Curfew in Bangladesh further relaxed with improvement of situation

By Xinhua Dhaka : The Bangladeshi government further eased the curfew hours, as it will remain in force for five hours from Monday night. An official announcement said here Sunday there will be no curfew from 5 am to 12 pm on Monday. The indefinite curfew was imposed in Dhaka and five major cities from Wednesday to contain violent student movement to protest the army assault on student of Dhaka University on August 20.

Iraq imposes curfew, starts evacuating pilgrims

By Xinhua ·The Iraqi authorities imposed curfew on Tuesday in the holy city of Karbala. ·The security forces also started to evacuate the pilgrims from the center of the city. ·So far, up to 10 people were killed by the clashes that initially sparked on Monday night. Baghdad : The Iraqi authorities imposed curfew on Tuesday in the holy city of Karbala, ordering dozens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims to evacuate the city, after fierce clashes between gunmen and the Iraqi police, a local police source said.

Iran, Iraq should establish Islamic common market – Rafsanjani

By NNN-IRNA Tehran : New Chairman of the Assembly of Experts and Head of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has said that success of Iran and Iraq in expanding mutual cooperation would lead to laying the cornerstone of an Islamic common market. Rafsanjani made the remark in the opening ceremony of the first international conference on "Reconstruction of Iraq's Economy, Assessment of Investment Opportunities, Exports of Goods and Commodities, Methods to Guarantee Turn-over of Investors' Capitals" here Sunday.

Turkey, Iraq sign agreement no combating terrorism

By Xinhua Ankara : Turkey and Iraq signed an agreement to fight against terrorism in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Friday. Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay and his Iraqi counterpart Jawad al-Bulani signed the agreement.

Issue of Iran’s nuclear programme not “closed” – US

By NNN-KUNA Washington : The United States has said that the Iranian nuclear programme case is not closed yet, in a direct response to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement in New York. "Iran is under Security Council sanctions, is under several Chapter VII resolutions not asking it nicely or politely, but requiring it as a matter of international law, to halt its uranium enrichment programme and to engage in negotiations with the international community," said State Department deputy spokesperson Tom Casey in his daily press briefing Wednesday.

Iran for expansion of defence relations with Afghanistan

By NNN-IRNA Tehran : Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said here Saturday that expansion of defence relations with all Muslim and neighbouring countries, especially Afghanistan, is a priority of Iran's foreign policy. Najjar told Afghan Ambassador to Tehran Mohammad Yahya Maroofi that long borders and deep historical, ethnic and cultural commonalties and bonds between Iran and Afghanistan would pave the way for further expansion of the two-way ties and cooperation.

Pakistani military copter crash raises questions: report

By IANS Islamabad : The crash of a military helicopter escorting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf "has raised a number of questions" as to whether it was shot down or whether it was a genuine accident, a media report said Tuesday. The Puma helicopter carrying, among others, Musharraf's media adviser Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi, crashed on the outskirts of Pakistani Kashmir capital Muzaffarabad Monday, killing four people.

Iranian women’s status elaborated at UN

By IRNA United Nations, New York : IRI representative at UN General Assembly's 3rd Committee session here Wednesday elaborated on developments, advancement, and achievements related to women's status in Iran. Seyyed Mohsen Emadi in his address also expounded on various types of aggressions observed against women in the world today, including poverty, threats due to foreign forces occupation, losses due to military attacks, human smuggling, aggressive behavior at homes, taking advantage of women in advertisements etc.

Marijuana worth Rs.700,000 seized in Orissa, 3 held

By IANS

Bhubaneswar : Three people were arrested Friday on charges of possessing marijuana worth Rs.700,000 in Orissa's Malkangiri district, an excise official said.

Court summons Narayana Murthy over national anthem row

By IANS

Bangalore : A local court Saturday summoned Infosys chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy to appear before it on June 21 in connection with his alleged insult to the national anthem.

One killed, 40 wounded in Assam market blast

By IANS

Guwahati : At least one person was killed and 40 wounded, three of them critically, in a powerful explosion that ripped through a village market in Assam Wednesday.

Haneef to file appeal against visa revocation; moved to prison

By Neena Bhandari, IANS Sydney : Muhammad Haneef's lawyers will be filing an appeal in the Federal Court Wednesday, seeking a judicial review of the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Kevin Andrews's decision to revoke the 27-year-old Indian doctor's 457 work visa, even as he was moved to Wolston prison on Brisbane's western outskirts.

Fifth Palestinian militant killed in Gaza operations

By Xinhua

Gaza : A fifth Palestinian militant was killed on Thursday evening during the ongoing Israeli ground and air strikes on southeast Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said.

Medics in southern Gaza Strip said that an Islamic Hamas militant was killed and two were wounded in a fresh Israeli airstrike on Palestinian militants in the area.

CBI arrests land scam kingpin Ashok Malhotra

By IANS New Delhi : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday arrested city-based contractor Ashok Malhotra, the main suspect in a multimillion rupee land scam, from outside a private television news channel where he surfaced to give an interview. "We have arrested Malhotra outside Zee News studio and will produce him in a court shortly to seek his remand," a senior CBI official said.

Security forces kill 40 militants in Pakistan

By Xinhua Islamabad : Pakistani security forces killed 40 militants in the country's northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan Wednesday, a military spokesman said. Pakistani army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told private Geo TV that gunship helicopters were used to target positions of militants in mountains in the border area between North and South Waziristan. "The operation was conducted in the morning and in the afternoon," he said. Arshad said the militants had been using mountains to fire and ambush convoys of security forces.

Police clash with lawyers in Islamabad

By Muhammad Najeeb Islamabad, Sep 29 (IANS) Police used tear gas and chased with sticks hundreds of lawyers and political activists who gathered near the Election Commission (EC) here Saturday to protest the Supreme Court's decision allowing Pervez Musharraf to contest for presidency while heading the army. The EC was then scrutinising nomination papers of presidential candidates.

Doubts persist on Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline

By IANS Islamabad : Pakistan and Iran might have agreed on constructing a gas pipeline between the two countries but the deal is far from being signed, sealed and delivered. Tehran's insistence on a clause in the Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) "under which the gas prices would be reviewed after every five years remains the bone of contention as Pakistan refused to budge before the Iranian demand", The News reported Tuesday in a dispatch headlined "Pakistan, Iran fail to clear snags in gas pipeline deal".

Bomb kills mayor of Iraqi town

By Xinhua Baghdad : A roadside bomb explosion killed the mayor of Iskandriya town in Babel province south of Baghdad along with four of his bodyguards Thursday, a provincial police source said. "A roadside bomb went off near the procession of Abbas Hamza al-Khafaji, mayor of Iskandriya town, 50 km south of Baghdad, while he was heading to his work in the morning, killing him and four of his bodyguards," the source told Xinhua. The powerful blast destroyed two vehicles of Khafaji's convoy and wounded one, the source said.

Rally blasts will strain Bhutto-Musharraf ties: Dawn

By IANS Islamabad : The terror attack on former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's convoy last week could strain the "mutual understanding" between her and President Pervez Musharraf, "given the suspected involvement of state officials", an editorial in a leading Pakistani daily said Monday. The lack of a proper disaster management plan was once again evident in the wake of the Karachi attack Thursday that claimed at least 139 lives, another editorial maintained.

Pakistan rejects Bhutto’s call for foreign help in blast probe

By DPA Islamabad : The Pakistan government Monday rejected former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's suggestion that foreign experts should be involved in the probe into last Thursday night's suicide bombing attack on her procession. "Our experts are conducting the investigations and they are fully capable of doing it," Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told reporters in Islamabad.

AMU students’ union to launch a movement for AMU’s minority status

By TCN News, Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union today organized a Symposium on Restoration of AMU’s Minority character.

Allegations of bias against Bihar, Jharkhand in selecting ‘model’ schools

Minority concentrated blocks are ‘recklessly ignored’ alleges some AMU alumni. By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Swami Aseemanand and Art of ‘Statement Withdrawal’

By Ram Puniyani, Swami Aseemanand emerged as the alleged kingpin in the series of blasts, starting from Malegaon, Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad, Ajmer Dargaah...

AMU’s Academic Staff College becomes nodal agency under Nalanda Project

By TCN News, Aligarh: The Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India has selected the UGC Academic Staff College (ASC) of Aligarh Muslim University as a Nodal Agency for training and awareness generation among faculty members of minority managed degree colleges under “Nalanda Project”.

‘Ambedkar transformed from being the leader of the untouchables to being a thinking man’

By Lalita, TwoCircles.net, New Delhi: While Babasaheb Ambedkar has been widely accepted as the leader of the untouchables, we should pay attention to other aspects of his life which are as promising, says Ananya Vajpeyi, the author of the prize winning book The Righteous Republic.

NSUI gears up campaigning for Congress’s Lok Sabha election candidate, reaching out to the...

By TCN News, Jammu: The state president of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Neeraj Kundan held a meeting in Govt. Maulana Azad Memorial Post Graduate (MAM) College, Jammu, in support of Congress-NC candidate Madan Lal Sharma, on 2nd April, Wednesday.

BJP may have the last laugh due to Muslims’ vote division in Moradabad

By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net, Moradabad: “Mark my word ST Hassan (of SP) will win this time,” 55 year old Mohamamd Fareed said animatedly to his friend, a Jat at the Moradbad Bus Stand, a day before the election on April 16. Moradabad goes to poll today.

Amnesty International releases second edition of Manual to combat injustice

By A. Mirsab,TwoCircles.net, Mumbai: Amnesty International has recently published second edition of ‘Fair Trial Manual’ to help combat injustices around the world. The first edition of ‘Fair Trial Manual’ was published in 1998 primarily to support Amnesty International staff and members. The first edition was overwhelmingly accepted around the world which benefitted number of lawyers and activists who fight for injustices meted out to innocents. Due to the increased demand the first edition had to be published in 15 languages.

Four year old girl struggles at GMCH after Bodo militants’ attack

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter, Guwahati: The little girl was screaming at her bed at Guwahati Medical College Hospital. The four year old Taslima Khatun of Narasingbari village in Assam’s Baska district has lost her finger and received bullet injuries as armed militants of National Democratic Front of Bodoalnd (NDFB) opened fire killing four people in front of her on Thursday night.

Modi wave didn’t help BJP’s Muslim candidates

By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net, Modi wave that has given BJP a historic win has reduced the number of Muslim MPs in Lok Sabha. This wave did not help its own Muslim candidates. 282 BJP MPs will sit in the next Lok Sabha but none of them Muslim.

SC stays death sentence of rape-murder convict

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday stayed the death sentence of Kalu Khan, convicted for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in...

CLMC urged PM to curb the activities of Hindutva organizations

By TCN News, Hyderabad: Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee has condemned the brutal killing of Mohsin Sadiq Sheikh in Pune. It has written a letter to...

Research scholars’ fellowships face fund crunch, students left in the lurch

Fund for SC students worst affected. By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter, New Delhi: Several research scholars, enrolled in M.Phil and PhD courses in different subjects in universities across the country are not getting their fellowships on time. Students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) seem to be most hit since Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has not released the fund for the year so far.

AMU faculty suspended over ‘abusive’ posts against VC on FB

By TCN News, Aligarh: The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, on the authorization of the Executive Council in its special meeting held on July 22, 2014, has placed Dr. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, Associate Professor, Department of History under suspension with immediate effect, pending enquiry.

Controversy erupts over SC judge ‘Gita in school’ statement, AVP writes to President

By A. Mirsab, TwoCircles.net, Mumbai: A massive controversy has erupted throughout the country over Supreme Court Justice Anil R. Dave’s statement on Saturday that Indians should go back to their ancient traditions, and texts such as Mahabharat and that Bhagwad Gita should be introduced to children in schools at an early age.

Struggle for justice for Aler Encounter moves to Delhi

Andhra Bhawan march at Delhi on Saturday Hyderabad: The struggle for the justice for victims of Aler encounter killings moves to Delhi. National...

BJP’s defeat in Bihar polls certain: Lalu Prasad

Patna: The defeat of the BJP in the Bihar assembly elections is certain since the poor, Dalits, OBCs, EBCs and Muslims had decided to...

‘आम’ बजट में बिहार के साथ ‘ख़ास’ अन्याय !

TwoCircles.net News Desk पटना : जदयू के बाद अब भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी ने भी इस बार के बजट की निंदा की है. भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी...

Awaiting their leader, Patels to begin ‘lollipop’ protest on Sunday

By Darshan Desai Ahmedabad : Not impressed by the Gujarat government announcing 10 percent reservation for economically weaker sections among the upper castes, including Patels, the...

UAE, Kuwait lead Arab region in UNCTAD report

By NNN-KUNA Geneva : The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has said that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait rank respectively at numbers 39 of their scale for the UNCTAD Trade and Development report covering 2006. This result, according to the UNCTAD rankings, puts the UAE and Kuwait ahead of all the Arab countries.

Militant killed in Sopore gunfight

By IANS Srinagar : Security forces Saturday evening stormed the hotel building in the heart of the apple rich north Kashmir Sopore town, where militants were holed up for the past three days and shot one of them dead. "One militant has been eliminated in the encounter at hotel New Light in Sopore. However, exchange of fire is still taking place," said a police spokesman here. He said paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operations Group (SOG) of police stormed the building following fierce firing.

Sharif denies any deal, says won’t serve under Musharraf

New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif has denied any power-sharing deal with President Pervez Musharraf and stressed that the election, likely in January, will lack any credibility unless the sacked top judges were reinstated. Sharif, who returned to Pakistan Sunday after forced exile in Saudi Arabia, also made a forceful pitch for restoring democracy and underlined that he will not serve under Musharraf under the present constitution to which several amendments were made.

Iranian president: nuclear issue closed

By Xinhua Doha : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here on Monday that the disputed Iranian nuclear issue was "closed" from Iran's perspective and that his country had the right to develop new energy. Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the 28th annual summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Ahmadinejad said "In our opinion, the nuclear issue is now closed." Iran does not feel threatened at all and any pressure on Iran concerning the issue is useless, he said, adding that "we are prepared for any conditions."

Bangladesh shifts militants to separate cells

By IANS Dhaka : Hardcore militants lodged in a Bangladesh jail were shifted to different cells Saturday following a high alert issued after the killing of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi. Twenty-six militants at Chittagong Central Jail in southern Bangladesh were moved to separate cells. They included five convicted militants belonging to the banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Star Online reported. Jailer Iqbal Hossain said the visitors have been asked not to bring any bags or packets for any inmates at the jail gate.

Eight killed in Iraq suicide attack, 16 wounded

By DPA Baghdad : A woman suicide bomber blew herself and eight other people up in Baquba, north of Baghdad, Wednesday, security sources and media reports said. Two policemen and members of the government-backed Awakening Council in Baquba were among those killed in the attack near a patrol belonging to the council's forces in New Baquba. At least 16 people were wounded in the incident, including civilians, the security sources said. Nearby buildings and vehicles were also damaged.

Pakistan reports progress in investigation of Bhutto’s murder

By RIA Novosti Islamabad : Progress has been reported in the investigation of the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, local media said on Wednesday referring to the country's police spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema. Pakistan was plunged into turmoil last Thursday following the killing of Bhutto, who had twice been the country's prime minister and was about to run in parliamentary elections January 8 as leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Burj Dubai Reaches 158 Levels To Set World Record

DUBAI, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Burj Dubai, the iconic tower, has reached 158 levels, the most in any building in the world, its developer Emaar Properties said. The tower is now 598.5 metres high and taller than Taipei 101 (508 metres) in Taiwan and CN Tower (553.33 metres) in Toronto, Canada, media reports here said. Cladding work of the tower is now ongoing at an accelerated pace with 58 storeys already wearing the shimmering sheen of the high-performance cladding system, Emaar, a global property developer said in a statement.

Woman Maoist leader arrested in Jharkhand

By IANS Ranchi : A top woman Maoist leader has been arrested from the Garwah district of Jharkhand, police said Monday. Acting on a tip off Sunday night, police arrested Vineeta alias Simppi, a zonal commander of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), from Bardari village of Garwah district, about 140 km from Ranchi. Police said she had masterminded more than a dozen Maoist attacks in Jharkhand. She is accused of attacking a Home Guard training centre in Giridih district in 2006 and looting around 200 police rifles.

Close to Taj, a different monument of love

By Brij Khandelwal, IANS Agra : Just 500 metres from the Taj Mahal, there's another monument of love in this city that very few people know about - one that has changed the life of many a leprosy patient in India. The Japanese-founded Jalma Centre for Leprosy Treatment, being run by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has completed more than four decades of service, treating hundreds of thousands of leprosy affected who are traditionally ostracised in India.

Sania slips three spots to 32

By IANS New Delhi : Sania Mirza's recent injury lay-off has cost her three places in the Women Tennis Association (WTA) rankings as she dropped to the 32nd position in the rankings released Monday. The 21-year-old Hyderabadi player, who returns to the court at the Qatar Total Open, however, managed to hold on to her doubles position at 23. Sania, who made a third round appearance at the Australian Open, losing to American Venus Williams, slumped in the singles ranking as she missed out the Pattaya Open earlier this month because of a back injury.

Maoists kill Orissa village leader

By IANS Bhubaneswar : Maoists Wednesday brutally killed a village leader in Orissa's Malkangiri district, the police said. A group of Maoists entered Peta village, some 700 from here, and dragged Kanha Madkami to a nearby forest and slashed his neck with weapons. The 50-year-old managed to escape, but they shot him dead, a district police official told IANS. Madkami died on his way to hospital. The rebels who claim to be fighting for the cause of the poor and downtrodden are active in more than half of Orissa's 30 districts. They often attack police and landlords.

Woman dies after being raped, set on fire

By IANS, Patna : A woman, who was allegedly raped and then set on fire by a civic body chief in Bihar, died after battling for life for six days, a police official said Saturday. The victim, Asha Devi, in her 30s, suffered nearly 80 percent burns. She died at a nursing home in Siliguri in neighbouring West Bengal. She was admitted in a critical condition in the nursing home last week after she was set on fire by Navin Yadav, Thakurganj Nagar Panchayat chief in Kishanganj district, about 350 km from the state capital here.

Five murders in a day in Delhi

By IANS, New Delhi : During the 24 hours to Thursday evening, five people - a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, a tailor, a property dealer, a milk vendor and a restaurant employee - were killed in four murderous assaults in the capital, police said. Two unidentified men barged into the residence of Mohammed Abid and his wife Shanno in Inderlok area of north Delhi at around 11.30 a.m. Abid, a rickshaw puller, was away from the one-room home.

Muslims are used just as vote-bank: Syed Shahabuddin

By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,

Gaya: Since Independence of the country, the Muslim minority has been used as a vote-bank by all political parties which make promises during campaigns only to forget later, said Syed Shahabuddin, ex-MP and chief editor of Muslim India.

IUML to support UPA

By IANS,

Malappuram (Kerala): Setting at rest all speculation, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Thursday said it will support the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in case of a confidence vote.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the national leaders of the party held at the residence of IUML supremo Panakkad Muhammadali Shihab Thangal here Thursday evening.

Curfew in Kashmir as Hurriyat calls for peaceful protests

By IANS, Srinagar : Curfew continued across the Kashmir valley for the ninth day Monday with the Hurriyat calling for peaceful protests but authorities treading with caution following the deal to set aside 40 hectares of land for the Amarnath shrine board to use during the pilgrimage season. There were no reports of curfew relaxation from anywhere in the valley Monday, when the the joint coordination committee of both the Hurriyat groups, headed by hardline Syed Ali Geelani and the moderate wing chief Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, has called for peaceful protests.

Mallika Sarabhai floats the idea of ‘referendum’ to pay real tribute to Sardar Patel

CM’s idea of constructing world’s tallest statue of Sardar could get outshined by common man’s people-friendly ideas By Rafat Nayeem Quadri

Mumbai violence: Media’s reporting questioned

By TwoCircles.net special correspondent, Mumbai: Many fear that media is taking its revenge by its aggressive reporting on Azad Maidan violence.

‘Closure of camps is not the solution’

By Mahtab Alam, TwoCircles.net Assam Violence 2012: Stories from the ground: Part 3

Saudi Arabia frees detained Indian terror suspect

By IANS, Bangalore : Saudi Arabian police have released Indian doctor Usman Ghani from 20-day detention after their investigation revealed he had no terror links as suspected earlier.

Four killed in Turkey blast

By DPA, Istanbul: At least four people were killed when a roadside bomb hit a minibus carrying military personnel in Istanbul Tuesday, Turkish media reported. The blast occurred as the minibus was passing a cemetery on its way from a military housing complex. One of the victims was the 17-year-old daughter of an officer. At least nine people on the bus were injured in the blast. Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the governor of Istanbul, said the bomb was detonated by remote control, according to the state-run Anatolian Agency.

Attack against professor not a communal issue: UDF

By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent Kochi: The UDF yesterday stated that the attack on the professor accused in the question paper controversy should not be seen as a communal problem. In another development to the investigation, police yesterday released the draft picture of two accused in the case. Meanwhile, the DGP said that the state had not thought about handing over the case to the NIA.

Soofiya Maudany’s bail condition relaxed

By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,

Bengal’s local trains: Moving mini bazaar

By Mahtab Alam for TwoCircles.net,

David Cameron was right on “Islamist” extremism

By A. Faizur Rahman for TwoCircles.net,

Let’s control the divorce menace

By Prof. Dr. Rameeza A Rasheed,

Vox Populi: Dispur Assembly Constituency

By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,

Suicide bomber hits Afghan army base

By IANS, Kabul : A suicide bomber Saturday attacked an Afghan army base in Gambiray area in the eastern province of Laghman. Casualties are feared.

Voting progresses slowly, but steadily in Kashmir

By IANS, Srinagar/Jammu : Voting progressed at a steady clip through the day in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday with heavier turnout in the four constituencies in Jammu region than in the two segments in Kashmir valley in round two of the assembly elections. By 12 noon, 16 percent of the voters had cast their franchise in Ganderbal, where National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is contesting against 11 other candidates, and 19 percent in Kangan.

Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Awards announced

By RINA, New Delhi: Charanjeet Singh Atwal, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha and Justice Mohammad Suhail Ejaz Siddiqui, Chairman, National Commission for Minorities Educational Institutions, are among those to be honoured this year with Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Award. Others to be honoured with Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Award 2008 are Manorama Deevan, Chief Editor, Press Asia International, Shahid Ali Khan (IPS), Mohammad Ateeq Siddiqui, Editor, AlYaum, New Delhi, Dr. Haneef Tareen and Saulat Public Library, Rampur.

PFI reiterates struggle for rebuilding Babri Masjid to continue; urges Liberhan Commission to resign

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net, Bhopal : The National Executive Council of Popular Front of India, (PFI), has called upon the people to continue the struggle for the restoration of Babri Masjid on the same site where it had existed at the time of its destruction by the Hindutva fascist forces. The Popular Front has urged Justice Liberhan to release the Liberhan Commission report of Babri Masjid demolition before the citizens of India and resign forthwith in protest of the insult from the government.

No improvement in Maoist violence in 2008: ministry report

By IANS, New Delhi : There was no improvement in Maoist-related violence in the country in 2008 over the previous year, but the level of militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir continued to show a declining trend, says a government report.

Court reserves order on fate of two detained Kashmiri men

By IANS, New Delhi : A city court will announce its verdict on the fate of two Kashmiri youth, arrested by the Delhi Police as terrorists, on Feb 13. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report has said the two men were framed by the police. Additional Sessions Judge S.K. Gautam Monday said the decision to initiate proceedings against police officials accused of framing the two men would also be taken on the next date.

Milad-un-Nabi celebrated in Andhra Pradesh

By IANS, Hyderabad : Traditional festivity and religious fervour marked Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed, in Hyderabad and other parts of Andhra Pradesh Tuesday. Public meetings and rallies were held where speakers exhorted Muslims to strictly follow 'seerat-e-tayyaba' or the holy life of the Prophet. Feeding of the poor was organised by individuals and organisations to mark the occasion. Muslims also celebrated the day cooking special dishes.

Would have run roller over Varun: Lalu Prasad

By IANS, Patna : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Monday said that had he been the country's home minister he would have run a "roller" over Varun Gandhi for his hate speeches against Muslims and bothered about the consequences later. Speaking at an election rally in Kishanganj in Bihar, Lalu Prasad said: "If I were the country's home minister, and if Varun had said this (inflammatory speeches), then I would have run a roller over his chest, and thought about the consequences later."

Poll panel censures BSP candidate from Lucknow

By IANS, New Delhi : The Election Commission Saturday censured Akhilesh Das, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow constituency on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket, for making derogatory remarks about his rival and Samajwadi Party candidate Nafisa Ali. "Election Commission is of the considered opinion that Dr. Akhilesh Das has violated the provisions of the model code of conduct and the Election Commission has censured him for the said violation," the poll panel said in a statement issued here.

Kashmir cops denied bail in Shopian rape-murder case

By IANS, Srinagar : The district and sessions judge of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday rejected the bail application moved by four police officers accused of destroying evidence in the rape and murder of two local women. While rejecting the bail application, Judge Syed Tauqeer Ahmed maintained that there was prima facie evidence against the accused. He said DNA profiling of the accused was yet to be completed and if released, they might interfere with the investigation.

Government, society must keep watch on communal groups: PM

By IANS, New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said the government and civil society groups must keep an eye on and protest against those who resort to violence in the name of religion to spread disharmony. "I believe that both the government and civil society groups must continuously watch and raise our voice against groups and individuals who use violence in the name of religion," the prime minister said at a function to present the Kabir Puraskar and National Communal Harmony Awards for the years 2007 and 2008.
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