Security forces advance into Maoist-held Lalgarh
By IANS,
Lalgarh (West Bengal) : Advancing security forces lobbed tear gas shells and made a baton charge to break a 'human wall' put up by Maoist cadres, armed with bows and arrows and pickaxes, in this troubled zone as West Bengal's Communist government launched a massive operation Thursday to free the region of left extremists.
Two rebels as well as a lensman accompanying the security forces were injured, eyewitnesses said. There was no police confirmation of the news.
CCTV cameras at Mumbai station were ‘non-functional’ on 26/11
By IANS,
Mumbai : At least 15 CCTV cameras installed inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) were non-functional Nov 26 last year when Pakistani terrorists Ajmal Amir Kasab and Abu Ismail fired indiscriminately at passengers, a special court hearing the Mumbai attacks trial was informed here Thursday.
However, six cameras installed in the suburban section of CST were working and they caught the moving images of the terrorists, which were displayed before special judge M.L. Tahilyani in the afternoon.
Financial sector to strengthen anti-money laundering systems
By IANS,
New Delhi : With slush funds being increasingly used for financing terrorism, Indian financial institutions are planning to increase investment in their anti-money laundering systems, a survey by global auditing company KPMG has found.
In a statement Thursday, KPMG said 76 percent of respondents to its survey of domestic financial institutions said their investments on anti-money laundering compliance would increase over the next three years.
Indian biotech industry growing, but at slower pace
By IANS,
Bangalore : Global recession and slowdown in the domestic market impacted the Indian biotech industry last fiscal, resulting in a year-on-year (YoY) growth declining to 18 percent from 34 percent notched in 2007-08.
According to data released Thursday at Bangalore Bio 2009, India's premier biotech event, the industry grew to Rs.12,137 crore from Rs.10,274 crore the previous fiscal, reflecting an increase of 18 percent.
"Global recession impacted growth," said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson of biotech major Biocon, at the event.
Commonwealth Games arrangements matter of concern, admits minister
By IANS,
New Delhi : With the 2010 Commonwealth Games 14 months away, Sports Minister M.S. Gill Thursday admitted that arrangements for the mega event remain a cause of concern.
Gill, however, said he is confident that the infrastructural work could be completed as scheduled.
"The arrangements of Commonwealth Games continue to remain a cause of concern for us. There is a huge work to be done before the Games," Gill said at a conference 'Delhi - A World Class City in the Making', here.
"However, the job will be get done though it is not easy."
Delhi lawyers argue for court hearings in Hindi
By IANS,
New Delhi : A group of lawyers Thursday urged the chief justice of the delhi High Court to allow them to argue cases in Hindi instead of English, saying it is the national language and should be respected.
The Delhi unit of the All India Lawyers Union in its letter, written in Hindi, said when lawyers argue in Hindi, judges do not pay attention to them and English has been a "status symbol".
Be courteous, air force tells its men bound for Congo
By IANS,
New Delhi : A 285-member Indian Air Force contingent, who will leave for Congo Saturday for a UN peacekeeping mission, were Thursday asked to maintain "highest standards of discipline, integrity and professionalism". The Indian peacekeepers have in the past been accused of gold smuggling and sexual abuses.
Pakistan has lost Kashmir plank: Pakistani media
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has lost its Kashmir plank with India bringing on centre stage the need to counter terrorism, an editorial in a leading English daily said Thursday while welcoming the apparent subcontinental thaw after the meeting in Russia between President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"There was a time when Pakistan wanted 'movement' on Kashmir from India. Now India wants 'movement' first, on terrorism," Daily Times said in an editorial headlined 'The message from Yekaterinburg'.
Ahmedabad Jagannath chariots to have surveillance cameras
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : The annual Rath Yatra here next week will have extraordinary security arrangements including micro surveillance cameras on Lord Jagannath's chariot.
The mammoth wooden chariot will have at least 50 such cameras-cum-mikes transmitting real-time imagery, a senior official in the city police headquarters involved with the security arrangements for the journey told IANS Thursday.
Amid recession, India is 2nd biggest investor in Britain
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : India has emerged as the second largest investor in Britain, with a recession-busting 44 percent jump in the number of projects it has created since 2008, new figures reveal.
Projects created or brought in by Indian investments number 108 -- behind top-ranking US's 621 and just ahead of third-ranked France's 101, the British government's trade and investment department said.
Change New Delhi to ‘Dilli’ before 2010 Games: minister
By IANS,
New Delhi : Does 'Dilli' more effectively describe the cosmopolitan character of the national capital than 'New Delhi'?
So feels Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister M.S. Gill, who wants the name of the Indian capital changed to Dilli, saying the word is more close to the people's heart.
Speaking at a conference 'Delhi - A World Class City in the Making' here Thursday, Gill appealed to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to change the name to Dilli before the Commonwealth Games 2010.
6 booked for forcing boy to marry 30-year-old woman
By IANS,
Lucknow : Criminal cases have been slapped against six people for forcing a 10-year-old boy to marry a 30-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district, police said Thursday.
Parents and relatives of the child, residents of Urawar village, had fixed his marriage with Rekha of a nearby village.
Samtel expects orders of 20,000 Airbus cockpit full colour displays
By Vishnu Makhijani, IANS,
New Delhi : Indian electronics giant Samtel sees orders worth $100-150 million over the next decade for the full colour display (FCD) it has jointly developed with French defence and aerospace major Thales for the Airbus A-320/340 aircraft.
"We are looking at orders in the region of 20,000 FCUs over the next 10 years. It's a long-term project," an upbeat Puneet Kaura, executive director of Samtel Display Systems, told IANS on the phone from the French capital where the FCD was unveiled for the first time at the Paris Air Show.
Panjab University to install 50 cameras on campus
By IANS,
Chandigarh : To step up security on its sprawling 550-acre campus here, the Panjab University has decided to install over 50 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, an official said here Thursday.
"Earlier, we had installed CCTV cameras on a trial basis in the canteens and at the entrance of all hostels. The response was good and now we have decided to install these devices at various sensitive locations of the university," Naval Kishore, dean of students' welfare, told IANS.
‘India’s medical tourism earnings to double by 2012’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Medical tourism can fetch India up to Rs.8,000 crore in foreign exchange by 2012, nearly double than current figures, according to an industry lobby.
"Currently, the earnings accrued through medical tourism annually are estimated to be around Rs.4,500 crore," said Sajjan Jindal, president of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) in a statement Thursday.
This would grow to around Rs.8,000 crore over the next three years, according to him.
Plans to end multiplicity of authorities in Delhi: Dikshit
By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Thursday said the central government was planning to put an end to the multiplicity of authorities in the national capital as it is hindering good governance and infrastructure preparedness for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
MiG-21 crashes in Assam, pilots bail out safely
By IANS,
Guwahati : A MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed Thursday soon after it took off from an air base in Assam, but the two pilots managed to bail out safely, officials said.
The aircraft caught fire after it plunged into a pond near a tea garden in Hathiali village in Dibrugarh district, about 520 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati, an Indian Air Force (IAF) spokesperson said.
SpiceJet raises fuel surcharge by Rs.400
By IANS,
Mumbai : Low-cost carrier SpiceJet Thursday hiked its fuel surcharge by Rs.400 following a recent hike in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) rates.
"We have increased fuel surcharge by Rs.400 on our flights with immediate effect," Samyukta Shreedharan, SpiceJet chief operating officer, told reporters here.
SpiceJet's decision comes two days after leading private carriers Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines announced hike in their fuel surcharge.
Both airlines raised fares by Rs.400 from Tuesday on all domestic sectors.
Mumbai woman gangraped in Bhopal in a moving car
By IANS,
Bhopal : A woman from Mumbai who had come here with her husband was gangraped in a moving car, police said Thursday.
The incident occurred late Wednesday night when Pramod and his wife, waiting for a public transport near the Asaram Bapu Ashram in Gandhi Nagar locality, took lift in an Innova Car, police said.
There were already four people including the driver in the car, which had dark tinted glasses. As soon as they boarded the car, the people sitting inside held Pramod hostage at gun point and raped his wife even as the car continued to move, police said.
India’s telecom sector earnings to cross $30 bn by 2013: Gartner Inc
By IANS,
New Delhi : India will continue its robust telecom story with the sector's revenue to be more than $30 billion by 2013, according to a global information technology research and advisory firm.
"Total mobile services revenue in India is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5 percent during 2009-2013 to exceed $30 billion," the US-based Gartner Inc said in a statement Thursday.
According to Gartner, the telecom subscriber base is expected to cross 770 million connections by 2013, growing at a CAGR of 14.3 percent from 452 million in 2009.
Three more swine flu cases in Bangalore, tally 38
By IANS,
New Delhi/Bangalore : Three more people, including a 12-year-old boy, have been confirmed with swine flu in Bangalore Thursday, taking the total number of people who have tested positive for the pandemic flu in the country to 38.
"Two businessman, aged 38 and 48, who arrived in the IT city from Bangkok a couple of days back were found positive with A H1N1 virus. The 12-year-old boy had returned from Los Angeles," S. Buggi, director of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bangalore, told IANS.
Left can fully tackle Maoists: Tripura chief minister
By IANS,
Agartala : Maoist violence and the ensuing tension in West Bengal should be dealt with administratively, ideologically and politically, said Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who is also a senior Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader.
"The Left movements in Bengal and across the country are matured enough and have full strength to tackle the Maoist hostility and associated enmity in Bengal," Sarkar told newsmen here Thursday before leaving for New Delhi for a CPI-M politburo meeting.
NCW to meet victim in Shiney Ahuja rape case
By IANS,
New Delhi : Calling the incident "shocking", the National Commission for Women (NCW) is sending a three-member team to Mumbai Friday to meet the teenaged domestic help allegedly raped by Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja.
The team led by chairperson Girija Vyas and including a law officer will meet the girl and her family members in Mumbai, NCW officials said Thursday.
British parliamentary expenses published online after scandal
By DPA,
London : Details of expenses claims by British members of parliament (MPs) were officially published online Thursday after their leak to a newspaper caused a political storm that threatened the very survival of the government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Claims made between 2004 and 2008 were made accessible to everyone following a High Court ruling demanding transparency under the Freedom of Information Act a year ago.
We need ‘US-India 3.0’ in ties: Hillary Clinton
By IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton turned to computer speak as she called for an "upgrade" in the US-India relationship to a new version she dubbed "US-India 3.0".
Speaking before the US-India Business Council and an audience that included representatives from offshore outsourcing companies, Clinton said the US-India relationship needs an "upgrade."
She dubbed this new version of their relationship "US-India 3.0" saying finally, "I want to put us in the solutions business."
Bandit gunned down after 50-hour siege, four cops killed
By IANS,
Lucknow : After battling over 400 heavily armed police personnel for more than 50 hours in an Uttar Pradesh village, bandit Ghanshyam Kewat was Thursday shot dead after he tried to escape by jumping off the roof of the house under siege.
Before attempting his escape, Kewat killed a constable of the Special Task Force (STF), taking the number of police personnel killed in the prolonged gunbattle in Suruwal Rajapur village in Chitrakoot, 280 km from here, to four.
US-India relationship is a good-news story: Hillary
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The US-India relationship is "a good-news story" that's "going to get even better," says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"In a world where, let's admit it, frankly, the headlines can get depressing, our relationship with India is a good-news story," she said speaking at the US-India Business Council's (USIBC) Synergies Summit here Wednesday. "And I think it's going to get even better.
Indian Air Force men bound for Congo as peacekeepers
By IANS,
New Delhi : An Indian Air Force contingent comprising 285 personnel, who will leave for Congo Saturday for a UN peacekeeping mission, were Thursday asked to maintain "highest standards of discipline, integrity and professionalism". The Indian peacekeepers have in the past been accused of gold smuggling and sexual abuses.
Shiney Ahuja in judicial custody till July 2
By IANS,
Mumbai : Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, facing a rape charge, will continue to stay behind bars till July 2 as a Mumbai court Thursday remanded him to judicial custody.
Shiney's police custody ended Thursday. His lawyer Shrikant Shivade said he would appeal against the court order and seek bail for the actor.
Shiney was arrested Sunday night after his teenaged housemaid complained he had raped her.
‘Not a rupee spent by Delhi government on labour welfare’
By Shweta Srinivasan and Nayan Sakhuja, IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi government's coffers are rich with the Rs.2,000 crore it has collected as cess fund from the construction industry but yet it has allegedly failed to provide the promised social security to labourers. Labour unions and activists claim that not a rupee has been spent despite existing laws.
West Bengal rushes security forces to Lalgarh
By IANS,
Kolkata : The West Bengal government Thursday rushed reinforcement of security forces to its troubled Lalgarh region in West Midnapore district even as the Maoist rebels called for a two-day shutdown in five states beginning Monday to protest the security operations.
Maoists expanding base in Orissa, attacks intensifying
By Jatindra Dash, IANS,
Bhubaneswar : A medal winning sub-inspector shot dead, forcible capture of farm land belonging to non-tribals, attacks on police stations and corporate houses - Maoist rebels are fast spreading their base in Orissa and the government admits as much.
Senior police officials engaged in anti-Maoist operations privately say they are helpless because the capacity building of the police force has not been as much as desired and there is no clear cut direction from the top on how to deal with the problem.
Three more swine flu cases in Bangalore, total 38
By IANS,
New Delhi : Three more persons including a 12-year-old boy have been confirmed with swine flu infection Thursday in Bangalore, taking the total number of people who have tested positive for the pandemic flu in the country to 38.
"Two businessman, aged 38 and 48, who arrived in the IT city from Bangkok a couple of days back were found positive with A H1N1 virus. The 12-year-old boy had returned from Los Angeles," S. Buggi, director of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bangalore, told IANS over the telephone.
Highlights of Hillary Clinton’s remarks on US-India ties
By IANS,
Washington : The Obama administration was committed to "furthering and deepening the relationship with India in every way possible", said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, outlining "four platforms of cooperation" and stressing that she would make the expanded partnership a "personal priority".
Highlights of her address on US-India ties to the US-India Business Council's 'Synergies Summit" here Wednesday:
* We are clearly committed to furthering and deepening our relationship with India in every way possible.
Tata Consultancy eyes e-governance projects
By IANS,
Bangalore : IT bellwether Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is eyeing e-governance projects to cope with the downturn, according to a senior company official.
"Post-elections, we believe conditions are ripe for e-governance projects to take off at the central and state levels," TCS chief financial officer S. Mahalingam told IANS here.
Maoists trigger blast in Orissa
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Maoists triggered a land mine blast in a forested area of Orissa's Koraput district in the early hours of Thursday, police said.
"They (the rebels) have triggered a blast on a road under Narayanpatna block," Deepak Kumar, district superintendent of police told IANS.
"It is a remote area and details are awaited," he said.
Jharkhand tightens security in areas near Lalgarh
By IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand has intensified police patrolling in areas bordering West Bengal following the killing of three Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) workers by Maoist rebels in the troubled Lalgarh region there, an official here said Thursday.
Jharkhand police suspect that Maoist rebels may sneak into the state when paramilitary forces launch an operation against them in neighbouring Lalgarh.
"We have increased vigil in the bordering areas. We are in touch with our counterparts in West Bengal," police spokesperson S.N. Pradhan told IANS.
Goa restoring 16th century Portuguese architecture
By Madhusree Chatterjee & Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, IANS,
New Delhi/Panjim : Famous as a holiday destination that boasts of not only beaches but also heritage architecture, Goa is determined to bring back to life pieces of dying 16th century Portuguese structures - despite a few roadblocks.
‘Rs.20 bn labour welfare fund, not a rupee spent’
By Shweta Srinivasan and Nayan Sakhuja, IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi government has collected Rs.20 billion as cess fund from the construction industry but allegedly failed to provide the promised social security to labourers. Labour unions and activists claim that not a rupee has been spent despite existing laws.
Orissa heat wave toll 50, people seek divine help
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : People in Orissa are now seeking divine intervention for respite from the unprecedented heat wave that continues to grip parts of the state. Fifty heat deaths have been reported until Thursday in the state, officials said.
The monsoon normally arrives in the state by June 10. This year, however, save for some rains in the last week of May, the state has been witnessing a dry spell.
"The death toll due to the heat wave in the state has risen to 50," B. Singh, an officer in the state revenue control room told IANS.
Panjab University to install CCTV cameras across its campus
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Panjab University (PU) has decided to install over 50 CCTV cameras all across its campus here in order to maintain law and order.
"Earlier we had installed CCTV cameras on a trial basis in the canteens and at the entrance of all the hostels. The response was good and now we have decided to install these devices at various sensitive locations of the university in the coming days," Naval Kishore, Dean of students' welfare, told IANS here Thursday.
Myanmar says no to reopening Stilwell Road, plan shelved
By IANS,
Guwahati : India's plans of reopening the historic World War II Stilwell Road, linking the country to China via Myanmar, has come a cropper with Yangon rejecting moves to allow its territory for resuming age old road links, an official here said Thursday.
"The plan as of now stands cancelled with Myanmar objecting to the reopening of the Stilwell Road for security reasons," Minister for the Development of the Northeastern Region (DoNER) Bijoy Krishna Handique told journalists.
Clinton seeks to upgrade ties to ‘US-India 3.0’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton turned to computer speak as she called for an "upgrade" in the US-India relationship to a new version she dubbed "US-India 3.0".
Speaking before the US-India Business Council and an audience that included representatives from offshore outsourcing companies, Clinton said the US-India relationship needs an "upgrade".
She dubbed this new version of their relationship "US-India 3.0" saying finally: "I want to put us in the solutions business."
No justification for acts of terrorism, say US and India
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : India and the US have called upon the world to join hands in combating terrorism in a long-term, sustained and comprehensive manner, saying there can be no justification for any act of terrorism.
The call was made in a joint statement issued here Wednesday after a meeting of the US-India Counter-terrorism Joint Working Group to discuss efforts to coordinate global counterterrorism initiatives.
Uttar Pradesh gun battle continues for third day
By IANS,
Lucknow : A gun battle between bandits and policemen continued for the third day Thurday in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district. Three cops have been killed in the gunfight so far, police said.
The gun battle began Tuesday after a Special Task Force team reached Suruwal Rajapur village in Chitrakoot, 280 km from here, on a tip-off that bandits, including wanted criminal Ghanshyam Kewat, were hiding there.
Clinton asks India to back Pakistan’s efforts to combat terror
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Two days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh talked tough with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hoped that India and the US will both support Pakistan's efforts as it works to take on terrorists in its own country.
The US, she told the US-India Business Council's (USIBC) Synergies Summit here Wednesday, also welcomed a dialogue between India and Pakistan, but it was for the two countries to decide the pace, scope and character of the dialogue.
US, India discuss how to bring down trade barriers
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : India and US will consult with public and private stakeholders on how to bring down trade barriers and open markets for exporters as they discuss multilateral issues like the Doha round of world trade talks even as Washington expects New Delhi to take "bold steps" on trade liberalisation and economic reforms.
Visiting Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and US Trade Representative (USTR) Ronald Kirk agreed on such consultations during a meeting Wednesday to discuss strengthening the bilateral US-India trade relationship.
Washington-Delhi should emulate Manhattan-Mumbai, Boston-Bangalore ties
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says official ties between Washington and New Delhi needed to catch up with growing people-to-people and economic linkages that have developed between Manhattan and Mumbai or Boston and Bangalore.
Noting that trade between the two nations has doubled, since 2004, and now exceeds $43 billion and there are over 90,000 Indian students studying in the United States, Clinton said: "We need the bilateral cooperation between our governments to catch up with our people-to-people and economic ties."
US fast-tracks hi-tech trade with India; GE India first beneficiary
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The United States has announced a new programme to fast-track high-technology trade with India from which General Electric's India division will be the first Indian company to benefit.
"This is an important step in enabling a more rapid and efficient flow of sensitive technology between India and the United States," US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke announced at the US-India Business Council's 34th Anniversary "Synergies Summit" Wednesday.
Clinton vows ‘dramatic expansion’ of India-US ties
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has vowed to usher in a new era of relations with India with a "dramatic expansion" in ties in fields ranging from trade to global security to science and technology.
Calling India one of the few nations the new Obama administration saw as a global partner, Clinton confirmed she would go to India next month to build what she called the "US-India 3.0" relationship representing the next stage in their evolving ties.
John Abraham studied Quran for ‘New York’ role
By Subhash K. Jha, IANS,
Mumbai : Not knowing a single word of the Quran, Bollywood hero John Abraham, a Parsi, studied the holy book in a translation to prepare himself to play an NRI Muslim in Kabir Khan's "New York".
"It's part of my larger determination to prepare myself completely for a part. Whether it was 'New York' or now Abbas Tyrewala's film, I'm taking time off to prepare for the film and the character. The audience today understands an honest film. That's what I want to give," Abraham told IANS.
US seeks broader security relations with India
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has advocated the expansion of broader security relationship between India and the US with increased cooperation on counter-terrorism and intelligence sharing.
The Nov 26 terrorist attacks on Mumbai came as a "reminder that terrorism represents a common threat to our nations and our people, and we must meet it with a common strategy," she said in a keynote address at the US-India Business Council's (USI BC) Synergies Summit here Wednesday.
Obama administration fully committed to implementing N-deal: Clinton
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The Obama administration is fully committed to implementing the landmark India-US civil nuclear deal, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has declared noting that it had "removed the final barrier to broader cooperation between us."
The deal provided a framework for economic and technical cooperation between the two countries and allowed them to move beyond concerns about the status of India's nuclear programme, she said at the US-India Business Council's (USI BC) Synergies Summit here Wednesday.
India signs labour deal with Bahrain
By IANS,
New Delhi : India Wednesday signed a labour agreement with Bahrain that will facilitate better worker mobilisation between the two countries.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on labour and manpower development was signed by Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Bahraini Labour Minister Majeed Bin Muhsin Al Alawi in Bahrain.
The agreement will facilitate the employment of workers between the two countries. It will also help in the protection and welfare of workers under labour laws of the host country, an official statement issued here said.
Manmohan assures effective action against Maoist violence
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board Air India One : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said his government has plans to take "effective action" against violence propagated by radical leftwing militants.
"I had said many times that Naxalism is a great danger to our polity," Manmohan Singh told journalists while on his way back from a three-day visit to Russia.
Police chiefs of six cities meet on combating terror
By IANS,
Bangalore : Top police officials of Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata Wednesday met here to discuss steps to implement the Mega City Police project, mooted by the central government to tackle terror.
The commissioners of police of the six cities exchanged views on how best to use the Rs.500 crore the central government plans to provide for the project to equip the police forces in these cities with latest surveillance and other gadgets.
Bengal violence due to subversion of democracy by CPI-M: Congress
By IANS,
New Delihi : The Congress Wednesday said the Maoist violence in West Bengal is condemnable but is the result of prolonged "misgovernance and subversion of democracy" in the state by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
"What Maoists are doing is condemnable....it is the result of misgovernance and the mistakes that the Left have done during its regime of 32 years in West Bengal. For 32 years it has been rule of cadres rather then democracy in West Bengal and the situation has not come to this point overnight," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.
Wife commits suicide after killing husband in Ghaziabad
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : A heated argument led a 40-year-old woman to commit suicide by hanging herself after she killed her husband with a mallet here, police said Wednesday.
The incident occurred Tuesday night in Shalimar Extension in Ghaziabad, police added.
Vimla got into an argument with her husband Ram Prakash Maurya, 45, when he refused
to accompany her for a walk. In a fit of rage Vimla picked up the mallet from the kitchen and banged it on her husband's head, police said.
Committed to furthering and deepening our relationship with India : Clinton
By Arun Kumar,
Washington, June 17 (IANS) US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday declared that the Obama administration was "clearly committed to furthering and deepening relationship with India in every way possible".
Setting at rest speculation that unlike the previous Bush administration, President Barack Obama was ignoring New Delhi, she said both Obama and she herself were committed to build stronger ties with India.
Manmohan open to talks with all Kashmiri groups
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board Air India One : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday offered to hold talks with all Kashmiri groups, including the separatist Hurriyat Conference, for peace and development in the state, even as he underlined "zero tolerance" of rights violations days after the alleged rape and murder of two women in the state.
No discussion on Kashmir with Zardari: Manmohan
By Manish Chand, IANS
On Board Air India One : With India putting Pakistan on the defensive over cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said President Asif Ali Zardari did not raise the Kashmir issue during his discussions with him in Russia.
"No discussion on Kashmir took place. He did not raise it nor did I raise it," Manmohan Singh told journalists on his return home a day after his talks with Zardari in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.
Police chiefs of six cities meet on combating terror
Bangalore, June 17 (IANS) Top police officials of Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata Wednesday met here to discuss steps to implement the Mega City Police project, mooted by the central government to tackle terror.
The commissioners of police of the six cities exchanged views on how best to use the Rs.500 crore the central government plans to provide for the project to equip the police forces in these cities with latest surveillance and other gadgets.
Seven Punjab students test negative for swine flu
Jalandhar (Punjab), June 17 (IANS) Seven students admitted at a hospital in this Punjab city have tested negative for the influenza A (H1N1) virus, health officials said Wednesday.
The medical reports were received from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) New Delhi Wednesday evening, the officials added.
The seven students were among the 15 who were quarantined with swine flu symptoms after returning from an educational tour of the US.
Congress asks Mayawati to apologise for remarks on Gandhi
New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The Congress Wednesday demanded an apology from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for making "derogratory" remarks that Mahatma was a "natakbaaz" (a fake).
"The remarks made by Mayawati about the Father of Nation are highly condemnable. The remarks have hurt millions not only in India but across the world.... I would like to advise her to take back the remarks she made about the apostle of non-violence and should apologise," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.
Maoists using women, children as human shields: West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata :The West Bengal government Wednesday warned Maoist rebels not to use innocent villagers, especially women and children, of trouble-torn Lalgarh as human shields to ward off any move by the administration to flush out the rebels.
"What is happening in Lalgarh is very unjust. Women, children and innocent villagers are being used as shields. This is a sad thing. This is very unethical, inhuman and dangerous," Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty told newspersons.
France to look into harassment of Indians at Paris airport
By IANS,
New Delhi : France will look into the recent discriminatory treatment of Indian citizens at the Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, the civil aviation ministry said Wednesday.
The assurance was given to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel by his French counterpart Dominique Brussereau in Paris during the day, the statement said.
"The French minister has also assured Mr. Patel he will take up the issue of discriminatory treatment of Indian nationals in transit at the Charles De Gaulle Airport with the French interior ministry," the ministry said.
Cheap credit, tax exemption for garment exporters advocated
By IANS,
New Delhi : Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has called for cheap export credit and income tax exemption for export earnings for India's garments exporters.
At a meeting with Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran Wednesday, FICCI advocated credit for exporters at an interest rate of 7 percent, 100 percent exemption on income tax for export earnings for three years, initiation of skill development programmes, and reimbursement of duties to exporters.
Man arrested with heroine worth Rs.850,000
By IANS,
New Delhi : A 25-year-old man was arrested here with 1.7 kg of heroine worth Rs.850,000, police said Wednesday.
Prahlad Meena, 25, was arrested by Delhi Police's Crime Branch when he came to deliver the consignment in Turkman Gate area Tuesday, a police officer said.
According to police, Meena is a member of an inter-state drug trafficking gang.
Two businessmen shot dead in Bihar town
By IANS,
Patna : Two businessmen were shot dead Wednesday by unidentified men in a town in Bihar's West Champaran district, police said.
Two brothers Jitendra and Sanjay Sahi, owners of Sahi Construction, were killed by unidentified men when they were on their way home in Bettiah town in West Champaran, some 200 km from here, police said.
"We have begun investigation into the case," Superintendent of Police T.S. Anupam said.
According to family sources, the two brothers were killed after they refused to pay extortion demanded by a gangster who is currently in jail.
Air India staff plans nationwide stir to protest salary delay
By IANS,
New Delhi : Air India employees will stage demonstrations at airports across the country June 19 and sport black badges for three days to protest the company's decision to delay their salaries, a labour union official said Wednesday.
"We will organise a daylong meeting across airports on June 19 and will wear black badges for three days starting June 22," said Air Corporation Employees' Union (ACEU) general secretary J.B. Kadian.
"We will go on dharna (protest sit-in) from June 30 for an indefinite period if we don't get salaries on that day," Kadian told IANS.
Fodder scam trial delayed as CBI courts have no judges
By IANS,
Ranchi : The trial in the Rs.950-crore (Rs.9.5 billion) scam in Bihar's animal husbandry department, popularly referred to as the fodder scam, is getting delayed as three special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) courts are not functioning in the absence of judges.
Seven special CBI courts were constituted in Ranchi for the speedy trial in the scam, in which former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra are also accused.
Manmohan’s blunt message to Zardari was choreographed
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board Air India One : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's blunt message to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari within earshot of reporters in Yekaterinburg was an astutely choreographed move aimed at critics back home who might see the meeting as a softening of India's stance.
"The message was aimed at hawks back home who might be tempted to elevate the meeting into a resumption of the (sub-continental) dialogue and use it to portray it as a sign of the government's weakness," said an official source, who did not want to be named.
Shiney has been framed, says wife
By IANS,
Mumbai : Anupam Ahuja, the wife of Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja who is in police custody on the charge of raping his teenaged maid, maintains he has been framed.
"I can't answer anything about what the maid was thinking... It is a frame-up. He has been framed. Who is doing (what) and why someone is doing it... I can't say. But truth will come out," Anupam, who has known Shiney for 15 years, told the Times Now TV channel Wednesday.
Banks asked to inform customers of fund transfers
By IANS,
Mumbai : India's central bank has asked banks to inform customers about fund transfers through email or short messaging service (SMS) and revert uncredited funds within 90 minutes.
"We understand that quite a good number of banks send SMSs to the account holders as and when the account is debited/credited," Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a notification Tuesday.
"However, in order to make RTGS more customer friendly, all RTGS participants may explore the possibility of sending SMS/email information to customers when an RTGS debit/credit takes place," it added.
Another suspected swine flu case in Hyderabad
By IANS,
Hyderabad : A man, who arrived here Wednesday from Kuwait, was admitted to a hospital in this Andhra Pradesh capital with suspected symptoms of swine flu, officials said.
The 24-year-old was found with suspected symptoms during the mandatory screening of all international air passengers at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here. He was quarantined and taken straight to the Government General and Chest Hospital, the nodal centre to deal with swine flu.
Bengal violence: Three CPI-M activists killed by Maoists
By IANS,
Kolkata : Violence continues in West Bengal with suspected Maoists gunning down three ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) workers Wednesday in the Jhargram area, close to the troubled zone of Lalgarh, even as more central forces reached West Midnapore district.
The latest incident is seen as an attempt by Maoists to expand their base to areas surrounding Lalgarh, 200 km from here. So far seven CPI-M activists are believed to have been killed and six missing in the violence between the two sides since last week.
Four more swine flu cases in Delhi, India’s total to 35
By IANS,
New Delhi : Four more swine flu cases were reported in the national capital, taking the total number of influenza A (H1N1) cases in India to 35, health officials said here Wednesday.
"Four more people tested positive for the swine flu Wednesday morning," Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia told IANS.
She said three men and one woman were hospitalised at the Airport Health Organisation hospital (APHO).
Walia said one of the affected people one had arrived here from Singapore, while another had come from Canada and two from Washington.
Kochi civic body makes it real tough for litter-bugs
By IANS,
Kochi : Residents in the Kochi Municipal Corporation area of Ernakulam district risk paying out a fine of Rs.10,000 if they are caught throwing garbage on the street.
The new law came into effect Tuesday after the district administration held detailed discussions with various departments including the police and the municipal corporation of Kochi.
Speaking to IANS, Ernakulam's additional district magistrate C.V.Sajan said that soon 16 secret cameras would be placed at various places to track the law breakers.
India puts Pakistan to terror test, sets mid-July deadline
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board Air India One : A day after his meeting with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday put Pakistan to the 'terrorism test' and said he had agreed to give Islamabad "some time" to take action against anti-India terror outfits before the two leaders meet again in Egypt mid-July.
Indian BSF kills 52 Bangladeshi nationals along frontiers so far this year
By NNN-APP,
Dhaka : A total of 52 Bangladeshis were gunned down by the Indian border security force (BSF) along the Indo-Bangladesh border during the last six months of the Awami League government headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
There has been a significant rise of killings of Bangladeshi people by the Indian border guards despite repeated pledges of Indian authorities to curb such killings, reported daily New Age Wednesday.
Pakistan-India leaders to meet soon in NAM meeting
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Pakistani Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit Wednesday said meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was very positive and the two leaders would meet again in Sharmul Sheikh on the sideline of NAM Summit.
Talking to a TV channel, he said the meeting between foreign secretaries of both countries will be held soon.
Sign of times: anti-nuclear Ireland’s red carpet for Missile Man
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
Dublin : Ireland, a torchbearer of nuclear non-proliferation, rolled out the red carpet for India's missile man' APJ Abdul Kalam - a move that officials on both sides said signalled a recognition of India's rise on the world stage.
Former president Kalam's just-ended visit to the Irish capital of Dublin June 11-12 was marked by the Irish government according him the honours of a state visit - the Irish President and Prime Minister received him in their offices and Foreign Minister Micheal Martin hosted a dinner for him.
Zardari-Manmohan meeting positive, says Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has termed the meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Russia as positive but said no conditions should be laid down for resuming the sub-continental dialogue that New Delhi suspended in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
"We are of the viewpoint that the negotiations should not be conditional as we cannot understand each other without negotiations so we expect to make dialogue result oriented and irreversible," Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit told a private TV channel Wednesday.
Gujarat to ensure equitable distribution of natural resources
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat government will form a planning committee in each district to facilitate equitable distribution of water and other natural resources, an official in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Wednesday.
Government worried over Bengal violence: Chidambaram
By IANS,
New Delhi : Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said the government is "worried about the consequences" of the violence in West Bengal where three activists of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) were killed by suspected Maoists Wednesday.
"There are adequate central paramilitary forces" available to tackle the violence, he told reporters here, while saying the government was "worried about the consequences". Maoist violence against ruling CPI-M workers has spread from Lalgarh to Jhargram in Bengal's West Midnapore district.
Gunfight with bandits in Uttar Pradesh continues, two more cops killed
By IANS,
Lucknow : Two policemen were killed Wednesday in an ongoing gun battle with bandits in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district, taking the toll to three, police said. Two senior officers were also injured in the gun fight which began Tuesday.
A commander of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and a police constable were killed Wednesday morning, a police officer said. A constable of the Special Operations Group was killed Tuesday night.
Policeman suspended for not registering Dalit’s gangrape
By IANS,
Lucknow : A policeman has been suspended in Uttar Pradesh for not registering the case of a 15-year-old Dalit girl who alleged that she was gangraped, police said Wednesday. Two of the three accused have been arrested.
"Station House Officer Ravindra Kumar Ravi with the Jhangha police station in Gorakhpur district has been suspended with immediate effect for not registering the rape case," Superintendent of Police R.P. Pandey told IANS over telephone.
India has failed to implement human trafficking laws: activists
By IANS,
New Delhi : India has enough laws to check human trafficking but implementation of these laws is not a priority of the government, said human rights activists reacting to a US government report slamming India for not doing enough to check human trafficking.
"The government is not serious about checking human trafficking in the country. We have enough laws to deal with the problem but lack the will to enforce them," Subhash Chakma, director of the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) told IANS.
One more student with swine flu symptoms in Punjab
By IANS,
Jalandhar (Punjab) : A student, whose 14 classmates have been quarantined with swine flu symptoms, was hospitalised in this Punjab city Wednesday after he complained of a running nose, body ache and high fever, officials said.
"One more student with swine flu symptoms has been admitted. His blood samples have been sent to the NICD (National Institute of Communicable Diseases) in New Delhi for tests. The report will come by tomorrow," Roop Lal, Jalandhar district health officer, told IANS.
Committee to probe vanishing tigers in Madhya Pradesh
By IANS,
Bhopal : Piqued over the vanishing tigers in the state, the Madhya Pradesh government has constituted an experts committee to find out the reasons behind the declining number of tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve, officials said Wednesday.
In April this year, a central government team led by former National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) chief P.K. Sen claimed that there were no tigers left in Panna. The team is likely to submit its report to the central government by the end of June.
India biggest market for trafficked Nepali women
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Despite efforts by the Nepal government and rights organisations to prevent human trafficking, India still remains the biggest foreign destination for victims, with an estimated 10,000-15,000 Nepali women and girls being sold there annually.
The assessment is part of the 8th annual Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US Department of State in Washington late Tuesday.
The number could be higher in the absence of reliable statistics. NGOs working on trafficking issues have reported an increase in both transnational and domestic trafficking.
Havells in expansion mode, targets Rs.500 crore from exports
By John Stanly, IANS,
Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) : Electrical and power equipment major Havells India is expanding its switchgear business to take its export earnings from Rs.150 crore to Rs.500 crore in the next three years, a senior company official said here Wednesday.
"We are consolidating our processes in the switchgear segment by almost doubling our installed capacity," company president Sunil Sikka told reporters at the company's flagship manufacturing facility here.
Experts praise PM’s public diplomacy with Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Foreign policy and strategic experts have welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's deft use of public diplomacy in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg to put Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on the back foot over terror attacks from across the border.
According to noted strategic affairs analyst K. Subrahmanyam, "it was a well thought out and well crafted move".
PM promises justice to Shopian rape victims
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board Air India One : Days after the alleged rape of two women in Shopian town of Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the government will take effective action against the perpetrators and offered to hold talks with all groups, including those outside the political mainstream, to bring peace and stability to the state.
"It's a very unfortunate development. If there were human rights violations, then we will take effective ation," Manmohan Singh said in a mid-air press conference while returning from Russia.
Indian Canadian MP ‘cleared’ of nanny abuse charges
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : A Canadian parliamentary body has cleared Indian origin MP Ruby Dhalla of charges of exploiting two Filipino nannies at her home and taking away their passports. But the high-profile politician is not yet off the hook as the committee has also asked "authorised bodies" to probe the allegations.
A rising star in Canadian politics, 35-year-old Dhalla suddenly faced a political storm last month when Magdalene Gordo and Richelyn Tongson, who were hired by Dhalla in early 2008 to take care of her mother, publicly alleged they were underpaid and overworked.
India to review Pakistan’s actions on terror before talks: PM
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board Air India One : India would review Pakistan's actions against anti-India terror outfits before deciding on resuming the composite dialogue mid-July, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Wednesday, a day after he met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Russia.
The prime minister said he would wait for the outcome of the talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, who are expected to meet within a month, before taking a decision on resuming the composite dialogue that stalled after the Mumbai terror attacks nearly seven months ago.
Tripura wants old quota, cut-off in Agartala technology institute
By IANS,
Agartala : The ruling Left Front in Tripura has urged the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to continue reservation of seats for the tribal and other backward class students in the National Institute of Technology (NIT) here, an official said Wednesday.
The state government also requested the union human resource development ministry to maintain last year's cut-off marks list.
India not doing enough to combat ‘modern slavery’: US report
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Saying that New Delhi is not doing enough to curb human smuggling, the US has placed India in the second worst category in a blacklist of countries not meeting the minimum standard of combating trafficking.
"India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation," said the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday.
Suspected Maoists kill three CPI-M activists in Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Three activists of West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) were shot dead Wednesday by suspected Maoists in the Jhargram area, close to the troubled town of Lalgarh, in what is seen as a sign of the rebels expanding their activities.
Motorcycle-borne Maoists gunned down the three activists, including a zonal committee member of CPI-M's student wing, Student's Federation of India, in Jhargram subdivision of West Midnapore, police said.
Pakistani media prominently features Zardari-Manmohan meeting
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani media Wednesday prominently featured on their front pages the meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg but refrained from commenting editorially.
The lack of editorials was not surprising given that Pakistani papers normally comment on an event two days after it occurs.
"Singh reiterates tough stance: Pak-India talks at secretaries' level planned", the headline in Dawn said.
"Zardari, Singh agree on secretary level talks", said the headline in The News.
Employee injured in failed Chandigarh bank robbery
By IANS,
Chandigarh : An attempt to rob a nationalized bank here Wednesday failed after three robbers held the bank staff hostage for over an hour before fleeing without any cash but seriously injuring an employee, said the police.
According to the police, three well-built men in their late twenties entered the premises of the Bank of Maharashtra here in phase 11. They overpowered the security guard and peon of the bank and tied their hands and feet.
Jet Airways hikes domestic fares by Rs.400
By IANS,
New Delhi : India's private air carrier, Jet Airways, Wednesday increased its fuel surcharge by Rs.400 on all domestic sectors, and attributed it to an increase in aviation fuel prices.
The fuel surcharge will be applicable on all Jet Airways, Jet Airways Konnect and JetLite flights from Wednesday.
An average fare for the Delhi-Mumbai sector for an economic class ticket will now be anywhere between Rs.5,500 to Rs.7,000.
Pilgrim, porter die on Amarnath pilgrimage route
By IANS,
Srinagar : One porter was killed and another injured in a landslide on the Amarnath pilgrimage route in Jammu and Kashmir, while the body of an unidentified pilgrim was recovered near Manigam transit camp, police said Wednesday.
Police said the landslide that killed a porter occurred at Railpathri, 5 km ahead of the Baltal base camp Wednesday.
‘Shiney has been crying for two days’
By IANS,
Mumbai : Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, who is in police custody on the charge of raping his teenaged housemaid, looks haggard since he has been crying for the past two days and hasn't slept much, a police official here said Wednesday.
Lodged in a small cell inside the lock-up of Andheri police station, Shiney has virtually collapsed under the strain of the charges against him.
"Since the past two days, he has been crying and weeping. He looks weary and tired, and is not getting proper sleep," said the official, who did not wish to be named.
Murderers should be hanged: Slain businessman’s wife
By IANS,
Patna : Laxmi Singh, wife of Patna businessman Satyendra Singh whose decomposed body was found in the Ganga river last week, Wednesday demanded death penalty for prime accused Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Vijay Krishna and his son Chanakya.
"They (Krishna and Chanakya) should be hanged till death. They deserve this punishment. They murdered my husband and made me a widow. They should not be given anything less than death penalty," Laxmi Singh told IANS here Wednesday.
Kerala CM snubs minister on IT park project
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The factional feud in the Kerala-unit of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) surfaced once again Wednesday with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan snubbing his industries minister here, saying his cabinet colleague had no role in the proposed Rs.1,500-crore ($316-million) Kochi Smart City IT park project.
"In this project, he has no role," Achuthanandan snapped after reporters quizzed him on Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem's recent statement that all contentious issues regarding the IT project would be resolved in a week.
Maternal mortality rate declines by 15 percent in Bihar
By IANS,
Patna : The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in Bihar has fallen by about 15 percent, as more and more women are opting for institutional deliveries. Women have also been demanding improvement in health services and infrastructure, according to official figures released here Wednesday.
The MMR, maternal death per lakh live births in Bihar decreased from 371 in 2001-03 to 312 in 2004-06.
"We are committed to reducing MMR by improving the health scenario in rural areas," Bihar Health minister Nand Kishore Yadav said.
Norway to extend power technology to India’s northeast
By IANS,
Agartala : Norway has agreed to share its power technology and supervision methods with India's electricity-starved northeastern states, Tripura Power Minister Manik Dey said here Wednesday.
The statement comes after last week's visit to Norway by the power ministers of the seven northeastern states to explore how a power stock exchange could be set up for the region, apart from picking up tips on power marketing and ensuring energy efficiency.
"Norway has assured us it would provide power technology to us," Dey told newsmen after returning from the Scandinavian nation.
Israeli ambassador to probe rejection of Goans’ visa requests
By IANS,
Panaji : Israel's Ambassador to India Mark Sofer has said that he is "nonplussed" by media reports about the rejection of visas to Goan pilgrims travelling to his country and has assured Goan authorities of a full fledged probe into the affair.
In a letter addressed to the state government's department of non-resident Indian (NRI) affairs, Sofer has said that getting to the bottom of why 14 Goan Christian pilgrims were refused visas to Israel was of paramount importance.
Gunfight with bandits in Uttar Pradesh continues, two more cops killed
By IANS,
Lucknow : Two policemen were killed Wednesday in an ongoing gun battle with bandits in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district taking the toll to three, police said.
A commander of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and a police constable were killed Wednesday morning, a police officer said. A constable of the Special Operations Group was killed Tuesday night.
Chandigarh enhances surveillance to prevent H1N1
By IANS,
Chandigarh : After the detection of seven confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza among students in the neighbouring state of Punjab, the Chandigarh health department has geared up its surveillance to counter any possible threat here.
Chhattisgarh schools extend summer vacation as heat wave continues
By IANS,
Raipur : The Chhattisgarh government Wednesday announced extension of summer vacations in schools following the unabated heat wave across the state and an acute drinking water crisis.
The education department said in a letter that the school summer vacations, which began April 25 and were scheduled to end June 15, would now be extended till June-end. Now all government-run and government-aided schools will re-open July 1.
Pleasant weather greets Delhi again Wednesday
By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhiites woke up to pleasant weather for the second consecutive day Wednesday with the met office forecasting a cloudy sky towards the evening.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the capital recorded a minimum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal, Wednesday morning. The maximum temperature recorded Tuesday was 36.9 degrees.
In Bangalore, beggary is booming profession
By Maitreyee Boruah, IANS,
Bangalore : It's been almost eight years since Prasad migrated from Suganahalli, a small village in north Karnataka, to earn his livelihood in India's tech hub. After failing to land a job, he took to begging and is "happy' earning around Rs.40 a day now.
"I didn't come to Bangalore to be a beggar. After failure to get any job, I decided to beg. I manage to earn Rs.30-40 a day and am happy," Prasad, 40, told IANS near Cubbon Road in the heart of the city's central business district.
US welcomes Manmohan Singh-Zardari meeting
By IANS,
Washington : The United States has welcomed as "encouraging" a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in the aftermath of the November Mumbai attacks saying the two countries need to continue their dialogue.
"A resumption of such high-level engagement in the aftermath of the November Mumbai attacks is encouraging," State Department Spokesman, Ian Kelly told reporters Tuesday when asked to comment on the two leaders' meeting on the sidelines of the Yekaterinburg summit.
Delhi government schools: one counsellor for 9,000 students
By Nihar Thadani, IANS,
New Delhi : Be it coping with exam stress, getting career advice or just a pat on the back, students in schools run by the Delhi government have to do it all on their own in the absence of counsellors.
A number of counsellors IANS spoke to expressed concern that the prevailing 1 to 9,000 counsellor-student ratio in the Delhi government-run schools needed immediate attention because of increasing behavioural problems in students.
Rot in church due to affluence: Kerala nun-author
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Money, power and even sex are corrupting the church and anybody who dares speak up is gagged, says a Kerala nun who left her congregation last year amid much controversy and whose autobiography has just been published in English.
"The rot in the church has set in because of affluence and power. The spirit of Jesus is depreciating. The greed for money and power is allowing all sorts of evil to creep in," said Sister Jesme, 52, who had left the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel in Kerala On Aug 31, 2008.
India is a source, destination and transit country for human trafficking: US report
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Saying that New Delhi is not doing enough to curb human smuggling, the US has placed India on Tier 2 watch list of countries in a report on global trafficking released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation," said the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report released by Clinton Tuesday.
Top Obama cabinet officials to attend US-India interaction
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Three top Obama administration officials are expected to outline Washington's plans to boost bilaerasl ties as the US and India begin their first high-level interaction after the return of the Manmohan Singh government.
Setting at rest speculation that unlike the previous Bush administration, Obama was ignoring New Delhi, three members of any US president's cabinet will for the first time appear together on one platform to push forward Indo-US relations at the US-India Business Council's (USIBC) Synergies Summit Wednesday.
Troopers despatched to Lalgarh in West Bengal, unrest spreads
By IANS,
Kolkata : The central government despatched five paramilitary companies to tackle the Maoist-led violence in West Bengal's Lalgarh even as unrest spread to Sarenga in neighbouring Bankura district Tuesday with calls for a boycott of police.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, trained in anti-Maoist fight, moved in from neighoburing Jharkhand. One company is already in Lalgarh, another will reach the area by Tuesday night, while three more have started from the neighbouring state, official sources said.
Anand Sharma in US to boost India-US trade ties
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma is all set to hold a series of meetings with top Obama administration officials to renew the dialogue on the way ahead for the India-US trade and economic partnership.
The first Indian cabinet-level minister to visit the US after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government was voted back to power, Sharma will meet US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and US Trade Representative Ronald Kirk.
US places India on watch list on human trafficking
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The US has placed India on tier 2 watch list of countries in a report on human trafficking, saying New Delhi is not doing enough to address the issue.
"India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation," said the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday.
Manmohan Singh’s Russian menu: two summits, four bilateral meets
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Yekaterinburg : Two back-to-back summits and four bilateral meetings in less than 24 hours could test the nerves of any world leader. But Manmohan Singh, the 76-year-old Indian prime minister, looked fresh and energetic at the end of a long working day.
Former Mumbai Police chief indicted for 26/11 lapses
By IANS,
Mumbai : A government-appointed probe panel has criticised former Mumbai Police commissioner Hasan Gafoor for failure to provide "visible and overt leadership" during the 26/11 terrorist attacks.
Though the committee of Ram Pradhan and V. Balachandran praised Mumbai Police for the manner in which they responded to the unprecedented crisis, the force has been pulled up for flouting standard operating procedures (SOP) and other systemic norms.
Police official shot at in Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi : A Delhi Police officer was injured after two unidentified assailants shot at him in the capital Tuesday.
Sub-inspector Fateh Singh was on his way to the Karkardooma court in east Delhi Tuesday morning when he was shot at, a police officer said. Singh, 52, is posted at the Welcome police station in the area.
Singh was riding his motorcycle when two motorcycle-borne men intercepted him and opened fire at him. Singh suffered bullet injuries and was rushed to the hospital where doctors said his condition was stable, the officer said.
Taj, Oberoi hotels were warned of terror attack: Maharashtra
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Taj and Oberoi hotels in south Mumbai had been warned of a terrorist attack three months before the Nov 26 strike but they failed to act on the repeated warnings, the Maharashtra government has said in a report.
The observations are made in the action taken report (ATR) on the report of the Ram Pradhan Committee that enquired into the lapses leading to the Nov 26-29, 2008 terrorist attacks that claimed more than 170 lives.
Pakistan soil will not be used for terrorism: Zardari
By IANS,
Yekaterinburg : President Asif Ali Zardari has assured Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Pakistani soil will not be allowed to be used for terrorist activities and all measures would be taken to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.
Zardari urged the Indian prime minister at a meeting here for resumption of the composite dialogue between the two countries, Online news agency said.
Eight students jailed for impersonating in exams
By IANS,
New Delhi : A city court Tuesday remanded eight students to 14-day judicial custody for allegedly appearing in an examination of the Jamia Milia Islamia University on behalf of others.
Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Singh remanded them in jail till June 30.
The eight youth from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were arrested Monday from various examination halls following a written complaint by the vice-chancellor of the university.
The complaint said that the accused, who are bright students, were appearing for other students aspiring to get enrolled in a polytechnic course.
Bihar man tries Dawood-style extortion in Delhi, fails
By IANS,
New Delhi : Taking a cue from TV footage on India's most-wanted gangsters Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan, a 32-year-old man tried to extort Rs.5 million from a city businessman but has landed behind bars, Delhi police said here Tuesday.
Aslam Firoz, a resident of Champaran in Bihar, was arrested Monday from Badarpur in south Delhi on the complaint of a factory owner from whom he had demanded Rs.5 million as 'protection money' in the name of Chhota Rajan.
Doctor who forged certificate denied bail
By IANS,
New Delhi : A doctor, who did his MBBS from Ukraine, was Tuesday denied an anticipatory bail in an alleged case of faking the Medical Council of India (MCI) certificate required to be employed in a hospital.
Additional District Judge Kamini Lau denied the bail to Vinay Kumar Singh saying no individual can play with the lives of thousands of people by using unfair means.
Applying for a job, Singh had allegedly submitted some a fake MCI certificate with the Shanti Mukaund Hospital here.
Air India employees warn of indefinite strike from July 1
By IANS,
New Delhi : Employees of Air India will go on an indefinite strike from July 1 if the management delays their salaries next month, a workers' union leader said Tuesday.
"We have decided to go on an indefinite strike from July 1 if the Air India management refuses to pay our salaries on time. We are chalking out strategies for our further course of action," J.B. Kadian, general secretary of the Air Corporation Employees' Union (ACEU), told IANS.
The decision was taken in a meeting of ACEU, the largest union among the Air India employees, here Tuesday.
Man murders brother, pregnant sister-in-law over land dispute
By IANS,
Lucknow : A man in an Uttar Pradesh village Tuesday killed three of his relatives, including his pregnant sister-in-law, over a land dispute, police said.
Ram Awtar barged into his brother's home in Mankipurwa village in Kanpur Dehat (rural) district, and attacked his brother, his pregnant sister-in-law and nephew with an axe, killing all three, additional superintendent of police (Kanpur Dehat) Kamleshwari Devi told IANS over telephone.
An intensive search operation has been launched to arrest Awtar, who is absconding, she added.
Bangladeshi experts to visit controversial Indian dam project
By DPA,
Dhaka : A Bangladeshi team of parliamentarians and water experts is to visit an Indian dam construction project to assess its possible ecological effects on the country, a parliamentary panel said Tuesday.
"We have decided to send a delegation to India to witness its Tipaimukh project," said Abdur Razzak, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Water Resources Ministry.
Razzak, a former water minister, will head the 10-member delegation to India. The date of the trip was yet to be finalised.
US places India on watch list on human trafficking
By Arun Kumar,
Washington, June 16 (IANS) The US has placed India on tier 2 watch list of countries in a report on human trafficking, saying New Delhi is not doing enough to address the issue.
"India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation," said the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday.
Village council beats rapist with shoes as a punishment
By IANS,
Lucknow : Whatever punishment the law and the highest court in the land may prescribe for rape, a village council in Uttar Pradesh has clearly taken a different view. In a recent case, it felt slapping the rapist with shoes was enough.
The bizarre 'justice' was delivered in Sohjani village of Muzaffarnagar district, where the attacker, Chhote, was beaten six times with shoes and later forced to leave the village by the panchayat, locals said.
Indian Army chief reviews Kashmir security
By IANS,
Srinagar : Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday, a day after the annual Amarnath pilgrimage began despite inclement weather.
"Kapoor reviewed the over all security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the arrangements for smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage)," said a defence ministry official.
The nearly two-month long pilgrimage, which in the past has come under militant attacks many times, is a major security challenge in the state.
Indian president to visit China
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Yekaterinburg : A day after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Chinese President Hu Jintao here, India Tuesday announced the visit of President Pratibha Patil to Beijing and stressed the two countries shared common approaches on a range of global issues.
The president will visit China later this year, India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters.
Patil is set to visit Beijing in August, official sources said. Dates are yet to be finalised, they added.
India-Pakistan thaw in the Russian summer
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Yekaterinburg : In the first sign of a thaw since the freeze in ties that followed the Mumbai terror attacks, leaders of India and Pakistan agreed to a meeting between their foreign secretaries before July 15 that will be focused solely on resolving the "primary issue of terrorism" that has strained their relations.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari held talks for 40 minutes, most of it one-on-one, that mostly focused on India's concerns about terrorism emanating from across the border and Pakistan's response to it.
India, US to discuss bilateral investment treaty
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Ahead of a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, the US has declared its commitment to enhancing dialogue with India on key trade policy issues, including a bilateral investment treaty.
US Trade Representative Ron Kirk will discuss these issues with Sharma during a roundtable at the US-India Business Council's Synergies Summit here Wednesday.
Gujarat wants 11 more towns under Urban Renewal Mission
By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat government has sent a list of 11 industrial towns in the state to the central governmemt for their inclusion in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), an official statement said here Tuesday.
The 11 towns, which include Ankleshwar, Jamnagar, Bharuch, Anand and Mehsana, fall within the Delhi-Mumbai dedicated freight corridor.
Surat, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Porbander are already covered under the JNNURM - a central government initiative to promote planned development of cities.
Jaipal Reddy proposes cut in home loan rates
By IANS,
New Delhi : Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy Tuesday sought to boost affordable housing, proposing an interest rate of 7.5 percent on loans for houses costing between Rs.5 lakh and Rs.30 lakh.
The proposal was made at a pre-budget discussion with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Reddy also advocated an interest rate of 6.5 percent for houses costing less than Rs.5 lakh.
"It was a pre-budget meeting and we discussed budgetary issues," he said after the meeting.
Four cops killed in Jharkhand gun battle with Maoists
By IANS,
Ranchi : Four policemen were killed in a nearly two-hour-long gun battle with Maoist rebels in Jharkhand's Palamau district Tuesday afternoon, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided a Maoist hideout near Baherakhad village in Palamau, 180 km from the state capital. A gun battle ensued as the rebels, asked to surrender, opened fire at the police, police spokesman S.N.Pradhan said.
Seven policemen were injured in the gun battle, and four of them died on the way to hospital.
Tribal militants gun down 12 Assam villagers in attack
By IANS,
Guwahati : At least 12 people, including eight children, were killed and a cluster of huts set ablaze Tuesday by tribal separatists in India's restive northeastern state of Assam, officials said.
A police spokesperson said heavily armed militants belonging to the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) group attacked Misadui village in North Cachar Hills district, about 320 km south of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
Hyderabad boy down with swine flu, total cases now 31
By IANS,
Hyderabad : A nine-year-old boy who arrived here from the US is infected with swine flu, health authorities confirmed. This takes the number of A(H1N1) flu cases in Hyderabad to 13 and in India to 31.
The boy, who arrived by a British Airways flight from New Jersey two days ago, has been quarantined at the Andhra Pradesh Chest Hospital, the nodal centre to deal with swine flu cases.
Doctors at the hospital said the New Delhi-based National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) Tuesday confirmed that the boy's samples were infected with the swine flu virus.
DU starts counselling sessions for PG courses
By IANS,
New Delhi : Worried about how to get admission for post graduation in Delhi University's south campus? Fear not, as a two-day counselling session which began Tuesday will provide answers to the questions that may be bothering you.
The south campus offers a total of 21 post graduation courses, including master's degrees, M. Phils and PhDs.
India, Pakistan foreign secretaries to meet in a month
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Yekaterinburg : Leaders of India and Pakistan Tuesday asked their foreign secretaries to meet within a month with the sole agenda of reviewing the primary issue of cross- border terrorism that has plagued their ties.
This was decided during the 40-minute talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Asif Ali Zardari -- most of it alone -- their first since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
India, Pakistan foreign secretaries to meet
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Yekaterinburg : Foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet in the next few weeks and review Islamabad's actions against terrorism before taking a decision on resuming their "composite dialogue", it was decided during talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Asif Ali Zardari here Tuesday.
The two leaders agreed to a meeting between their foreign secretaries to discuss the "primary issue" of terrorism and report to them before the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in the Egyptian town of Sharm-al-Sheikh in mid-July, officials said.
Disinvestment of Coal India on cards, discloses minister
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government is considering divesting up to 10 percent stake in the state-run Coal India Ltd, the country's largest coal miner, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said here Tuesday.
"We are working on a proposal to disinvest 5 to 10 percent stake in Coal India. I have informally told about this to the finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee)," Jaiswal told reporters here.
Manmohan’s family goes on trip down Russia’s tsarist past
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Yekaterinburg (Russia) : A trip to the site where Russia's last tsar and his family were killed over nine decades ago and the story of the brutality of their massacre left Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur and her daughter very moved.
Gursharan Kaur, who has accompanied the prime minister to this Russian industrial city, and her daughter Upinder, a historian who teaches at New Delhi's St. Stephen's College, visited the Church of Spilt Blood Tuesday that has now turned into a centre of pilgrimage.
Disputed house set afire over ownership issue
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : A disputed house in this Uttar Pradesh town was set afire twice in a day allegedly by one of the two claimants, police said Tuesday.
The house, whose ownership is disputed was set ablaze allegedly by Tejender Singh, who claims to be the owner of the flat in Vaishali Sector-4 here, circle officer Rahul Srivastava said.
The police officer said Tejender Singh and his wife entered the flat no. 124 of Suryakiran Apartments that is presently inhabited by Mukesh Gupta, who is also claiming that he was the owner of the house and has documents to support his claim.