Kalam focuses on 5 critical sectors
Says more jobs, IT must for progress
New Delhi, January 25
Calling for an employment generation action plan, President A P J Abdul Kalam underlined the need for launching a series of missions covering agriculture and food processing, education, health care, information technology and infrastructure development covering about 80 million people in the next five years.

President APJ Abdul Kalam addresses the nation on the eve of Republic Day.
— PTI photo

300 dead, hundreds hurt in Satara temple stampede
Mumbai, January 25
More than 300 persons, most of them women and children, perished in a major fire and the resulting stampede at the Mandradevi shrine in the town of Wai in Satara district, 250 km from here, today.

Bodies of devotees lying outside Mandradevi Temple in Satara district of Maharashtra on Tuesday. — PTI photo

Stop mining or we will have it stopped, SC warns Chautala
New Delhi, January 25
The Supreme Court today lashed out at the Chautala government for failing to stop illegal mining in Gurgaon district and Aravali Hill ranges of Haryana and issued contempt notices to two top officials of the state for not complying with its order banning such activities in the region by mining mafia.

 Haryana page: No violations, even after polling day, will be allowed, says CEC
 Kill Cong with button, not gun: Chautala
 Vajpayee fails to turn up for rally
 More election stories on Haryana page

CPM targets Chidambaram
New Delhi, January 25
Sensing the political mood of the country during elections in three states, the CPM has raised its pitch against the government, accusing it of following the economic policies of the erstwhile BJP-led NDA government.

MoUs with Bhutan on rail links, power projects
New Delhi, January 25
The all-weather Indo-Bhutan relationship was cemented further today when New Delhi committed itself to setting up the land-locked kingdom’s first-ever railway infrastructure.
In video (28k, 56k)

Narayanan appointed Security Adviser
New Delhi, January 25
The UPA government today issued orders formally appointing Mr M.K. Narayanan, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, as National Security Adviser in place of the late J.N. Dixit.

Another student kidnapped in Bihar
Patna, January 25
The kidnapping of students in Bihar goes unabated with a ninth standard DAV school student being reportedly abducted in Bhagalpur district today, only a day after when another student from the same school went missing in Nawada.

Padma Awards for Dixit, Shah Rukh New Delhi, January 25 Cinestar Shah Rukh Khan, late National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit, Wipro chairman Azim Premji, highest wicket taker for India Anil Kumble, film producer Yash Chopra, cartoonist R.K. Laxman, noted Sufi singer Puran Chand Wadali and social worker Gladys Staines are among the 96 persons who have been conferred with this year’s Padma Awards. Kirti Chakra for Capt Malik