THE HEADLINES:
- US President Barack Obama says relationship between India and America can be one of defining partnerships of the century; Cautions India against religious sectarianism.
- President Obama concludes his 3-day visit to India and leaves for Saudi Arabia.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President to jointly share their thoughts with listeners of All India Radio in "Man Ki Baat" programme today.
- CBI files progress report before a Delhi court in its investigations into coal blocks allocation scam.
- Legendary cartoonist RK Laxman cremated in Pune with full state honours.
- Emergency declared in New York and five other states of the US after heavy blizzard reaches north-eastern coast; More than 6,000 flights cancelled.
- And in Sports: Rafael Nadal crashes out of Australian Open Tennis; Loses in the quarterfinals to Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic.
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US President Barack Obama has said that his country can be India's best partner and the relationship can be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.
"Bonds of family and friendship, that allows us to share in each other's success. So for all these reasons India and the United States are not just natural partners, I believe America can be India's best partner."
Mr. Obama cautioned that the two countries have to guard against any efforts to divide them on sectarian lines. Addressing a Town hall event at Siri Fort Auditorium in Delhi today before concluding his three-day visit, he welcomed India's ambitious targets to meet cleaner energy needs. He said the US is ready to help India in the effort. Mr Obama said countries like India need to embrace cleaner fuels to tackle climate change. He said America will support India's inclusion as a permanent member in the UN Security Council. He hailed India's efforts towards poverty alleviation, saying that in recent years, it has lifted more people from poverty than any other country.
The US President said that India will succeed, so long as it is not splintered on religious lines. Making a strong pitch for religious tolerance, he said every person has the right to practice his faith without any persecution. He also cited Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, dealing with the Right to Freedom of Religion.
"India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of the religious faith, so long it is not splintered along any lines and it is unified as one nation. And its when all Indians whatever your faith is you go to the movies and applaud actors likes Shah rukh Khan and when you celebrate athletes like Milkha Singh or Mary Kom and every Indian can take pride in the courage of a humanitarian who liberates boys and girls from forced labours and exploitations, Kailash Satyarthi, the recent nobel peace prize winner. So, thats what unifies us."
Stating that India is a nation of young people, the US President stressed that empowering them is essential for a better future.
"Our nations are strongest when we empower our youth. Ultimately youth are the one that has to break the stereotypes and these old barriers and these old ways of thinking, these prejudices, stereotypes and assumptions. Here in India most people are under 35 years old and India is on the track to become world's most populous country. Young indian's like you aren't just going to define the future of this nation, this youth is going to shape the entire world."
Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama have left India for Saudi Arabia a few minutes back. President Obama will meet King Salman, who ascended the throne after King Abdullah's death last week.
The US President had earlier cancelled his trip to Agra to visit Taj Mahal after King Abdullah passed away.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama will jointly share their thoughts with the listeners of All India Radio in "Mann Ki Baat" programme today. It will be broadcast at 8 PM over the entire network of All India Radio. It will also be live streamed for domestic and global netizens. The regional channels will broadcast the programme at 9 AM tomorrow.
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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said that India needs investment friendly tax administration to get more foreign investment. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Barack Obama's meeting with Indo-US business heads last evening where tax issues came at the fore, Finance Minister said government is working in this direction because global factors are favouring India and the government cannot afford to miss the opportunity.
" We want a investor friendly tax administration and we all are working in this direction. With the global factors favouring us, with the domestic indicators looking up are we going in matters of grant of permission, easy sanction of projects, lesser number of permissions required and primarily the tax administration."
Addressing the officials of Central Board of Excise and Customs during the International Customs Day in New Delhi, Mr Jaitley said global investors earlier have raised issue of highly adversarial administration but time has come to tune Indian system in a way so that grant of permissions,sanctions of projects become easy.
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The CBI today filed the progress report of its further investigation before a special court in Delhi in connection with a coal blocks allocation scam case, allegedly involving former Coal Secretary P C Parakh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others. The case pertains to allocation of Talabira II coal block in Orissa to Hindalco Industries in 2005. The agency has furnished the report in a sealed cover, requesting the Court that it be not opened till its further probe is completed. The progress report was filed, following the Court's order on December 16, in which it had directed the agency to examine former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some other top officials of the Prime Minister's Office. Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said that the progress report has been filed, along with statements of various persons during further investigation. The agency has sought two weeks' time to complete the probe. The Court has fixed the matter for hearing for the 19th of next month.
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The last rites of legendary cartoonist R K Laxman were performed today at Vaikuntha cremetorium in Pune with full state honours. His body had earlier been kept near the statue of Common Man at Symbiosis Institute from 10 a.m. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the funeral and announced that the State government will build a memorial as a tribute to R.K Laxman. Laxman had passed away yesterday.
"Eminent cartoonist R.K Laxman was creamated in Pune today at Vaikuntha crematorium with full state honours around 12 Noon. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, eminent leader and cartoonist Raj Thackeray were present at the occasion. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that this government will build a memorial in the name of R.K Laxman. His common man created in 1957 was symbol of India's ordinary people. This hero of common man may Rest In Peace. Nitin Kelkar, AIR NEWS Pune."
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Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said that his ministry is committed to address the issues concerning production and export of spices. He was speaking at a National Conference on Development and Export of spices in Delhi.
"Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said India faces a close competition with the spice importing countries but country can beat the competition if purity and quality of spices is maintained. The minister also said, methods of increasing agricultural income need to be addressed. He also added that Directorate for development of Beetlenut and Spices and Spice Board act as a nodal agency leading the country progress at a faster pace. The Minister ensured all possible help to execute the suggestions which will come out from the day long conference on development and export of spices. Snigdhaa Ritesh for AIR News, Delhi."
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The Director General of Border Security Force, D.K. Pathak has said that there is continuous ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir from across the border. He said that even during this month, ceasefire has been violated more than twelve times till date. However, he said that there is no initiative for talks on the issue from both sides.
Speaking to reporters at Attari in Punjab yesterday during his visit to the border with Pakistan to review the operational preparedness of the troops, he claimed that there are drug-related problems in Punjab and synthetic drugs account for the maximum percentage of drug addiction in the state.
Our correspondent reports that earlier, Mr. Pathak inaugurated the golf-cart service at Attari for senior citizens and an exhibition of weapons for the visitors. He also released a DVD ‘Sarhad Ke Rakshak’, showcasing the world-renowned retreat ceremony at Attari and other activities of the force.
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The Punjab and Haryana High Court today deferred till the 4th of next month, hearing on a petition seeking a stay on the screening of the controversial movie 'Messenger of God' starring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
The petition filed by Mohali-based Kalghidhar Sewak Jatha came before a division bench of justices S K Mittal and Deepak Sibal. The counsel for the Jatha requested deferment to produce the order passed by the Film Certification Appellant Tribunal on 15th of this month under which the screening of the movie had been allowed.
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BJP and Congress today lodged complaints with the Election Commission against AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal. BJP leader Satish Updhyay, along with a delegation, met the Commission and complained against the alleged, repeated violation of Model Code of Conduct.
Congress leader Kiran Walia also complained to the Commission that Mr Kejriwal has given wrong residential address in his nomination papers. She also alleged that Mr Kejriwal did so just to become an elector from Delhi.
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Bengaluru city police Commissioner M N Reddi has said that suspected Bodo Militant Sanju Bordoloi, or Sibigiri, has been arrested yesterday. He had been involved in killing six tribals at Santipur village in Assam last December. Bordoloi is believed to be an organizing secretary in National Democratic Front of Bodoland- Songbo group. During interrogation, Bordoloi has confessed to the crime. He was picked up from Electronic city in the city by the Central Crime Branch sleuths.
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In Telangana, at least seven persons including a woman died and four others injured when two vehicles collided on a national highway at Kommireddipalli of Mahaboobnagar district this morning. Six of the victims were from Maharastra, while one is from Kerala. The injured have been admitted in nearby hospitals.
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The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange scaled a fresh intra-day record high of 29,457 in morning trade. But it later pared its gains, to climb a more modest 71 points, at 29,350 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. The Sensex had rallied over 1,900 points in the previous seven trading sessions. Similarly, the Nifty at the National Stock Exchange hit a new intra-day record high of 8,878, before trimming its gains, to climb 15 points, at 8,850 a short while ago.
Stock markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore were trading mixed.
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At the Interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee recovered from initial losses, and was trading flat at 61.42 against the dollar in late morning deals.
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Giving up early gains, Brent crude oil futures fell 20 cents, to 47.96 dollars a barrel, today, as a stronger dollar weighed on oil prices, offsetting comments from producer group, OPEC that prices may have found a floor. U.S. crude was down 17 cents, at 44.98 dollars a barrel. The Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Abdullah al-Badri, had said that oil prices may have bottomed out, and warned of a risk of a future jump to 200 dollars a barrel if investment in new supplies was too low.
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A heavy blizzard has reached the north-eastern coast of the United States and eastern Canada. More than 6,000 flights have been cancelled and an emergency has been declared in New York and five other states. New York city is due to suspend public transport, schools have been closed and several states have banned overnight car travel. According to BBC, the blizzard may affect about 60 million people.
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World number three Rafael Nadal has been stunned by seventh ranked Tomas Berdych in the ongoing Australian Open Tennis Tournament. In the Men's Singles event, Czech Tomas Berdych ousted Spaniard Rafael Nadal in straight sets 6-2, 6-0, 7-6 to book the semifinal berth of the season's first grand slam. In the other quarterfinal match to be played today, Briton Andy Murray will take on the unseeded Australian Nick Kyrgios.
In the Women's singles event, Russian Maria Sharapova has entered the semifinals. In the quarterfinals World Number two Sharapova demolished seventh seed Eugenie Bouchard of Canada 6-3, 6-2. In the other quarterfinals, third-ranked Simona Halep was defeated by tenth seed, Ekaterina Makarova 4-6, 0-6.
Sania Mirza and Leander Paes have carved out contrasting wins with their respective partners to reach the mixed doubles quarterfinals of the tournament yesterday.
