यूपी विधानसभा चुनाव : 143 हारी हुई सीटों पर सपा के 27 मुस्लिम प्रत्याशी
TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
लखनऊ– उत्तर प्रदेश का चुनाव नज़दीक आते ही सूबे में राजनीतिक गतिविधियां गर्म हो गयी हैं. सत्ताधारी समाजवादी पार्टी ने आज यहां 2012 विधानसभा चुनाव में हारी हुई सीटों पर प्रत्याशियों की पहली सूची जारी कर दी है.
India to test missile to hit aircraft beyond visual range
By Ritu Sharma, IANS,
New Delhi : India will conduct within a month the first full test flight of an indigenously built air-to-air missile that targets aircraft beyond visual range, a senior official said Wednesday.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will test Astra. If successful, the test will make India the fifth country to possess this technology.
Only the US, France, Russia and Israel have advanced missiles that can hit aircraft 90-120 km away.
18-year-old British Indian hailed as brainiest student in Britain
London: An 18-year-old British Indian boy has become Britain's brightest student after getting perfect fives in all major subjects with 100 percent score, a...
Government to prefer domestic manufacturers
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government said Thursday it will give preference to domestic firms while buying electronic products which have security implications for the country.
Indians in New Zealand rape case not guilty, to be deported
By IANS,
Wellington : Three Indians accused of raping a woman in Hamilton two years ago have been found not guilty by a jury in New Zealand Thursday and will be deported to India.
CPI-M to soon decide on electoral deal with Congress in Bengal polls
Agartala: The CPI-M central leadership would decide about the party's electoral alliance with the Congress in the forthcoming West Bengal assembly polls during its...
Yamuna receding but still above danger mark
By IANS,
New Delhi : A respite from the rains brought down the water level of the Yamuna river Sunday, though it is still flowing above the danger mark.
"The water level in the Yamuna has come down by 18 cm to 205.76 metres from Saturday's 205.94 metres," an Irrigation and Flood Control Department official told IANS.
According to officials, the water level was expected to recede further by Sunday evening. The river is flowing above the danger mark of 204.8 metres since Aug 20.
Tigress kills teenage girl in Uttar Pradesh
By IANS,
Lucknow : A tigress killed a teenage girl and injured two of her friends when they were collecting wood near the Katarniaghat forest reserve in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, forest officials said Monday.
The tigress attacked 16-year-old Gudiya and two of her friends Sunday while they were collecting wood on the outskirts of Vishunpur village in Bahraich, some 270 km from the state capital here. The animal is still at large.
Farooq Abdullah in new avatar learns to play guitar
By Sarwar Kashani,IANS,
Srinagar : Farooq Abdullah is apparently aspiring to be a musician now. Though not as good as he is at striking political chords, the doctor-turned-politician of Jammu and Kashmir is learning to hold frets and plucking the strings of the guitar.
In a 1.13-minute video on Facebook, the former chief minister of the state is seen playing a guitar and singing two lines of Hindi song "kaise kahenge hum, kahan kahan kahan kahan - yeh zindagani bahut hi chhoti si kahan kahan".
`DefExpo 2008′ begins on Saturday
5th International `DefExpo 2008' begins Saturday in New Delhi New Delhi, Feb 15, IRNA
India-Defence-DefExpo 2008
The Fifth International Land and Naval Systems Exhibition `DefExpo 2008' is scheduled to begin from February 16 at Exhibition ground in New Delhi, giving a platform to hundreds of domestic and overseas companies to showcase their technological innovations.
Andhra journalists released but cases to continue
By IANS
Hyderabad : Two Andhra Pradesh journalists are out on bail after six days in jail but the government seems firm on pursuing cases against them for an investigative story that also named Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and film actor Nagarjuna.
B. Urukundu of Andhra Bhoomi and B. Sriramulu of Andhra Jyothi were released late Tuesday after a court in Kurnool granted them bail. They had been arrested Nov 7 and later sent to jail for "cheating and for writing stories that harmed the reputation of government and individual officials".
Air India to re-launch Kolkata-Dhaka flights
By IANS,
Kolkata: State-owned Air India will re-introduce its international flights between Kolkata and Dhaka from Feb 7, an official of the national carrier said Tuesday.
Bihar to appoint 50,000 police officials
By IANS,
Patna : The Bihar government will recruit 50,000 police officials in the next five years, an official said here Monday.
Hasina to discuss controversial dam with Manmohan Singh
By IANS,
Dhaka : The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India are expected to meet this week on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit to discuss New Delhi's plan to construct the Tipaimukh dam in Manipur, a move that has triggered protests in Dhaka.
Dhaka and New Delhi have indicated their willingness to talk on the issue as pressures have mounted on the Sheikh Hasina government, with opposition parties joining environmentalists to allege that the dam on the Barak river would deny Bangladesh its share of water and have deleterious effect on the environment.
West Bengal needs more industries: Basu
By IANS
Kolkata : West Bengal should emerge as a frontrunner in industry in the next few years in tandem with its position in agriculture to solve its unemployment problem, communist patriarch Jyoti Basu said Tuesday.
Boeing in India sales pitch for F-18 combat aircraft
By IANS
New Delhi : Leading US aircraft manufacturer Boeing Tuesday made a strong pitch for its F/A-18 Super Hornet tactical aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has plans to purchase 126 combat aircraft.
However, the company has reservations about an offset-clause of 50 percent laid down by the government in June while clearing the IAF plans.
Complete Tejpal trial in 60 days, prosecution tells court
Panaji: The prosecution in the Tehelka rape case Friday moved a formal application seeking to fast track the trial within 60 days.
The application was...
PMO monitoring monsoon shortfall in north India: Minister
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is keeping a close watch on the delayed monsoon and its possible impact on agriculture, Minister of State in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan said Friday, asserting that there were enough foodgrain to handle any unforeseen situation that might arise.
"We all know that there is a shortfall of monsoon in north-west India. The PMO is closely monitoring the situation. The cabinet secretary and secretary to the PM are keeping a tab on the developments," Chavan told reporters on the sideline of an event here.
Air India Express to increase seats on Kerala-Gulf flights
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Air India Express will increase from Monday the number of seats by 2,220 per week on its flights to the Middle East from the three airports in Kerala.
The reason for this increase is the delinking of Thiruvananthapuram from Kochi and Kozhikode, said H.A. Munaf, chief of Air India operations here.
Kolkata laser park won’t be Harry Potter land: Manick Sorcar
By Ashok Easwaran, IANS,
Chicago : The world's first laser park is to come up in Kolkata, according to Manick Sorcar, the US-based son of legendary magician P.C. Sorcar, who says it will offer cutting edge entertainment along with learning opportunities.
Manick Sorcar, who lives in Denver, said an agreement for the laser park was being finalised by him and the West Bengal government.
Pranab calls for private-public partnership in insurance
By IANS,
Ragunathganj (West Bengal): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Saturday advocated public-private partnership in the insurance sector to bring more people under its cover.
Over 3,500 detonators recovered in Bihar
Patna : Over 3,500 detonators were recovered Friday in Bihar's Rohtas district, and three people have been arrested, police said.
Rohtas Superintendent of Police Chandan...
Goa mining: Ministry lifts stay on green clearances
Panaji : The union ministry for environment and forests (MoEF) has formally lifted its 2012 order holding all environment clearances (EC) granted to Goa's...
Cabinet approves tighter arms licensing law
By IANS,
New Delhi : The cabinet Thursday approved amendments to an over 40-year-old law to ensure that arms licences are only issued to those who genuinely need them.
The Arms (Amendment) Bill will now be tabled in parliament to amend the Arms Act of 1959 to "obviate chances of issuing arms licences to persons whose antecedents are not bonafide, and ensure receipt of police verification report within a period of sixty days," an official statement said after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Normalcy returns to Darjeeling hills
By IANS,
Kolkata : Normalcy returned to West Bengal's Darjeeling district Thursday as supporters of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) stopped the forcible use of Gorkhaland in vehicles number plates and signboards as part of their non-cooperation movement in the hills.
"The situation is normal now, both in the hills and plains. No fresh incident took place Thursday," said Rahul Srivastava, Darjeeling district police superintendent.
UN denies cover-up in Congo peacekeeper probe
By IANS,
New York : The United Nations has refuted allegations that there was a cover-up of an internal investigation into alleged misconduct by its peacekeepers, including Indians and Pakistanis, deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
UN officials said Monday that while the world body took the allegations seriously, it believed the reports were misleading and false. Where allegations had been substantiated, action had been taken with the countries concerned, they added.
Lack of professional architects causes dismay and concern
By IANS
Mumbai : India has around 140 schools of architecture that produce about 4,000 architects each year. But only about 40,000 architects are registered with the Council of Architecture to serve a population of over a billion.
"Since the number of architects is grossly inadequate, most of the architectural work in the country is carried out by non-architects: engineers or masons who double up as petty contractors," says a review of the profession.
Old fires still burn in India-Russia ties
By Manish Chand, IANS
Moscow : Not many know that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is an old Russia hand and has known the Russian leadership and bureaucracy personally for decades.
His link with Russia goes back to the 1970s when he was secretary in the finance ministry. He has been deeply involved with the knotty rupee-rouble trade that has stalked India-Russia ties for years, recalls his media adviser Sanjaya Baru.
The man who rode vehicle of death with Mumbai terrorists
By Shyam Pandharipande, IANS,
Mumbai : There were seven policemen in the vehicle including Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar when it was caught in an ambush outside Cama Hospital on the fateful night of Nov 26. Only Naik Arun Jadhav survived to tell the full story a month later.
With five bullet injuries and pretending to be dead, Salaskar's aide Jadhav sent the crucial wireless message about the movements of the terrorists that enabled the capture of Muhammad Amir Ajmal alias Kasab.
Prevent cruelty to animals in AIIMS lab, PETA urges PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Stung by reports of cruelty to animals in a laboratory at the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, animal rights organisation PETA has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking for an inspection of the facility and the immediate rehabilitation of the animals "languishing" there for years.
Following media reports of ill-treatment of animals at the AIIMS Central Animal Facility, a team of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision on Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) had visited the facility.
Government mulls de-addiction centres in villages
By IANS
New Delhi : The government is considering setting up de-addiction centres at the panchayat (village council) levels in the country, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan told the Lok Sabha Thursday.
"The government is considering to assign a role to the gram panchayats to implement centrally sponsored schemes to run the de-addiction centres," Jagadeesan informed the house in a written reply to the question of Ajit Jogi, a Congress MP and former chief minister of Chhattisgarh.
Inauguration of 100 days ‘anti liquor youth walk’
By TCN News,
Chennai: Peoples Movement against Liquor and Drugs (PMALD) began the 100 days Anti Liquor Youth Walk from in Tamil Nadu from Kanniya Kumari to Chennai including Puducherry. The yatra inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Traders Union Federation President T. Vellaiyan, Khudai Khidmatgar National Leader Faisal Khan, NAPM National Coordinator Dr. Gabriela, Ex Vice Chancellor of Gandhi Gram University Dr Karunagaran.
Indian officials trying to confirm Marak’s identity
By IANS,
Shillong: Efforts are on to confirm the identity of Pradip Marak, who was arrested along with United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leader Ranjan Chowdhury in Bangladesh, officials Sunday said.
"We are making efforts to ascertain the national identity of Pradip Marak through diplomatic channels," a top intelligence official, on the condition of anonymity, told IANS.
It remains to be seen whether Marak is a Bangladeshi as a sizeable Garo population inhabits the neighbouring country, another intelligence official said.
Medical innovations needed to help India improve healthcare
By IANS,
New Delhi : Advancements in technology and scientific research in India should translate into medical innovations, so that India can significantly improve its healthcare sector in the next 25-odd years, a senior official has said.
"India has the potential to significantly improve healthcare in the next 25 to 30 years provided it steps up capacity for generating and translating scientific and technological advancements into medical innovations," said M.K. Bhan, secretary in the department of biotechnology.
Madhya Pradesh minister seeks probe against himself
By Sanjay Sharma, IANS,
Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Minister Akhand Pratap Singh has sprung a surprise by walking into the office of the Lokayukta - the state's ombudsman - and seeking an inquiry into complaints levelled against him by Congress party spokesperson K.K. Mishra.
In the absence of Lokayukta Ripusudan Dayal, Akhand Pratap Singh, a senior member of the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) submitted a letter to his deputy and declared he would cooperate fully in the inquiry against him.
Beas tragedy: Court orders Rs.5 lakh for each victim’s kin
Shimla : The Himachal Pradesh High Court Wednesday ordered a interim compensation of Rs.5 lakh each to the families of 24 students of a...
National interest won’t be compromised on Siachen
By IANS,
New Delhi : India will not compromise its interests while discussing Siachen with Pakistan, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Monda.
Kapadia is new chief justice of India
By IANS,
New Delhi : Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia Wednesday took over as the 38th chief justice of India. He was administered the oath of the office by President Pratibha Patil.
"At a ceremony held at 9.30 a.m. Justice Kapadia was sworn in as the chief justice of India," said a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"He made and subscribed to the oath of office before the president," the statement said.
Born Sep 29, 1947, only months after India's independence, Chief Justice Kapadia was elevated to the Supreme Court Dec 18, 2003.
‘Government not concerned about protecting Ganga’
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Ganga river is more polluted now than what it was in 1985, when the Ganga Action Plan was launched,...
India issues guidelines to handle mental health after disasters
By IANS,
New Delhi : India Wednesday issued guidelines to manage the psycho-social problems that people face during and after disasters.
"These guidelines will help the country better to handle such medical cases which are generally neglected during disasters. The increased manpower and coordination between government and private players are some of the key suggestions," said Lt. Gen J.R. Bharadwaj, member of the National Disaster Management Authority.
"The guidelines will also go to the district administration who need to gear up to face such problems," he added.
Text of president’s speech
By IANS,
Here is the text of President Pranab Mukherjee's speech on India's 66th Independence Day-eve:
My fellow citizens:
New J&K chief secretary appointed
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday appointed Brij Raj Sharma as the new chief secretary, ending the administrative inertia that hit the...
Thousands march to honour slain Kashmiri separatist leader
By Sarwar Kashani, IANS,
Pampore (Jammu and Kashmir) : All roads in the Kashmir Valley Saturday were leading to this south Kashmir town where tens of thousands of people, including women, gathered to pay tributes to a separatist leader who was killed in police firing during protests over a land row that has triggered pro-freedom demonstrations in the troubled state.
Met officials expect good rainfall in Punjab
By IANS,
Chandigarh : There is some good news for Punjab farmers as the weatherman here has predicted heavy and long spells of rain in the region in the coming days.
"We had short spells of moderate to heavy rainfall in some parts of central Punjab in the morning. At this point of time, monsoon is in the most active position in the region and we are expecting heavy rainfall in most parts of the state in the next couple of days," Chatar Singh Malik, director of the Meteorological Centre here, told IANS.
IPS officer convicted for pilfering drugs
By IANS,
Chandigarh : A court here Friday convicted an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who was arrested with 12 kg heroin in January 2009 in Mumbai.
Economic Survey calls for banking, market liberalisation
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Economic Survey for 2008-09 tabled Thursday has called for banking and financial market reforms, including increasing foreign investment in banks in a phased manner and lifting of ban on commodity futures.
It also called for expediting passage of the Banking Regulations (Amendment) Bill and allowing high net worth individuals to invest directly in capital markets rather than go through the controversial participatory notes route.
Ragging is crime against humanity: President
By IANS,
Panaji : President Pratibha Patil, who was awarded a degree of doctor of letters (D.Lit) at the 22nd annual convocation ceremony of Goa University Tuesday, exhorted students to desist from ragging, calling it a "crime against humanity".
"Ragging in all our universities and educational institutions must stop. It is a crime against humanity and a shameful behaviour. Education must develop cultured attitude and social awareness, otherwise it is unrelated to life and its environment," Patil said.
Mumbai blasts toll rises to 19
By IANS,
Mumbai: The toll in the Mumbai triple blasts rose to 19 with a victim succumbing to his injuries at Saifee Hospital early Saturday, an official said.
Maytas Infra posts Rs.490 crore loss
By IANS,
Mumbai : Infrastructure company Maytas Infra posted a net loss of Rs.489.79 crore last fiscal compared to a profit of Rs.99.64 crore in the previous period, it said in a regulatory statement Monday.
The Hyderabad-based company, promoted by the family of B. Ramalinga Raju, the disgraced former chairman of the scam-hit Satyam Computers, also said that revenues in 2008-09 were down 19 percent to Rs.1,335 crore from Rs.1,637 crore it logged the previous fiscal.
President asks SAARC nations to work together for mutual prosperity
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday made a strong pitch to work together to realise full potential of the SAARC nations and advised...
Post-graduate diploma for doctors in eastern India
By IANS,
Kolkata : The Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, will start a distance education programme here offering post-graduate diploma in family medicine for general practitioners (GPs) of West Bengal and other eastern states from June.
"Our research showed 250,000 GPs in India neither have a post-graduate diploma nor are they aware of modern methodologies in the medical field. As a result excessive referral cases are making treatment expensive for even common diseases.
Two die of anthrax in Orissa
By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Two people have died of anthrax in Orissa's tribal dominated Koraput district, while five have contracted the deadly disease in the last two days, health officials said Friday.
Games action at your fingertips – with 3G mobile
By Mayank Aggarwal, IANS,
New Delhi : Want to watch the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games (CWG) live without going to a stadium or switching on the telly? All you need is a 3G mobile handset that brings you all the action even when you are travelling.
The Games organising committee is also looking at developing a number of mobile applications to provide a lot more at your finger tips.
Indian-origin teenager found dead in canal
By IANS,
London : Missing Indian-origin teenager Jonathan Marques has been found dead, his body pulled out of a canal Monday in his hometown of Reading.
Police divers pulled out the body from sluice gates of the Kennet and Avon Canal in the southeastern town of Reading, around 70 km from here.
The 15-year-old Goan schoolboy had been missing since Jan 6, sparking a huge hunt by the local Berkshire and other police forces, as well as his family and friends.
Heat wave kills 10 in Orissa, mercury up in north
By IANS,
New Delhi : Intense heat wave conditions killed 10 people in Orissa as the temperatures crossed the 42 degrees Celsius mark in the state. Most parts of the northern pains also experienced above-normal temperatures Sunday.
The maximum temperature in the national capital rose again to be around 38 degrees Celsius Sunday butr the minimum stayed at a comfortable 20 degrees.
The weather office in its bulletin said that most parts of the northern plains, central India and parts of Rajasthan and Maharashtra had temperatures 3-4 degrees Celsius above the normal.
Bright day in Lucknow, chill persists
By IANS,
Lucknow : A cold and sunny day greeted residents of Lucknow Tuesday morning, with the weather office saying similar conditions would prevail for the next couple of days.
Punjab plans evening courts to clear backlog of cases
By IANS,
Chandigarh: In view of nearly 700,000 pending cases in various courts under its jurisdiction, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Monday announced that evening courts would be started shortly in Punjab to lessen the pendency of cases.
Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur said in Muktsar town, 250 km from here, that in the first phase evening courts would start functioning in important cities of Punjab.
Thakur inaugurated the new judicial complex in Muktsar, built at a cost of Rs.21 crore.
Government to conduct survey to assess rural steel demand
By IANS,
New Delhi : Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh Friday said his ministry would start a nationwide survey to assess rural steel consumption and demand.
"The survey will cover all states and union territories, covering 300 districts and 1,500 villages," Singh said, inaugurating a conference here organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and industry (FICCI).
The survey will reveal the true picture of steel consumption pattern and the potential demand, he said.
Assam allows forest officials to use firearms
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Assam government has authorized the use of firearms by forest staff to ensure better protection of its forests and wildlife, an official said Friday.
"The order also provides immunity to forest officials from prosecution without prior sanction in case of firing incidents," V.K. Bisnoi, principal chief conservator of forests (general), told IANS on phone.
He said: "Forest officials in the past needed a licence to use firearms. Now they don't need one and are at par with the police. They will be able to use firearms like SLR rifles and other weapons."
After 10 years, India will have 400 airports: Minister
By IANS,
Panaji : The number of airports in India will go up from the present 85 to about 400 in the next 10 years, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said here Saturday.
It was a busy day for Patel, who visited three cities to inaugurate two new air terminals and lay the foundation stone of a third.
Patel opened new integrated terminals at Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu) airports and later flew in to Goa to lay the foundation stone for the new integrated terminal at Goa airport.
Voting is a must in democracy, says Kalam
By IANS,
Bangalore: Voting is a must in a democracy, says former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who Thursday voted despite his busy schedule, shuttling from one corner of the country to another giving lectures and attending conferences.
"Sorry for the delay in coming late by an hour. I am coming from New Delhi. I voted at New Delhi constituency. My vote was in that constituency," Kalam told the people gathered for a function at software major Wipro's campus here.
"Thereafter, my flight got delayed by an hour," he smiled.
‘Slumdog’ star Rubina’s case closed, father gets clean chit
By IANS,
London : "Slumdog Millionaire" fame child actor Rubina Ali's father Rafiq Qureshi has officially been cleared by Indian police over allegations that he attempted to sell his daughter.
Qureshi was quizzed by the police in Mumbai April 20 after British newspaper News of the World alleged he offered to auction off the nine-year-old for 200,000 pounds to get rid of poverty and become an overnight millionaire, reports contactmusic.com
Eight killed in Kashmir gun battle
By SPA,
Srinagar, India : An army officer and Seven separatists were killed in a fierce gun battle in Indian Kashmir, an army spokesman said on Wednesday.
The firefight started on Tuesday in Kupwara sector in north Kashmir, very near to the "line of control" that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
"The operation is still continuing and we think more terrorists are hiding in the forest," Umamaheswar, an Indian Army spokesman who goes by one name said. An army officer was among the eight killed, he said.
People’s President Kalam laid to rest
Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu): Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was laid to rest on Thursday here with full military honours in the presence of Prime...
India to destroy explosives seized from terrorists in Mumbai attacks
By NNN-Bernama,
New Delhi : Indian authorities are all set to destroy some 24 kg of explosives recovered during the Mumbai terror attacks as soon as the verdict in the trial of lone surviving militant Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab is out next week, sources said Thursday.
"The 24 kg of RDX seized from the target spots of the Mumbai terror attacks would be disposed of in a controlled atmosphere in India's financial capital after Kasab's verdict is out on May 3.
Over one million rural schools to have toilets
By IANS
New Delhi : Over one million toilets will be constructed in the rural schools in the country's 582 districts, Chandra Shekhar Sahu, minister of state of rural development, told Lok Sabha Monday.
"The government has approved 582 proposals from 29 states for constructing 1.13 million units in rural schools, out of which 518,443 units have already been constructed," the minister said.
According to him, Uttar Pradesh has so far constructed the highest number of toilets (80,668), followed by Andhra Pradesh (64,600), Maharashtra (579,88), and Madhya Pradesh (44,407).
Wanted sub-inspector held in Ghaziabad
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : An Uttar Pradesh police officer who carried a reward of Rs.10,000 on his head was arrested here Friday.
Crash paralyses Mangalore airport
By IANS,
Mangalore (Karnataka) : The tragic crash of an Air India Express Boeing 737 killing at least 158 passengers Saturday has severely disrupted operations at the Mangalore airport.
"Since the crash around 6 a.m., all operations, including flight services, have been suspended and we have been busy coordinating rescue and relief work at the mishap site," said an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official at Bajpe airport, about 30 km northeast of Mangalore.
Italian crewmen sent to 14 days custody
By IANS,
Kollam (Kerala) : The two crew members of an Italian ship who allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast were Monday sent to 14 days custody by a Kerala court.
Caught in narrative: gritty saga of Indian tele-news media
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Book: "Newsroom Live"; Author: Prabhat Shunglu; Published by: Om Books International; Pages: 310; Price:Rs.195
Software to digitise defence land outside cantonment
By IANS
New Delhi : A newly developed software that will enable digitising the records of defence land located outside cantonments was released here Monday by Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju.
Speaking on the occasion, Raju called upon officials responsible for defence estates to utilise the military land register (MLR) software for effective land management.
"With the fast-paced economy, the pressure on land has multiplied and it is now a precious commodity which requires judicious exploitation," he added.
FTII students are not criminals, talk to them: Benegal
Panaji : Students are not criminals or crooks and should be engaged in dialogue, veteran award-winning filmmaker Shyam Benegal said on Monday.
He also questioned...
New education policy to be cooperative federalist: Smriti Irani
New Delhi : Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Friday said the new education policy which is under consideration will be cooperative...
Pakistan seeks more on Mumbai attacks, India terms it stonewalling
By IANS,
Islamabad/New Delhi : Pakistan Monday sought more details on the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, saying it had received "identical" DNA reports on two of the 10 attackers but New Delhi immediately accused Islamabad of stonewalling.
"We have received two identical DNA reports. One of these relate to a man named Ismail, who we are told was killed during the attacks. This report also relates to (Ajmal Amir) Kasab (the lone gunman captured alive during the mayhem)," Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters in Islamabad.
Kerala medicos end protest after government assurances
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : After their day-long token protest and the state health department assurances that their demands would be looked into, protesting doctors and medical students called off their indefinite strike here Monday.
Doctors, graduate and post-graduate medical students were demanding a hike in their stipend and repeal of the compulsory bond that requires them to work in government service in rural areas for three years.
Assam orders probe into labourers’ death in Meghalaya
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday has asked additional chief secretary S. Meora to probe the death of 14 labourers from...
Delhi hosts fest for HIV vulnerable communities
By IANS,
New Delhi: Sex workers, homosexuals, drug users, transgenders, and core group of young truck drivers and helpers Tuesday came together in the capital to share their experiences on sexuality and how to reduce the risk of HIV and AIDS.
The 'at-risk communities' interacted with each other during a one-day festival hosted by the Center for Human Progress and the State Training and Resource Centre in collaboration with the Delhi State AIDS Control Society.
Eden Gardens to host World T20 final
New Delhi: The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the final of the 2016 World Twenty20 cricket tournament that will be held in...
New mobile phone service in UAE targets expat labour force
By IANS,
Dubai : A new mobile phone service especially targeting primarily the large expatriate labour force of Indians and other Asians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been launched here.
The Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai and leading UAE telecom service provider Du have announced the launch of 'alo', a unique 'pay as you go' mobile service, specially developed for the large expatriate labour workforce in the UAE.
Take steps to free fishermen in Iran: Jayalalithaa
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Indian embassy in Tehran to help release...
HC orders compensation for drowning victims in Chandigarh
Chandigarh : Over 12 years after three students drowned in a pond created in a low-lying area here, the Punjab and Haryana High Court...
Chennai varsity students win prizes in space contests
By IANS,
Chennai : Students of the SRM University near here have won prizes in two international student aerospace competitions held in the US and China, an official said here Tuesday.
On Sino-India ties, Xi wants to start from where Hu, Wen left
By Arvind Padmanabhan,IANS,
Foundation stone of Sri Guru Granth Sahib University laid
By IANS,
Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Monday laid the foundation stone here of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, which he said would spread the philosophy and ideology of Sikhism.
The university campus will come up in this Sikh holy town, 60 km from Chandigarh.
Badal said the university would not only undertake research on different aspects of Sri Guru Granth Sahib but also carry out comparative study of other religions to enable the students, researchers and theologians to have better understanding of all religions.
Balco chimney crash toll rises to 38, several trapped
By IANS,
Raipur : Rescuers had retrieved the bodies of 38 workers till Friday afternoon from the Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (Balco) plant in Chhattisgarh and were struggling to remove the debris of a 100-metre chimney that crashed two days ago. Police fear dozens are still trapped underneath.
District authorities at Korba, about 250 km north of state capital Raipur, said 38 bodies of workers were pulled out and the casualty figure could rise once the wreckage of the under-construction chimney at the 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant was cleared.
SIT opposes Zakia’s plea against clean chit to former Gujarat CM
New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) The Supreme Court-appointed SIT on Monday opposed the plea of Zakia Ahsan Jafri -- the widow of Congress leader...
Dikshit urges people to shun polybags
By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Saturday urged people to use cloth and jute bags as she launched the "Sheel Shera" project aimed at discouraging the use of plastics.
Sudden radar blip causes scare on PM’s flight
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Palam airport here was put on high alert Tuesday evening after the air traffic control noticed a sudden blip on the radar screen when an Indian Air Force Boeing 737 carrying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was preparing to land. However, the plane touched down safely, officials said.
The blip caused a scare and delayed the landing by 18 minutes as the pilots switched off the aircraft's instrument landing system and manually guided the plane on a changed flight path during the final approach.
Ukraine sets up office to attract Indian students
By IANS,
New Delhi : Ukraine has set up an office in New Delhi to assist Indian students in taking admission in its educational institutions.
Proactive Group, a member of International Chamber of Commerce and partner of 30 leading Ukrainian universities, has been instituted by the ministry of education and science in Ukraine, an official statement released here said Friday.
Airhostess case: Notice to police on plea to cancel Kanda’s bail
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Monday issued notice to police on a plea of former air hostess Geetika Sharma's brother seeking cancellation...
775 illegal expatriates arrested in UAE
Dubai : As many as 775 illegal residents were arrested during November as part of a police campaign launched in the emirate of Sharjah...
Irrigation sources dry up in Uttar Pradesh
By IANS,
Lucknow : With a weak monsoon bringing in only scanty rainfall, most lakes, ponds and other water bodies used to irrigate vast areas in Uttar Pradesh are drying up fast, officials said Friday.
Nearly 75 percent of the water in over 50 lakes that are under the supervision of the irrigation department have dried up and availability of water would decrease further if rains continue to elude Uttar Pradesh.
Leader of striking employees held in Kashmir
By IANS,
Srinagar : The head of the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), spearheading the Jammu and Kashmir government employees' strike that entered its third day Wednesday, has been taken into "preventive custody" to maintain law and order, police said.
Abdul Qayoom Wani was nabbed from Srinagar's Parimpora area.
"He has been taken into preventive custody in order to maintain law and order in the city," Javaid Riyaz, the senior superintendent of police (Srinagar), told IANS.
Family of Indian woman on Malaysian plane shattered
Chennai : The hopes of the family and friends of Chandrika Sharma, a 51-year-old woman on the ill-fated Malaysian plane, were shattered Monday when...
Tibetan refugees arrested trying to cross into Tibet
By IANS
Srinagar : Seventeen Tibetan settlers were Saturday arrested near the India-China border in Ladakh for attempting to cross over into Tibet.
Police here said a group of 15 Tibetan men and two women on way to Tibet were intercepted in the border village of Humua in Leh district of Ladakh.
"The group was detained by the police and a case has been registered against them," a senior police officer here said.
Tibetan settlers in Leh in the frontier cold desert region of Ladakh have been holding daily protests after violence in Lhasa in March.
Obama, McCain images created on Orissa beach
By IANS,
Puri : Sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik Sunday created the images of US presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain on a Orissa beach.
Patnaik also created five feet long sand image of the White House on the beach in Puri, some 56 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
In front of the White House image, he created images of Barack Obama and John McCain.
"I and some of my students worked about seven hours to create the images," Patnaik told IANS, adding that hundreds of tourists thronged the site and appreciated the images.
Undertrial seeks court help to consummate marriage
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Tuesday issued notice to government on a plea of an undertrial in a murder case seeking interim bail to consummate his marriage.
CBI to question Abhishek Verma, wife till Aug 21
By IANS,
New Delhi : Naval war room leak case accused and businessman Abhishek Verma and his Romanian wife were sent to CBI custody till Aug 21 in a forgery case by a special court here Thursday.
Manipur schools, colleges still shut after three months
By IANS,
Imphal : All educational institutions in India's restive northeastern state of Manipur have been shut for the past three months. There have been no classes and students are on the brink of losing a vital academic session.
The indefinite closure of all schools and colleges that began exactly three months ago on Sep 9 was called by the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to protest against the alleged extra judicial killing of a youth in July.
CBI readies GenNext investigators to crack cyber crimes
By IANS,
New Delhi : The country's premier detective agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is readying a batch of 'GenNext' officers to probe cases, especially pertaining to terrorism and cyber crimes.
A group of 39 sub-inspectors, directly recruited, has been undergoing training in all aspects of investigations at the agency's academy at Ghaziabad.
These investigating officers (IOs) are termed GenNext detectives among senior officers.
18 missing as boat capsizes in UP
Lucknow : At least 18 people were missing when a boat carrying them capsized in the Ganga river in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district, police...
Delhi leaves power tariffs unchanged, gives people sops
By IANS
New Delhi : The residents of poll-bound Delhi will not pay more for consuming power, but in fact one rupee less per unit if they use up to 200 units in a month during periods when consumption peaks in high summer or winter.
The Delhi government Friday decided not to touch power tariffs. A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit instead decided to extend the subsidy of rupee one per unit to consumers using 150-200 units in a month.
Turkey seeks Indian know-how for new hotel chains
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Istanbul : Turkey, negotiating to join the European Union and ranking among the world's developed nations, is seeking Indian know-how to start new luxury hotels chains in the Islamic republic.
"Some of the best hotels are run by Indian groups," says Goksin Duman, business council coordinator at DEIK (Foreign Economic Relations Board), a specialised organisation founded in 1988 to boost Turkey's economic, commercial, industrial and financial relations with foreign countries and international business communities.
BRIC foreign ministers to meet again in fall
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India and China, the so-called BRIC countries, have agreed to hold another meeting in September in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
The agreement to meet in September on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly session was reached by the foreign ministers during their meeting on May 14-16 in the Russian Urals city of Yekaterinburg.
Punjab allows paddy sowing from June 10
By IANS,
Chandigarh : The Punjab government Friday allowed farmers to start sowing paddy from June 10 onwards.
State Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah said the sowing had been advanced in view of pre-monsoon showers across the state in recent days.
Langah has said the deputy commissioners and agriculture officials in the state have already been instructed to plough afresh all fields where paddy has been sown prior to June 10.
Court employee flings slipper at judge
By IANS,
Hyderabad : A woman employee of a court in Andhra Pradesh Thursday flung her slipper at the judge in a court room after alleging that he had humiliated her.
Police said they have arrested Radha Rani, a stenographer in a family court, for throwing the slipper at Fourth Additional District Judge Shanmugam. The judge has also suspended her.
The incident occurred in Kurnool town, about 200 km from here.
Radha Rani told reporters that she threw the slipper at the judge as he had been mentally harassing and humiliating her for the last seven months.
Jharkhand takes steps to free abducted official
By IANS,
Ranchi : The Jharkhand government Wednesday took steps to secure the release of its official abducted by Maoists and sought to re-investigate the case of three people arrested on charges of being guerrillas.
The state government moved a Jamshedpur district court for permission to re-investigate the case of three people who were arrested a few months ago on charges of being Maoists. The three held are Basanti Patar, Raghunath and Ashwani.
Activists cry foul over Ganges dolphin poaching
By IANS,
Patna : A day after four Ganges River Dolphins were killed by suspected poachers on the banks of the Ganga river, wildlife experts and conservationists Friday stressed the need to save the endangered species.
"It is an alarming situation that poachers continue to kill dolphins for their flesh and oil. It is high time they were conserved," R.K. Sinha, an expert on Ganga dolphins, told IANS.
Sinha said it was shocking that killings of dolphins continue even after the Ganges River Dolphin was declared the national aquatic animal early this year.
Vishnu to lead Indian challenge in ITF tournament
By IANS,
New Delhi: Top seed Vishnu Vardhan will lead the Indian challenge in the first of the three back-to-back $10,000 International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments that begins at the DLTA complex here Monday.
Vishnu, ranked 451, had won his maiden ITF title here last month. The 22-year-old from Andhra Pradesh was recently in Brazil where he failed to qualify for the main draw of the two Challenger events. He opens against compatriot P.C. Vignesh Monday.
Artists community expresses support for Shah Rukh Khan
By IANS,
New Delhi : The artists' community Thursday extended strong support to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan following the Shiv Sena's threats to stop the release of his latest film in the wake of his remark favouring Pakistani players' participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Six Maoists killed in Jharkhand
Ranchi : Six Maoists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand on Wednesday, police said.
"Six Maoist guerrillas were killed in...
No action against journalists who filed Chinese firing report
New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) Delhi Police has been instructed not to prosecute two journalists for what officials said was a wrong report about Chinese firing across the border, official sources said Wednesday.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram is learnt to have told Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal not to proceed against the journalists against whom the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) had filed an official complaint.