New Delhi - Indian equities soared over 5 per cent on Friday tailing positive cues from global markets after rate cuts in the United States and Japan.

The 30-share Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange was trading at 9,651.12 around noon, about 6.71 per cent above its previous close.

The broader 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also showed strong positive signals, trading 5.35 per cent up at 2,841.30.

Indian share markets opened Friday after being closed the previous day for a festival holiday.

New Delhi, Oct 31: The Union Cabinet today cleared the long-pending Right to Education Bill.

"The Bill has been considered at several levels by the Group of Ministers (GoM). The Cabinet has approved the text of the Bill," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters here today.

In a major boost to education sector, Chidambaram said that it would be legally enforcible duty of the Centre and the states to provide free and compulsory education.

The text of the Bill will be released after the HRD Ministry has consultations with the Election Commission in view of the assembly polls in some states.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was banned for one Test match after he was found guilty of elbowing Australia all-rounder Shane Watson during the ongoing third Test in Delhi.

International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Chris Broad today charged Gambhir with a level-two offence of not conducting play "within the spirit of the game as well as within the laws of cricket".

Meanwhile, the BCCI is going to appeal to ICC to relax the punishment on Gambhir.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will begin his three-day visit to Iran from today to discuss ways to push the proposed trilateral gas pipeline project.

During his visit, Mukherjee will attend the Joint Commission meeting during which the two sides are expected to discuss various other initiatives to enhance their ties.

The two sides will also hold talks on several issues, including trade and business to enhance the bilateral ties.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will meet Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here today.

He is expected to hold talks on the current global financial crisis and climate change with Indian leaders.

Issues like the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal will also be considered during the meeting between the two sides.

The Secretary General is also scheduled to meet President Pratibha Patil, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition LK Advani.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Home Secretary-level talks between India and Nepal will be held here today.

The Indian delegation will be led by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and Nepalese delegation by their Home Secretary Govinda Prasad Kusum.

The two sides will discuss a broad range of issues relating, inter-alia, to security, border management, and training and capacity-building of officials or police in Nepal.

Effective cooperation for combating terrorist activities and trans-border crimes will be high on the agenda.

The two sides will also review the progress in implementing the decisions arrived at the last Secretary-level talks held on September 25 in Kathmandu.