Gates of ‘City of Gates’ in dilapidated state

October 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Calling the Afghan-Pakistan border as the "modern epicentre of jihad", the US has made it clear that it's not leaving Afghanistan as a Taliban takeover of the country would empower the Al Qaeda terrorist network. "The thing to remember about Afghanistan is that country and particularly the Afghan-Pakistan border is the modern epicentre of jihad," Secretary of Defence Robert Gates said at a forum sponsored by the George Washington University Monday.

September 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements at Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. In an interview with Al-Jazeera TV channel Monday, Gates said the US considered Pakistani arrangements to secure its nuclear arsenal against Islamic terrorists sufficient and adequate.

September 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday inaugurated a biometric identification system in his ministry to ensure punctuality among the staff. "I hope that people will absorb the spirit and the purpose behind the system which is being introduced.

August 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Concerned over a new public opinion poll in Pakistan showing that 64 percent Pakistanis see America as the enemy, Defence Secretary Robert Gates says the US must maintain relationships with Pakistan for the long term to build trust. The poll saying only 9 percent of Pakistanis see the US as a partner is disturbing to defence leaders, but not surprising, he said during a Pentagon news conference Thursday.

August 7th, 2009 LODI VILLAGE - In the wake of the ongoing ethnic clashes, villagers in Assam have erected check gates to keep out miscreants from attacking their villages. The ongoing clashes between the Jeme Naga and Dimasa tribes have terrorised the residents in Lodi village of North Cachar Hills district, who have decided to undertake self-defense to keep miscreants at bay.

July 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Under fire over the India-Pakistan joint statement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday ruled out any conflict between the Congress party and the government and assured that he would give "relevant answers" to the doubts raised over it in parliament July 29. "I have made a statement in parliament and parliament is again going to discuss the issue.

July 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today met Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to discuss their shared commitment to promote various health activities in India. Azad appreciated the work being done by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its continued support to the National Aids Control Programme through AVAHAN and to support for the National Polio Programme.

June 7th, 2009 IMPHAL - Growing extortion threats by local militants are affecting the tourism prospects of the popular Singda Dam. Located about 16 kilometres west of Imphal and overlooking an artificial lake and the Imphal valley, the dam is a multi-purpose project for irrigation and water conservation and is also a scenic picnic spot near Imphal.

May 14th, 2009 MUMBAI - With the meteorological department predicting an early monsoon this year, civic authorities in Mumbai are gearing up to prevent calamities arising in the city during the rainy season. During monsoons in Mumbai the city gets flooded with rain water, throwing the normal city life completely out of gear.

April 23rd, 2009 AGARTALA - The gates on the barbed wire fence along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura would remain open till the balloting ends to enable all voters to exercise their franchise, an official said here Thursday. 'We have asked the Border Security Force (BSF) to open the gates on the border fence for the whole day to facilitate the voters to exercise their franchise,' said Dilip Acherjee, additional chief electoral officer.

April 16th, 2009 CHENNAI - Entry gates of three central government offices including the income tax office and head post office in the city were found locked Thursday. Police suspect it to be the handiwork of pro-Sri Lankan Tamil elements.

April 3rd, 2009 AMRITSAR - Pakistani security authorities Friday allowed the Amritsar-Lahore-Nankana Sahib peace bus between the two countries to enter its territory, but the bus did not have any passengers. Border Security Force (BSF) officials at the Attari border, 30 km from here, said that the bus was allowed to cross the international border gates with only its crew on board.

April 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation Thursday announced $100,000 grants for researchers to develop innovative ideas to address maternal and child health care issues. The third round of the world-wide initiative is targeted particularly at Indian researchers.

February 11th, 2009 RANCHI - Former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinhqa and former chief minister Arjun Munda were among hundreds of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protesters arrested during an agitation in the Jharkhand capital Thursday. The BJP is demanding dissolution of the state assembly that has been put under suspended animation and fresh elections in Jharkhand, which is under President's Rule since Jan 19.

February 10th, 2009 RANCHI - Extra security arrangements were put in place around the governor house in the Jharkhand capital Wednesday, on the eve of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) proposed demonstration demanding fresh elections in the president ruled state. The BJP has planned 'Ghera Dalo, Dera Dalo' agitation in front of the governor house to press its demand for dissolution of the state assembly and elections in the state.