Sunday, April 27, 2014, Chandigarh, India
Edition update time 2:30 am (IST)

In Punjab, Sonia calls Modi model a sham
Congress president accuses Akalis of colluding with Gujarat Govt to oust Sikh farmers
Barnala, April 26
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asked the state voters to choose her party’s ideology of “secularism and holistic development” over the “Modi model” of “communalism, narrow-mindedness and policies of spreading hate”.

AICC chief Sonia Gandhi waves to supporters at a rally in Barnala on Saturday . Also seen are Congress LS candidate from Sangrur Vijay Inder Singla (R), Punjab Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (2nd R) and former SAD Chief Minister SS Barnala’s wife Surjit Kaur Barnala (L). Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

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Ramdev booked for Dalit honeymoon remark
Lucknow/Vadodara/ New Delhi, April 26
An FIR was lodged against yoga guru Ramdev today over his remark at a programme in Lucknow yesterday that Rahul Gandhi visited Dalit homes "for honeymoon and picnic". As a massive outrage erupted today over his controversial comment, Ramdev expressed regret to the Dalit community.

Prez confers Padma awards
New Delhi, April 26
President Pranab Mukherjee today presented Padma awards to 56 distinguished personalities including actor Paresh Rawal, ace tennis player Leander Paes and author Ruskin Bond. Cricketer Yuvraj Singh, eminent writer Anita Desai and noted painter Sunil Das could not make it to the ceremony.

bond with the honours: President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to author Ruskin Bond at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday. Yoga exponent Bellur Krishnamachar Sundaraja Iyenger was conferred the Padma Vibhushan. Mukesh Aggarwal

Gun battle ends in Shopian as third militant shot
Srinagar, April 26
The fierce gun battle that began yesterday ended with the killing of the third militant holed up in the debris of a house in south Kashmir’s Shopian district today. In all, five persons, including a Major, a soldier of Army’s elite counter-insurgency unit, and three local militants, were killed in the 18-hour gun battle. The lone militant who engaged security forces for the entire night was shot dead this morning.

South Korea, US pledge firm response to North Korea
Seoul, April 26
North Korea represents a threat not just to Asia but to the United States, US President Barack Obama said on Friday, as he and South Korea's President Park Geun-hye warned they would respond firmly to any "provocations". (Details on World page)

G-7 to impose fresh sanctions on Russia
Slaviansk, April 26
Leaders of the Group of Seven major economies agreed to impose more sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. (Details on World page)