News

BJP to oppose any bid for grant of autonomy to J and K

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Patna, August 09: BJP today said it would oppose “tooth and nail” any bid to accord autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and alleged that the handling of the present crisis in the Valley reflected “weaknesses and lack of will-power” of the Centre.

“The present crisis in Jammu and Kashmir reflects the weaknesses and lack of will power on the part of the Congress-led UPA government in New Delhi”, former BJP president Rajnath Singh, MP, told reporters.

“According to reports, the Centre is contemplating to grant autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir at this stage”, Singh said.

Brazil Navy chief meets Indian defence top brass

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New Delhi, August 09: Brazilian Navy Commander Admiral Julio Soares De Moura Neto today met the Indian defence top brass including Minister of State M M Pallam Raju and Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma here in an effort to further the defence cooperation between the two countries. This is the first visit of Admiral De Moura Neto and he is here on Admiral Verma”s invitation, a Navy press release said here.

Chiru denies making comments against Jagan

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Nellore, August 09: Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi on Monday denied making any personal comments against YSR district (formerly Kadapa) MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy by saying that he was misquoted by the media.
The actor-turned-politician clarified that his words were directed against all those who had amassed wealth through dubious means and not against the son of former chief minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

T Congress leaders demand apology from Seemandhra Ministers

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Hyderabad, August 09: Senior Congress leaders from Telangana region on Monday demanded an unconditional apology from the 16 Ministers from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions for the alleged ‘traitor’ remarks made during the representations to the Srikrishna Commission.

The demand of an apology came after senior leaders, K Yadav Reddy, Palvai Govardhan, Kamalakar Rao, Indrasena Reddy and G Niranjan met at former home minister K Jana Reddy’s residence on Monday to discuss their strategy and future course of action on the Telangana issue.

Wahiuddin Khan to get Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavna Award

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New Delhi, August 09: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan will be given the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhawana Award for his contribution towards the promotion of communal harmony, peace and goodwill. A release issued by the Advisory committee of the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award, AICC, said that Khan will be given the award for his “outstanding contribution towards the promotion of communal harmony, peace and goodwill”.

US tops list of adoptions from India

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New Delhi, August 09: At least 3,976 Indian children were placed for inter-country adoption through the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) with the highest 1,500 placed in the US between 2005-2009, the Rajya Sabha was informed Monday.

Of the 3,976 children adopted in foreign countries, the highest – 1,500 – were placed in the US, followed by 679 in Italy and 320 in Spain.

Mumbai oil spill spreads, PM seeks report

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Mumbai, August 09: A foreign cargo ship, which collided with another vessel about 10 km off Mumbai harbour, tilted further spilling oil for the third day Monday even as Navy and Coast Guard made hectic efforts to contain the leak.

“MSC Chitra has tilted 80 degrees and the total oil spill is nearly 50 tonnes, Arun Singh, Commandant (Operations), Coast Guard said.

He said so far, 300 containers carrying oil have tumbled into the water.

Israeli heading home after five months in Libyan jail

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Vienna, August 09: An Israeli held in Libya since March was on his way back to Israel Monday, after being released in a complex diplomatic deal, a senior Israeli diplomat confirmed.

Rafael (Rafram) Hadad, who holds dual Israeli and Libyan citizenship, had been arrested in Libya while on assignment to photograph Jewish heritage sites on behalf of a society representing Libyan Jews, according to Israeli media reports.

Hadad is expected back in Israel later in the day after a stopover in Vienna, Israel’s ambassador in Vienna, Aviv Shir-On, told DPA.

Defence Ministry rejects proposal for Tawang airport

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Itanagar, August 09: The Arunachal Pradesh government today said the Defence Ministry has rejected a proposal to construct an airport at the Buddhist town of Tawang as it is located close to the Sino-India border. “They (Defence ministry) have rejected the proposal (for construction of Tawang airport) on the ground that it is close to the Sino-India border,” Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu told reporters here.

PM to discuss Kashmir situation with state leaders

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New Delhi, August 09: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will review the violence-hit situation in Kashmir Valley and the ways to restore normalcy there when he meets the leaders of political parties of Jammu and Kashmir here Tuesday, official sources said.

The meeting will be held at the residence of Manmohan Singh – 7, Race Course Road – at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

‘The meeting will be a follow-up of the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar on July 11,’ a state government official told IANS.

Pak ready to walk ‘extra mile’ with India: Qureshi

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Islamabad, August 09: Notwithstanding the lack of progress in July 15 talks, Pakistan has said it is ready to walk the “extra mile” as it wants to “move forward” in building relations with India but insisted that the two countries need to be “mutually accommodative”.

Pressing for a “comprehensive and sustained” engagement, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi maintained that Kashmir issue would have to be the part of any discussions and “selective” approach would not be helpful.

10 die in Indonesian boat sinking

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Jakarta, August 09: At least 10 people were killed and 32 others were missing and feared drowned after a boat sank Monday off a remote eastern Indonesian province, a rescue official and media reports said.

The boat was believed have carried around 80 people when it was hit by high waves near Adonara island off East Nusa Tenggara province, said Madjit Abdul Laduma from the province’s search and rescue agency.

‘We have reports from the field that at least 32 people were still missing from the accident,’ Laduma said, adding rescue workers retrieved 10 bodies and 47 survivors.

North Korea fires artillery shells near maritime border

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Seoul, August 09: North Korean forces fired over 100 artillery rounds into the Yellow Sea near the disputed border with the South Monday, a media report said.

About 110 rounds were fired on North Korea’s side of the maritime border, the Yonhap news agency reported citing South Korean military officials.

The firing followed five days of South Korean naval exercises near the sea border. North Korea had threatened ‘strong physical retaliations’ to the manoeuvres.

Somdev loses top-100 status, Sania out of top-150

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New Delhi, August 09: Somdev Devvarman’s stay in the top-100 lasted just one week as the Indian suffered a huge loss of 15 positions to find himself at 111th spot in the latest ATP rankings, issued today.

He failed to defend 55 points at Washington event last week and could not even qualify for the main draw, thus suffering a huge blow.

In the WTA rankings, Sania Mirza’s slide continued as the Indian found herself at number 153 after a loss of 15 spots.

No halal vaccine yet, top pharmacist says

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Jakarta, August 09: The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) claimed it has been able to provide halal meningitis vaccines to haj pilgrims this year.

But the top executive of a state-owned vaccine and serum producer said Saturday the ability to produce a porcine-free vaccine was still very far away.

While repeatedly emphasizing his respect for the religious council, Iskandar, the president director of Bandung-based PT Bio Farma insisted that there were currently no halal meningitis vaccines available in the world.

Congress padayatra ends, party holds rally in Bellary

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Bellary, August 09: In a show of strength at the end of its 320-km padayatra, Congress today stormed the mining bastion of Bellary, targetting ruling BJP on illegal mining and corruption and warned it that the Centre will not remain a mute spectator to the ‘loot’ of natural resources.

Congress leaders claimed the countdown for the fall of the first-ever BJP government in the south has begun and unleashed a barrage of attacks on ministers and the Reddy brothers — the mining magnates who hail from Bellary — accusing them of looting the state’s resources.

TRS takes on Andhra ministers over ‘anti-national’ remark

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Hyderabad, August 09: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Monday said ministers from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions will not be allowed to move in Telangana if they fail to apologise for describing those demanding a separate Telangana as “anti-nationals”.

Addressing a meeting at the party headquarters here, he said the TRS, Telangana Joint Action Committee, students’ groups and all other organizations fighting for a separate Telangana state should not allow the ministers to move in the region unless they apologise.

Sena says it will continue to raise border dispute issue

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New Delhi, August 09: Demanding a discussion on Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute over Belgaum in the Rajya Sabha, Shiv Sena today said it would continue to raise the issue during Question Hour till its demands were not met.

“A discussion on the issue was allowed on August 11. But on Friday, we were informed that the discussion has been cancelled. When we raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, we were informed that the discussion has been cancelled as the matter is sub-judice,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters here.

Inzamam responsible for current crisis in Pak batting: Aamir Sohail

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Lahore, August 09: With Pakistan struggling to produce quality batsmen in the recent past, former Test captain Aamir Sohail blamed Inzamam-ul Haq for the perennial problem, saying he never allowed players to settle down in the team.

Sohail said the team was far better when legendaries Imran Khan or Javed Miandad retired, but by the time Inzamam, country’s one of the most capped batsman, retired he had disturbed the national team leaving it to face numerous problems.

Girls shining shoes for brother’s sake

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Kanpur, August 09: Two sisters, aged just 10 and 13, are shining shoes to earn a huge amount of Rs 20 lakh for surgery of their younger brother.

They also hope to raise the money by August 24, the day on which the festival of Raksha Bandhan falls this year. The festival celebrates the love between sisters and brothers.

Srishti, 13 and Muskan, 10 said their little brother Anuj was in hospital. Doctors describe his condition as Aplastic anemia, caused by bone marrow failing to produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells.

MP ignores govt order to amend notice on Ministers

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New Delhi, August 09: Madhya Pradesh’s BJP government hasn’t rescinded its controversial circular issued this April that made Bhopal’s prior approval a must for hosting union ministers. But it has claimed the directive wasn’t aimed at curtailing movement of central ministers but facilitating them. In a controversial move, the state government had directed all departments and districts to inform and secure approval from the government before organising functions and meetings taken by union ministers and central dignitaries.

New ration cards by Aug-end: Jupally

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Hyderabad, August 09: Minister for Civil Supplies Jupally Krishna Rao on Monday stated that the government will issue new ration cards by the end of the month to eligible applicants.

Talking to media persons the Minister said the government will issue new ration cards to applicants based on the biometric method to prevent misuse of the public distribution system by ineligible people.

Quality education govt’s top priority: Governor

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New Delhi, August 09: Governor ESL Narasimhan on Monday stated that the state government will take all steps necessary to provide quality education to the students in universities and colleges.

Talking to media persons, Mr Narasimhan said that qualified professors and other faculty members would be appointed in universities so that the highest quality of education can be available for students of the state.
The Governor is in New Delhi to brief Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram over the state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh.

Chiru denies making comments against Jagan

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Nellore, August 09: Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi on Monday denied making any personal comments against YSR district (formerly Kadapa) MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy by saying that he was misquoted by the media.

The actor-turned-politician clarified that his words were directed against all those who had amassed wealth through dubious means and not against the son of former chief minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

BJP demands university for tribals in state

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Hyderabad, August 09: The State Bharatiya Janata Party president, Mr G Kishen Reddy, on Monday, demanded that the State government set up a university exclusively for the tribals and a Special Tribal Commission for speedy development of that community.

Mr Kishen Reddy was speaking as the chief guest at the World Adivasi Day celebrations organised in the State BJP office here on Monday. Earlier, Mr Reddy garlanded the statue of great tribal freedom fighter Komaram Bheem and paid rich tributes to his memory.