAL

• Seven killed in Pak after gunmen fire at car
• The gunmen ambushed the car near the remote Sher Afzal Banda area of Swabi district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province this afternoon.
• Chinese ships begin patrolling South China Sea areas
• China''s State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said its two vessels aided by a surveillance aircraft patrolled waters near the Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea, where Vietnam recently complained of harassment of Chinese vessels obstructing its survey ship.
• Egypt orders 15-day detention for Israeli
• El-Arish (Egypt): El-Arish (Egypt), Jan 1 (AP) Egyptian security officials say a former sergeant in the Israeli army has been ordered detained for 15 days for investigation into his illegal entry from Israel into the Sinai Peninsula.
• Russian ban on US adoptions comes into force
• Moscow: Russia''s controversial ban on adoptions of Russian children by American families came into force today, days after its signing by President Vladimir Putin sparked an international outcry.
• 60 dead, in New Year's celebration in ICoast
• Abidjan:  At least 60 people died and dozens more were injured as crowds stampeded overnight during celebratory New Year''s fireworks, Ivory Coast rescue workers said today.
• Israeli-Palestinian clashes erupt in West Bank
• Tamoun (West Bank): Tamoun (West Bank), Jan 1 (AP) Palestinians say a raid by Israeli soldiers disguised as vegetable vendors to seize members of a militant group has sparked clashes in the northern West Bank.
• 7 killed in Pak after gunmen fire at car
• The gunmen ambushed the car near the remote Sher Afzal Banda area of Swabi district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province this afternoon.
• Clinton treated with blood thinners to dissolve clot in brain
• Clinton, 65, was admitted to a New York hospital on Sunday after doctors discovered a blood clot related to the concussion she suffered last month after she fainted and fell down while recovering from a stomach infection.
• US Senate approves bill to avoid fiscal cliff
• Washington: To avoid the much-discussed 'fiscal cliff', the US Senate approved a bill with 89-8 majority to avert automatic tax hikes and huge spending cuts.
• Iran blasts Obama for Latin America law
• Tehran: Iran today blasted US President Barack Obama for enacting a law aimed at countering Tehran''s alleged influence in Latin America, saying it was an overt intervention in the region.
• China to be a responsible major power, says Hu
• Beijing: Hu Jintao said China will forge ahead by pushing forward reform and opening-up drive and independent innovation, to further strengthen vitality of its economic growth.
• China's new leaders map out anti-graft campaign
• Xi Jinping, who succeeded Hu Jintao as the General Secretary of CPC two months ago held the 25-member Politburo meeting to map out this year''s anti-corruption efforts to display new leadership''s resolve to tackle the problem seen as a threat to the party''s stability and legitimacy.
• Soon, sensors in cars to prevent drunken driving
• Washington: US researchers are developing breath-based and touch-based sensors to be installed in cars to prevent drunk drivers from starting their engines.
• Thousands march against Hong Kong leader
• Hong Kong: Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong today, calling for the city''s embattled leader to quit and demanding greater democracy 15 years after it returned to Chinese rule.
• 8 people, including three fire fighters killed in China
• Beijing: Eight people including three firemen were killed in different accidents in China.
• Afghan negotiator welcomes prisoner release
• Kabul: A top Afghan negotiator today said he hopes that eight members of the Taliban released by Pakistan will serve as mediators in the effort to end the 11-year war in Afghanistan.
• US Senate approves bill to avoid fiscal cliff
• The proposal would extend tax rates on annual household income under USD 4,50,000 and postpone automatic spending cuts for two months.
• Boy killed, over 200 hurt in Philippine revelry
• Manila: Celebratory gunfire killed a four-year-old boy and more than 200 others were injured by powerful firecrackers in typically rowdy New Year celebrations in the Philippine capital, said officials.
• Pak, China sign contract for Al-Khalid-I tank
• Islamabad: Pakistan and China have signed a deal for manufacturing the Al-Khalid-I main battle tank, the latest version of the combat vehicle jointly developed by the two "all-weather" friends.
• Despite last minute deal, US misses fiscal cliff deadline
• Washington: Despite last minute deal reached between the White House, Democrats and the Republicans US missed Monday midnight "fiscal cliff" deadline to avert tax hikes.
• Economic environment in 2013 not easier: Merkel
• Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cautioned citizens to be prepared for tough times ahead in view of a deteriorating economic situation but said the difficulties "should not despair us".
• US reached borrowing limit of $16.4 tn: Geithner
• In a letter to the Congressional leadership, his second in less than a week on the issue, Geithner said the Department of Treasury has begun employing "extraordinary measures to avoid default as it bumps up against the borrowing cap." The Department of Treasury is beginning a "debt issuance suspension period," he said.
• Subway death: Indian man cremated in NY
• Sunando Sen''s cremation was held yesterday and was attended by his friends, business partners and a representative of the Indian Consulate in New York, a senior Consulate official told PTI.
• UN Security Council sanctions DR Congo rebels
• United Nations: United Nations, Jan 1 (AFP) The UN Security Council has slapped sanctions on M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and their alleged Rwandan allies the FDLR, diplomats said.
• US urges CAR rebels to cease hostilities
• "We also call on the rebels to ensure the safety of the civilian population," the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, said in a statement yesterday.
• Clinton treated with blood thinners to dissolve clot
• Washington: US Sec of State Hillary Clinton was treated with blood thinners to dissolve clot in her head & doctors were confident top American diplomat will make full recovery.
• Word gurus in US push 'fiscal cliff' off the edge
• Washington: Language gurus at a Michigan college doubled down on the fiscal cliff in their year-end bucket list of trending words and phrases that ought to be kicked down the road in 2013.
• Canada mulls joining Mali training effort
• Ottawa (Canada): Ottawa (Canada), Jan 1 (AFP) Canada is considering sending troops to Mali to help train the west African nation''s army as it seeks to take back the Islamist-controlled north, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said.
• NY Times reporter forced to leave China
• New York: A New York Times correspondent who has worked in China for more than a decade has been forced to leave the country because his visa wasn''t renewed.
• Turkey, jailed Kurd leader discuss disarmament: official
• Ankara: Turkey''s intelligence services are in talks with jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan for disarming his PKK group in a bid to bring an end to the nearly three-decade old insurgency, officials said.

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