News

Protests hit Iran after Ahmadinejad wins poll

by

Tehran, June 14: Thousands of people clashed with police on Saturday after the disputed election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked the biggest protests in Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Iranians to respect Ahmadinejad’s victory in a presidential election that his closest challenger described as a “dangerous charade”.

Ahmadinejad’s triumph in Friday’s vote upset expectations that reformist candidate Mirhossein Mousavi might win the race.

US Teaches Afghan Detainees ‘Moderate’ Islam

by

Washington, June 14: Revamping its detention policies in Afghanistan, the Pentagon is revising a program to give detainees courses on moderate Islamic teachings, job training and civics as part of efforts to pacify the violence-mired country. “You can’t lock guys up forever,” a US military official in Afghanistan told.

Under the program, detainees deemed moderates at the Bagram airbase, are given courses on moderate Islamic teachings.

They are also given job training and courses on civics, mathematics, and other similar subjects.

It’s end of the road for 10,000 Satyam staff

by

Hyderabad, June 14: It was a pink Friday at Satyam Computer Services, as over 10,000 employees of the beleaguered IT firm were preparing for an unhappy holiday. Over one fourth of Satyam’s workforce was a part of the virtual pool, an exercise implemented by its new owner Tech Mahindra to downsize the excess staff.

Indian student from Gujarat becomes latest target in Australia

by

Melbourne, June 14: An Indian student from Gujarat has become the latest victim of racial violence here, as the Australian envoy in New Delhi admitted that the spate of attacks on the community has “damaged” bilateral ties.

24-year-old Hardik Bipinbhai Patel from Gujarat was attacked by a group of men here, the latest in a spate of racial assaults targeting the community members in Australia.

Patel, who hails from Surat, was attacked by three people while he was about to enter his car here on Friday night.

AP record shows Sania Mirza belongs to BPL family

by

Hyderabad, June 14: Tennis star Sania Mirza may be a millionaire but her face appears on a ration card belonging to a below poverty line (BPL) family in Andhra Pradesh.

The white ration card, which makes a family eligible to get rice at a highly-subsidised price of Rs 2-a-kg and social security benefits health insurance and a permanent housing, has been issued to one Laxmi of Vizianagaram district with a photograph of Sania.

U.S. sends 3 Guantanamo detainees to Saudi Arabia

by

Washington, June 13: Three detainees from Guantanamo Bay were transferred to Saudi Arabia “under appropriate security measures,” the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday, in another step toward President Barack Obama’s goal of closing the prison for terrorism suspects.

“All individuals transferred to Saudi Arabia are subject to judicial review in Saudi Arabia before they undergo a rehabilitation program,” the Justice Department said in announcing the transfer of Khalid Saad Mohammed, Abdalaziz Kareem Salim Al Noofayaee and Ahmed Zaid Salim Zuhair.

All three men are from Saudi Arabia.

Muslim secretary quits job after sex rumors

by

Cairo, June 13: A secretary working at a Muslim school in the United Kingdom quit her job following claims that she was really a man cross-dressed as a woman, the Telegraph reported Saturday.

Shifa Patel, 28, who wore traditional Islamic garb-head scarf and full length robe to work, was forced to leave her job as a secretary in the al-Islah Muslim Girls School in Blackburn, Lancashire after photos from social networking site Facebook showing her with short hair and dressed in pants were circulated widely in school as evidence that she was a man dressed as a woman.

India, Germany to work closely in multilateral forums

by

Berlin, June 13: Amid strengthening of bilateral ties, India and Germany are set to work closely in several multilateral forums dealing with key global issues, India’s new envoy to the country has said.

Mr Sudhir Vyas, who presented his credentials to German President Horst Koehler at the presidential office, the Bellevue Castle, on Friday told PTI that promoting more Indian investments in this country will be part of his agenda, besides fostering cooperation in the fields of science and technology.

Pak battling for its sovereignty: Zardari

by

Islamabad, June 13: Terming the stepped up strikes by militants as an attack on the “sovereignty” of Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday underlined his determination to fight the Taliban insurgency to the end.

“We are fighting a war for our sovereignty,” Zardari said, responding to a spate of deadly terrorist attacks that have killed dozens across Pakistan.

In a televised address, the President called on the people to unite behind the anti-Taliban cause.

Amarnath Shrine board to revise dates of Yatra along Pahalgam route

by

Srinagar, June 13: Bad weather conditions have forced the Amarnath shrine board to revise the dates of the annual Yatra along the traditional Pahalgam route even as the schedule of the pilgrimage via Baltal route will remain unchanged.

Due to continuous rain and snowfall at several points on the Pahalgam-Chandanwari route, it was not possible to open the Yatra along this trek till the weather improves, however the pilgrimage will take off from Jammu on scheduled date (June 15) via Baltal route, a spokesman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said on Saturday.

Kalam revives 247-year-old India ties at Trinity College

by

Dublin, June 13: Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has launched a twin India-focussed initiative at the Trinity College in Dublin during a visit that helped spark a renewed interest in India at the 417-year-old university.

The university announced the establishment of an India chair and a post in Indian studies to coincide with Kalam’s visit on Friday – held amid a warming of India-Irish ties and plans for greater collaborations in education and science and technology.

Al Qaeda leaders under significant pressure: Pentagon official

by

Washington, June 13: Senior Al Qaeda leadership has come under “significant pressure” due to the ongoing military offensive by Pakistan Army against the Taliban in the Swat valley and adjoining western areas of the country, a Pentagon official has said.

As a result of the operations, it is increasingly becoming difficult for the top Al Qaeda leadership to move out of the area, the official said.

Lalu aide Shyam Razak quits as RJD MLA

by

Bihar, June 13: In a setback to RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his close confidant and party’s national general secretary Shyam Razak on Saturday resigned from the Bihar Assembly.

He is likely to join the ruling JD(U) in a day or two in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other senior party leaders here, a JD(U) spokesman claimed.

Razak submitted his resignation letter to secretary of the state assembly Surendra Prasad Sharma, who faxed it to Speaker Udai Narain Choudhary, currently in New Delhi.

Attacks have hurt ties with India: Australia

by

Australia’s top diplomat in India
has admitted that the spate of attacks on Indians in his country has “damaged” bilateral ties and fears that the upcoming free trade talks may remain ‘quarantined’ among other things as a fallout.

Blaming the Indian media, particularly the ‘voracious’ 24-hour cable news channels for the ‘negative coverage’ of the attacks, Australian High Commissioner in New Delhi, John McCarthy said that the relationship between the two nations will take time to recover.

Tehran tense after disputed election results

by

Tehran, June 13: Anti-riot police guarded the offices overseeing Iran’s disputed elections on Saturday with the count pointing to a landslide victory by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while his opponent denounced the results as “treason” and threatened a challenge.

Dhoni finds fault with his batters

by

New Delhi, June 23: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni believed his batters and fielders were found wanting against West Indies in a Super Eight match against West Indies here on Friday. However, he didn’t give the credit where it was due the West Indian fast bowlers who wreaked havoc in Indian innings.

Two Matches Must Win, If India Wants Reach T20 Final

by

London, June 13: Defending champions India will need to improve all aspects of their game following their upset loss to West Indies on Friday if they are to get past the second round of the Twenty20 World Cup.

India meet England at Lord`s on Sunday evening in their second Super Eight match before playing a confident South Africa side at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Tuesday.

Tech Mahindra To Reduce 10000 Emloyees From Satyam

by

Hyderabad, June 13: It was a pink Friday at Satyam Computer Services, as over 10,000 employees of the beleaguered IT firm were preparing for an
unhappy holiday. Over one fourth of Satyam’s workforce was a part of the virtual pool, an exercise implemented by its new owner Tech Mahindra to downsize the excess staff.

Allama Dr Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi’s Funeral Prayer Today

by

Islamabad, June 13: The funeral prayers of Allama Dr Muhammad Sarfraz Naeemi will be offered today on Saturday at 5pm in Nasir Bagh Lahore. He would be laid to rest in the premises of Jamia Naeemia.

The Tanzimul Madaris Ahle Sunnat (Barelvi) has announced three-day mourn, the Anjuman Tajiran announced strike while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement called to observe the day of mourn across the country over the martyrdom of the religious scholar.

Religious parties’ leaders and workers on Friday took out protest rallies to condemn the suicide attack that killed Dr. Naeemi.

Don’t doubt sincerity in 26/11 probe: Pakistan

by

Islamabad, June 13: Pakistan said Saturday India should not doubt its intentions in the probe into the 26/11 Mumbai carnage and called on New Delhi to resume the sub-continental dialogue process with Islamabad. Interior Minister Rehman Malik, during a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Sharad Sabharwal today, said resumption of the Pakistan-India dialogue “is imperative for regional peace” and India should not doubt Pakistan’s sincerity in bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice.

Student accuses UK of Qur’an abuse

by

Islamabad, June 13: Tariq-ur-Rehman, one of ten Pakistani students detained by British police in April on terror-related charges, accused his prison guards of religious harassment and abuse.

“They committed sacrilege of Noble Qur’an many times,” a visibly moved Tariq told, on his arrival at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad. “When we read the Qur’an, they came with sniffing dogs and let them sniff the Qur’an.

“We used to cry and begged them not to do that but they said it was their duty.”

Pakistan will fight until the end: Zardari

by

Islamabad, June 13: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari today said his country was fighting for its “survival” and promised that the ongoing offensive against the Taliban would continue “until the end”.

“We are fighting a war for our sovereignty,” Zardari said in a late-night television address to the nation. “We will continue this war until the end, and we will win it at any cost.”

‘Sex between Nuns is very common’

by

Mumbai, June 13: Former nun Sister Jesme talks to Aastha Atray Banan about her controversial autobiography Amen, in which she speaks out about sexual abuse in a convent

Sister Jesme, the author of Amen: The Autobiography of a Nun, insists the Church asked for trouble through their repeated efforts to have her declared insane.

Jesme, who started her religious training in June 1974 taught at two Catholic colleges in Thrissur she was vice-principal at one and principal at another, for three years each.

Six more MMTS trains for the city

by

Hyderabad, June 13: With the increase in the number of commuters taking MMTS trains and demand from passengers, six more trains will be added to the MMTS fleet.

These trains will have more commuter-friendly features when compared to the existing ones, including an increase in seating capacity.

The MMTS project wing of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) ordered for the six trains recently from the Integral Railway Coach Factory, Chennai.

PM must make AP his first visit: YSR

by

Hyderabad, June 13: Andhra Pradesh is lucky for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, feels chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. Firmly believing that the PM’s
visit to AP, first to any state after assuming office in 2004, augured well for the party and the country, the chief minister has written to Manmohan Singh urging him to visit Andhra Pradesh first again in his second stint.