News

5 held over ‘terror threat’ to pope

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London, September 17: Five men have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London in relation to a potential threat to the Pope’s visit

The arrests were made at 0545 BST at addresses in London after counter-terrorism officers received intelligence of a potential threat.

The five men have been taken to a central London police station.

Officers are continuing searches at premises connected to the raids. The men are not British nationals.

Earlier, the Pope attended a assembly of children at a Catholic college in west London.

Court directs status quo on sale of Sikandra road property

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New Delhi, September 17: The Delhi High court Friday directed status quo in a case related to the sale of a Rs.117-crore residential property at 7, Sikandra road in the national capital.

The court slated the next hearing in the case Oct 22.

Prime Commercial in a petition has challenged the sale the property to Triveni Infrastructure and the manner in which the court granted what it called “undue concessions to Triveni” and deprived it (Prime) of its entitlement under the auction terms to buy out the property.

Muslims raise money for installing goddess idol

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Lucknow, September 17: Setting a unique example of brotherhood ahead of the Sep 24 court verdict on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, Muslims in Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri district are raising funds for installation of a new idol in a Hindu temple after the old one was accidentally broken.

About 50 Muslims in Barnal town, some 300 km from Lucknow, are collecting money for the idol at the temple dedicated to Ma Sheetla Devi, believde to be an incarnation of goddess Durga, situated in the Katra area.

Friday Prayers passed off peacefully

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Hyderabad September 17: Commissioner of police A K Khan breathes a sigh of relief as Friday prayers passed off peacefully .

Defiantly not far from high court where 144 section is enforced so that no unlawful assembly,dharnas,protests,agitations, rasta roko could further trouble and fuel to the ongoing agitation at High Court.

Yet at last early morning meeting has paid rich dividends which has resulted in smooth passage of Friday prayers.
–(INN)

T-MPs confabulate with Geetha on 42 pc quota demand

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Hyderabad, September 17: Four Telangana MPs on Friday met Cabinet Sub-Committee on Advocates Chairman J Geetha Reddy at the Secretariat to apprise her of the situation before her scheduled meeting with protesting lawyers.

The lawyers have been invited by the state government for dialogue in a bid to solve the stalemate on 42 percent quota in Judiciary recruitments for Telanganaites on Friday evening.

Ambati scoffs at misinformation campaign against YSR family

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Hyderabad, September 17:: Suspended PCC secretary Ambati Rambabu on Friday scoffed at the alleged attempts by some persons to carry out a misinformation campaign against former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s family.

Talking to media persons, Mr Rambabu said that people would not believe whatever is written against the YSR family. He reminded that much was written against YSR before the last general election but the people chose to vote for him disregarding the misinformation spread by his detractors.

Lawyers pelt stones at police in Pargi Court

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Hyderabad September 17: Even as the news of High Court Justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy’s resignation spread, Lawyers resorted to stone pelting at police in Pargi Court in Ranga Reddy district under Kurkacherla Police station limits on Friday.

According to police one sub-inspector, identified as Rajaiah, suffered minor injuries in the stone pelting. Police said that Mr Rajaiah is attached to Mahbubabad but was given charge of the Kurkacherla police station.

Section 144 imposed around HC

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Hyderabad, September 17: The City Police Commissioner A K Khan on Friday ordered the imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the surroundings of the High Court premises following the tension due to agitation by Telangana lawyers.

After the imposition of Section 144, the police now have the authority to stop all processions and rallies in the surroundings of High Court.
According to police, the need to impose Section 144 was acutely felt to prevent untoward incidents and to maintain law and order.

Al-Qaeda could target 2012 Olympics: Mi5 chief

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London, September 17: UK faces potent new threats from terrorism with 2012 London Olympic Games likely to be a major target of al-Qaeda bombers, the country’s top intelligence official has warned.

Jonathan Evans, Director-General of Mi5 – Britain’s domestic intelligence service, said threats were emanating from Northern Ireland, Middle East and North Africa, as al-Qaeda linked groups are moving out of Pakistan.

Political parties celebrate Hyderabad ‘Merger Day’

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Hyderabad, September 17: Ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh, main opposition Telugu Desam, BJP and other parties today celebrated the merger of the erstwhile Nizam state with the Indian Union.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah, state Congress president D Srinivas, Congress MPs and other party leaders offered homage to the country’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and other national leaders at Gandhi Bhavan — the state Congress headquarters — on the occasion.

It was Sardar Patel who made the Nizam agree to merge the state (Hyderabad) with Indian Union on September 17, 1948.

Babri Masjid demolition: HC refuses to defer verdict

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Allahabad, September 17: An effort for deferring the judgement in the 60-year-old title suit in the Ramjanambhoomi -Babri Masjid dispute was today rebuffed by the Allahabad High Court, which will now pronounce its verdict on Sept 24.

A 3-judge Special Bench of the Court rejected a petition filed by one Ramesh Chandra Tripathi for deferring the judgement for working out an out-of-court amicable settlement of the issue saying there was no no merit in the application.

Ayodhya group echoes need for ‘amicable settlement’

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Lucknow, September 17: Barely an hour before a special three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court was to hear an application seeking to defer its Sep 24 verdict in the long-pending temple-mosque row, a key Ayodhya group echoed the need for efforts towards an out-of-court “amicable settlement” on the vexed issue.

The group is the Ayodhya-based ‘Nirmohi Akhara’, a prominent Hindu monastery that has been pursuing the cause of the much debated Ram temple for decades.

Not aware of stranger’s gifts to Pathan: BCCI

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South Africa, September 17: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday said it is not aware about expensive gifts sent to cricketer Irfan Pathan.

Contrary to claims made by cricketer Irfan Pathan that he was sent expensive gifts by a “suspected” bookie and the matter being reported to International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption unit, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Friday said it has no knowledge of the incident.

Ayodhya case: Nirmohi Akhada ready for compromise

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Allahabad, September 17: In the latest development, the Nirmohi Akhada has filed a petition in the Special Bench of Allahabad High Court in Lucknow to find out amicable solution in the Ayodhya dispute.

In the reconciliation plea, Nirmohi Akhada has sought 10 days period to end the decades’ long deadlock over ownership of Babri masjid in Ayodhya.

In the plea, Akhada has requested the court to defer the final verdict till September 27 to reach a compromise.

Nirmohi Akhada is the key Hindu trust and main party in the case. Several Hindu Temples are associated with the Nirmohi trust.

Row over Roma gypsies expulsion rages

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France, September 17: French President Nicolas Sarkozy launched a furious rant at an EU trade summit on Thursday over France’s expulsion of Roma gypsies.

Explosion in Sri Lanka, 60 killed

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Sri Lanka, September 17: At least 60 people have reportedly been killed in an accidental explosion near Batticaloa city in the eastern Sri Lanka on Friday.

According to the sources, the explosion was accidental and occurred when a container carrying explosives blown-up.

Some unconfirmed sources said that some foreigners were among the victim, however, it is yet to confirmed.

In the condition of anonymity, a national security official said that, two Chinese nationals were among the dead.

The explosions were meant for the road construction in the eastern Sri Lanka.

Obama appoints three Indians to advisory commission

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Washington, September 17: US President Barack Obama has appointed three eminent Indian-Americans to key administration posts as members of his advisory panel on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, a body aimed at increasing participation of the over 16 million-strong community in federal programmes.

“Our nation will be well-served by the skill and dedication these men and women bring to their new roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead,” Obama said Wednesday announcing the appointment of 16 members of the advisory body.

BJP-Congress Misusing Sohrabuddin Fake Encounter For Political Gains

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Ahmedabad, September 17: Sohrabuddin Sheikh-Kausar Bi murder at the hands of the Gujarat police in November 2005 has been politically most misused episode in the political history of the country.

The incident that should have been treated as only a crime and investigated in the same spirit with a view to unearth the truth and punish the accused persons behind it was however, exploited by the two major political parties-Congress and BJP-for mobilization of voters and gain political mileage on the eve of 2007 assembly elections as also during April 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Nobody Talks About Soniaji, Why About Me? Asks Mamata

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Kolkata, September 17: Discounting popular notion, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she was not the only leader in the party as being projected in the media and said by some political leaders.

“Sonia Gandhi is also leader of the Congress, but nobody talks about her because leaders like her are high class people,” she said at a panel discussion during presentation of the Statesman Rural reporting Awards here.

In an apparent reference to the Congress leader, Banerjee said she was lucky in that she was not a member of a family that runs a political party.

Israeli army says it killed senior Hamas militant in West Bank

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Tel Aviv, September 17: Israeli soldiers shot dead a senior member of the militant Islamist Hamas organization during an arrest raid in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarm overnight, the Israeli military said Friday.

A military spokeswoman in Tel Aviv said forces arrived at the house of Iyad Assad Ahmed Abu Salamia, who she said had previously been jailed in Israel for militant activity, to arrest him.

But when the commandos called on him to freeze, he ran toward them and they opened fire, fearing he was armed, and killed him, she said.

At least 60 killed in accidental blast in Sri Lanka

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Colombo, September 17: An accidental explosion of a truck carrying explosives killed at least 60 people on Friday in a police station near the eastern Sri Lankan city of Batticaloa, the military said.

“Sixty people inside the police station have been killed. Most of them are policemen,” military spokesman Major-General Ubaya Medawela said.

The truck was parked next to the police station in Karadiyanaru, near the eastern port of Batticaloa, when it exploded, Medawela said. The explosives were to be delivered to a rock quarry, he said.

BCCI unaware stranger sent expensive gifts to Irfan

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New Delhi, September 17: Contrary to claims made by cricketer Irfan Pathan that he was sent expensive gifts by a “suspected” bookie and the matter being reported to International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption unit, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Friday said it has no knowledge of the incident.

BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan and chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty told IANS that the board was unaware of the claims made by Irfan.

Take inspiration from Qureshi, Afridi tells teammates

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Karachi, September 17: Pakistan”s ODI and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has called on his players to seek inspiration from the exploits of tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi to make a comeback in the one-day series against England.

Qureshi and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna finished runners-up at the US Open men”s doubles event.

Afridi said Qureshi had done Pakistan proud and for once it was good to see sportsmen other then cricketers being lauded in the country. “His performances are an inspiration for all of us and he has brought so much joy to the people.

Hasan denies writing to Zardari on spot-fixing row

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Karachi, September 17: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shamsul Hasan has refuted reports that he wrote a letter of complaint to President Asif Zardari expressing his unhappiness with the PCB’s handling of the spot-fixing row which led to the suspension of three Pakistani cricketers.

Wajid reacted angrily when contacted by Geo Super channel yesterday for his comments on a report in the ‘Dawn’ newspaper about his writing a letter to Zardari.

BJP snatches Congress bastion in Gujarat

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Gandhinagar, September 17: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi got a perfect birthday gift Friday when his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Kathlal assembly seat, a Congress bastion, by over 21,000 votes.

This is the first time the BJP has won the seat, located in Kaira district. Kanubhai Dabhi of BJP bagged 62,120 votes against 40,573 votes of Ghelabhai Jhala (Congress).

Overjoyed BJP leaders termed it the best gift for Modi on his 60th birthday.