Bhubaneswar, Aug 25 :The hunger strike by 15 people in Orissa in support of social activist Anna Hazare's demand for a stronger anti-corruption bill entered the 10th day Thursday, India Against Corruption
(IAC) that is backing Hazare said.

Two activists - Bhabani Parija, 50, and Rajnarayan Jena, 30, have been fasting here, Nishikant Mohapatra, a local coordinator of IAC, told IANS.

Eight others are fasting in Kalahandi, four in Bolangir and one in Sambalpur, he said.

No major health complications have been reported so far, Mohapatra said.

Bhubaneswar, Aug 23 : Normal life was hit in Orissa's Balangir town as schools and colleges were closed and shops downed shutters due to a shutdown called by residents Tuesday to support Anna Hazare in his crusade against corruption.

All the private establishments were closed in the Balangir district headquarters town, about 325 km from here, with people spontaneously supporting the 24-hour strike, a district police officer told IANS.

Commuters also faced difficulties as private buses and commercial vehicles went off the roads, he said.

Bhubaneswar, June 10 : Aluminium prices are likely to remain in a range of $2,500 to $2,700 a tonne for at least the next two-three months, India's state run National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) said Friday.

"We believe that in the short term in next two to three months the prices should remain range-bound between $2,500 and $2,700," B. L. Bagra, NALCO chairman-cum-managing director, told IANS.

Bhubaneswar, April 14 - An anti-displacement group Thursday here rejected the claim of the Orissa government that there were no tribal inhabitants or other traditional forest dwellers in the proposed site of the $12 billion POSCO steel project in the state.

The POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), which has been spearheading the movement against the project in the coastal district of Jagatsinghpur, said the state government has for the third time submitted false information.

Bhubaneswar, Nov 3 - Oriya singer Bhikari Bal, who has sung hundreds of devotional songs, died at a government hospital in Orissa after a prolonged illness. He was 82, family sources said Wednesday.

Bal died late Tuesday at Sriram Chandra Bhanja medical college hospital at Cuttack, some 26 km from here, where he was undergoing treatments since over a week after developing several old age-related complications.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. His last rites will be performed Wednesday at the temple town of Puri, some 56 km from here.

Bhubaneswar, Oct 11 : Renowned Odissi dance guru Gangadhar Pradhan died early Monday in a private hospital here after a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 61.

Pradhan had been undergoing treatment in Apollo Hospital since last week following a cardiac arrest and a brain haemorrhage, the sources said. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son.

Pradhan, who began his journey into the world of dance at the age of six as a gotipua dancer at the Balunkeswar temple in Puri district's Dhimirisena village, was the founder of organisations like the Orissa Dance Academy and Konark Natya Mandap in Bhubaneswar.

Bhubaneswar, Aug 9 - Popular Oriya singer Mohammad Sikandar Alam, who was known for his devotional songs to the Hindu god Jagannath, has died of a heart attack, a family member said Monday. He was 71.

Alam, who had been admitted to a private hospital here Thursday after he complained of chest pain, died of a massive heart attack Sunday night.

He is survived by his widow Naima, and two daughters - actress Sophia and singer Nazia.

Alam was the president of Orissa Sangeet Natak Academy.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an innovative plan where he said his administration is eyeing to take in HIV/AIDS affected persons of the State in the forthcoming BPL list.

The CM stated that his administration is taking active steps to assist AIDS-affected people as well as their family members to live normal life.

He added that this while welcoming the AIDS campaigner Red Ribbon Express (RRE) at Mancheswar Railway station amidst blowing of conch and other musical instruments by cultural troupes.

Bhubaneswar, Feb 16 - No juries, no awards.... just sun, sand, sea and film screenings inside makeshift tents are some of the unique features of the Bring Your Own Film Festival (BYOFF) starting Feb 21 in Puri.

Hundreds of filmmakers, artists, creative men and women and students are expected to participate in BYOFF, which will be held on the beach of Puri, some 56 km from here.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Kantilal Bhuria on Thursday said that the Centre is planning to spend Rs 1,000 crore in the next fiscal eyeing upon checking dropouts and raising literacy among the tribals. After inaugurating a seminar ''We and our tribes: Caring culture and sharing thoughts''.he said that the centre is planning to spend Rs 1,000 crore for tribal education during the next fiscal.

Bhubaneshwar, Feb. 7 : Elders and leaders of various tribes in Orissa’s Kandhamal District have voiced suspicious about a European Union (EU) delegation visiting their region saying it would hamper peace and re-ignite violence.

The 11-member EU delegation visited Kandhamal region on Wednesday.

The delegation held discussions with Orissa Government officials Christian leaders and human rights activists in Bhubaneswar.

Addressing the media here, the tribal leaders recalled that Kandhamal was rocked by communal violence in mid-2008, sparked off by the murder of a senior Hindu leader.

Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 : India on Monday successfully test fired two indigenously built air-to-air missile ''Astra'' from its Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Orissa coast.

The first missile, around 25-kilometer range was tested at the Chandipur test range around 9:45 a. m.

ITR Director SP Shah claimed the missile test was a success.

The Astra missile is 3.8 meter long having a diameter of 1.78 meter and weighs around 154 kilograms. The missile can carry a warhead of 15 kg.

Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 :  At least six people were injured in a blast at the state-run Rourkela Steel Plant in Orissa's Sundergarh district Monday, an official said.

"There was blast inside the spiral welding plant when some of our workers were undertaking welding work, when a box burst, injuring six people," Deputy General Manager (Public Relations) Rehman Khan said.

All the injured were admitted to the Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela, 514 km from the state capital.

Bhubaneshwar, Jan 11 : The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) cadres killed two local traders in Katulpeta village in Korapat District of Orissa on Monday late evening.

The Katulpeta village is about 450 kilometres from state capital Bhubaneswar.

The villages are under Bandhugaon police station area.

Orissa Deputy Inspector General Sanjeeb Panda informed that two local traders were killed by suspected Maoists and the police are gathering details of the crime.

Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 : National Knowledge Commission chairperson Sam Pitroda will deliver a lecture at Orissa's prestigious Ravenshaw University Jan 16, the university said Monday.

He will deliver the third lecture of a series in an open air stage inside the university campus at Cuttack, about 25 km from here.

The first lecture was delivered by British economist and Labour politician Lord Meghnad Desai in 2008, followed by former Indian Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury in 2009. (IANS)

Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in Orissa Monday to inaugurate a newly-constructed Buddhist monastery in Gajapati district.

The Tibetan spiritual leader arrived at Biju Patnaik airport in state capital Bhubaneswar in the morning and after a brief stay proceeded to Chandragiri in Gajapati district in a helicopter.

During his stay in the Tibetan settlement, the Dalai Lama will inaugurate a five-storey monastery named Padma Sambhav Mahavira.

He will also attend several religious discourses. (IANS)

Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 - Suspected Maoist guerrillas killed two local traders in a village in Orissa's Koraput district early Monday, police said.

The incident took place in Katulpeta village under Bandhugaon police station area, about 450 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.

"Two local traders were killed by suspected Maoists. We are gathering details of the crime," Deputy Inspector General of Police Sanjeeb Panda told IANS.

Maoists are active in more than half of the state's 30 districts. The southern district of Koraput is considered a Maoist stronghold. (IANS)

Bhubaneswar, Jan 10 - At least six people, including four women, were killed Sunday and six others critically injured after a wagon carrying them hit an iron ore- laden truck in Orissa's Keonjhar district, police said.

The accident took place near Balijodi village in Keonjhar, some 180 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, when the passengers were on their way to a pilgrimage site for picnic, a senior district police officer told IANS.

The injured were being treated in a local hospital, he said. (IANS)

Bhubaneswar, Jan 9 : A Maoist camp was busted in Orissa's Deogarh district Saturday and ammunition, rebel literature and other items were seized, police said.

The camp, located inside the forest under Kansar police outpost, some 350 km from here, was spotted by the Special Operations Group of the state police during a combing operation, Inspector General of Police (Operations) Sanjeeb Marik told IANS.

"Some live bullets, Maoist literature and some aluminium utensils have been seized from the spot," he said without giving any more details.

"Combing operations are on in the area," Marik added.(IANS)

Bhubaneswar, Jan 9 : Folk dances, classical music, dramas and a series of other performances by artists from across the country enthralled a huge crowd on the second day of the National Youth Festival here Saturday.

Competitions in various instrumental, classical and other events to select the best talent of the country were held in different theatres and open stages throughout the day.

The performances that thrilled the spectators include Bharatnatyam, Manipuri dance and the Rock Band dance.

Unprecedented gathering were observed at Kalinga stadium, the main venue of the festival in the evening to see the performance of Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans.