News

Saudi king’s holiday defies Islamic clergy

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Riyadh, September 21; Saudi authorities are taking greater liberty in celebrating the modern monarchy’s anniversary, a sign of their growing clout against clerics who have criticized holidays outside of the Islamic calendar.

Present ruler King Abdullah, 86, emphasised his push to reform the deeply conservative country upon taking power in 2005 by decreeing September 23 as an official holiday marking the kingdom’s unification led by founder King Abdul-Aziz and an army of ultra-conservative followers.

AP ban on Maoist, Fronts extended

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Hyderabad, September 21: The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet today extended by another one year the ban on CPI (Maoist) and its six frontal organisations.

The Government had on August 16, by an order, extended for a further one year the ban on CPI (Maoist) along with Radical Youth League, All India Revolutionary Students Federation, Radical Students Union, Singareni Karmika Samakhya and Viplava Karmika Samakhya, its frontal wings.

‘FBI falsified post-9/11 events’

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Washington, September 20: The FBI gave false information to Congress and the public to justify surveillance of an anti-war rally in Pittsburgh in 2002, US media quoted a report by the Justice Department on Monday.

Inspector General Glenn Fine said the FBI had no reason to expect that anyone of interest in a terrorism investigation would be present at event sponsored a nonviolent anti-war and anti-discrimination group.

The surveillance was “an ill-conceived project on a slow work day,” AP quoted Fine as saying.

“We determined this version of events was not true,” added the official.

Jama Masjid firing: Two persons detained in Mumbai

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Mumbai, September 21: Two persons have been detained here for questioning in connection with the e-mail purportedly sent by terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, owning up the attacks outside Jama Masjid in Delhi, police said today.

The e-mail was sent using a mobile phone. The sim card as well as the phone were purchased using a fake address and name, from Mumbai.

When Maharashtra ATS and crime branch officers reached the address, they did not find anyone by that name living there, said a senior police official.

Paris hunts for Al Qaeda female suicide bomber

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London, September 21: An Al Qaeda female suicide bomber is believed to be on the prowl in Paris, triggering a terror alert, a media report said.

Daily Telegraph Tuesday reported that there were fears of suicide bomb plots against the Paris transport network.

Intelligence officials were looking for a female suicide bomber who they think could be planning to attack the Paris Metro.

The terror alert was issued after receiving a tip-off from a friendly intelligence agency warning of an imminent Al Qaeda threat.

Ayodhya case: Litigants say they want peace

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Lucknow, September 21: Notwithstanding their counter claims, the litigants connected with the Ayodhya title suits have said they want peace in the aftermath of the ruling and accuse vested interests of creating unnecessary hype in the run up to the verdict.

“Whatever judgement comes on the 60-year-old dispute over the Ayodhya title suits, there should be peace and tranquillity as no problem in the world can be resolved through violence and riots”, the litigants said.

Alert sounded in Bihar ahead of Ayodhya verdict

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Patna, September 21: An alert has been sounded across Bihar ahead of the September 24 verdict on the Ayodhya title case by the Allahabad High Court.

“We have sounded an alert in Bihar, particularly in sensitive pockets to prevent any untoward incident in view of the verdict,” Director General of Police Neelmani told PTI here.

Neelmani said the state police headquarters had asked superintendents of police as well as other officials to intensify vigil.

Jama Masjid attack: Mumbai Police hunting SIM card user

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Mumbai, September 21: Mumbai Police and the Anti-Terrorist Squad are trying to find the person who procured a mobile SIM card — on the basis of forged papers in the name of a woman — that was used by the banned Indian Mujahideen (IM) to send an e-mail claiming responsibility for the Jama Masjid attack in Delhi.

A Tata mobile number was used to send an e-mail to a foreign television network by a person from the IM owning up the terror attacks at the Jama Masjid in which two Taiwanese tourists were injured Sunday.

Mamata spoke, seasonal flowers do not

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Calcutta, September 21: Trinamool Congress chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Rahul Gandhi once said indirect Hitting the flowers are not seasonal. Mamata also said that politics in the golden bed idea. Without naming the Congress general secretary affection that we have no such seasonal flowers before the elections are seen as the cuckoo, Gloats and then go fly.

Verbal street names recall

India third most powerful nation: US report

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Washington, September 21: India is listed as the third most powerful country in the world after the US and China and the fourth most powerful bloc after the US, China and the European Union in a new official US report.

The new global power lineup for 2010 also predicted that New Delhi’s clout in the world will further rise by 2025, according to “Global Governance 2025” jointly issued by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) of the US and the European Union’s Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).

Lobbying on to add Pakistan in Obama’s tour plan

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Washington, September 21: The influential pro-Pakistan lobby has launched a concerted campaign urging US President Barack Obama to visit Pakistan during his trip to India November 6-9.

The pro-Pakistan lobby comprises Pakistani American physicians and business leaders, the Pakistan Political Action Committee — PakPAC — Islamabad’s million dollar a year lobbyists under the umbrella of the Pakistan American Leadership Centre.

E-mail threatening attacks traced to Mumbai’s Borivali area

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New Delhi, September 21: The email purportedly sent by outlawed Indian Mujahideen owning up the attacks outside Jama Masjid and threatening more strikes ahead of Commonwealth Games has been traced to Borivali area of Mumbai, police said today. The mail was sent using a Tata phone connection procured through a fake identity card.

One person is understood to have been questioned by Delhi Police in this regard. Police suspect the person has some link to the firing incident.

7 policemen go missing in C’garh’s Naxal area

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Raipur, September 21: More than 24 hours after seven security personnel went missing in a Naxalite area in south Bastar, the police are yet to reach the spot where the villagers claimed to have seen three bodies lying in the forests between Bhopalpattanam and Badrakali in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.

Traffic regulation in city on sept 22 & 23

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Hyderabad, September 21: The Hyderabad City Police Commissioner, Mr A. K. Khan, on Monday issued a notification for the information of the general public that in order to relieve congestion, to maintain smooth flow of traffic and to ensure public safety and order in connection with the Ganesh Immersion Procession on September 22 and 23, the movement of lorries carrying Ganesh idols and empty lorries after the immersion is regulated as follows:

Kadapa mayor hits out at Rosaiah: Says cm conspired against him

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Hyderabad, September 20: The Kadapa Mayor, Mr Ravindranath Reddy, has alleged that the Rosaiah government has conspired to defame him.

Talking to the media here on Monday, Mr Reddy said that a game of Kissa Kursika (struggle for power) was going on in the Congress party in the State.

KCR took Rs 7 Crores from ramoji: Kaka

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Hyderabad, September 20: The senior Congress leader, Mr G. Venkatswamy has alleged that the TRS chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhara Rao, has indulged in match-fixing with Seemandhra leaders for the sake of money.

Talking to the media here on Monday, the former Union minister alleged that KCR had taken Rs 7 crores from the media baron, Mr Ramoji Rao.

AP Cabinet ratifies extension of one-year ban on Maoist& Fronts

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Hyderabad, September 21: The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet today extended by another one year the ban on CPI (Maoist) and its six frontal organisations.

The Government had on August 16, by an order, extended for a further one year the ban on CPI (Maoist) along with Radical Youth League, All India Revolutionary Students Federation, Radical Students Union, Singareni Karmika Samakhya and Viplava Karmika Samakhya, its frontal wings.

Brother-in-law resigns from RJD, asks Lalu to ‘take exile’

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Patna, September 21: Annoyed with the functioning of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, his brother-in-law and former MP Subhash Yadav today resigned from the party and asked Mr Prasad to ‘take exile’ from politics.

After sending his resignation Mr Yadav, who claimed to have good relation with Mr Prasad, said their political relation was getting ruined.

He told newspersons here that he quit the party following political and ideological differences.

NATO chopper crashes in Afghanistan, nine killed

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Kabul, September 21: Nine members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed when their helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan Tuesday.

Two other ISAF members – an Afghan National Army soldier and a US civilian – were injured in the crash and were transported to an ISAF medical facility for treatment, Xinhua reported citing a press release.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, it said.
–IANS

Chief Minister directs officials to repair city roads

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Hyderabad, September 21 (Siasat News): Chief Minister K Rosaiah has directed roads and building department to immediately begin the work of repairing battered and damaged roads.

He also directed finance department to sanction necessary funds regarding this and to release additional funds if required. Chief Minister reviewed the damages caused by the flood in the state with the officials of finance and roads and buildings departments and GHMC in his camp office.

Train mishap toll 20; CPI(M) bays for Mamata’s removal

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Shivpuri, September 21: Twenty passengers were killed and about 50 injured, 28 of them grievously, when a goods train collided with the stationary Indore-Gwalior Intercity Express at approximately 0530 hrs yesterday at Badarwas Station, Railway sources said.

The dead included four women and 16 men. Twelve of the injured were hospitalised here, nine in Guna, a serious case was referred to Gwalior and other victims were discharged after the first aid. The goods train was heading towards Guna from Gwalior. Badarwas is roughly 50 km from this district headquarters, sources informed .

CBI may cancel Sex Swami’s bail

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Bangalore, September 21: They say there are chances that Nityananda might influence prime witness to turn hostile

Taking a serious note on the development in Swami Nityananda’s case, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is chalking out legal strategies to get his bail cancelled.

According to officials, there are chances that Nityananda might influence or pressurise the witness to turn hostile through various means, since he is out.

Citing an example, the officials said that there are futile attempts on the complainant Lenin to turn hostile in one form or the other.

Another twist to Ayodhya verdict, one judge dissents

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Lucknow, September 21: In another twist to the Ayodhya title suit verdict, Justice Dharam Veer Sharma, one of three judges of the special bench of Allahabad High Court, expressed disagreement with the order of his fellow judges given on September 17 last.

The special bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising Justices S U Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and D V Sharma had, on September 17, rejected a plea by the respondent no-17, Ramesh Chandra Tripathi to defer the case so that another round of discussion for an amicable solution was reached.

Central government not providing adequate forces: Mayawati

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Lucknow, September 21: Ahead of the judgment in the Ayodhya case due Sep 24, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Monday criticised the central government for its “apathy” in providing the state the security forces needed in case of any trouble after the verdict.

While reviewing the law and order situation in the state here, she told the high level meeting held at her official residencehow she had been repeatedly seeking assistance of the central government ever since the high court declared its decision to deliver the much awaited verdict some two months back.