51 Muslims clear UPSC exams, Kashmir resident bags 10th rank
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Of the total 1,099 successful candidates in the final list of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations,...
Delhi blast mastermind used fake documents for Jamia admission: Police
By IANS,
New Delhi : Atif Amin, the alleged mastermind of the Sep 13 serial blasts in the capital who was gunned down in a shootout with the police last month, used a fake certificate to get admitted to the Jamia Millia here, police said Tuesday.
“Amin, 24, submitted a fake B.Sc. degree of the Allahabad University for taking admission in a post-graduate course in human rights,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh said.
Lucknow calm after sectarian clashes
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh capital was calm Saturday, two days after sectarian clashes took place after a prayer meeting over Iraq, officials said.
Both the...
Musharraf running out of options: Pakistani media
Islamabad (IANS) : The Pakistani media Wednesday continued to hammer away for the fourth successive day at President Pervez Musharraf for imposing an emergency, saying he was running out of options and should heed international advice to quickly restore democracy in the country.
"What then are his options?" The News wondered in an editorial, adding that the answer lay in Musharraf shedding his army chief's uniform, supervising free and fair elections and then handing over power in a civilised and democratic manner to genuinely elected representatives.
UNHCR: more Iraqis seeking asylum in Western countries
By Xinhua
Geneva : Almost 20,000 Iraqis applied for asylum in Western countries in the first half of this year, up 45 percent on the previous six months, the Office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday.
Using information provided by governments, the agency said about 19,800 asylum claims were lodged by Iraqis in 36 Western countries during the first half of 2007.
Karnataka court acquits 17 suspected SIMI youths in a 7-year-old Unlawful Activities case
Case pertains to unlawful activities across the state and not the 2008 Hubbali blast for the orchestration of which right wing activists were arrested by Karnataka police.
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hubli (Karnataka)/ Kozhikode (Kerala): All 17 suspected members of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), who were allegedly involved in terror activities across the state, have been acquitted by a court here after the prosecution failed to prove its charges.
Youth lynched in Jammu’s Reasi, seven held
Jammu : A young man died of severe beating on Sunday in Reasi district and his friend received critical injuries after they allegedly entered...
Islam, Muslims and Extremism
By Maulana Waris Mazhari,
(Translated from Urdu by Yoginder Sikand)
Such was my father, Haji Mohammed Yaseen
By Riyaz Arshad Nazish
Never in my entire life had I found myself so helpless and incapable as I did on the day my father...
Iran says not after adventures but peaceful nuclear energy
By NNN-KUNA
Tehran : Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday Tehran was not after adventures but wanted to enjoy its rights by using nuclear technology for peaceful means.
Mottaki, addressing a gathering of students of Amir Kabir University in Tehran, said "our positions regarding our nuclear program is very clear and transparent, and we are not after adventures but want to use nuclear energy for peaceful domains."
Mottaki said the recent US intelligence report about the Iranian nuclear program included "correct and false information."
Kashmiri braveheart Rukhsana wants military training for youngsters
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Rukhsana Kausar, the girl who singlehandedly took on a group of terrorists who barged into her house in a village in the Kashmir valley in September, Friday said the government should make military training compulsory for youngsters.
"Every youngster, it does not matter big or small, should undergo compulsory military training. This is the only way to eliminate terrorism from our country," Rukhsana told reporters here Friday.
Islam has nothing to do with terrorism: Imam of Kaba
Patna : The Imam of Islam's holiest shrine Kaba in Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Saturday denounced terrorism in the name of Islam, making...
“Sleeper cells” have increased in Delhi, say police
(Dec 13 is the 11th anniversary of the parliament attack)
By Alok Singh, IANS,
Indo-Canadian woman jailed for carrying heroin
By IANS
Toronto : An Indo-Canadian Sikh woman was sentenced to nine years in prison after she was found guilty of carrying illegally 11.4 kg of heroin while returning here from India with her young son.
Book ‘Samjhouta Express’ launched in Delhi
By Ravi Nitesh,
New Delhi: The revised version of “Samjahouta Express” was launched on 12 July at India International Centre, New Delhi. The author, Mr. Awais Sheikh was present for the launch. Mr. Awais Sheikh is a renowned human rights’ activist and lawyer in Pakistan. He is the President of ‘Pakistan India Peace Initiative’. He is also the president of council of India Prisoners. He had represented the Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh.
If govt moving two steps, take at least half, Smriti Irani urges Muslims for...
Zafar Sareshwala, who was the Guest of Honour, appeared to be the star of the programme as none of the speakers forgot to mention his name and eulogised him several times, as he smiled and nodded every time his name was taken.
By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Muslims should come ahead and participate in the development of the country, as equal citizens, feels Minister for Human Resource and Development Smriti Zubin Irani. “I urge you all youth to move at least half a step, if we (government) take two steps,” she told an applauding crowd at Ansari Auditorium of Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday, adding, “I am confident you will march together.”
Iraq may need foreign troops for 10 years: official
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraq may need the foreign troops to maintain security for another ten years, but it will never accept US permanent military bases, a government spokesman said Monday.
"We need the foreign troops to support us as long as we have security problems. From now to ten years our troops will not be capable to defend Iraq," Ali al-Dabbagh said in an interview on the state-run al-Iraqiya television.
"But that doesn't mean we will accept the presence of permanent US military bases," he said.
Will fight for justice, says Pehlu Khan’s son after police close case
Nuh (Haryana)/Jaipur, (IANS): With Rajasthan Police giving a clean chit to all the six accused named by Pehlu Khan in his dying declaration, the family...
Sania Mirza is Telangana’s brand ambassador
Hyderabad : The Telangana government Tuesday appointed ace tennis player Sania Mirza as its brand ambassador.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao handed over the appointment...
“RSS-BJP want Jammu to be Muslim free,” says Gujjar leader after authorities demolish 5...
By Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: Stating that BJP and RSS is hell-bent on dislocating Muslims in Jammu, the Gujjar Muslims are anguished over “selective” demolition...
KNP vision of united and independent Kashmir
By Dr Shabir Choudhry,
As a leader of a new party - KNP, time and again we are asked what kind of Jammu and Kashmir we have in mind. When we say that we want a secular and independent Jammu and Kashmir, non Muslims, especially the Pundit Community seriously question our intentions; as in their view the JKLF also talked about the same goals and yet chose to remain silent, and in some cases took active part in campaign against the Pundit community in the Valley in 1990.
Indian expatriates mark Independence day by donating blood
By TCN News,
Riyadh: A section of the Indian community here celebrated their country's 68th Independence Day by donating blood to commemorate the date on August 15.
3 Muslims for Indian Military Academy, Kazmi ranked 10th
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi: 3 Muslims have qualified for admissions to 123rd Course of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The Union Public Service Commission declared the results of Combined Defence Services Examination – II, 2006.
Anver Raza Kazmi is ranked 10th, Mohammad Khurram Mirza is ranked 129th and Mohammad Ali Arzoo Shanawaz is ranked 130th in the list of 274 candidates for Indian Military Academy (IMA). Since IMA takes in 250 candidates all three are guaranteed admissions.
This women’s day meet Captain Salva who dared to dream of skies
By Mohd Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: ‘Dream big, determination and hard work can take you to skies’. These are not the words of some wannabe motivational speaker but from a shy young woman from the narrow lanes of old Hyderabad who has literally touched the sky.
Dawood under ISI protection, reveals 1993 blasts accused
By IANS,
Mumbai : India's most wanted mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is under the protection of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in Karachi, according to revelations to police by Karimullah Osan Habib Khan, an accused in the March 1993 blasts who was arrested Thursday.
A senior police official said Friday that Karimullah had made other revelations which have confirmed the intelligence inputs gathered by Indian agencies over the past few years.
AMU students’ union organizes symposium
By TCN News,
Aligarh: The Student’s Union of the Aligarh Muslim University today organized a Symposium on “Role of AMU Old Boys”.
Delhi Declaration urges PFI to build the Nation on justice
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
JNU students to continue protest despite new barrier
New Delhi : The JNU Students Union (JNUSU) on Monday called the university administration's decision to set up grills at the protest site on...
Islam doesn’t allow killing of mankind: Pakistani scholar
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Setback for Samajwadi Party as 26 Muslim leaders resign from party
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Gearing up for 2019 elections, Samajwadi received a setback after 26 Muslim leaders resigned from the party citing cold shoulder response...
Asaram’s bail application rejected
Jodhpur : A court here on Friday rejected the bail application of spiritual guru Asaram in a case relating to sexual assault of a...
Pakistan’s religious coalition parties seek separate symbols
By IANS
Islamabad : Two key partners of the opposition Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), six-party religious alliance of Pakistan, have sought separate symbols for the Jan 8 elections, an indication that the grouping has virtually come apart.
The Election Commission said Tuesday that some 48 political parties, including MMA constituents Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), have applied for separate election symbols.
The Election Commission asked them to appear before it Sunday when the symbols would be allotted.
Five crude bombs found in Rae Bareli court
By IANS
Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh) : Five crude bombs normally used as firecrackers were Thursday found from the court premises here, where the trial of the demolition of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya 15 years ago is underway.
Police arrested a man, Rajaram Lodh, with the bombs normally used as firecrackers for wedding ceremonies, said Superintendent of Police Mohit Agrawal.
He was nabbed during an intensive search of the premises, where security has been intensified on the 15th anniversary of the demolition.
Nuh encounter: A night before killing, Munfaid was called by the police to do...
By Staff Reporter, TwoCircles.net
The encounter of Munfaid on September 16, 2017, in Mewat district of Haryana is showing many loopholes in the police's theory....
Tehran condemns U.S. arrest of Iranian national in Iraq
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iran on Thursday condemned the arrest of an Iranian national by U.S. troops in Iraq, saying the man was the head of a commercial delegation.
"Such an action by U.S. forces is a violation of international conventions and aims to destroy the ties between Iran and Iraq," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in a statement.
The arrested man, identified as Farhadi, was the head of "border commercial transactions" from the Kermanshah province in western Iran, according to the Iranian foreign ministry's statement.
Kamal Haasan agrees to modify ‘Vishwaroopam’
By IANS,
Chennai : Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has agreed to modify his film "Vishwaroopam" following objections from certain Muslim organisations.
Liquor, mobiles, blue films – in Uttar Pradesh jails
By IANS
Lucknow : Surprise raids on different jails across Uttar Pradesh have brought forth the shocking revelation that liquor, cigarettes, narcotics, the best of food items and blue films were available to the prisoners.
Hunt for Maoists intensifies in Orissa, weapons recovered
By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Hundreds of security personnel continued their hunt Monday for Maoists in forests of Orissa two days after the rebels killed 14 policemen and escaped with a huge haul of weapons.
The security forces recovered several rifles and half a truckload of ammunition in the forests.
Hundreds of security personnel intensified combing operations in the forests near Gasma hill in Ganjam district and the neighbouring districts where the rebels are suspected to have fled.
Drunk youth in speeding car mows down 11 in Mumbai
By IANS,
Mumbai : Five inebriated youth in a speeding car being chased by traffic cops in a high speed drama late Sunday night allegedly ran over at least 11 people in Malad, a northwest suburb here, police said Monday.
The incident occurred around Sunday midnight when the speeding car, apparently out of control, hit two auto rickshaws, pedestrians and pavement dwellers in the area.
According to an official at Malad police station, the occupants of the car were all inebriated and were being chased by traffic cops when the accident happened.
Race for Waqf Board chairmanship heats up
By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Politicians, retired high court judge, builders and eminent lawyers are in the running for the post of chairmanship in waqf board. The waqf boards acts as the custodian of properties registered as waqfs owned by individuals, institutions and muslim organisations.
UP Government must go beyond arrests to tackle religious intolerance and violence: Amnesty International
By TCN News,
New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government must do more to protect the rights of religious minorities in the state, Amnesty International...
AMU Alumni Association Chennai get together
By TCN News,
Chennai: A special screening of a documentary movie on the life of Sir Syed marked the AMU Alumni Association Chennai ‘Get Together’...
JD-U gives more representation to Muslims in state party
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Patna: Considering Muslim votes crucial for victory, the state ruling party Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has given good representation to Muslims in its newly constituted state committee. The state assembly elections will be held later this year. Since the last assembly by-poll in which several seats were won by Lalu Yadav’s RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP pushing JD-U at No. 3, the party and its leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have taken several measures to please Muslims.
A Muslim clergy to rule Malegaon with Shiv Sena support?
By IANS
Malegaon (Maharashtra) : Intense political maneuverings are underway here to forge a ruling combination to run the Malegaon Municipal Corporation a week after the civic elections threw up a hung house last Monday.
AMU to hold admission tests at outside centres as per schedule
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University, first time in its history, is going to conduct admission tests for various courses at some outside centres besides its campus.
MNS extends its brand politics of regionalism to Haj
By Abdul Hameed, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Extending the scope of its politics of regionalism, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) yesterday met CEO of Haj Committee of India and demanded that only Maharashtra origin Muslims should be allowed to go for Haj through Maharashtra State Haj Committee.
A 40-member delegation of MNS led by deputy president Haji Arafat asked the CEO Owais Siddiqi to reject Haj applications of those people who want to go through the Maharashtra Haj Committee but originally they are not from Maharashtra – they are from UP or Bihar.
Curfew on in Kokrajhar, no fresh violence
By IANS,
Guwahati : Curfew continued Friday in Kokrajhar area of Assam's Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), where violence has claimed the lives of six people since Nov 10.
Court acquits gangster Fazal-ur Rehman in kidnapping case
By IANS,
New Delhi : A city court Friday acquitted gangster Fazal-ur Rehman of the charges of abducting a city-based businessman 14 years ago from the Patiala House court complex here.
Additional Sessions Judge Brijesh Kumar Garg acquitted the jailed aide of underworld don Babloo Srivastava of the charges of kidnapping city-based businessman Kanwaljeet Singh from Patiala House Courts here in September 1994.
Kishanganj: Bihar’s most backward district in quest for AMU centre
By Md. Mudassir Alam,
US attack on Iran would mean suicide
By NNN-Prensa Latina
Tehran : The Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, has said that a military attack on his country would mean suicide for the United States.
He said the Islamic Republic always showed enough strength to face up any threat, and if the Americans attacked the country they would suffer serious damage, worse than those in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and other countries.
Go Green Masjid campaign launched in Manipur on World Environment Day
By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Like in other parts of the globe, World Environment Day was celebrated in different parts of Manipur on June 5, 2014. The day was observed by Government institutions and civil bodies by organizing awareness programmes and planting tree saplings.
Maoists blow up school in Bihar
By IANS,
Patna : Suspected Maoists blew up a school building in Bihar's Jamui district, police said Monday.
According to police, Maoist guerrillas Sunday night surrounded and blew up a state-run school building at Maheshwari village in Jamui district, some 150 km from here.
The guerrillas used dynamite to blow up the building which was badly damaged in the blast, police said.
A combing operation has been launched in the area to nab the guerrillas.
Muslims tilt towards BSP
By IANS
Lucknow : Muslims in Uttar Pradesh appear to have heavily voted for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), deserting the ruling Samajwadi Party, assembly election trends Friday showed.
Orissa violence: Time to act beyond tears
By Navaid Hamid,
The continuous murderous attack on the innocent, unarmed, peace loving Christians belonging to lower strata of society in Orissa (India), the Adivasis, by the right wing Hindutva organisations particularly Vishwa Hindu Parishad and its armed wing Bajrang Dal is most deplorable and needs not only strongest condemnation but sincere and assertive actions to counter them and stand with the innocents.
India most ‘literate’ country in world: Hanif Kureishi
Kolkata : Award-winning British playwright and author Hanif Kureishi Saturday praised Indians for their continued interest in literature and said the nation is the...
Pakistan satellite of US satellite state: analyst
By IANS
Islamabad : The manner in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was bundled off to a second exile in Saudi Arabia earlier this month proved that Pakistan was the satellite of a US satellite state, a widely respected analyst contends.
15 cops killed in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh
By IANS
Raipur : As many as 15 policemen were killed in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district Friday, the police said.
"Maoists triggered a landmine explosion near Pamed police station in the district, in which 15 policemen were killed," Girdhari Nayak, inspector general in charge of Maoist operations, told IANS.
The attack site in extreme southern interiors of the district is thickly forested, some 560 km south of capital Raipur, close to the Andhra Pradesh border.
Details are awaited.
A new way of thinking about Islam
By Usama Khalidi,
A new Islam is rising in America largely under the media’s radar, which is routinely and profitably focused on the more competitively conservative, and violent, Islam of the Boko Haram of Nigeria, the Taliban of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and now the infamous ISIS, the “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria”, founders of a newly minted “Caliphate”. Consider this:
Pakistani Taliban’s infighting leaves six dead
By DPA,
Peshawar : Six militants were killed in fighting between two Taliban groups in Pakistan's tribal region Saturday, intelligence officials said.
The clashes erupted when the leaders of two Punjabi Taliban groups argued about the release of former Pakistani intelligence officer Amir Sultan, known by the code name Colonel Imam, who was kidnapped together with another intelligence officer and a British-Pakistani journalist in April.
Don’t act like sole conscience-keeper of Kashmiris, Mirwaiz warns Geelani
Srinagar: In a hard-hitting statement, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group Saturday, warned senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani not to...
International Day of the Disabled observed at Deomornoi
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: ‘International Day of the Persons with Disabilities’ was observed in a befitting manner by the Indian Army COB Deomornoi in Darrang district of Assam attended by over 100 differently-abled persons along with their attendants in addition to prominent citizens and media persons of the area.
President greets nation on Milad-un-Nabi and Holi
By IANS,
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil Monday greeted the nation on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi and Holi.
Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, would be celebrated Tuesday, while Holi, the festival of colours, would be celebrated Wednesday.
"May the message of universal peace, compassion, tolerance and service to humanity preached by the holy prophet inspire us to live in fellowship, harmony and unity," she said.
AMU Malappuram: pending Rs 120 crore to be transferred this month
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Kumaoni villagers script Corbett’s success story
By Sanjeeb Baruah, IANS
Corbett (Uttarakhand) : A unique partnership between Kumaoni villagers and the forest department at the Jim Corbett National Park has helped protect many rare wildlife species and scripted one of the world's best conservation stories.
Here, the villagers work as 'gilis' - it means forest guards in the local Kumaoni language. They guide the tourists to scenic spots, help them choose the right place for angling and keep a watchful eye on illegal activities in the park.
Kashmir’s ‘Youth Icon awards-2015’ to be held on September 16
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net,
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Innovators forum (JKIF), a state based NGO, is going to organize an event...
Shiv Sena threatens Ghulam Ali’s concerts in Maharashtra
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday threatened to disrupt Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali's proposed live concerts in Mumbai and Pune this week.
"We have...
A.R. Rahman, Nandan Nilekani on Time 100 list
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington, May 1 (IANS) Oscar winning Indian music director A.R. Rahman of "Slumdog Millionaire" fame, his Sri Lankan co-performer M.I.A. of the hit "O Saya" song and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani have made it to the Time 100 list of the World's Most Influential People.
The cruel irony of Human Rights Day
By Abdullah Khan
10 December is internationally celebrated as the International Human Rights Day. In 1950, the United Nations declared 10 December as the International...
CRPF puts on alert all its bases across country
By IANS
New Delhi : Soon after the terrorist attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) base camp in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur town Tuesday, in which seven personnel were killed, the paramilitary force sounded an alert across all its bases in the country against similar terror strikes.
"We have sounded an alert at our bases across the country after the terror attack on one of our bases in Uttar Pradesh," said A.P. Meshwari, Inspector General (Operations) of the CRPF.
Father of arrested LeT militant wants him punished as per law
By Imran Khan, IANS
Patna : The father of suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Sabauddin Ahmad alias Sallahudin alias Farhan, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in an attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Uttar Pradesh, wants him to be punished in accordance with the law.
Sabauddin, along with five other suspected LeT members, was arrested last week from Lucknow for his alleged involvement in an attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur on Jan 1 in which seven personnel of the paramilitary force as well as one civilian were killed.
CBI to probe gory Assam bombings
New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Thursday officially took over the probe into Assam's serial bombings that killed 89 people and injured over 500.
“We took over the case after it was notified to us by the Assam government and following approval from the department of personnel and training,” a CBI official said here.
A team of 30 CBI officers including forensic and ballistics experts and photographers would leave for Guwahati Friday.
Union Carbide factory in Bhopal contaminated groundwater with pesticides in 3 km radius
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The latest tests show that groundwater in areas even three km away from the Union Carbide India limited, (UCIL), pesticide manufacturing factory in Bhopal, contains almost 40 times more pesticides than the Indian standards.
The chronic poisoning due to the contamination of land and water even though it was closed down 25 years back following the fatal leak of Methyl Isocyanate, (MIC), from its plant in December 1984.
Gujarat Police arrest youth with huge cache of explosives
By Special Correspondent, TwoCircles.net,
Pakistan must move beyond shaking hands to improve ties: Rajnath
Srinagar : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Friday that India wants to have good neighbourly relations with Pakistan, but cautioned that mere shaking...
Reviewing the rising communal tensions In India
The working committee of Jamiat Ulama e hind takes stock
New Delhi:
Daylong meeting of Jamiat Working Committee under the Presidentship of Maulana Usman Mansurpoori, JUH...
Two killed, 17 injured in Ajmer shrine blast
By Indo-Asian News Service
Ajmer (Rajasthan): At least two people were killed and nearly 20 people injured when a bomb exploded inside the revered Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti here Thursday evening during Ramadan prayers, witnesses said.
The shattering blast took place inside the complex some 25 metres from where the main prayers were taking place, triggering panic in this shrine in Rajasthan that is revered by both Muslims and Hindus, police sources said.
Sayeed responsible for rising intolerance in Kashmir: Omar
Srinagar : Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday held his successor Mufti Muhammad Sayeed responsible for "rising incidents of intolerance"...
AAP leaders arrested for inciting communal passions
New Delhi : AAP leader Dilip Pandey and two other party members were arrested on the charge of promoting enmity between different communities here,...
Condolence book placed at PPP Central Secretariat
By IRNA
Islamabad : A condolence book for the former Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has been placed at the Central Secretariat, Pakistan Peoples Party, Islamabad, the party said.
On Thursday, the American ambassador Ann W Patterson visited the Central Secretariat.
She wrote her message in the condolence book and placed flowers in front of the picture of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
While the diplomats of France, South Korea, Holland and Russia visited the PPP Central Secretariat on Friday and wrote their messages in the condolence book.
Defeated in poll, Hindutva forces rearing their ugly head in Delhi
By Subhash Gatade,
Wahidbhai, who is nearing sixties, is feeling low since last few days.
A doctor by profession, he is suddenly contemplating shifting to his paternal home in Jama Masjid area from his own flat in Rohini. In fact it was only a few years ago that he had purchased this flat despite opposition from his other relatives.
PPP terms Benazir assassination a “cowardly act”
By IANS
Islamabad : The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) described the assassination of their leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as a "cowardly act". It has hinted that president Pervez Musharraf is in a way responsible for her death as his government did not pay heed to its demand for effective jammers and other security instruments.
Confirming the assassination of Bhutto, PPP general secretary Riaz Khan said, "It is a cowardly attack on her life. It is not an attack on her but on the poor people of Pakistan."
Police from states to question Karnataka terror suspects
By IANS
Bangalore : Police teams from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa have come to Karnataka to interrogate two people arrested in central Karnataka recently on suspicion of terror links, a top police official said here Thursday.
The police picked Asadullah Abubaker and Mohammed Raziuddin Nasir alias Mohammed Ghouse up Jan 11 in Honnali in central Karnataka as they were riding a two-wheeler but carrying three helmets.
Lebanese ruling coalition urges AL, UN to secure presidential election
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanon's ruling coalition, named March 14 bloc, on Thursday called on the Arab League (AL) and the United Nations (UN) to secure the forthcoming presidential election, local Naharnet news website reported.
In a meeting at the Phalange Party's headquarters in Beirut, the March 14 bloc called on the AL and the UN to "take all the resolutions and adopt all arrangements in all spheres to guarantee the holding of presidential elections and protect the republic."
Amendment to backward classes panel bill tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi, (IANS): An amendment to the bill granting constitutional status to the National Commission on Backward Classes (NCBC) which seeks to negate the provisions...
India privileged Hindi but discriminated against Urdu: Prof. Oommen
By TCN News
Aligarh: Noted Sociologist, Dr. T.K. Oommen, Professor Emeritus of Jawharlal Nehru University said that although India’s mind boggling linguistic diversity has been acknowledged, independent India’s language policy was precariously proximate to that of the nation-state. India pursued a policy which privileged Hindi, spoken only by 38 percent of population even after mother tongues are encapsulated within.
Hijab banned at Karnataka college: Protest of Muslim girls enters 10th day
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Disregarding court orders to set him free, Khurram again detained by Kupwara Police
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: Prominent human rights defender Khurram Parvez was again detained on Tuesday evening by Kupwara police even after...
True democracy not about elections but what happens between elections: UN Special Rapporteur
By TCN News,
Mumbai: In a brief and candid interview the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur, Maina Kiai, explains the relatively new and recent mandate, established by the United Nations in 2010 created in recognition of the need to assert the basic democratic rights to peaceful assembly, protest and association, that were being curtailed by states across the world, north and south, democracies and dictatorships.
Syria calls upon Palestinian parties to return to dialogue
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem on Monday called upon the Palestinian parties to return to dialogue in order to end the current crisis and establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Muallem made the remarks while meeting with visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister's special envoy for the Middle East affairs Svein Sevje, according to the official SANA news agency.
Suicide bombing kills 13 in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A suicide bombing killed at least 13 people, including eight policemen, and injured six more in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan border Wednesday, an official said.
The bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a vehicle carrying the policemen in the tribal district of Khyber along a main highway leading to Afghanistan, said Sajid Khan, an official of the local administration.
According to Khan, eight security personnel from the tribal police, locally called Khasadar Force, and five civilians died in the bombing.
Pakistan taking ‘aggressive action’ against terrorists, says US
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As Times Square bombing attempt suspect Faisal Shahzad was linked to terror groups in his homeland, the United States came to the aid of its key ally saying of late Islamabad has been taking "aggressive action" against militants.
"Pakistan has for a number of years been taking aggressive action," State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley told reporters Thursday denying suggestions Pakistan was not taking action against terrorist groups.
Geelani calls off Kashmir agitation during Ramadan
By IANS,
Srinagar : Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani Thursday called off pro-freedom agitation during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan but asked the people to continue with "peaceful protests".
Addressing a media conference at his uptown Hyderpora residence here, chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference Geelani said major separatist programmes would only be announced after the month of fasting.
‘भारत का संविधान अमेरिका से भी बेहतर है’ –मंज़ूर ग़ोरी
TwoCircles.net News Desk
नई दिल्ली: ‘भारत का संविधान अमेरिका से भी बेहतर है. अमेरिका में लोगों को भोजन या शिक्षा का अधिकार नहीं है. लेकिन...
Jaitley slams Mamata over Saradha, Burdwan blast; Trinamool hits back
New Delhi/Kolkata : Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday attacked at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her reactions to arrest of her...
Mobile life skills training classroom Udaan Express embarks on all-India journey
By Nadeem Inamdar for TwoCircles.net,
Pune-based Raabta Foundation's new project entitled Udaan Express is a state-of-the-art Mobile Life-Skills Training Classroom (MLSTC) aimed...
Kejriwal urges party members to stay calm
New Delhi : Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal Thursday yet again urged his party members to not indulge in violence.
"We have to be...
Pune youngsters vent anger in virtual world on blast
By IANS,
Pune/New Delhi: "How dare they touch Pune?", fumed an angry and anguished Swaroopa Sanap, a Pune youngster, on popular social networking website Facebook, a day after a blast ripped through the popular German bakery in the city leaving nine people dead.
Hapless and angry, hundreds of people - mostly youngsters - gave vent to their emotions in the virtual world after the blast took place.
Maoists in CRPF uniform kill five in Chhattisgarh
By IANS
Raipur : About 200 armed Maoist rebels, a majority of them women, clad in paramilitary force fatigues shot dead five special police officers (SPOs) and critically wounded three others Monday in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.
The Maoists were wearing the uniform of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) when they attacked the SPOs at Pamulvaya village, about 500 km south of Raipur and seven km from Bijapur town, the district headquarters.
Government forwards Afzal Guru mercy plea to president
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government in July forwarded the mercy petition of 2001 Parliament House attack convict Afzal Guru to President Pratibha Patil for a decision.
Margi Mayhem: A man battles fire to trace his daughter
Only thing he could lay hand was a blanket but it was too pockmark
By News Agency of Kashmir
Margi (Kishtwar) : In the pitch dark night when the entire village had become a pool of fire amidst shrills and screams of poverty-stricken villagers, his heart came into his mouth after he realized that his minor daughter was missing.
Masood Azhar, Dawood not in Pakistan: Malik
By IANS,
Lahore : Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik Wednesday said that Maulana Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim, the two men wanted by India for terrorist activities, are not in Pakistan and no request has been received from India for their arrest, media reports said.
Malik said this while speaking to the media after a meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Lahore, The News reported.
Congress leader Musheer Ahmed shot in UP
By IANS,
Lucknow : Two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants Saturday shot and seriously wounded a Congress leader and a former member of the Legislative Council here, police said.
3 ‘mild intensity’ blasts in Uttar Pradesh, 3 injured
By IANS
Lucknow : Three people received minor injuries when three "mild intensity" blasts took place within a span of 15 minutes in a busy area of Gorakhpur town in Uttar Pradesh Tuesday evening.
President Ahmadinejad to visit Turkey in future: FM spokesman
By IRNA
Tehran : Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini here on Sunday said a visit to Turkey is on the agenda of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but the exact date of the trip has yet to be fixed.
Addressing reporters at his weekly press conference, he said, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is to visit Turkmenistan on Monday.
Mottaki is also to pay a visit to Moscow in the next few days, he added.
On situation in Iraq, Hosseini underscored the need for withdrawal of the occupation forces from that war-torn country.
‘Religion a catalyst for sustainable development’
New Delhi : Describing faith as a "catalyst", religious leaders Saturday said it could inspire people to change their perspective on environment and prioritize...
Kashmir plans 500,000 jobs in five years
By Sarwar Kashani
IANSSrinagar : With relentless violence since 1989 shattering its economy, Jammu and Kashmir has now set out an ambitious plan of creating about 500,000 jobs during the next five years.
Beef, Pink Revolution in Elections
By Ram Puniyani,
This time around (2014) the practitioners of sectarian politics had projected as if they will harp only on the issues related to development and Governance. But that surely is for sayings sake. While propaganda of development of Gujarat, strong leader, good governance is on the forefront, there is a lurking doubt that many a people may be by now realizing that the story of so called development cannot be defended beyond a point as so many studies and reports have shown the contrary facts. Authoritarian and dictatorial leader is not a strong leader, one is clear about that as strong leader is one who is inclusive and takes others along. So back to the fundamentals of communal politics, the issues related to ‘identity and faith’ are being subtly propped up.
Book praises Mayawati, Akhilesh embarassed
By IANS,
Lucknow : A government publication in Uttar Pradesh now enlists parks and monuments built by former chief minister Mayawati as new visiting attractions...
Rahmani Foundation to coach for Chartered Accountancy
By TwoCircles.net Staff Writer,
Patna: Taking a new initiative to uplift the poor Muslim community, the Munger-based Rahmani Foundation has decided to offer coaching facilities to meritorious Muslim students who want to become chartered accountants. The Foundation, under the guidance of Maulana Mohammed Wali Rahmani, is successfully running Rahmani-30 for IIT-JEE.
Rahmani Foundation will hold written admission test on June 27 for Chartered Accountancy coaching. This coaching will be run by Rahmani Foundation in association with Ummul Qura Foundation, Pune, Maharashtra.
NBSA pulls up Times Now, 2 Kannada channels over objectionable coverage of Tablighi Jamaat...
The News Broadcasting Standard Authority (NBSA) took the action based on complaints filed by the “Campaign Against Hate Speech (CAHS)”, which a group of civil...
BJP calls Samajwadi rule in UP a ‘Mughal sultanate’
New Delhi : The BJP on Tuesday compared the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in Uttar Pradesh to "Mughal sultanate", stressing lawlessness prevails.
The party's national...
Mallika Sarabhai floats the idea of ‘referendum’ to pay real tribute to Sardar Patel
CM’s idea of constructing world’s tallest statue of Sardar could get outshined by common man’s people-friendly ideas
By Rafat Nayeem Quadri
इस बार यूपी के अल्पसंख्यक बजट में 152 करोड़ की कटौती
स्टाफ़ रिपोर्टर। Twocircles.net
उत्तर प्रदेश की योगी आदित्यनाथ सरकार ने साल 2021-22 के लिये अपना बजट पेश कर दिया है, यह इस सरकार का आखिरी...
Four human traffickers held
By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi Police Sunday claimed to have busted a gang of human traffickers with the arrest here of four people, including one woman.
A police officer said four people were arrested from west Delhi when they were trafficking three young girls for begging and prostitution.
The four have been involved earlier in cases of kidnapping and trafficking, the officer added.
Mufti to Manmohan: Need sympathy not more force
By AIP Bureau
Srinagar: Former Home Minister of India and Peoples Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has said response of union government to the current crisis in the state borders on an insult to people of Kashmir. Commenting on the official announcement at the end of the meeting convened by prime minister last evening to discuss Kashmir situation he said linking the genuine anger and anguish among people here with terrorism was nothing short of an assault on their self respect and dignity.
The youth of Manipur has the potential to inspire the whole nation, says PM...
By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Addressing a gathering Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the youth of Manipur has the potential to inspire the whole nation with their excellence in sports so they should be rescued from the menace of drugs. Referring to the issue of unemployment in the North-Eastern states, he expressed that the whole North-Eastern region has the prospects to emerge as a hub of call centres.
Pakistani cabinet split over action against wheat hoarders
By IANS
Islamabad : Te Pakistani cabinet seems split over a proposal to crack down on individuals hoarding wheat as action against "some influential people" could backfire in the ensuing general elections.
According to a report submitted by intelligence agencies a few weeks ago, a number of "major players" are stockpiling wheat, but the government is hesitant to attach a "top priority" tag to the scandal because of the election factor.
Shiv Sena activists convicted in 1993 Mumbai riot case
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Mumbai: A local court here has found two members of Shiv Sena guilty in a case related to the 1993 Mumbai riots. They were awarded one year of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 2,500 as fine.
Three Khalistani terrorists arrested, module busted
Chandigarh/Jammu : Punjab Police Monday said it has foiled a joint conspiracy of two Pakistan-based terrorist outfits, the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) and the...
How a small collective is challenging the might of biased Hindi journalism on Kashmir
Even the most cursory look at English media shows that while some media houses are extremely pro-establishment when it comes to Kashmir, others have...
Muslim groups organise symbolic protest marches on 23rd anniversary of Babri mosque demolition
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Muslim organisations and other secular minded groups organised symbolic protest march on the 23rd anniversary of the demolition...
British envoy to Saudi Arabia converts to Islam, performs Haj
Riyadh : Simon Collis, Britain's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, has performed Haj after recently converting to Islam, it was reported on Wednesday.
The diplomat was...
Syria hits back at France over Lebanon
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem on Wednesday hit back at France in their row over the political crisis in Lebanon, saying his country has decided to suspend contacts with Paris in this regard.
"Syria has decided to stop cooperation with France on the Lebanese crisis," Muallem told reporters at a press conference.
Pope supports Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy
By IANS
Rome : Pope Benedict XVI supported Iran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, IRNA news agency reported.
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