Four Pakistani Rangers Killed In Retaliatory Action Of BSF At The Border In J&K

Four Pakistani rangers were killed in a strong retaliatory action of BSF after a jawan of the force was killed in heavy firing from the other side along the International border in J&K's Samba district.

The BSF's retaliatory action came after the home ministry told the armed to force to give a befitting reply to any unprovoked offensive.The BSF's counter offensive forced the Pakintani rangers to wave white flags.

Today's firing from Pakistan, which injured one jawan is the second violation of ceasefire along the international border in 24 hours.

"We have retaliated effectively to the Pakistani firing, in which four Pakistani rangers have been killed (opposite to Regal post) along the IB in Samba sector this evening," Rakesh Sharma, BSF IG of Jammu Frontier told the media. 

He further said that as the Pak rangers suffered casualties, they waved white flags requesting the Indian forces to stop firing so that they can pick the dead bodies up.

"Honoring their request we stopped the firing and allowed them to come to the border line and lift the bodies," he said adding, "firing along the border line has now stopped".

In the morning the rangers targeted a BSF patrol party by starting firing unannounced. This offensive killed one Indian jawan and one other was injured. The deceased has been identified as Constable Sri Ram Gowria, the IG informed.

Earlier the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had asked the BSF to give a befitting reply when the paramilitary force's Director General DK Pathak briefed him about the ongoing situation in J&K frontier.

"The Home Minister asked the DG, BSF to provide a suitable and appropriate reply for any such unprovoked firing," an official statement was released today in Delhi.

Earlier today, the defense minister Manohar Parrikar has told the armed forces to provide the enemy with a reply with "double the force," and they should not hold back.

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MS Dhoni Announces Retirement From Test Cricket, Virat Kohli To Lead India At SCG

Government Approves Ordinance For Amendments In The Existing Land Acquisition Act

Islamabad High Court Dismisses The Detention Of 26/11 Master Mind Lakhvi

MS Dhoni Announces Retirement From Test Cricket, Virat Kohli To Lead India At SCG

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has announced his retirement from test cricket after India managed to draw the third Test at the MCG today. He has said that the "strain of playing all formats of the game" has taken its toll on him has forced him to take such decision. Virat kohli will lead the Indian team at SCG in the fourth and final fixture of the tournament in Australia.

Dhoni didn't announce his decision either during the post-match presentation ceremony or in the press briefing after the game concluded. His decision came in from of a BCCI Tweet, which said, "MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect, Virat (Kohli) will be the captain for the 4th and Final Test against Australia."

Wriddhiman Saha will take Dhoni's place in the fourth match of the series at Sydney.

BCCI has issued a statement that says MS will now concentrate on ODIs and T20s. This to many cricket pundits has come as surprise as most of the senior cricketers let the shorter formats of the game to carry their careers in the Test cricket.

"One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the statement said.

Dhoni's Test match record lately has not been that good, though. India has been whitewashed in Australia and in England in 2011-2012. The team has also been defeated by South Africa and by a much weaker opposition New Zealand.

Dhoni has played 90 test matches for India and has scored 4876 runs at an average of 38; he has scored 6 centuries and 33 half centuries. He made his test debut in 2005 against Sir Lanka.

He took the captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007 and has led the country in 60 fixtures ever since. In those 60 matches India has won 27 lost 18 and 15 have been draws.

It was under his captaincy that India won the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup.   

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Government Approves Ordinance For Amendments In The Existing Land Acquisition Act

Islamabad High Court Dismisses The Detention Of 26/11 Master Mind Lakhvi

Government Approves Ordinance For Amendments In The Existing Land Acquisition Act

The Union Cabinet today recommended an ordinance that makes significant changes to the Land Acquisition Act including the removal of consent clause for acquiring land for five areas including PPP projects, defense, rural infrastructure, affordable housing, and industrial corridors.  

The Cabinet chaired by the PM himself, made the decision to amend the Act to bring it under its purview 13 central legislations to provide the person whose land is being acquired with higher compensation and rehabilitation.

FM Arun Jaitely said the government has decided to relax a few provisions of the act and add a section 10A to the legislation. He said that the consent clause and Social Impact Assessment will not be applicable to the acquisition process if the land is being acquired for one of the five afore mentioned purposes.     

However, it is worth noting that the compensation and rehabilitation and resettlement packages will be given as per the new Land Acquisition Act for acquiring land for these purposes. One of the significant changes that are supposed to be included in the new Act is now a multi-crop irrigated land can also be acquired for these purposes. 

"Such projects are vital to national security and defense of India including preparation for defense and defense production," Jaitley said.

When asked by the media about the consent clause, the FM said, "if the land acquisition is for the five purposes, then the consent clause will be exempted." The existing act asks for the consent of 70 percent of the land owners whose land is being acquired for the PPP projects.  

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Islamabad High Court Dismisses The Detention Of 26/11 Master Mind Lakhvi

Severe Media Outrage forces Airtel To Roll Back Its Plan Of Charging Extra For VoIP Calls

Islamabad High Court Dismisses The Detention Of 26/11 Master Mind Lakhvi

Justice Noor ul Haq Qureshi of Islamabad High Court in pakistan has dismissed the notification for the detention of 26/11 accused and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. The court has issued an interim order to release Lakhvi.

The court has said that that Pakistan government's order for the detention can't be deemed legal as Lakhvi had been granted bail by the anti-terror court and anti-terror court's decision can't be reversed by civil court. 

Indian Ministry of External Affairs has said that it will take the issue to Pakistan.

Lakhvi is one of the Pakistani nationals who are accused of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, which rendered 166 people dead and left several injured. A number of foreign nationals were also amongst the victims.

An Islamabad anti-terror court granted him bail on 18 December citing lack of evidence. But before he could be released from jail, the government of Pakistan, under serious pressure from Indian government, detained him for 3 months under Maintenance of Public Order act.

The bail granted to Lakhvi drew severe criticism from all quarters of the world especially from India. PM Modi called it "traumatizing for every Indian."

Lakhvi and six other Pakistani nationals - Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum - have been charged with plotting and executing the gory attack on the financial capital of India. The trial is underway since 2009.

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Severe Media Outrage forces Airtel To Roll Back Its Plan Of Charging Extra For VoIP Calls

AirAisa Flight QZ8501 Goes Missing, Search and Rescue Operations Started

Airtel To Charge For VoIP Calls; TRAI Head Says No Foul Play

Severe Media Outrage forces Airtel To Roll Back Its Plan Of Charging Extra For VoIP Calls

Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel has to buckle down under severe pressure from all quarters to take back its decision to charge extra for the VoIP calls that we make from clients like Skype, Viber, Line, and WeChat etc.   

"In view of the news reports that a consultation paper will be issued shortly by TRAI on issues relating to services offered by OTT (over the top content) players including VoIP, we have decided not to implement our proposed launch of VoIP packs," the company informed the media. 

Airtel had plans to charge the users on a pay-as-you-go basis for using the VoIP services at a standard rate of 4 paise per 10 KB on 3G network and 10 paise per 10 KB on 2G network would have been applied. 

"We have no doubt that as a result of the consultation process a balanced outcome would emerge that would not only protect the interests of all stakeholders and viability of this important sector but would also encourage much needed investments in spectrum and roll out of data networks to fulfil the objective of digital India," Airtel stated.

The IB Ministry has said earlier that it would look into the issue as the company's decision seriously violates the net neutrality, an unspoken code of conduct which calls for all the data usage to be treated equally.

Bharti Airtel had to face serious media outcry across all social platforms in the past few days.

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AirAisa Flight QZ8501 Goes Missing, Search and Rescue Operations Started

Airtel To Charge For VoIP Calls; TRAI Head Says No Foul Play

Army Chief Arrives In Assam To Review The "Intensified" Operations

AirAisa Flight QZ8501 Goes Missing, Search and Rescue Operations Started

An AirAsia flight QZ8501 with 155 passengers onboard has gone missing today. It took off from Indonesian city of Surabaya and was headed to Singapore. The plane took off at around 5:31AM local time and lost contacts with the air traffic control system at around 6:17AM.

In a statement, AirAisa has said, "" There were 155 passengers on board, with 138 adults, 16 children, and 1 infant. Also on board were 2 pilots and 5 cabin crew." The aviation company conforms that the flight has lost contact and a search and rescue operation has been launched.

"The aircraft was on the submitted flight plan route and was requesting deviation due to enroute weather before communication with the aircraft was lost while it was still under the control of the Indonesian air traffic control," said the airline.  

Most of the passengers on board were Indonesian; three were from South Korea, one each from France, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Soon after the flight went missing, the airline changed its logo color from red to grey, to signify their concern to the sad event.

It is the third air incident that Malaysia has witnessed this year. On the previous two occasions Malaysia's national carrier Malaysia Airline’s two flights MH 370 and MH 17 met accident. MH 370 and MH 17 had 236 and 298 passengers on board respectively. None of the passengers survived in both the accident. 

Apart from the 155 passengers, there were 2 pilots and 5 cabin crew on board. The unfortunate flight was supposed to land at Singapore's Changi Airport at 8.30AM local time.

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Airtel To Charge For VoIP Calls; TRAI Head Says No Foul Play

Army Chief Arrives In Assam To Review The "Intensified" Operations

Fire Accident Kills Three In A Timber Godown In Bhiwandi, Maharashtra

Airtel To Charge For VoIP Calls; TRAI Head Says No Foul Play

India's largest telecom player Bharti Airtel has announced that it will charge for the VoIP calls made from its network. VoIP calls made through Skype, Whatsapp, WeChat, Viber, Line, or any such app will be billed separately and not from the customer's data pack.

The company has announced a VoIP specific data plan for the prepaid users. This plan will cost the customers Rs 75 for 75MB data that will allow them to make 200 minutes of VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) calls. 

According to the press statement issued by Airtel, the current VoIP model is not sustainable in the longer run in its current form hence the company has decided to charge for the same.

 “Our voice services that are enjoyed by every one of our customers provide us the capacity to continuously invest in and upgrade our networks on an ongoing basis. We, therefore, believe that VoIP services in their current form are not tenable for us as a business. As a result we will charge separately for VoIP services,” the statement says.

It should be noted that the customers who have purchased their data plans before December 24 will be allowed to use the VoIP services without being billed separately for the same. And when their recharge cycle ends, they will be forced to buy the plan or will have to pay according to the pay-as-you-go basis (4 paise per 10 KB).

On one hand the IB ministry has assured the customers that it will look into the issue, and on the other, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Rahul Khullar says the move made by the telecom giant is not illegal. But he agrees that the move certainly confronts the ‘net neutrality’, which calls for all data usages to be treated equally.

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Army Chief Arrives In Assam To Review The "Intensified" Operations

Fire Accident Kills Three In A Timber Godown In Bhiwandi, Maharashtra

Jharkhand Gets Its New CM - Raghubar Das

Army Chief Arrives In Assam To Review The "Intensified" Operations

Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag has arrived in Assam to have a look at the intensified Army operations in the terror hit regions along the Bhutan where the BODO militants have created a complete state of panic.

Gen Suhag went Army base in Rangia direct from Assam airport to review the security situation and discuss the matter with Army's top brass. The army chief is expected to an aerial inspection of some of the terror affected areas along the Bhutan border in Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang districts.

The Indian army has intensified its operations in the Assam- Arumachan broder and along the Bhutan border in the wake of the gory killings done by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). The death toll has already reached 79 by now; over 10000 people have been forced to leave their homes and live in the shelters home or like nomads. The worst affected areas are: Sonitpur, Kokrajhar, Udalguri and Chirang. 

The Army chief had met with the Home Minister on Friday to discuss the stern issue. The government has already sent around 50 battalions of armed forces. These companies have come from the SSB, ITBP, SSB, CRPF, and RPF.

No incidents of violence have been registered after Tuesday's massacre but the residents of the affected areas continue to leave the ground zero in search of a safe place.

Sources say that the Bhutan border has been sealed in order to carry out a special Army operation to capture the militants who are suspected to be hiding there.

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Fire Accident Kills Three In A Timber Godown In Bhiwandi, Maharashtra

Jharkhand Gets Its New CM - Raghubar Das

Jharkhand MLAs Will Meet Today To Choose The New CM

Fire Accident Kills Three In A Timber Godown In Bhiwandi, Maharashtra

A massive fire broke down in a wood-godown at Bhiwandi in Thane district in Maharastra. The fire swallowed eight people alive and injured three in the mean while. The eight people who were charred to death are supposed to be workers who used to live inside the godown. All of them were in their twenties; the fire officials have informed the media. 

DN Salvi, chief fire officer has said, “Fire broke out at Mad I compound, Dapota road near Bhiwandi.”

The bodies were taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial hospital immediately after the fire was extinguished. According to the hospital sources the bodies were burned so badly that they were in a non-recognizable state. The hospital doctors could not even conduct the autopsy, and the bodies have been sent for the DNA analysis. 

The injured were first sent to the Indira Gandhi Memorial hospital (IGM), but had to be rushed to the Thane Civil hospital as there is no burn ward in the IGM.

Vinod Yadav, 21, was a laborer in the unfortunate godown has suffered maximum burns. A doctor at the IGM told the media that he has suffered 43% burns and will require advanced treatment. He has burn marks all over the body. Similarly, Bahadur Chauhan and Girish Chauhan suffered 23 and 10 percent burns respectively.

All the three victims are in a stable condition, hospital sources say.  

The nearest fire brigade got a call around 2:57 AM; they reached the ground zero by 7 in the morning. With the help of three fire engines the fire could be doused by 11AM.

Wooden crates were made inside the 100-by-50 square meter godown; and judging by the charred clothes and utensils, it seems that number of workers used to live within as well.

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Jharkhand Gets Its New CM - Raghubar Das

Jharkhand MLAs Will Meet Today To Choose The New CM

No Privatization Of The Indian Railways: Modi

Jharkhand Gets Its New CM - Raghubar Das

The BJP legislative party has chosen Raghubar Das as its leader; hence he will be the next CM of the state. Mr Das will become the first non-tribal CM of Jharkhand.

BJP and its ally AJSU won a majority in the recently held elections in the state. The alliance won 42 out of the 81 seats in the state.  

Raghubar Das, 59, a former Deputy CM of the state and a BJP vice-president, was considered a front runner for the top job from the beginning, especially after the three times Cm and party's most powerful tribal face Arjun Munda lost the elections from Kharsawan.   

However, the party is mulling a tribal Deputy CM to placate the tribal populace of the state, which constitutes the 32 percent of the entire population of Jharkhand. 

Two senior BJP leaders namely - JP Nadda and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe- were given the responsibility to oversee today's legislature party meeting that was supposed to choose the CM candidate. 

Jharkhand has seen nine governments, five CMs, and three tenures president rule since its inception in the year 2000.

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Jharkhand MLAs Will Meet Today To Choose The New CM

No Privatization Of The Indian Railways: Modi

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Jharkhand MLAs Will Meet Today To Choose The New CM

The BJP's legislative party will meet today to elect its leader, as it is supposed to stake a claim to form the new government in Jharkhand. It would be the BJP's 5th and the state's 10th government in 14 years since its inception in the year 2000.  

The party's state unit spokesman Prem Mittal has informed the media that BJP observers JP Nadda and Vinay Sahastrabuddhe has arrived in Jharkhand and the legislature party meeting will begin at around 11 in the morning. Apart from the mentioned observers, BJP's in-charge for Jharkhand Trivendra Singh Rawat, state unit president Ravindra Rai, and former chief minister Arjun Munda would also take part in the meeting.   

After the meeting concludes, the party high-command will be informed about the mood of the newly elected MLAs. The front-runners for the top job in the state are Raghuvar Das and Saryu Roy; both of them say that the party-high command decision will be welcome.

"Jo bhi bichar sirsa netritva lenge woh sarva manya hoga(whatever the pary leadership decides, will be acceptable to all)," Das said when asked if he is in the race for the post of CM.

"It was decided that the elections in Jharkhand also would be held under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So whatever the high command decides will prevail and accepted by all," said another top contender Roy.

If the BJP chooses a non-tribal face, it would be for the first time that the state would see a non-tribal CM. BJP's two CM's in the state - Babu Lal Marandi (once) and Arjun Munda( three times)- were both tribal.

Apart from the afore mentioned BJP CMs, the other three CMs of the state - Sibu Soren( thrice), Hemant Soren(once), and Madhu Koda( once)- were all tribal.

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No Privatization Of The Indian Railways: Modi

Sony Pictures Releases The Interview Online

Govt. Confers Bharat Ratna Upon Vajpayee and Malaviya

No Privatization Of The Indian Railways: Modi

PM Modi has clarified that the government has no intentions of privatizing the Indian Railways. He was addressing a gathering in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.

The PM flagged off the WDP4D locomotive at Diesel Locomotives Work (DLW) in the presence of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. He went there after having showered tributes at Madan Mohan Malaviya from the Assi Ghat.

He said, “I have heard that 96% of the rail engine is prepared in the country; but it is my deep wish that 100% of the same should be made in India."

He proposed four railway universities in four corners of the country. He also talked about the skill development in the rail technology.

Earlier from the Assi Ghat, he congratulated Malaviya and former PM Vajpayee as today is the birthday of both the right wing icons. Yesterday the government conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor on both of them.   

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