News

Wild elephants on rampage again

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Hyderabad, June 08: The jumbo menace has come back to haunt the villagers of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. The wild elephants are on the rampage again, wreaking havoc in fruit orchards at Kottakota, Kusumuru and Titukpadu villages in Seethampet mandal for the past two days.

Sources said six pachyderms are roaming freely in Seethampet, Veeraghattam and Palakonda mandals, scaring the local tribals and farmers. A wild elephant attacked a couple from Kosingibhadra village of Gummalakshmipuram mandal when they came out to collect wood from the forest.

Another flu suspect tests positive

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Hyderabad, June 08: With another suspect from the city testing positive for swine flu, taking the number to seven, National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), Delhi, has put in place stringent screening measures. Henceforth, a registry will be maintained at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad, of all incoming international passengers.

With majority of the swine flu cases (seven out of nine) detected in Andhra Pradesh, an NICD team from Delhi was airdashed to the city.

Finally, monsoon hits city

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Hyderabad, June 08: Finally, the southwest monsoon hit the city on Sunday, providing the much-needed relief from the sweltering heat. Though the monsoon entered the state on June 1, it took six days to reach the twin cities, missing the normal set date by two days, according to data posted on Indian Meteorological Department’s website. Also, cyclone Aila played its bit in slowing down the weather system.

Two spells of rain – one at around 4 pm and another at around 7.30 pm – sent mercury levels plummeting. By 8.30 pm, the city recorded 1.7 cms of rainfall.

17 more bodies recovered from crashed French plane

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SoPaulo, June 08:Search teams Sunday recovered the bodies of 17 people from the Air France plane that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean with 228 people on board June 1, a Brazilian Air Force spokesman said.

While Brazilian teams retrieved nine bodies, French teams recovered eight, Brazilian Air Force spokesman Henry Munhoz said in the northeastern city of Recife.

He said four of the bodies were male and four female, but didn’t identify the sex of the remaining nine victims.

Govt. orders probe into beating of 06’ Malegaon blast accused’s kin

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Mumbai, June 08: Taking apparently tough notice to the case of Malegaon 06’ blast accused Abrar Ahmed’s nephew Aftab Ahmad who was beaten by allegedly some plain-clothed officials of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad outside Byculla Central Jail, state Home Minister Arif Naseem Khan has ordered ATS to probe into the incident.

According to media reports, the Home Minister called acting ATS chief Pramvir Singh at his office and ordered him to conduct a probe into the matter. Khan has promised that tough action will be taken against the culprits.

Gujarat riots forced allies to desert BJP

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New Delhi, June 08 : The Bharatiya Janata Party lost the Lok Sabha elections due to absence of key allies who deserted the National Democratic Alliance feeling that the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat could cost them Muslim votes and the party did nothing about it, says a key BJP strategist.

In an article in the latest issue of the Tehelka newsmagazine, Sudheendra Kulkarni, a close aide to the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani, writes: “In the aftermath of the 2004 defeat, many of our allies left the NDA.

“BJP leadership in disarray”, says Advani’s

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New Delhi, June 08: The BJP was “enfeebled” by so much “disarray” at the top never before witnessed in its history and its prime ministerial candidate L K Advani himself “failed” to assert his leadership at “crucial points”, says a key party strategist while analyzing its poll debacle.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, who is also a close aide of Advani, while giving an insight into the factors behind BJP’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections cited confusion about Hindutva, failure to overcome the party’s limited social base, negativism in its campaign and a leadership in disarray.

England beat Pakistan by 48 runs

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London, June 08: England booked their place in the second round Super Eights of the ICC World Twenty20 with a 48-run win over Pakistan at the Oval on Sunday.

The hosts, 48 hours after their shock four-wicket loss to the Netherlands, bounced back to record a win which, because their net run-rate was now superior to that of the Dutch, ensured their progress in the tournament.

Blogs: We don’t need you Aussies | Dhoni’s Men in Blue are not in pink of health

Man accused of threatening to kill Obama, arrested

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Washington, June 07: A man accused of making threatening statements about killing US President Barack Obama has been arrested in Nevada, the Secret Service said.

Daniel James Murray was arrested on Friday night in the parking lot of the Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, said Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley.

Shiv Sena praises CBI for cracking Nimbalkar case

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Mumbai, June 07: Shiv Sena on Sunday showered praise on the CBI for cracking the murder case of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, and accused the state police of working under pressure from ruling Congress-NCP government.

“The Nimbalkar case was earlier probed by the state police. But it was unable make any headway in the case. Later, the case was transferred to CBI which has done a good job and results are here,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said.

NCP MP Padamsinh Patil Ccharged With Murder

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Mumbai, June 07: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Padamsinh Patil, who was nabbed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) early Sunday, has been charged with the murder of his cousin and Congress leader Pavan Raje Nimbalkar in 2006, a law official said.

Senior Public Prosecutor Ejaz Pathan said that Patil has been charged under the Indian Penal Code Section 302 and 120-B, dealing with murder and conspiracy to murder, respectively.

TNSM’s Naib Leader Maulana Alam and Izzat Khan Killed: ISPR

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Islamabad ( RAWALPINDI), June 07: The naib ameer of Tahreek-e-Nifaz Shariat Muhammadi(TNSM) and spokesman Ameer Izzat Khan have been killed during trade of fire between security forces and militants in Sakhakot, ISPR said. An army personnel has been martyred and five injured in the clashes.
–Agencies

No Intention to Meddle in Kashmir: Barack Obama Aide

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Washington, June 07: The US does not intend to “meddle” in the Kashmir issue, but will support any effort by India and Pakistan to reduce their tensions,a key aide to President Obama says while pressing Islamabad to take the “first step” to bring to justice the Mumbai attack masterminds.

Indian Students Rally in Sydney Against Racial Attacks

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New Delhi, June 07: Angry over the spate of racial assaults in Australia, hundreds of Indian students on Sunday took out a massive rally in Sydney to protest against the attacks targeting the community.

The rally was organised by the Federation of Indian Students Association, Sydney Chapter, along with the National Union of Students.

AP CM assures free hand for ACB

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Hyderabad, June 07: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today assured the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) there would be no political interference in its efforts to curb corruption, which has become a bane of the society.

Indian student’s car torched in Australia

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Melbourne, June 07: In another attack on Indians in Australia, a car belonging to an Indian student was torched in Melbourne on Saturday night by suspected drug addicts. While the police have ruled out a racial motive, the student has claimed it was a racial attack.

Vikrant Rajesh Ratan, 22, told police that his car and two other cars belonging to Indians in the apartment complex where he lives were burnt by some drug addicts whom he had refused to give money.

“They asked me for money, but I refused them. Next night they burnt my car because of that,” Ratan told a news channel.

Yuvraj, Ojha dazzle; India thump Bangladesh in T20 opener

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London, June 07: Yuvraj Singh dazzled with the bat before Pragyan Ojha spun a web around Bangladesh as India thumped the minnows by 25 runs to begin their title defence with a bang in the Twenty20 World Cup at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Ojha’s four-wicket haul in his maiden Twenty20 International broke Bangladesh’s back as the minnows finished at 155 for eight, a total they owe to Junaid Siddique (41) and Naeem Islam (28).

India beat Bangladesh by 25 runs

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London, June 07: Yuvraj Singh dazzled with the bat before Pragyan Ojha spun a web around Bangladesh as India thumped the minnows by 25 runs to begin their title defence with a bang in the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday.

Ojha’s four-wicket haul in his maiden Twenty20 International broke Bangladesh’s back as the minnows finished at 155 for eight, a total they owe to Junaid Siddique (41) and Naeem Islam (28).

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir (50) and Rohit Sharma (36) gave India a rollicking start but it was Yuvraj’s violent 18-ball 41 that propelled them to 180 for five in the Group A opener.

Now, Hamas gets into matchmaking business

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Gaza City, June 07: At 29, Tahani is considered a spinster by the standards of deeply conservative Gaza. So in her search for a husband, she turned for help to the best in the marriage business: the Islamic militant group Hamas.

“I gaze at all the men on the street and think, ‘Oh God, isn’t there just one for me?”, said the young woman with dark skin and honey-colored eyes, set off by a maroon headscarf. Her application is among 287 from single women in the files of the Tayseer Association for Marriage and Development in Gaza.

Marijuana worth Rs one cr seized at Khammam

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Hyderabad, June 07: Personnel of Forest and Police department today seized about 2,360 kg of dry marijuana worth Rs one crore from a lorry at Khammam district, police said today.

The marijuana stuffed in gunny bags was concealed below other items in the lorry which was loaded from Orissa and was intercepted near Bhadrachalam town of the district, during a joint search operation by Forest and Police department.

Govt wants to acquire land cheaply, farmers up in arms

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Hyderabad, June 07: Farmers are up in arms against the land acquisition for the proposed National Security Guards (NSG) regional centre, 65 km from the city in the Greater Hyderabad area. The NSG centre is to be located in 1182 acres at Chandanvelli village of Shabad mandal.

The centre was proposed in the city after the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. This was part of the plan of the Union home ministry to have regional centres in cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. The state government had also promised to allot the land on a priority basis.

Fish prasadam tomorrow

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Hyderabad, June 07: The Bathini fish prasadam will be distributed from 10.30 am on Monday to 10.30 am on Tuesday non-stop at Exhibition Grounds in Nampally.

Briefing the media, Hyderabad collector Navin Mittal said 1.5 lakh murrel fingerlings would be kept ready for the prasadam. In all, 32 counters, including one for VIP, physically handicapped besides separate queues for men and women, would be set up.

District officials said three ambulances would be on standby to meet any medical emergencies.

Former MLA quits TDP

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Hyderabad, June 07: TDP former MLA and former government whip Gadde Babu Rao resigned from the party on Saturday. The two-time MLA from Cheepurupalli, Babu Rao (69) lost the election to Botsa Satyanarayana twice, once in 2004 and again in 2009.

The senior leader in the district cited his age and wife’s ill health as the reason for bidding adieu to politics. However, party sources said internal disputes in the party were the reason for his resignation. After the election results were announced, Babu Rao had alleged that some TDP leaders had colluded with the Congress to plot his defeat.

Hyderabad turning swine flu capital

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Hyderabad, June 07: Hyderabad is fast gaining the dubious distinction of becoming the swine flu capital of the country with three more cases getting confirmed on Saturday. Of the 8 cases of swine flu reported in India, six are from Hyderabad with Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu accounting for the other two.

Pak used US aid to fight India

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New Delhi, June 07: The Pentagon has confirmed one of South Asia’s worst kept secrets – that Pakistan has used billions of dollars of US aid to buy a mind-boggling array of conventional American weaponary to use against India.