News

Kohli rues lack of consistency, failure in crunch situations

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Comprehensively outplayed by the Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli Thursday regretted his side’s lack of consistency and conceding the momentum after the first four overs of the rivals’ innings in their Indian Premier League outing.

“We have not been consistent in the crucial moments, I have said this before as well. Have not maintained our composure too much, in those crunch situations,” Kohli said after his side suffered a 30-run loss at the Eden Gardens.

Replying to the Knight Riders’ 195/4, the Royal Challengers finished at 165/5.

Seemandhra Secretariat Employees ready to leave

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Seemandhra Secretariat Employees Association President Murali Krishna today said that they are ready to work from their own State of Andhra Pradesh. We are just ready to leave Hyderabad for our new capital and begin our works sitting under trees, he said.

Naidu urges people to help develop new AP

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TDP president and chief minister in waiting for new state Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu today called upon people to become partner of development of the region.

He thanked the people for continuing their support to party’s landslide victory. Every citizen has to contribute to make new Andhra Pradesh state (Seemandhra) developed as one of the best States in the country. “We will work every second and minute for development of the new State”, he added.

Court notice on CRPF bodybuilders’ plea

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The Delhi High Court Thursday issued notice to the central government and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on a plea filed by the bodybuilding team of the paramilitary force against the decision to disband them.

Justice Reva Khetrapal and Justice Pratibha Rani sought response from the home ministry and the CRPF and posted the matter for Sep 23.

On May 16, the CRPF disbanded its bodybuilding team saying that the sport did not come under ‘All India Sport’ category.

Andhra staff not to be let in Telangana secretariat: KCR

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Amid a raging row over division of employees between Telangana and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana chief minister-designate K.Chandrasekhara Rao Thursday made it clear that employees from Andhra Pradesh would “not be allowed to enter the Telangana secretariat”.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, said the employees of Telangana should work in Telangana while those who are natives of Rayalseem and coastal Andhra regions should work in Andhra Pradesh.

BJP is trying to implement its agenda: CPI

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CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy today accused BJP of trying to implement its own agenda on people of the country. However, the CPI will continue to protest the “dictatorial” attitude of those at helm of affairs and disturb secular fabric.

AAP to approach higher court against Kejriwal’s detention

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The AAP Thursday said it will approach a higher court against the magistrate’s decision to send its leader Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody in a defamation case.

“We will approach a higher court against the order issued by the district court which sent Kejriwal to judicial custody,” party leader Sanjay Singh told the media after meeting Kejriwal in the Tihar Jail.

People who praised Rahul earlier are now blaming him: Satyavrat Chaturvedi

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Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi on Thursday said people who used to praise Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, are now blaming him for the party”s defeat in the elections. “Yesterday, the people who used to praise Rahul Gandhi, are now blaming him even after Rahul said that he takes full responsibility for the results,” said Chaturvedi. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Congress should introspect on the outcome of the elections. “What the Congress does in terms of introspection is entirely their business.

Arvind Kejriwal has become ‘Arvind Crazywaal,’ says Venkaiah Naidu

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M.Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has become ‘Arvind Crazywaal’. “Arvind Kejirwal has become ‘Arvind Crazywaal’. Nobody is taking him seriously,” said Naidu. Kejriwal was arrested yesterday after he refused to furnish a bail bond in connection with a criminal defamation complaint filed by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.

KKR have shed the chokers tag, says Gambhir

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Refusing to take credit for turning around the fortunes of his team, captain Gautam Gambhir Thursday said he was satisfied but not surprised over his Kolkata Knight Riders’ six-match winning streak which powered it to the playoffs of the Indian Premier League.

Addressing the media after humbling Royal Challengers Bangalore by 30 runs at the Eden Gardens here, Gambhir credited the entire team and support staff for the KKR’s stupendous run after losing five of the seven games initially.

Odisha heat wave deaths rise to 21

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Odisha authorities Thursday confirmed the death of one more person due to sunstroke, taking the deaths on account of the heat wave in the state to 21.

Rupa Sethi, a 70-year-old resident of Keuta Khandia village in Kendrapada district, died April 18, but the local administration confirmed the death only Thursday, a revenue department official told IANS.

The heat wave has intensified further, with Titilagarh town in Bolangir district, about 400 km from Bhubaneswar, recording 45 degrees Celsius Thursday, the season’s highest in the state.

13 soldiers killed in east Ukraine town

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At least 13 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in a rebel attack at a Ukrainian military check point in the eastern Donetsk region early Thursday, the country’s acting President Alexandr Turchynov said.

“Our troops defended the town of Volnovakha and have not allowed insurgents to break through defences, but unfortunately, our soldiers sacrificed their lives for Ukraine, tolerating mortar fire and heavy weapon fire,” Xinhua quoted Turchynov as saying during his meeting with local religious figures.

Bengal to set up anti-trafficking task force

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The West Bengal government is setting up a anti-human trafficking task force to prevent trafficking of girls and help in rehabilitating them, sources said.

Designated ‘3R’, the special team will comprise police and CID officials as well as representatives of the Bangladesh deputy high commission in Kolkata.

According to national crime record figures 2009, the state accounts for 86 percent of the total cases of selling of girls for prostitution and 17.2 percent of the total cases of procuration of minor girls for prostitution.
(IANS)

Russia, China veto draft UN resolution on Syria

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Russia and China, two permanent members of the UN Security Council, Thursday used their veto power over a draft resolution intended to refer the Syrian civil war to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The unadopted draft resolution, proposed by France, received 13 votes in favour and two against, Xinhua reported.

The vote at the 15-nation UN body made it a fourth double veto by Russia and China on a West-drafted resolution on Syria, with the two countries having vetoed three previous draft resolutions on the issue.

IPL scoreboard: Royal Challengers vs Knight Riders

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The following is the scoreboard in the Indian Premier League match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore here Thursday.

Kolkata Knight Riders

R.V. Uthappa not out 83
G. Gambhir c Takawale b Starc 4
M.K. Pandey c Starc b Dinda 13
Y.K. Pathan run out (Kohli/Takawale) 22
Shakib Al Hasan b Ahmed 60
R.N. ten Doeschate not out 6

Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 4, nb 1) 7
Total (4 wickets; 20 overs) 195

Fall of wickets 1-5 (Gambhir, 0.5 ov), 2-23 (Pandey, 3.4 ov), 3-56 (Pathan, 6.6 ov), 4-177 (Shakib Al Hasan, 18.4 ov)

No regrets for Modi remark: Mukul Sangma

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Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Thursday said he does not regret his remark that Narendra Modi will never become the prime minister because of his “fundamentalist background”.

He said the mandate in the general election was not for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime minister-designate but for an alternative to the Congress-led government at the centre.

“Why should I regret for saying that? The poll verdict was not for Modi but for an alternative party other than the Congress,” he told journalists here.

AAP can no longer use agitations to win back public”s trust: Meem Afzal

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Congress leader Meem Afzal on Thursday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) only knows how to agitate and cannot use it past methods to win back the trust of the public it had lost during its 49 days in power. “They can only do agitations. They think they can go back to public using the way they rose to fame, but, they need to know that the people have lost their faith in them,” said Afzal. “They have lost credibility. They are using the same old methods they used earlier. This is a well scripted drama,” he said.

Sonia congratulated Modi: Congress

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi has written to Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, congratulating him on the BJP’s victory in the Lok Sabha elections, party sources said Thursday.

They said Gandhi wrote to Modi Tuesday.

Modi led his Bharatiya Janata Party to an emphatic victory in the Lok Sabha polls after a high-decibel battle. While the BJP won majority on its own for the first time by getting 282 seats, the Congress was restricted to 44, its lowest tally in a general election.

During floods, snakes and scorpions climb the same tree: Chirag Paswan on RJD-JD-U alliance

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Commenting on alliance between the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the (Janata Dal United) Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan”s son Chirag Paswan on Thursday said that when there is flood, snakes and scorpions climb up the same tree. “When a flood comes, the snake and the scorpion climb the same tree, it is really funny. It is very strange to be so politically opportunistic,” said Paswan. “Nobody is ready for elections. They are just going to drag the government,” he said.

IPL-7 most popular on TV, social media

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Claiming the current edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has outscored its predecessors in terms of popularity, its governing council Thursday said the television viewership, stadium attendance, as also social media were indicators of its soaring public appeal.

IPL chief operating officer Sundar Raman said the tournament has grown manifold this year.

BCCI interim president Sunil Gavaskar, who is in charge of the ongoing IPL, said while 170 million people watched on television the first 41 games of the IPL last year, the viewership has shot up to 174 million this year.

JD-U rules out alliance after RJD extends support

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Bihar’s ruling JD-U Thursday welcomed the support extended by Lalu Prasad’s RJD to the new state government led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, but ruled out any chance of an alliance with it.

“We welcome the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s support to the state government but there is no possibility of an alliance or any chance of realignment with it,” Janata Dal-United state president Bashisht Narain Singh told media persons here.

He said the JD-U did not seek the RJD’s support, and it announced the support on its own. “We cannot say ‘no’ to support,” he said.

Geoffrey Boycott finally meets his `favourite singer` Katy Perry

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Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott’s dream of meeting Katy Perry finally came true on Tuesday night after he went to see her perform in Manchester, and was given the opportunity to meet her backstage.

The 73-year-old has previously spoken of his admiration for the brunette beauty and her music, but never thought he’d have the chance to meet her, the Mirror reported.

A photo of the pair together, with 29-year-old Perry wearing what appeared to be a polka dot bathrobe, was posted online later.

Saina, Sindhu give India 2-0 lead over Indonesia

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Indian badminton’s sensations Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu won their respective singles matches to give India a 2-0 lead in the Uber Cup quarter-final against Indonesia at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here Thursday.

While Saina beat World No.23 Lindaweni Fanetri 21-17, 21-10 in the first singles to gain a 2-1 advantage in career meetings, World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu overcame Bellaetrix Manuputty 21-16, 10-21, 25-23 to give India a 2-0 lead.

58 percent new Lok Sabha members are first-timers

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Fifty-eight percent of members elected to the Lok Sabha in this general election are first-timers, the highest in the last three decades.

A total of 315 parliamentarians out of 543 have been elected for the first time to the Lok Sabha, according to PRS.

This is the highest number of first-time members in the Lok Sabha in the last three decades. This number includes those who might have been members of the Rajya Sabha before, but have been elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time.

Of the 543 elected members, 226 (42 percent) have prior Lok Sabha experience.

Nawaz ‘likely’ to attend Modi’s oath-taking ceremony next week

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India’s Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi.

India has invited leaders of all South Asian countries, including Nawaz to Modi’s oath-taking ceremony scheduled for May 26. According to the Express Tribune, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam confirmed that Pakistan has received the formal invitation. She added that it was most likely that Sharif would travel next week to New Delhi to attend the ceremony.