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Hawala Racket: Charges Framed Against Geelani’s Aide

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Charges were today framed against a close aide of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and three others, arrested for allegedly running hawala racket to fund banned terrorist outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in Kashmir Valley, by a Delhi court, paving the way for their trial.

District Judge H S Sharma framed charges under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Ghulam Mohd Bhat, said to be Geelani’s close aide, Mohd Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga, who are presently in Tihar jail under judicial custody.

Motive yet unclear in Shehla Masood murder case

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The motive behind the murder of Madhya Pradesh RTI activist Shehla Masood continues to be shrouded in mystery even after investigators arrested three persons including a woman interior designer, in this connection.

While the CBI arrested interior designer Zahida Pervez and Shakib Ali ‘Danger’ from here, the UP police has apprehended one person from Kanpur.

‘Military action against Iran, Syria to violate international laws

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Moscow: Russia views the decision to carry out military operations against Iran and Syria as a step in violation of international laws, Xinhua reported.

“None denied a key provision of international laws — a decision to use force against a sovereign state should be taken only by the UN Security Council,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview to a newspaper Thursday.

“I truly hope that the international community will be wise enough not to allow such a scenario to happen,” he said.

Zardari Knew About US Raid on Osama Compound: Ijaz

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Controversial Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, a key figure in the memo scandal, today claimed that President Asif Ali Zardari had advance information of the US military raid that killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad last year.

Ijaz further claimed that Zardari had telephoned army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on the day of the US raid and asked him not to use F-16 combat jets to target the helicopters carrying the American troops.

LeT plot to kill Modi: Stratfor knew before WikiLeaks

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Global private intelligence group Stratfor knew that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba was planning to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi much before whistleblower WikiLeaks brought it before the world through its leaked US diplomatic cables.

In an internal email conversation, which was released by WikiLeaks along with several other Stratfor confidential mails, analysts have been quoted as saying, “We knew it… WikiLeak (though not original source of Info, but acted as vector/parasite) confirmed it.”

Porn-and-politics inquiry a half-hearted attempt?

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After three ministers were caught watching porn on a cellphone in the Karnataka Assembly, a committee was set up of seven MLAs to investigate the incident. The ministers – Lakshman S Savadi, CC Patil and J Krishna Palemar had to resign – were forced to resign by their party, the BJP. The seven MLAs who are meant to interrogate them seem to lack real interest in their assignment.

Azhar Deliberately Avoiding Appearance: Court

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A Delhi court today issued fresh non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Congress MP Mohd Azharrudin saying he is “deliberately” avoiding appearance before it in connection with a cheque-bouncing case.

Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Vikrant Vaid issued the NBW for March 7, while dismissing a plea made on behalf of Azhar to exempt the cricketer-turned-politician from personal appearance in the court on the ground that he was busy in poll campaigning in the ongoing UP assembly elections.

Finally, Poonam Pandey strips for Team India

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Internet sensation Poonam Pandey has partially done what she had committed last year- strip to nude! Though the lady has not gone full monty, she has posed topless for her fans.

The model had started a countdown on Twitter asking her fans if they would like to see “Poonam Padey Without Bikini” and on public demand posted a topless picture of hers’.

Osama’s presence in Pakistan an enduring mystery

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Islamabad: Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad, where he was killed last year, is the subject of enduring mystery and endless speculation, said a daily that described the episode as a severe embarrassment for the Pakistani government and the armed forces in particular.

In an operation that began Saturday night, authorities Monday finished demolishing the three-storey house in Abbottabad where Osama was found and killed by American commandos May 2 last year.

Gali Janardhana Reddy taken to Bangalore by road

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Former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy was Thursday taken to Bangalore by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by road.

After day-long suspense on the mode of transport, the jail authorities decided to shift him to Bangalore in a motor vehicle.

Janardhana Reddy was brought out of Chanchalguda Central Jail Thursday evening and escorted to a mini bus which left for Bangalore along with police escort vehicles amid tight security.

Two sub-inspectors of police and eight policemen are escorting Janardhana Reddy, who would be produced in a Bangalore court Friday.

Dia Mirza poses in ad against animal skin trade

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Dia Mirza has posed as a snake to raise her voice against animal skin trade in an ad for animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The caption of the ad reads: “Face It: Exotic Skins Kill. Wild Animals Belong in the Wild, Not in Your Wardrobe.”

Dia said: “Skinning animals alive or beating them to death for a pair of boots or a purse cannot be justified.”

“By choosing widely available fake snake and mock croc, you can pay tribute to these animals’ beauty without stealing their skins and killing them,” she added.

Five held for raping woman

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The Kurupam police on Wednesday arrested five persons in connection with the gang rape of a 38-year-old tribal woman in Kurupam mandal in Vizianagaram district on February 25 night. Incidentally, the opposition parties raised the issue in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday morning demanding that the State government provide ex gratia to the rape victim and initiate stringent action against the accused.

Following the report from the victim, the police picked up 11 suspects from Kairada village of Kurupam mandal in the district, where the woman was raped a few days ago.

First Arab woman to become NASA researcher

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NASA has appointed a Saudi woman academic who holds a doctorate degree in environmental studies and biotechnology from a UK university as a member of its scientific team.

Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Rashid, president of NASA affiliate the Gulf American Foundation for Space, Technology and Environment, said Majda Aburas was appointed as a member of the regional research team considering her national initiatives to protect the environment.

“It was the result of her continuous work for the environment to solve its problems,” Al-Rashid said.

Rs 27 lakh spent on computerisation of Wakf records: Minister

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Minorities Welfare Minister Syed Mohammad Ahmedullah clarified that there was no provision in the Central Wakf Act for the computerisation of records of wakf properties in the State.

Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Shaik Mastan Vali during Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, the minister said that although there was no legal compulsion, the State Government has taken up the computerisation of all records of State Wakf Board pertaining to over 37,000 wakf properties in the State.

10th Yr of Shame for Gujarat: Bhatt on Godhra Anniversary

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Terming the anniversary of the Godhra train carnage, that left 59 karsevaks dead and triggered one of worst communal riots in India, as the “10th year of shame”, suspended IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt today criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi saying that democracy was being killed in the state.

Describing the battle to get justice for the victims of Godhra train carnage and riots as “the fight for soul of India,” Bhatt said, “this fight is not in support of one religion or a person.”

Nalin Bhatt Criticises Modi, Advani for Not Visiting Godhra

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Former BJP leader Nalin Bhatt today lashed out at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and senior leader L.K. Advani for not visiting Godhra on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the train burning incident, which triggered one of the the worst communal riots in India.

“Modi has time to visit China but does not have time to visit Godhra for remembering the karsevaks (who were burnt alive in the incident) because of whom BJP captured 42 seats out of a total of 50 Assembly seats from Central Gujarat in the 2002 Assembly elections,” Bhatt told reporters here.

Traffic deaths decline in UAE

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) saw an about 13 percent decline in the number of people killed in traffic accidents in 2011 as compared to 2010.

According to statistical reports by interior ministry’s general administration of traffic coordination (GATC), during 2011, it registered 720 deaths caused by traffic accidents, against 826 deaths in 2010. The death rates went down from 10 per 100,000 of the population to 8.4 within the same period.

‘Buried under avalanche, help came from the sky’

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Trapped in his relative’s house after a massive avalanche buried the village, Abdul Rafique Lone had given up all hopes of survival when he heard the sound of a helicopter and saw a soldier jumping off it on a risky rescue mission.

“We were at the mercy of God and had little hope of survival. Every passing minute brought death closer and closer. Gradually, we were getting physically and mentally numb,” recalled Lone, according to the details released by the army Monday.

Has Gujarat been able to bury the ghost of Godhra?

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Ten years can be a lifetime in today’s here-and-now world. Ten years after the Gujarat violence, the state claims to have moved on. Relative peace and the engine of enterprise have taken the state into another orbit. Its Chief Minister Narendra Modi is being seen in some quarters as a potential Prime Minister, a role model of good governance. But what of those who were caught in the vortex of violence?

Harish turns tables on Naidu

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Telugu Desam party president Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s reported remark that the chapter of Telangana Rashtra Samithi was over evoked sharp condemnation from Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao on Sunday.

Reacting to the TDP supremo’s provocative remark, the TRS leader said that Chandrababu Naidu was suffering from illusion and speaking all nonsense. Stating that Naidu’s small brain was damaged and needed to be set right, he advised the former to get his brain scanned and undergo medical treatment. .

Mock mass casualty drill held at GHMC

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A Mock Mass Casualty Drill was organized on the premises of Gandhi Medical College here on Sunday. Organised as part of the 15th Annual National Conference of International Trauma Care (ITC CON) here, the drill had a setting of a public meeting with a mock bomb blast. Preparing for the worst scenario, medical and other emergency response teams were put through the mass casualty drill with ‘Moulage’ technique, wherein people had mock injuries with blood, open fractures and so on.

Fire at Howrah station

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A fire broke out at the Howrah railway station – the second-oldest and the country’s largest railway complex – Sunday but it was quickly doused. No loss of life or property was reported.

“A fire broke out at the new complex of the Howrah station which houses the current booking office. Two fire engines were pressed into service and the fire was extinguished shortly. No loss of life or property has been reported,” a railway spokesman said.