News

China relaunches rail link with Europe

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A freight train Wednesday began its journey from central China’s Wuhan city to Poland’s Lodz, restarting the Wuhan-Xijiang-Europe rail route after it was suspended for technical reasons.

Its 15-day journey will pass along the Silk Road economic belt through major cities in central and northwest China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus before arriving at the destination, Xinhua reported.

The rail trip is about one month quicker than the maritime alternative, and costs a fifth as much as air freight, according to the Wuhan Transport Committee.

US state’s new law allows guns in bars, churches

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A new law in the US state of Georgia will soon will allow licenced gun owners to take firearms into churches, bars, airports and government buildings, the media reported Wednesday.

Following Governor Nathan Deal’s signing Wednesday of the Safe Carry Protection Act, which takes effect July 1, gun owners to take firearms into houses of worship if the congregation allows it, into bars unless the owner objects, into non-secure areas of airports, and into government buildings, except past security checkpoints, Los Angeles Times reported.

US ‘disappointed’ by Palestinian reconciliation deal

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The US said Wednesday that it is “disappointed” by the reconciliation agreement between two main Palestinian factions, which could “seriously” complicate peace efforts.

Under the Palestinian agreement that would end a seven-year internal rift, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party and the Hamas movement would start discussions to form a unity government within five weeks, Xinhua reported.

The timing of the deal was “troubling” and the US is “disappointed” in the announcement, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told a press conference.

Debris washed ashore not from MH370: Official

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The debris found on a beach in Western Australia is not linked to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) official said Thursday.

“We’ve carefully examined detailed photographs that were taken for us by the police and we’re satisfied that it’s not a lead in the search for MH370,” ATSB spokesperson Martin Dolan was quoted as saying on ABC radio Thursday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Jaswant Singh should have accepted party decision: Rajnath

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Jaswant Singh should have accepted the decision of not fielding him from Barmer in Rajasthan as the issue of ticket could not be the yardstick of his “value” in the party, according to BJP President Rajnath Singh.

Singh, while rejecting the perception that senior leaders were being sidelined in the party, said the services of experienced and senior leaders would be utilised even if they did not get the chance to contest the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Modi to hold ‘mini-India’ road show in Varanasi ahead of filing nomination

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The holy city of Varanasi is all set for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s much awaited filing of nomination on Thursday. Modi will undertake a ‘grand road show’ in the city before filing his papers.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is leaving no stones unturned to make sure that the event is a mega success. As per reports, lakhs of people are expected to participate in the two km long road show from Nadesar to Kacheri locality.

Baba Ramdev campaigns for Arun Jaitley in Punjab

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Campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and BJP-candidate from Amritsar- Arun Jaitley, yoga guru, Baba Ramdev,on Wednesday said that Jaitley had the capabilities to represent Punjab. Vouching for Jaitley in Amritsar city on Wednesday, Ramdev called on voters to cast their ballot in his favor. “I have full faith in Arun Jaitley that he will look into every aspect of development of Amritsar city and he will always raise his voice in the Parliament for the right of people of the city, a role only he alone can play best,” Baba Ramdev said.

We are for inclusive Telangana, asserts TRS

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Hyderabad: Slamming attempts to scare people of Seemandhra residing here vis-?-vis their safety and security once the new state comes into being on June 2, TRS today asserted that the party is for an inclusive Telangana and would take care of the need of all sections of society.

TRS MLA K T Rama Rao, son of party President K Chandrasekhar Rao, noted that people from different regions, cultures and religions have been living in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, and surrounding areas for centuries and have become an integral part of this geography.

EC supreme in interpreting poll speeches: Amit Shah

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BJP general secretary Amit Shah Wednesday said he was initially convinced he had made remarks regarding the Muzaffarnagar riots after due consideration, but the Election Commission was the supreme authority in interpretation of poll speeches and he respected its directive.

In an interview to NDTV, Shah also said that BJP leaders had not made personal attacks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and their remarks were in reference to controversies surrounding his alleged land deals.

IPL 7 is wide open, says Ganguly

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Former India captain Saurav Ganguly feels the seventh Indian Premier League is wide open with the perennial underdogs doing well and the consistent teams faltering for the first time since the T20 tournament began in 2008.

“This is the first IPL where all teams are on equal footing, there are no clear favourites,” Ganguly told reporters on the sidelines of CAB’s Vision 2020 batting camp that concluded at JU second campus ground in Saltlake today.

Chennai score 140/6 against Rajasthan

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Put into bat, Chennai Super Kings scored 140 for six in their IPL match against against Rajasthan Royals here today.

Brief Scores:

Chennai Super Kings: 140 for 6 in 20 overs (Dwayne Smith 50, Ravindra Jadeja 36 not out; Rajat Bhatia 2/13).

Banking on father’s good work, president’s son hopes to win

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Facing a tough contest in the Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal, President Pranab Mukherjee’s son and Congress candidate Abhijit is banking on his father’s “good work” and his advice to turn the battle in his favour.

“My father has advised me two things – have plenty of water and reach out to the voters. I am following his advice,” Abhijit told IANS, ahead of Thursday’s polls.

“There is lot of goodwill concerning the good work that my father did. So, I am very confident of retaining the seat,” said the 54-year-old former general manager of SAIL.

AAP leader Somnath Bharti beaten up in Varanasi

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AAP leader and former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti was beaten up allegedly by some BJP supporters during a TV show here Wednesday evening, police and Aam Aadmi Party leaders said.

The incident took place at Assi Ghat in Varanasi when Bharti was attending a TV show of a news channel.

The window panes of Bharti’s car were broken, and his driver was also attacked.

DEO bans opinion polls in Hyderabad

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District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar said that the telecast by certain television channels and publishing of the same by some newspapers amounts to violation of Section 126A of RP Act, 1951that prohibits “publication and dissemination of result of exit poll, etc – (1) No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicize by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever the result of any exit poll during such period”.

Priyanka targets Modi, rakes up snoopgate controversy

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For the second consecutive day, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday targeted the BJP and its leader Narendra Modi and raked up the snoopgate controversy, saying the Gujarat chief minister “was listening to conversations of women”.

Addressing election rallies in Rae Bareli, Priyanka also said politics is about dealing with the problems of the people and “not just making personal attacks”.

Priyanka’s remarks on Modi came on a day BJP senior leader Arun Jaitley said he agreed with her that personal attacks cause pain but that she should remember “charity begins at home”.

Cong plays Adani card to counter BJP on Vadra land deals

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Playing the Adani card, Congress today sought to put Narendra Modi in the dock for giving vast tracts of land to his “favourite capitalist friend” at throw away prices by treating the state as his “private feudal estate” days after BJP raked up Robert Vadra’s land deals.

It also alleged a scam of Rs 23,000 crore in power purchase agreements in Gujarat. Besides, it claimed that BJP’s poll expenditure is double at Rs 10,000 crore than that of US President Barack Obama.

CPI, CPM withdraw from Vijayawada LS constituency

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The CPI and the CPM today withdrew their candidatures from Vijayawada parliamentary constituency, on the last day of withdrawal.

The polling would he held here on May 7.

CPI Krishna District Secretary A Vanaja told PTI that the party wanted to focus on five Assembly constituencies in the area, namely Vijayawada East, Vijayawada West, Pamarru, Mylavaram and Nuziveed, which would go to the polls simultaneously.

AICC team to campaign in AP from April 27 to may 5: Raghuveera

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APCC Chief N Raghuveera Reddy today said AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi and Congress Prime Ministerial Candidate Rahul Gandhi will address a series of public meetings in Andhra Pradesh. In the run-up to the General Elections in the wake of State bifurcation, the AICC top brass is expected to campaign in Seemandhra from April last week to May first week.

DGCA allows use of cellphone on flights

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The Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA) has amended its CAR Section 5 Series X Part I relating to air safety today and decided to allow the use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) including cellphones.

The use of PEDs shall be in the non-transmitting mode commonly called flight/airplane mode. The amended CAR also directs all operators for reporting of any suspected or confirmed PED interference or smoke or fire caused by PEDs to the DGCA. It also lays down the guidelines for the crew training.

Polls: Paid holiday on April 30 in T, in Seemandhra on May 7

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Commissioner of Labour & Chief Inspector under AP Shops & Establishment Act, 1988 has declared paid holiday under Sub Section (2) of Section 31 of AP Shops & Establishment Act, 1988 to all the employees / workers employed in the shops and establishments situated in 10 districts of Telangana region on April 30 and in 13 districts of Seemandhra Region on May 7 where general elections to Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on the above days.

Don’t ignore Balochistan, Brahamdagh Bugti urges intl. human rights groups

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Exiled Baloch leader and President of Baloch Republican Party (BRP) Brahamdagh Bugti has urged international human rights groups not to ignore the worsening situation in Balochistan, the Pakistan’s largest province.

He said incidents of enforced disappearances, torture and killings in Balochistan are on the rise, as security forces have adopted a “pick, kill and dump” policy against educated youth and political activists in the region.

VH flays Babu, Modi

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Congress candidate in Amberpet and MP V Hanumanth Rao today slammed BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for targeting AICC leadership during his campaigning in Telangana in four districts.
Talking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan here on Wednesday, VH dubbed Modi as a ‘Demon’ in guise of a human noted for promoting hatred and promoting communal conflicts. He faulted the BJP and TDP for involving actor Pawan Kalyan for Modi campaigns. Where was the need to involve the actor when Modi wave was on in the country?, he asked.

T will have Congress Govt: Jairam

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Union Minister Jairam Ramesh today said the Congress will form the government in Telangana State.
Talking to mediapersons here, Jairam said the Congress would clinch power by winning majority of the Assembly seats. He exuded confidence that they would form the government despite media hype that the TRS and TDP and BJP are ahead in poll campaigning. But it is the Congress which gives a stable government, he maintained. He sought to know why NDA government could not deliver T State when it gave three States?.