News

Terrorists may have reached target cities: Intelligence

by

Mumbai, June 15: The recent advisory by the US administration asking US citizens not to travel to India, was not an arrow shot in the wild. It was based on a credible input, intercepted by Indian intelligence agencies, warning of an imminent terror threat.

Agency sources said that an unidentified number of fidayeen militants, who sneaked into India across the Jammu and Kashmir border some three months ago, following heavy fighting with the troops, had, perhaps, reached target cities in western and southern Indian states.

Chand can live with Fiza as husband: Cleric

by

Haryana, June 15: With former Haryana deputy chief minister Chand Mohammad once again courting his estranged wife Fiza, Islamic clerics are unlikely to come in the way of their reunion. Leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband on Monday said Chandra Mohan alias Chand Mohammad, who on Sunday returned to Fiza and apologised for “past mistakes”, can live with her if the word ‘Talaq’ has not been uttered thrice.

“In case Chand has not uttered word ‘Talaq’ thrice, he can still live with Fiza as her husband,” said Mufti Ahsan Kasmi, Deputy inchrge of seminary’s Fatwa Department.

Crisis deepen in TRS, rebel leader ‘necked out’

by

Hyderabad, June 15: A day after the suspension of five rebel leaders, the crisis in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) continued on Monday as a senior rebel leader, who came to attend the emergency meeting of party’s state executive, was ‘necked out’ of the party office here.

High drama was witnessed at the Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters, as party activists loyal to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao forced former MP and tribal leader Ravindra Nayak out of the premises.

Iran special guest in South Asian Film Festival

by

New Delhi, June 15: Iran, with its thousand-year-old legacy of cultural history and traditional arts, is the guest country in the fourth edition of the South Asian Films Festival 2009, which begins in Goa June 26.

The festival hosted by the South Asia Foundation, a leading non-profit organisation, will be supported by the Entertainment Society of Goa and the Kala Academy. It will be co-sponsored by the Goa government and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Yashwant Sinha wants probe in leak of resignation letter

by

Ranchi, June 15: Two days after he resigned from all party posts, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yashwant Sinha Monday sought a probe into how the contents of the resignation letter were leaked to the media.

“It would be in the interest of the party to investigate how the letter was leaked to the media,” Sinha, former external affairs minister, told reporters in Hazaribagh, his parliamentary constituency.

Iran special guest in South Asian Film Festival

by

New Delhi, June 15: Iran, with its thousand-year-old legacy of cultural history and traditional arts, is the guest country in the fourth edition of the South Asian Films Festival 2009, which begins in Goa June 26.

The festival hosted by the South Asia Foundation, a leading non-profit organisation, will be supported by the Entertainment Society of Goa and the Kala Academy. It will be co-sponsored by the Goa government and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

US general assumes command in Afghanistan

by

Kabul, June 15: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has reminded the US general of the need to protect civilians Enlarge photo Afghan President Hamid Karzai has reminded the US general of the need to protect civilians Enlarge photo Insurgent attacks have reached record levels, while troops have been stepping up …More Enlarge photo There are 56,000 US troops in Afghanistan, and some 33,000 from other mostly Western …More Enlarge photo US General Stanley McChrystal was appointed after his predecessor was sacked in May Enlarge photo McChrystal was appointed after his predecessor was sacked in May w

T20 a bowlers’ game, says Sangakkara

by

London, June 15: Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said Twenty20 cricket was now a bowlers’ game after his side were given a major scare by Ireland.

The only non-Test team left in the World Twenty20, Ireland held Sangakkara’s side to 144 for nine at Lord’s on Sunday before tight bowling from the likes of Ajantha Mendis and Lasith Malinga restricted the minnows to 135 for seven.

Aamir sad on Team India’s early ouster from T20 World cup

by

Mumbai, June 15: Noted Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, who essayed the role of villager and cricketer in Oscar nominated classic film ‘Lagaan’, expressed disappointment on Team India’s heart-breaking early ouster from the T20 World Cup at Lords.

Aamir aka Mr Perfectionist dubbed the defeat as ‘disappointing’ after England won yesterday match by three runs and knocked out last year’s champion India from ICC World Twenty20. The actor was surprised on the decision of sending Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Yuvraj Singh in Super 8 match against England.

Zardari seeks full membership of SCO

by

Moscow, Jun 15 : Ahead of his participation in the summit of the heads of state and government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said today Islamabad counts on its full membership of the regional group.

Mr Zardari will attend the SCO summit opening in Yekaterinburg as an observer, along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a special envoy of Mongolian President as observer-members.

India captain MS Dhoni blamed for World Twenty20 exit

by

New Delhi, June 15: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the India captain, bore the brunt of fan and media anger back home after the defending champions were unceremoniously dumped out of the World Twenty20 on Sunday.

Security was increased around Dhoni’s home in the eastern city of Ranchi on Monday after scores of fans burnt his effigy, shouted slogans and accused the captain of underestimating England in a must-win situation.

Dissident TRS leaders complain to police against leadership

by

Hyderabad, June 15: Dissident Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders Ravindra Naik and A Chandrasekar today complained to the police against the party leadership for ”attacking” them with the help of ‘goondas.

‘ The rebel leaders lodged a complaint with the Banjara Hills police, pressing for invocation of Prevention of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

TRS Executive meets amid dissidents protest

by

Hyderabad, June 15: The emergency State Executive Committee meeting of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti(TRS) was held today even as party dissidents made a vain bid to ”capture” the ”Telangana Bhavan,” the party state headquarters.

The meeting, held under the chairmanship of Party President K Chandrasekar Rao, resolved to constitute a Political Affairs Committee to chalk out strategy for strengthening the party and the Telangana movement ahead of the Local Body elections in Hyderabad, party senior leader N Narasimha Reddy said while briefing newspersons about the ongoing meeting.

Sri Lanka military says LTTE submarine found

by

Colombo, June 15:Sri Lankan troops have recovered the first submarine believed to have been used by the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, the military said on Monday.

Troops found the 24-foot (7.2-metre) submersible on the coast of the northeastern district of Mullaittivu, where the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were defeated last month, ending decades of ethnic conflict.

“It had reportedly been used by the LTTE, most probably by their senior cadres, for clandestine sea movements before the LTTE was wiped out,” the military said in a statement.

Angry fans burn Dhoni’s effigy in Ranchi

by

Ranchi, June 15: Angry over Team India’s defeat in the ICC World Twenty, the cricket fans in Ranchi, the home town of Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni burnt his effigy to protest India’s exit from the T20 World Cup.

The defending champions are out of the title race following successive defeats in matches against the West Indies and England. Around 50 cricket fans, mostly youth, gathered near Siddo Kanhu park and shouted slogans against Dhoni and burnt his effigy.

Taliban could spread into India, Persian Gulf, says Pakistan

by

Islamabad, June 15: Pakistan has warned that the Taliban could spread beyond its borders to neighbouring India and as far as the Persian Gulf, unless it receives international aid to help battle militancy on its soil, the Online news agency reported Monday.

Pakistan would need up to $2.5 billion in emergency aid and for long-term reconstruction of the Swat Valley and the neighbouring region, once the fighting between government troops and militants, now in its final stage, ended, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in an interview with the Financial Times.

BJP came to power in the past on Catholic votes: Goa church

by

Panaji, June 15: The Roman Catholic Church in Goa Monday said it stands by its earlier statement that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the past came to power in the state as Catholics voted for it, and reiterated that the church never gives any preferences but asks the people to vote by their conscience.

Cotton worth 3.7 cr. destroyed in fire

by

Hyderabad, June 15: A major fire destroyed over 3,200 cotton bales worth about Rs.3.70 crore in a godown on the premises of the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) located on the Chilakaluripet road on Sunday morning. The fire which broke out in the ‘E’ block was, however, contained by the evening after the fire brigade and poclains broke through the walls of the godown to allow access to the fire tenders.

Conflicting versions

Railway Minister flags off Howrah-Digha Kandari Exp

by

Kolkata, June 15: The Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off Howrah – Digha Kandari Express at Howrah Station.

Speaking on the occasion Miss Banerjee informed another new train Tamralipta Express will also start running between Howrah and Digha from on Monday.

The Railway Minister said her Ministry is preparing a plan to connect rail communication with all important tourist spots in the country.

BJP should give up Hindhutva: MG Vaidya

by

New Delhi, June 15: MG Vaidya, a top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of failing ‘Hindutva’ by being ‘inconsistent’ on the ideology.

“The BJP has failed to convey the real meaning of ‘Hindutva’ to the people (in the recent elections). Probably, they thought they were not deemed to climb the pedestal of power with ‘Hindutva’ line. Hence, BJP should now disassociate itself with ‘Hindutva’,” Vaidya wrote in a column for the Marathi daily Tarun Bharat.

Sukhoi squadron in Northeast formally inducted

by

Tezpur (Assam), June 15: Four frontline combat aircraft Sukhoi-30MKI were formally inducted in India’s sensitive north-eastern region on Monday, a strategic decision to move advanced assets close to the Chinese border, defence officials said.

A defence spokesperson said four multi-role strike fighter jets at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Tezpur, about 185 km north of Assam’s main city of Guwahati, would soon be part of a Sukhoi-30MKI squadron comprising of 18 aircrafts.

They go there as students, end up as cheap labour

by

Melbourne, June 15: Anshu Tiwari, 22, from Ludhiana has been in Melbourne barely for a week, but already he realises he’s been suckered. “I’m here to do a diploma in computer arts and crafts, which I was told would support my ‘PR’ (permanent residence) application after I complete it. But after coming here, I realise it won’t be so easy,” he told on a train to Epping, a northern suburb.

Yet another Indian attacked in Aus

by

Melbourne, June 15: There seems no stopping to the list of violent racist attacks in Australia as yet another Indian student was bashed in Melbourne’s eastern suburb.

Mamata keeps her promise, train to Digha gets going

by

Kolkata, June 15: A few days after taking charge as the Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee on Sunday flagged off a daily train to Digha, the Howrah-Digha Kandari Express.

Banerjee, in her election manifesto, had promised to turn Digha into another Goa, which the state government failed to do in the last 32 years.

The day she joined the office as the Railway Minister, she had announced that within a month the Howrah-Digha Express would chug out from Howrah and she fulfilled her promise 12 days before it ends.

Deserters from RJD, other Oppn parties welcome: Nitish

by

Patna, June 15: In view of a spate of desertions of leaders from RJD and other Opposition parties, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said he would welcome them “with open arms” if they wished to switch over to ruling JD(U).

Setback to Lalu, close confidante Nihora resigns”Choice of joining the JD(U) is open to all, including those who recently left RJD and other Opposition parties,” Kumar said when his attention was drawn to his arch rival and RJD boss Lalu Prasad’s trusted aides Shyam Razak and Ram Nihora Yadav parting ways with the former railway minister.