Nitish’s police does it again; Hyderabad family too scared to speak
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Anti-encroachment drive at Lucknow’s historical monuments launched
By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Poet of ‘barsat ki raat’ song passes away in the night of downpour
By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai blasts: Blind rush among probe agencies to nab “Muslims”
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Ex-BJP CM, eminent citizens demand governor’s intervention in Gujarat
By TCN Special Correspondent,
OIC condemns Delhi blast
By IANS/WAM,
Jeddah : The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned the bombing at the Delhi High Court that killed 13 people and injured 96.
Interview: Malayalam daily Madhyamam’s Editor on Anna’s movement
By Najiya O., TwoCircles.net,
Swamy files FIR against Sonia Gandhi for “inciting hatred against Hindus”
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
Sharmila’s fast enters 12th year, Solidarity meetings world-wide
By TCN Special Correspondent,
Ready to support any Muslim for chief minister’s post: Raja Bundela
By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
40 Muslim youths arrested for ‘moral policing’ in Nizamabad
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
23 injured in Kashmir bus accident
By IANS,
Srinagar : Twenty-three passengers were injured, five of them seriously, when a bus slipped off a road and fell into a gorge in north Kashmir Tuesday.
Great walls of states restrict regional satraps’ ambition
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad Muslim groups approach SHRC against police ‘actions’
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Thackeray wants Aamir show telecast in Karnataka
By IANS,
Mumbai : Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Tuesday asked the Karnataka government to allow the telecast of Bollywood star Aamir Khan's maiden television show "Satyameva Jayate".
I don’t want people to think that military rule has come: AMU VC
By Jasim Mohammad
Recently-appointed as Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameeruddin Shah talks to Jasim Mohammad about his plan for the university.
‘MP Government violating Supreme Court order on RTE Act’
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
‘Assam violence is an ethnic conflict with roots in history of the state’
By S M Fasiullah for TwoCircles.net
Hyderabad: Indian democracy has suffered many blows, including the recent ethnic violence in Assam that caught attention of both public and intellectuals.
Who will speak for me if I belong to Pakistan’s Minority Community?
By Abdul Hafiz Gandhi,
Shaheen Bagh: Bid to pick Kazmi’s relative foiled; Hundreds come out to protest
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
‘Conspiracy’ behind denying passports specific to Muslim Youths in Malabar
By TCN Staff Reporter,
Keeping her poll ‘promises’ WB CM announces largesse to Muslims
Mamata: Aliah University will soon become one of the best
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Coffee Inn Art Community organises rose event for ‘our beloved’ Prophet
By TCN Staff Reporter,
Musharraf will be president till new man steps in: minister
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf, whose term as president expired Thursday, will continue in office until the next person takes oath, Information Minister Tariq Azim said here Thursday.
"This is the common sense that incumbent (sic) will continue until the new man steps in," Azim told reporters.
Musharraf has said in various interviews that he would continue as president and take oath of office after the Supreme Court ruling in the cases challenging his candidature as president.
For expatriates, changing jobs in UAE easier but costly
By IANS
Dubai : Expatriate workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can now change their jobs without having to spend a year with their original sponsor, but at a high cost.
Humaid Bin Deemas, Assistant undersecretary in the UAE Ministry of Labour, told the Gulf News that the government has done away with the rule of workers getting an exemption from his ministry before leaving the employment of the original sponsor within one year.
Israel calls on Arabs to join Annapolis talks unconditionally
By DPA
Jerusalem : Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called on Arab countries Sunday to join "without conditions" the upcoming international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at Annapolis in the US.
Stressing that the conference was only a beginning, she told a news conference with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner that the role of the Arab world was "to support the moderates in the Palestinian authority".
The conference, announced in July by President Bush, is to be held in Annapolis, Maryland at the end of this month.
US commander rules out military strike against Iran
By DPA
Cairo : The chief of the US Central Command Admiral William Fallon Sunday ruled out a possible strike against Iran and said Washington was mulling non-military options, instead.
"There are concerns in the region over Iran's behaviour and its radical talk that is constantly threatening other people. We are trying to find ways to work with other countries to get the Iranians to change their behaviour and to be more helpful," Fallon told reporters in Cairo.
PLO official: Abbas, Olmert may meet on Monday
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were likely to meet on Monday, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) said on Sunday.
"This meeting will address the obstacles that face the Palestinian-Israeli talks," Yasser Abed Rabbo of the PLO's executive committee told Voice of Palestine radio.
The talks were in preparation for a U.S.-hosted peace conference, initially expected by the end of this month, in Annapolis in the United States.
Disaster warning was no wolf cry this time
By IANS
Dhaka : For the many thousands in southern Bangladesh's villages, this was one warning they didn't take seriously. And it proved fatal as Cyclone Sidr hit with ferocity, sweeping away an estimated 10,000 people and leaving a trail of destruction.
It is a common story told through the cries of people left to gather the rubble of their lives in the devastated coastal region. The disaster warning two days before the cyclone struck was no wolf cry.
Martial law due to parliament’s failure: Pakistan chief justice
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has said failure on the part of lawmakers has led to martial law in the country.
Dogar Tuesday heard petitions against the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) and emergency rule imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on Nov 3.
"Parliament's failure has given way to martial law," Dogar said while responding to petitioner barrister Zafarullah Khan's argument that the reasons cited by Musharraf for imposing emergency rule could have been placed before the parliament for a solution, the Daily Times reported.
RSP slams West Bengal government on Taslima issue
By IANS
New Delhi : In yet another sign of fissures in West Bengal's ruling Left Front coalition, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) Friday condemned the state government's decision to send exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen to Rajasthan.
"It is a condemnable decision to send her to Rajasthan," RSP leader Abani Roy told reporters, adding that Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhatacharya "should not have allowed this to happen".
Politics takes over day after Uttar Pradesh blasts
By IANS
Lucknow : The blame game has begun in Uttar Pradesh, a day after serial terror bombings in three towns killed 13 people, with opposition parties Saturday training their guns on the Mayawati government while a cracker going off in Mughal Serai, near Varanasi, led to panic for a while.
The cracker that went off in Mughal Serai Saturday morning led to panic.
US begins relief operations in cyclone-hit Bangladesh
By IANS
Dhaka : The US has launched special relief operations in cyclone-hit areas of Bangladesh's southern coast, bringing food, drinking water and other supplies to the disaster-struck people in the country.
The first sortie was by a pair of Marine helicopters that lifted from the USS Kearsarge with loads of bottled water. The 750-gallon shipment of water was delivered to a relief-supply distribution centre in the southern city of Barisal, according to New Age newspaper.
Musharraf to take oath as president Nov 29
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pervez Musharraf will take oath as Pakistan president for a second 5-year term Nov 29, TV channel Dawn News reported Monday.
Officials were quoted by the report as saying that the Defence Ministry would notify the retirement of Gen Musharraf as Chief of the Army Staff a day before the oath taking.
The oath taking ceremony will be held at Islamabad and Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar will administer the oath of office and secrecy, the report said.
Israel to release over 400 Palestinian prisoners Sunday
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel will release more than 400 Palestinian prisoners Sunday, the local daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
The prisoners in Israel's Ketziot prison were quoted as confirming that they had received notice from the Red Cross about their release.
On Nov 19, the Israeli cabinet approved the release of 441 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture of goodwill to strengthen Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas who demanded Israel free 2,000 prisoners before a US-sponsored international summit on Middle East peace.
With Indian help, Bangladesh mulls long-term disaster management
By IANS
Dhaka : With a helping hand from India, Bangladesh wants to discuss organising and funding of long-term disaster management measures, especially in the Bay of Bengal, with all nations and agencies that are its development partners.
The idea, media reports said, is to confront a common problem. Hurricane Sidr that hit Bangladesh Nov 15 had brushed past the Indian territory before devastating Bangladesh's coastal areas, moving north and then to northeast towards India's Meghalaya and Tripura provinces.
Blueline kills biker, toll 111
By IANS
New Delhi : A speeding Blueline bus knocked down and killed a motorcyclist and critically injured two pillion riders here, making him the 111th victim of the capital's notorious 'killer' buses this year.
The bus, plying on Route No. 405 between old Delhi and Badarpur, hit the motorcyclist, Subhan, 32, and his pillions Mohamed Raju, 20,Mohamed Maan, 24, near the Lodhi Road flyover in south Delhi late Monday.
The driver sped off from the accident spot. He could not be arrested till Tuesday.
Car bombing kills two in Iraq
By Xinhua
Baghdad : At least two people were killed and 10 injured in a car bomb explosion in Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad Wednesday, a local police source said.
"A car bomb parked near the Samir Restaurant on a main road in Kirkuk exploded near a passing Kurdish soldiers' convoy," the city police chief told Xinhua.
The blast apparently targeted Kurdish Peshmerga forces guarding a police chief, but missed its target, killing at least two people and wounding ten, he said.
Hamas: Participants in annapolis responsible for catastrophe in Gaza
By NNN-PIC
Gaza : The Hamas Movement has affirmed on Dec 6 2007 that all participants in the recently concluded Annapolis conference in the United States will be held responsible for any human catastrophe that might occur in the besieged Gaza Strip as a result of the escalated Israeli aggressions and the harsh measures against the Palestinians there.
Priyanka blames Rizwanur’s brother for tragedy
By IANS
Kolkata : Priyanka Todi, wife of graphics designer Rizwanur Rahman who died under mysterious circumstances here Sep 21, Saturday blamed her brother-in-law Rukbanur for the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
It’s back to ABCs for Pakistan political parties
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Political parties in Pakistan seem to be flaunting their knowledge of the English alphabet. While the manifestos of two parties are based on five Es and Ds, another party is to unveil a list of poll promises focussing on five Rs.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) announced its manifesto based on five Ds - Democracy, Development, Devolution, Diversity and Defence.
UN climate change confab represents crossroads, Ban Ki-moon says
By IRNA
Tehran : The negotiations at the historic United Nations Climate Change Conference under way in Bali, Indonesia, represent a turning point in the fight against global warming, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.
"Today, we are at a crossroads, one path leading towards a comprehensive new climate agreement, and the other towards oblivion.
The choice is clear," he said, underscoring the importance of the Bali meeting.
At least four killed in Lebanon blast
By DPA
Beirut : At least four people, including Brigadier Francois al-Haj of the Lebanese Army, were killed and several wounded Wednesday morning in an explosion in eastern Beirut near the presidential palace, the Red Cross said.
An army source said al-Haj was one of the candidates to succeed the army commander General Michel Suleiman, who has been nominated by the ruling coalition and opposition to contest in the presidential elections in Lebanon.
Blair calls for Palestinian-Israeli action to reach agreement within certain time
By Xinhua
Cairo : Mideast Quartet envoy Tony Blair called Friday for an action to reach an political agreement between the Palestinians and Israel within certain time, reported Qatar's al-Jazerra satellite news channel.
Blair, who is currently on a tour in the Middle East region seeking to speed up the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, made the call in an interview with al-Jazerra.
The Palestinian and Israeli sides should not take any measures that could hinder the final status negotiations, Blair told al-Jazerra.
One killed in Kashmir protest over college
By IANS
Srinagar : One person was killed and at least eight were wounded Saturday when police fired at an unruly mob in a north Kashmir town demanding a degree college there.
Scores of people came out in Magam town, 25 km from here, in Badgam district and blocked traffic.
"The protesters also pelted stones on passing traffic and torched a government bus," a senior police officer said here.
Rice visits Iraq to boost reconciliation
By Xinhua
Baghdad : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday in a bid to push Iraqi leaders to speed up the national reconciliation efforts.
Rice also talked about the U.S.-Iraq ties with Iraqi leaders as the two countries are moving forward to forge a long-term relationship map next year.
Her visit coincided with the Turkish troops' cross-border strikes on the hideout of rebels in northern Iraq and a bombing in the region on Sunday.
Syria demands right of home-visiting for Golan families
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Tuesday demanded the international community to pressure Israel to allow the Syrian families in the occupied Golan Heights to visit their relatives in their motherland.
Muallem made the demand in letters to UN Secretary General, current President of the European Union, Chairman of the Human Rights Council and the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, the official SANA news agency reported.
WHO commends Kingdom’s efforts in serving pilgrims
By IRNA-SPA
Mina : The World Health Organization (WHO) commended the efforts exerted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, and the wise government to serve pilgrims and provide them with security.
This came in a cable sent by WHO Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hussein AlJazaeri to the Minister of Health Dr.
Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Manea.
Turkish air strikes kill 175 Kurdish rebels
By Xinhua
Ankara : At least 175 rebels of the separatist Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in air strikes by Turkish planes in northern Iraq on Dec 16, a Turkish Army statement said Tuesday.
It said that Turkey's military has hit more than 200 PKK positions in northern Iraq since Dec 16, killing hundreds of rebels.
Turkish planes carried out strikes at some villages near the border in the Qandil mountains Dec 16.
The military said other hideouts were hit in a cross-border air operation Dec 22 followed by artillery fire.
219 Indonesian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia
By Xinhua
Jakarta : The Indonesian government said Wednesday some 219 pilgrims from the country on way to Mecca and other holy places of Saudi Arabia have died since the annual haj pilgrimage began Nov 19.
Most of the deaths took place after the annual ritual at the Arafat and Mina deserts started last week. The high number of casualty has become a major concern for the government, Jakarta said.
Within a week, the death roll increased from 99 to 219, according to a statement from the Indonesian ministry for religious affairs.
Bhutto killing injects new element in US presidential race
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : The assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto has unexpectedly injected a new element into the US presidential race with media speculating how it would affect the candidates' chances.
Terrorism which had somewhat receded into the background with reduced violence in Iraq came to the fore again with the presidential hopefuls on either side of the political divide quickly coming up with their positions on how they would tackle the menace.
US welcomes British help in Bhutto murder probe
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : The US has welcomed Islamabad's decision to seek British help in probing the assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto and suggested that a UN investigation was unnecessary.
"The Pakistanis have just made a decision to ask Scotland Yard to get involved, and we think that that's appropriate. We welcome that," White House spokesperson Dana Perino told reporters Wednesday. "We don't see a need for an investigation beyond that at this time.
King Fahd Complex for Holy Quran excels in its mission
By SPA
Madinah : King Fahd Complex for Printing the Holy Quran is devoted to the service of the Holy book and the Prophet's (May Peace be Upon Him) Teachings. It also received all attention and care of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Erekat: Israel’s settlements, checkpoints in W Bank harm Mideast peace process
By Xinhua
Gaza : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Thursday that Israel's settlement activities and the remaining army checkpoints in the West Bank harmed the Middle East peace process.
In an interview with Voice of Palestine radio, Erekat said the continuation of settlement activities in the West Bank harmed the peace process and delayed the progress of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks that were relaunched in November 2007.
Maoist guerrilla critically injures policeman in Orissa
By IANS
Malkangiri : A policeman was critically injured after a suspected Maoist guerrilla allegedly attacked him in Orissa's Malkangiri district, police said Tuesday.
The guerrilla allegedly attacked S.K. Barik, an assistant sub inspector, with an axe late Monday, district superintendent of police Satish Kumar Gajbhiye told IANS.
The incident occurred in a crowded place near the police station in Kalimela town, about 700 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
Deport Rushdie, says Samajwadi Party
By IANS
Mumbai : Asking authorities to deport author Salman Rushdie to Britain, the Samajwadi Party youth cell has threatened to stop him from attending film actress Riya Sen's birthday celebrations in Mumbai next Thursday.
If Riya persisted in her birthday bash plans, she could face "dire consequences", as Samajwadi Party activists would lay a siege around her house and prevent her from stepping out, youth cell president Farooq Ghosi said Saturday.
How to avoid e-mail threats
By Jay Dougherty, IANS
Washington : Checking your e-mail has become a dangerous business. The number and types of e-mail borne threats that can cause harm to your computer or your privacy are growing.
Sometimes the actual danger imposed by these threats can be over hyped, but you still need to know what could constitute a dangerous e-mail message and how to respond to the threat.
Q: Can I get a virus just by reading an e-mail message?
Delhi boy strangled before being set ablaze: police
By IANS
New Delhi : A 10-year-old boy whose burnt body was discovered Thursday was strangled to death, the police said Saturday quoting the autopsy report, but the investigators remained clueless about the identity of the assailants.
"The autopsy report suggests the assailants first strangled and then set his body on fire," a senior investigating police officer told IANS on condition of anonymity.
Orissa youth burnt alive by suspected Maoists
By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Suspected Maoists set ablaze a youth after tying him to a tree with an iron chain in Orissa's Angul district, an official said Saturday.
The incident occurred in Nuasahi village, located in the middle of a forest, some 200 km from here Friday night, Additional District Magistrate Bandhu Billor told IANS on phone.
"We suspect it may be the handiwork of Maoists. The police are investigating the matter," Billor said.
He said the villagers heard a blast and rushed to the spot to see the youth in flames, tied to a tree with a chain.
Reservation for upper caste Hindus and Muslims demanded
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Patna: Reservation has been demanded in Bihar for economically backward, and poor members of higher castes in Hindu and Muslim communities in order to remove their poverty and backwardness.
Kidnapper of Adobe India CEO’s son arrested
By IANS
Noida : Chattra Pal, the alleged mastermind behind the high profile November 2006 kidnapping of Adobe India CEO Naresh Gupta's son, was arrested here early Thursday, the police said.
Chhattrapal and his accomplices had abducted Gupta's three-year-old son Anant on Nov 13, 2006, and demanded a Rs.5 million ransom. Anant was found five days later. The police had then arrested Chhattrapal and two more people on charges of kidnapping.
Chhatra Pal had escaped from police custody on Feb 4, while he was being produced before a court.
Direct flight from Indore to Jeddah for Haj pilgrims
By IANS
Bhopal : Haj pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh will have a direct flight from Indore to Jeddah from the next Haj season, it was announced Saturday.
The decision to connect the city with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia was taken at the All India Haj Conference organised by the Haj Committee of India at New Delhi recently, an official said.
Madhya Pradesh Haj Committee Secretary Nusrat Mehandi, who attended the meeting, said Haj pilgrims from the state would get to fly from Indore via Mumbai.
Leading Mumbai builder raided for massive provident fund fraud
By IANS
Mumbai : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday swooped down on the homes and offices of leading Mumbai realty developers Niranjan Hiranandani and his brother Surendra, and three senior government officials for committing a Rs.1.68-billion fraud on the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
The government officials under the CBI scanner include Regional Provident Fund Commissioner of Maharashtra & Goa K.S. Arya, two assistant PF commissioners Rajnikant and K. Gopalan. The fourth is a retired regional PF commissioner M.R. Yadav.
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.
State Minister escapes unhurt in a terror attack in Northeast India
By KUNA
New Delhi : A Minister in India's Northeastern state of Assam Thursday escaped unhurt in a blast that injured seven others.
A blast by an insurgent group at a market in Assam's Karbi Anglong district today during a public meeting addressed by state?s Hill Areas Development Minister Minister H Khorsing Ingti, injured seven people, news agency Indo Asian News Service reported. The Minister, however, escaped unhurt, the news agency said, quoting an officer of the Assam Police.
80-year-old woman held for smuggling drugs
By IANS
Raipur : The Government Railway Police (GRP) Thursday arrested an 80-year-old woman in Chhattisgarh on charges of smuggling marijuana.
Akun, hailing from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, was arrested from Raipur railway station while waiting for someone to hand over 7 kg of contraband, which she kept in a bag along with chocolates and biscuits.
GRP sources said the woman was arrested under section 20 of the Narcotics Act when she got down from Link Express and was taking a stroll on the platform.
LTTE communication facility bombed
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka Tuesday claimed its warplanes bombed a communication facility of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the rebel-heartland of Mullaitivu in the north.
"Supersonic fighter jets bombed an LTTE covert communication facility located at Panikkankulam in general area south of Kokavil in Mullaitivu at 12.30 p.m.," the defence ministry said.
Witnesses fail to appear, Abu Salem case put off
By IANS,
Mumbai : A special court here deferred the trial of underworld don Abu Salem in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast case to April 22 after witnesses failed to appear in the court Wednesday.
Special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam told IANS that the trial did not commence as the witnesses had some personal problems. "On next Tuesday, the court will begin the hearing of the two witnesses." The first witness summoned is an immigration officer.
Salem has been accused of supplying arms and being part of the conspiracy to carry out the blasts.
TV scribe attacked in road rage
By IANS,
Noida : A man who claimed to be a lawyer and a politician attacked a television journalist with an iron rod in a case of road rage in Noida in Uttar Pradesh before he was arrested.
The incident took place around 11.30 p.m. Thursday at Sector 44 near the Amity University police post close to the Indian capital. Police identified the journalist as Chandra Prakash of NDTV.
Superintendent of Police Rakesh Gautam said Prakash was returning home in his car at Sector 93. While he was taking a u-turn, another car hit his car.
Infant kidnapped from hospital
By IANS,
Chennai : A day old boy was allegedly kidnapped Monday from a hospital in Tamil Nadu by a woman posing as a voluntary nurse, the police said.
Police told IANS on telephone that the mother of the newborn, Sundari, 26, was under trauma at the hospital in Erode district, 400 km southwest of Chennai. She is undergoing natal care in the hospital.
The incident was reported when a Hindu and a Muslim couple were waiting in the Tamil Nadu capital for DNA reports to identify their child - a male and a female infant.
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.
Al Qaeda terrorists active in Pakistan: US
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Even as several international terror organisations including Al Qaeda (AQ) operated and carried out attacks in Pakistan in 2007, Islamabad took steps to prevent support to the Kashmiri militancy, according to the US State Department.
"Pakistan's leaders took steps to prevent support to the Kashmiri militancy, and the number of violent attacks in Kashmir was down by approximately 50 percent from 2006," it said Wednesday citing public statements made by the Indian defence minister.
Manipur raises people’s army, rights groups warn of anarchy
By IANS,
Imphal : The Manipur government's decision to raise a people's army to fight militancy is mired in a blazing row with civil rights groups warning of chaos and anarchy if the armed vigilance force comes into being.
As part of the Manipur cabinet's decision, 300 youths were recruited Monday from among hundreds of locals at Heirok village in Manipur's Thoubal district, about 22 km southeast of state capital Imphal.
Ground shrinking for Muslim burials in Haryana; minority commission to visit state
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: Concerned over reports about Muslims not being provided land for burial in Haryana, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has decided to take up the matter with the state authorities.
NCM has reportedly been receiving complaints from Muslims residing in Panipat, Kaithal, Sonepat and Karnal, where the dearth of land for burial has become a big concern for the community.
‘Lonely’ Taslima to return to Kolkata or Agartala
By IANS,
Agartala : Her writing "badly affected" since she left Kolkata and desperate to return, controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen said she would return there "as soon as possible". If not Kolkata, she would choose Agartala as her home when she returns to India in August.
Cash, jewellery worth Rs.25 mn stolen in Ludhiana
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Cash and gold jewellery worth nearly Rs.25 million was stolen from the office of a finance company in this industrial city of Punjab Monday.
The theft took place in the Miller Ganj area of the city where the office of the Muthoot finance company is located. The police have still not been able to identify the culprits behind the theft.
Interestingly, the theft first came to the notice of finance company officials in Gurgaon city adjoining national capital New Delhi when the sirens of the company's Ludhiana office started ringing there after the heist.
Robbers in Malaysia look for sex first
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Sex before money - that seemed to be on the minds of a group of five armed robbers who struck at a house clad only in their underclothes and face masks, a newspaper report said Wednesday.
The five men broke into a house, tied up its four occupants, then searched the house for the Indonesian maid instead of the loot.
They did not like the maid, so they beat her up and then robbed the entire family, The Star newspaper reported.
Miri town police are hunting for the group of foreigners who escaped with more than 10,000 ringgit ($312) in cash and belongings.
Savvy and young, the great Indian consumer rises
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The new Indian consumer doing the rounds of the markets this season is a savvy shopper. He is educated, knows his brand and is ready to spend more on premium lifestyle products and entertainment.
He is dreaming big and going all out to translate his aspirations into reality, even if it means overspending and using credit. And giving him the power are banks with low-interest finance schemes. All this has combined to make pricing an insignificant factor in the decision to purchase goods.
Gunmen kidnap 12 in Philippines
By DPA,
Iligan City (The Philippines) : Unidentified gunmen kidnapped 12 people - teachers and students - in the southern Philippines Tuesday, an army commander said.
The victims were preparing for their classes when they were seized from the elementary school San Roque village in Kolambugan town, Lanao del Norte province, 810 km south of Manila.
Colonel Edwin Respicio, an army commander in the area, said most of the hostages were female.
"Male pupils were left behind as the armed men fled with the victims on foot," he said.
Islam was a revolution on several fronts: Hamid Ansari
By Mumtaz Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Vice President of India Mohd. Hamid Ansari on 15th July released a book entitled “Islami Tarraqqi Pasandi” authored by Late Ali Jawad Zaidi at a function here in the national capital.
Addressing on the occasion, the Vice President said that this book contains the issues on how to make the lives of common men better and purposeful. He suggested that this useful book should be translated into Hindi and English also so that more and more people may take advantage of this book.
Ketan Parekh denied more time to surrender
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to extend the July 31 deadline for stock broker Ketan Parekh to surrender to the Mumbai jail authorities to undergo his year-long jail term for siphoning off Rs.477 million from a Canara Bank subsidiary in a financial scam of 1992.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan asked him to approach the apex court's "chamber judge", who deals with the technical pleas like extending deadlines for surrendering before jail authorities, before being heard by it.
‘Madrassa education to be made more attractive’
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government has proposed to make education in madrassas more attractive and improve the standard of education among Muslims in India, according to an official.
The proposal under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities focuses on revising madrassa modernisation programme.
Reality show members remanded in police custody
By IANS,
Kolkata : Three members of a Bengali TV reality show, including two producers and a contestant, were remanded in five days police custody by a West bengal court Saturday for allegedly pushing the caretaker of a hotel from the fifth floor for asking them to stop their night-long drinking.
The team of "Fatafati" - a reality show aired on ETV Bangla - went to Midnapore town, about 165 km from here, to shoot for a special episode Friday.
Growing support to Imam Bukhari’s proposal
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: Several Muslim religious leaders and institutions have supported the proposal of Ahmad Bukhari, Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, to organize an all-party meeting of Muslim organizations to discuss indiscriminate arrest of Muslim youths in the garb of terrorism and bomb blasts.
‘Professor’ Kalam starts IIM-A classes Saturday
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is all set to start his classes at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) Saturday. Reducing the urban-rural divide, energy security and water conservation are some of the key themes he will be addressing.
BJP, Samajwadi Party lock horns over Jamia shootout
By IANS,
New Delhi/Panaji : Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh Tuesday called for the resignation of Home Minister Shivraj Patil and a judicial probe into the shootout in Delhi's Jamia Nagar, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to label his stance "vote bank politics".
"Shivraj Patil should voluntarily step down in the name of morality and in the wake of the great Congress tradition over the decades," the Samajwadi Party general secretary told reporters in Goa.
Aligarh Muslim University to award Pakistani writer
By IANS,
Aligarh : Aligarh Muslim University will confer the Sir Syed Ahmad Khan International Award 2008 for literature on Mohammed Zakir Ali Khan.
Mohammed Zakir Ali Khan, one of the founders of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology of Pakistan, is an author of several books highlighting the sociocultural life of the university. He is the editor of Urdu monthly Tehzeeb.
Pakistan’s Official: Musharraf to doff uniform by Dec. 1
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has said that he will quit as army chief before Dec. 1, the government's top lawyer said Thursday.
"The president has said that he will give up his uniform before Dec. 1," Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum told a news conference.
Qayyum said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan would decide on Musharraf's re-election case next week.
Guerrilla commander killed in Kashmir encounter
By IANS
Srinagar : A top commander of the Harkatul Mujaheedin (HuM) militant outfit was Friday killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, police officials said.
Sajad alias Chacha, division commander of HuM, was gunned down by troops of the 18 Rashtriya Rifles, 10 Para regiment and Special Operations Group (SOG) during a joint operation at Shokbagh, 64 km from here in north Kashmir's Bandipore district.
Saudi king: OPEC to launch 500-mln-fund on development and environment
By Xinhua
Riyadh : The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will launch a fund to deal with development and environmental issues, Saudi Arabia's king said on Saturday night.
King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud made the announcement at the two-day 3rd OPEC summit which opened here on Saturday afternoon amid surging oil prices.
The OPEC fund of 500 million U.S. dollars will be launched to help developing countries to deal with development and global climate change, said the king, without elaborating more.
Musharraf is now Pakistan’s civilian president
By Mohammed Najeeb
Islamabad, Nov 29 (IANS) Attired in a black sherwani, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Thursday took oath as head of state for five more years, this time as a civilian, vowing to hold parliamentary elections in January come what may.
The country's opposition boycotted the official ceremony where Musharraf, who stepped down as the army chief Wednesday after ruling the country in uniform for eight years following intense Western pressure.
Israeli PM says Iran still a threat
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday that Iran's nuclear program still poses a major threat to the West, rebutting a U.S. intelligence report that determined Tehran has halted its nuclear weapons program.
; According to Israeli daily Ha'aretz's website, Olmert addressed a security conference Tuesday, saying that, "Iran was and remains dangerous, and we must continue international pressure with full force to dissuade Iran from nuclear tendencies."
U.S. intelligence probing al-Qaeda link with Bhutto killing
By Xinhua
Washington : The U.S. intelligence agencies were still investigating whether al-Qaeda terrorists had been behind the assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the White House said on Friday.
"There have been many claims of responsibility. Our intelligence community is still looking into it," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters at Crawford, Texas, where President George W. Bush's family is spending their New Year holiday.
Pakistan poll to be postponed: Election Commission
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to postpone the Jan 8 polls in view of the situation in the country after the murder of former prime minister Benaqzir Bhutto and will announce new dates for national and provincial assembly elections on Monday, a senior official of the commission told IANS.
"Today in an informal meeting the senior officials of the ECP discussed the situation and unrest in the country and concluded that elections will have to be postponed," said the official requesting anonymity.
Pakistan targets 86% literacy rate by year 2015
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Pakistan's National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) to achieve 86 percent literacy rate in the country by year 2015 through expanding its ‘Literacy Program’ nationwide.
This was stated by Dr. Nasim Ashraf, Chairman NCHD while talking to APP. The Commission, he said, has successfully entered its 5th year of operations through expanding its literacy and health programmes from two districts in 2002 to more than 122 districts in 2007.
Pakistan cancels election in Benazir’s constituency
By IRNA
Islamabad : The Election Commission of Pakistan has cancelled election in the constituency where former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was contesting election for the Lower House of the Parliament, the Commission said on Friday.
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27 in the city of Rawalpindi after she addressed a huge election public meeting.
"The election process was terminated on National Assembly-207 Larkana-cum-Shikarpur in Sindh due to the death of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto," the commission said in a statement.
Four-year-old kidnapped, murdered in Andhra Pradesh
By IANS
Hyderabad : In a shocking incident, a four-year-old child was kidnapped and murdered in Himayatsagar near here, police said Tuesday.
Kartik, who was kidnapped by his father's friend a week ago, was murdered within hours of the kidnap. Babu, the alleged kidnapper who had demanded a ransom of Rs.5 million, confessed after the police arrested him early Tuesday.
After a three-hour effort, police retrieved the victim's body from rocks in Peeramcheru area in Rajendernagar on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
Armed men flee with businessman’s car in Greater Noida
By IANS
Noida : Three unidentified men fled with the Santro car of a businessman as well as his belongings after forcing the driver off the car at gun point, police said here Saturday.
The men requested the driver of businessman Kamal Mehta, a resident of Gamma I sector of Greater Noida, for a lift late Friday night as he was returning to his own home after dropping Mehta.
Rs.1 mn robbed in daylight heist
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : In a daring daylight robbery, five armed dacoits looted cash and jewellery worth over Rs.1 million from the house of a leading industrialist here Thursday.
The incident occurred in Raj Nagar locality of Ghaziabad, a suburb of national capital Delhi.
According to the family, the five unidentified men barged into the house around 2.00 p.m. when the maid arrived for work and left the main gate open. The men overpowered the maid and pinned her down by tying her arms.
The robbers then at gunpoint looted the cash and jewellery from the house owner's wife.
Kashmir land transfer controversy: Separatists under house arrest
By IANS,
Srinagar : The police here Monday put some Kashmiri separatist leaders under house arrest in order to prevent protest demonstrations against the allotment of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
"We have supported the protest call given by Syed Ali Shah Geelani's Tehreek-e-Hurriyat for today (Monday), but the administration put us under house arrest in order to prevent our participation in these protests," Nayeem Khan, chairman of the National Front, told IANS on phone.
Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam to contest Lok Sabha election
By TwoCircles.net reporter,
Tiruchirapalli: Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) will make formal inauguration of the Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (MMK), its newly-floated political party, at the party's state conference at Chennai after the rainy season.
Addressing a press conference here on 6th July TMMK president M H Jawahirullah announced it and said efforts were on to register the MMK with the Election Commission. He further said the party would contest in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
AMU to set up modern information and communication lab
By IANS,
Lucknow : The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) will set up a state-of-art information and communication laboratory for its engineering students, a university official said Friday.
"An alumnus of the university, M.P. Varshney, has donated Rs.1 million for setting up the lab," AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar told IANS on phone.
The lab will be equipped with all the latest information and communication technology devices, including fast-speed computers, Internet and other facilities, he added.
Two Jaish guerrillas, soldier killed in Kashmir
By IANS
Srinagar : Two guerrillas of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and a soldier were killed early Tuesday when security personnel surrounded a militant hideout in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Murmurs against Musharraf, former PM Jamali resigns from party
By IANS
Islamabad : There were murmurs against Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's poll plans and dissensions within the party he blessed erupted, leading to the resignation of former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali from the Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid).
Gogoi offers ULFA safe passage
By IANS
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Saturday offered a month-long safe passage to leaders of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to visit the state and gauge for themselves if people want peace and an end to violence.
Chhattisgarh Maoists call for economic blockade, police on alert
By IANS
Raipur : Maoists in Chhattisgarh have called for a two-day economic blockade in the state's insurgency-hit Bastar region next week and police forces have been put on high alert to foil the rebels' plans.
Olmert: Israel to release 250 Fatah prisoners
By Xinhua
Sharm El-Sheikh : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that he plans to release 250 prisoners from the Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
   Olmert made the remarks in a four-way summit at this Red Sea resort which aims to ease the current grave situation in the Palestinian territories and activate the stalled Mideast peace process.
Suicide bomb kills 23 Iraqi army recruits
By Xinhua
Baghdad : A suicide truck bomb struck an Iraqi recruitment centre in a town west of Baghdad Sunday, killing at least 23 recruits and wounding some 30, police source said.
President Musharraf rejects amnesty for Ghazi
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has rejected a proposal by an ulema delegation for amnesty for Lal Masjid deputy head cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi, Online news agency reported Tuesday.
Pakistan’s suspended CJ reinstated; blow to Musharraf
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan's Supreme Court Friday reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in a judgement that was seen as a major blow to President Pervez Musharraf.
Justice Kalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, heading a 13-member bench, in a short order declared the presidential reference illegal, ultra vires the constitution and without lawful authority, the Online news agency reported.
Hundreds of lawyers chanted "Go, Musharraf go, Live long CJP" slogans soon after the verdict was announced at around 4 p.m.
Indian Muslims are not well served by their leaders
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS
It may be a coincidence, but both India and Pakistan have started talking in terms of reforming the traditional madrassa system of education. While Pakistan's initiative has understandably followed the tragic Lal Masjid episode, the Indian government's proposed measures are evidently the fallout of pressure from the Hindu communal outfits.
South Korea-Taliban hostage talks end inconclusively
By DPA
Seoul : The fate of 21 South Koreans held hostage in Afghanistan by the Taliban remained unclear after the first direct talks between negotiators from Seoul and the militant group ended inconclusively, officials said Saturday.
Further details of the talks held Friday could not be given, a spokesman for the South Korean president's office told reporters. But he added that the end of the first round of talks did not mean efforts to negotiate had ended.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the government was working to arrange further meetings with the Taliban.
Death toll in Assam massacre mounts to 14
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Guwahati : The toll in the overnight massacre of Hindi-speaking migrant workers in Assam rose to 14 Saturday with the discovery of three more bodies as security forces across the state have been put on a maximum alert, officials said.
Heavily armed militants late Friday attacked sleeping villagers at Dolamara in Karbi Anglong district, about 250 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
Three killed, eight wounded in Kashmir road accident
By IANS
Srinagar : Three people were killed and eight others wounded when an over-loaded minibus carrying devotees from the Hazratbal shrine turned turtle near here Friday.
Police here said the mini bus, returning with devotees after the special Friday prayers at Hazratbal, overturned at Zakura locality, 14 km from here.
"Three people died on the spot while another eight sustained serious injuries in the accident. All the injured have been shifted to hospital," said Javaid Ahmad Koul, superintendent of police (Hazrtabal).
Blast rocks Peshawar cantonment
By Xinhua
Islamabad : A blast rocked the military area in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar city Saturday injuring two people, private Dawn news TV channel reported.
The report said the explosion occurred in Peshawar cantonment, damaging many vehicles.
IAEA officials start new round of talks with Iran over nuclear file
By Xinhua
Tehran : Officials from the UN atomic watchdog on Monday started a new round of talks here with Iran over its disputed nuclear program, the state-run media reported.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini was quoted as saying that the talks were mainly about Iran's progress on the development of P1 and P2 centrifuges which are used to enrich uranium.
Pakistan media slams Musharraf regime for arresting opposition leaders
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Pakistani media Tuesday slammed the country's government for rounding up leaders of opposition parties ahead of the presidential polls to facilitate Pervez Musharraf's re-election for another five-year term.
A number of leading newspapers warned the government that the arrests would only lead to more political turmoil in the country and said the act would favour the opposition outfits that constitute the All Parties Democratic Movement.
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.
Iranian FM meets his French counterpart in New York
By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has held a meeting with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
In the meeting Wednesday, Kouchner said: "Iran is a great country and we will never want to fight with it and we are looking for peace."
According to Foreign Ministry Media Department report, Kouchner, in the meeting, said that the media had distorted his statements about Iran.
US putting Laden, me in same boat: Ahmadinejad
By DPA
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused "some circles" in the US of putting him in the same boat as Al Qaeda head Osama bin Laden.
"Some US circles wanted to sabotage my trip to New York by, for example, putting my picture next to bin Laden," Ahmadinejad told the Khabar news network.
Ahmadinejad also accused the US government and New York City officials of rejecting his request to visit the site of the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Kidnapped Red Cross officials freed in Afghanistan
By NNN-KUNA
Kabul : Four Red Cross officials, kidnapped in central Afghanistan last week, were safely released by their captors Saturday.
The two Afghans and two foreign nationals, one from Myanmar and Macedonia each, were seized by armed men, believed to be Taliban militants, in Said Abad district of the central Maidan Wardak province last week.
According to local officials, the four people were involved in efforts to secure release of a German national, who was kidnapped by Taliban militants more than two months back.
Pakistan Supreme Court permits presidential poll
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : The Supreme Court of Pakistan Friday gave its go-ahead for polling in Saturday's presidential election but restrained the Election Commission from notifying the result till it takes a final decision on petitions filed against President Pervez Musharraf's candidature.
A 10-judge bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal asked the Election Commission to notify the results only after the court permitted.
Iraqi major Shiite rivals agree to curb clash
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Two leading Iraqi Shiite political rivals agreed Saturday to jointly prevent further violence and bloodshed in the country bogged down by factional scuffles.
Maoist leader arrested
Ranchi, (IANS) A leader of a breakaway group of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has been arrested in Palamau district of Jharkhand, police said Monday.
Pramod alias Kanna, a zonal commander of the Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), was arrested Sunday after the police raided his hideout in the Paki jungle in Palamau, 190 km from Ranchi. The police seized a pistol and Maoist literature from him.
Rizwanur episode has affected Left government: Basu
By IANS
Kolkata : Veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Jyoti Basu Friday admitted the Left Front government in West Bengal has suffered political damage due to the inordinate delay in removal of tainted police officers following the mysterious death of a Muslim youth.
"Yes, the state government's image has received a beating due to the delay in transferring the policemen who had allegedly coerced Rizwanur. We have suffered politically," Basu told reporters while replying to a question at the state CPM's headquarters in Alimuddin Street here.
Israeli naval shelling of Gaza boat kills one Palestinian
By Xinhua
Gaza : At least one Palestinian killed and one wounded as Israeli naval boat gunships shelled a Palestinian fishing boat with one missile on the shores of Gaza City on Saturday evening, Palestinian police and medical sources said.
The police of ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said that Israeli fighting ships opened fire at a Palestinian fishing boat in Gaza Sea and hit it on which two people were there, one killed and the other wounded.
A quarter of Arab population illiterate: Amr Moussa
By IANS
Dubai : Some 71 million people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who make up a quarter of the Arab population the world over, are illiterate, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa has said.
Much of the region's failure to eradicate illiteracy was due to obscure curricula, the secretary general said while addressing the inaugural session of the Knowledge Conference here Sunday.
He called upon Arab universities to reform the education system to catch up with a fast moving world, WAM news agency reported Monday.