News

Modi speaks to Indian ambassador in Afghanistan, assures help in every way

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Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akhbaruddin on Friday said that Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi has spoken to the Indian ambassador in Afghanistan and has assured help over attack on the India consulate.

“The PM-Designate Narendra Modi has spoken to our ambassador in Herat. He has not only bolstered morale, but has also assured help in every way over attack on the Indian consulate there,” said Akhbaruddin.

The Indian Consulate in Herat in Afghanistan was attacked today.

Modi’s invite to Sharif a big gesture: M.J Akbar

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and well known journalist M.J Akbar on Friday said Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi has made a big gesture by inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to attend his oath-taking ceremony on Monday (May 26) evening.

“Narendra Modi has shown a very big gesture by inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and it is not only Pakistan, but (leaders) of all SAARC nations,” said Akbar.

“Whatever the challenges under Narendra Modi are, India is not going to appear weak, as Modi is going to make an extremely strong leader,” he added.

UN Security Council adds Boko Haram to 1267 sanctions list

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The UN Security Council has approved sanctions against Nigeria’s Boko Haram after adding the terrorist group to the UN’s 1267 sanctions list.

Samantha Power, US ambassador to the United Nations, said that by adding Boko Haram to the 1267 sanctions list, the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram and shown global unity against their savage actions.

She further added that imposing sanctions is the latest step in the international community’s long-term effort to help Nigeria counter the terrorist threat.

Pentagon’s research wing unveils hack-proof drone

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The Pentagon’s research wing has unveiled a hack-proof drone to meet America’s national security needs.

According to the military blog Defense Tech, the High Assurance Cyber Military Systems are a new program used by the drones to prevent cyber-attacks, the Washington Times reported.

The HACMS program manager, Kathleen Fischer, said that the technology, which was developed for the Defense Advance Research Project Agency has been in the works for years and the software is designed to make sure a hacker cannot take over control of it.

Rooney to see Liverpool ‘shrink’ to help in dealing with WC pressure

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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has said that he would see Liverpool’s psychiatrist, Dr. Steve Peters, in order to help him deal with the pressure of the World Cup as he prepares to go to Brazil with the England squad.

Peters’ speech to the England squad had impressed Rooney during their training camp at Vale de Lobo and the forward has held talks with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard about the benefits of working with someone who has also been instrumental in the careers of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.

Kiwi PM John Key feels current match-fixing scandal will not disrupt staging of WC 2015

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New Zealand Primer Minister John Key believes that the ongoing match-fixing scandal surrounding cricket would in no way disrupt the staging of the ICC World Cup in his country and Australia next year.

New Zealand’s suitability to stage the World Cup matches in February and March is reportedly being questioned, as the country’s former players Chris Cairns, Lou Vincent and Daryl Tuffey are involved in an anti-corruption investigation by the International Cricket Council ( ICC).

Delegation of Muslim League meets KCR

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A delegation of All India Muslim League led by Abdus Sattar Mujahed senior National General Secretary and State President All India Muslim League yesterday evening called on TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao and congratulated him for forming the first government of newly formed TRS state.

Chand Pasha, Abdul Basith, Syed Mustafa Quadri, Mohammed Mushtaq Husain, Asghar Shah Khan, Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Abdur Razzaq, Asghar Shah Khan, Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Abdur Razzaq, Tipu Sultan Mujahed, Hafez Syed Laeq Ali, Mirza Shaker Baig.

Teachers’ training programme at Siasat office

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1-day School Teachers Training Programme is being held by Siasat daily, on May 31, from 10 am to 4 pm at Mahboob Husain Jigar Hall, Siasat premises, Abids.

Special Teachers’ Training Programme will be held under the supervision of academician Mr. M M Husain. School teachers of Hyderabad and Secunderabad will have the opportunity to improve their skills by participating in the special teachers training programme. The programme will train the candidates according to NCERT’s new educational philosophy.

Becks’ mum makes him ‘uncomfortable’ about semi-nude modelling

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David Beckham is very uncomfortable about posing half naked because of his mother, it has been revealed.

The 39-year-old footballer, who launched a new swimwear range for H and M, confessed that he’ll never get used to seeing such images of himself, as his mother Sandra calls him up whenever she sees an advert with him in his undergarments, Daily Express reported.

Beckham added that the exposure he gets is difficult to comprehend and this year’s Super Bowl was ridiculously embarrassing, as he had never seen so many billboards of himself in one city. (ANI)

Facebook tightens user privacy with updates for ‘friends,’ not ‘public’

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Social media website, Facebook has reportedly improved users’ privacy by changing the default sharing option for FB updates to ‘ share with friends’ rather than with the ‘public’.

According to CNET, the new setting will be applicable to new Facebook members by default; however, other members can also change the default audience for their updates.

Facebook said that first time posters will be reminded to choose an audience for their first post, and if they don’t make a choice, it will be set to Friends, the report added.

Sharif to take decision about attending Modi’s swearing-in ceremony today

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is consulting his close aides on whether to accept India’s invitation to attend swearing-in ceremony of prime minister-in-waiting Narendra Modi.

Official sources said Sharif’s decision about attending the ceremony would be taken on Friday (today) after taking all stakeholders, including the army, into confidence.

However, a senior official told The Express Tribune that a bilateral meeting between Sharif and Modi has already been fixed if ‘our prime minister decides to visit’.

Congress condemns attack on Indian consulate: Meem Afzal

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Congress leader Meem Afzal on Friday said that the party condemned the attack on the Indian consulate in Herat and added that the situation will be under control soon.

“This is wrong, the Congress party condemns it. The people who want to spread target India and spread terror would never be successful,” said Afzal.

“We are lucky that the diplomats are safe. Very soon, the situation will be in control,” he added.

Jaswant Singh reaches LK Advani’s residence

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Expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh on Friday reached senior party leader LK Advani’s residence to meet him.

Singh, who fought as an Independent candidate from Barmer constituency of Rajasthan, lost by a big margin against BJP’s Colonel Sonaram.

Singh wanted to contest from Barmer but the party fielded Sonaram instead.

He filed nomination as an independent candidate and was expelled from the BJP for refusing to withdraw his candidature. (ANI)

Suspension of Majlis Corporator demanded

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A complaint has been lodged against MIM Corporator from Division No. 29, Nizamabad M A Faheem by his rival Abdul Nayeem an independent candidate. Lodging a complaint with Commissioner Municipal Corporation against Mr. Nayeem appealed to suspend M A Faheem’s membership as corporator. In his complaint Abdul Nayeem told that the elected corporator of division no 29 Faheemuddin alias M A Faheem filed false affidavit regarding the details of his children at the time of filing his nomination.

Playoff chances over, RCB play for pride against CSK

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Their playoff hopes over, a shattered Royal Challengers Bangalore will only have pride to play for against strong title-contenders Chennai Super Kings in their last league match of the IPL-7 here tomorrow.
The 30-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who booked the IPL playoff berth, dashed RCB’s hopes, a massive blow to team owner Dr Vijay Mallya, who splurged Rs 14 crore to buy all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.

Virat Kohli, who could do no wrong in the last IPL by scoring over 600 runs, is now in the eye of the storm for RCB’s doomed campaign.

India’s oldest Test player Mantri dies

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India’s oldest Test cricketer Madhav Mantri, maternal uncle of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, died here early this morning in a local hospital due to old age complications, sources close to him said.

He was 92 and died a bachelor.

Mantri was a wicket-keeper-batsman, who played only four Test matches, one in India (1951), two in England (1952) and his last in Dhaka (1954-55 in the then East Pakistan), compiling 63 runs and accounting for 8 catches and a stumping.

Heavily armed gunmen attack Indian Consulate in Afghanistan

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Gunmen armed with heavy weapons including rocket propelled grenades today attacked the Indian Consulate in Afghanistan’s Herat province during which three attackers were killed, top Indian officials said.

All the diplomatic staff were safe.

Three gunmen were killed, one by ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) and two by Afghan police, out of four attackers who struck the Consulate which houses two buildings, Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha said.

Dust storm likely in Delhi

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It was a hot and humid Friday morning here with the minimum temperature recorded a notch below the season’s average at 25.8 degrees Celsius. The Met Office has forecast dust storms ahead in the day.

“The sky will turn partly cloudy with one or two spells of rain in the day,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department.

The day’s maximum temperature is likely to hover around 41 degrees Celsius.

Special train between Vijayawada and Ahmedabad

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The Railways will run a special train between Vijayawada and Ahmedabad via Ballarshah on May 30 to clear the summer rush.

Accordingly, train no. 02714 will depart from Vijayawada on May 30 (Friday) at 7 PM and arrive at Ahmedabad at 5.45 PM next day on May 31 (Saturday). It will pass through Ballarshah at 12.25 AM on May 31.

Similarly, train no. 02713 will leave Ahmedabad on May 31 (Saturday) at 7.30 PM and reach Vijayawada next day on June 1 (Sunday) at 6.55 PM. It will pass through Ballarshah at 12.55 AM on June 1.

Modi’s invitations to South Asian leaders a strong signal: US

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Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s invitations to the leaders of South Asian countries including Pakistan to attend his swearing-in ceremony on Monday sends a strong and positive signal, a top American diplomat has said.

“I certainly think that having the regional leaders come (for the swearing-in ceremony) is a strong and positive signal. Beyond that I think, it is really for India and its neighbours to react and respond to,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal, said.

K Vishveshwar Reddy and S Damodhar Reddy to attend Du Ba Du programme

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The 31st Du Ba Du programme for settlement of matrimonial alliance of Muslim boys and girls with mutual consultation of their parents will be held on Sunday, May 25, from 9 am to 3 pm at STR Garden, Pillar no 176, Upparpally x-road, Rajendranagar. The programme being conducted by Siasat and Minorities Development Forum will be presided over by Mr. Zahed Ali Khan, editor Siasat and chief patron MDF. Chevella MP Konda Vishveshwar Reddy and senior TRS leader S Damodhar Reddy will attend as chief guests.

Manish Tewari hits out at BJP over invite to Sharif for Modi’s swearing-in

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Congress leader Manish Tewari has criticized Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over sending an invitation to Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi, saying that in the past such initiatives were undertaken by the Manmohan Singh”s government but faced a lot of criticism at the hands of BJP. “The BJP should not forget that Manmohan Singh had come under attack from them for carrying forward the process of normalising relations with the neighbour initiated by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” he said.

T Muslim advocate forum members meet KCR

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A delegation of Telangana Muslim Advocate Forum, led by president Telangana Muslim Advocate Forum and State secretary Telangana Rashtra Samithi Mr. Waheed Ahmed advocate called on to be chief minister Chandrashekhar Rao. Mr. Waheed Ahmed advocate congratulated Mr. K Chandrashekhar on becoming the first chief minister of Telangana state. He urged KCR to nominate Mr. Mohammed Mahmood Ali as the deputy chief minister.

Russia, China veto UN proposal to refer Syrian crisis to International Criminal Court

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Russia and China have interdicted the UN proposal of referring the crisis in Syria to the International Criminal Court, discounting the support in favour of the resolution of 65 other countries.

Washington vehemently reviled this move of Moscow and Beijing, with Samantha Power, US ambassador, adding that the people of Syria would not see the lights of justice as the vetoes have prevented the victims of atrocities from testifying at The Hague.

Thai army chief declares himself acting PM

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Thailand’s army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has declared himself as acting prime minister until someone is found to permanently serve the post, media reported Friday.

“As some laws stipulate that ‘the prime minister’ authorises actions under the law, Prayuth Chan-ocha and his assigned individuals will uphold that authority for the time being,” the Bangkok Post quoted a statement of the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council (NPOMC) as saying.

Chan-ocha, who is also the leader of the NPOMC, made the announcement Thursday night.