saleem

J-K sends Kasab’s Hindi tutor’s pics to Mumbai Police

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Jammu, September 07: Jammu and Kashmir police has sent the details and photographs of a slain Lashkar-e-Taiba militant to Mumbai Police to verify if he was the Hindi tutor of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested in the 26/11 terror attack.

“We have sent the photographs and details of slain militant Abu Jindal to Mumbai Police for investigation. We are in close touch with them,” a senior police officer said today.

Suspected LeT militant Abu Jindal was shot dead in Bathoi forest area of Mahore tehsil of Reasi district on Friday.

Lankan group behind SL cricket team attack: Pak

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New Delhi, September 06: After suspecting an Indian hand in the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday revealed that the attack may have been funded by the LTTE.

Speaking about the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore in March this year, Gilani said that he had received word from Sri Lankan authorities about the involvement of a Sri Lankan group.

Gilani also said that the admission came from none other than the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the duo’s visit to Libya recently.

White House: public health care plan is negotiable

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Washington, September 06: White House officials said Sunday a government health insurance option is negotiable, signaling a potential compromise on an issue that President Barack Obama’s liberal supporters consider do-or-die.

As Obama prepares for a Wednesday night speech to Congress in a risky bid to salvage his top domestic priority, political adviser David Axelrod said a public plan is not the core issue in the health care debate. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs danced around a question about whether Obama would veto a bill without the public option.

Chanda still in lead, but with two others in Kolkata chess

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Kolkata, September 06: Overnight leader Sandipan Chanda was joined by two others in the pole position after the sixth round of the 4th Kolkata Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament here Sunday. Chanda, Viktor Laznicka of the Czech Republic and Le Quang Liem of Vietnam have five points each.

Chanda and GM Nigel Short (4.5) of England drew a hard fought battle on the top board at the Gorky Sadan.

Serena Williams still awaiting true test at Open

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New York, September 06: Serena Williams is still waiting for her first true test of this U.S. Open.

The defending champion’s fourth-round match was competitive for all of four games Sunday, before Williams took 10 in a row to beat No. 22-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-0.

Williams has reached the quarterfinals at 11 of the past 12 major tournaments and won the title at three of the past four.

With the score 2-all against Hantuchova, Williams hit three aces to hold for a 3-2 lead — and she wouldn’t lose a game the rest of the way.

AP NewsBreak: Iran says US nuke documents ‘forged’

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Vienna, September 04: Iran accused the U.S. on Friday of using “forged documents” and relying on subterfuge to make its case that Tehran is trying to build a nuclear weapon, according to a confidential letter obtained by The Associated Press.

The eight-page letter — written by Iran’s chief envoy to the U.N. nuclear agency in Vienna — denounces Washington’s allegations against the Islamic Republic as “fabricated, baseless and false.” The letter does not specify what documents Iran is alleging were forged.

Get over my shaadi: Salman

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Mumbai, September 04: As his bigtime film Wanted comes up for release, Salman Khan decided to give the media something he’s always wanted to — ‘a dose of their own medicine’. And ZOOM gave him that opportunity. To Face-Off with Times Group Editors and grill them (“like tandoori chicken!”). In a no-holds barred, free for all, Salman got to grill Bombay Times Editor — Mark Manuel, Mumbai Mirror Entertainment Editor — Indu Mirani and ZOOM Editor-in-Chief — Omar Qureshi. They, in turn got to air their grievances as well — but Khan proved to be tougher than they thought.

H1N1 has killed 2,837, virus has not mutated

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Washington, September 04: H1N1 flu has killed at least 2,837 people but is not causing more severe illness than previously and the virus has not mutated, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

The United Nations agency is monitoring the strain, commonly known as swine flu, to detect any mutation which might signal that it has become more deadly.

‘There is no sense that the virus has mutated or changed in any sense,’ WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told a news briefing. ‘We are continuing to see increased number of deaths because we are seeing many, many more cases.’

Priyanka Chopra my second wife: Tarun Mansukhani

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Mumbai, September 04: Tarun Mansukhani, the young and happening director of Dostana, who is currently spending sleepless nights scripting a sequel to his gay comedy tells Smita Mishra of Spicezee.com his secrets and future plans.

Tell us about your film’s screening in New York.

Obama to publish list of White House visitors

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Washington, September 04: US President Barack Obama announced Friday he will publicize a list of most visitors to the White House to provide more information about who has access and influences policy.

The move was meant to satisfy demands by watchdog groups who have insisted on greater public transparency about the role of lobbyists in decision-making.

At 9.7 percent, US unemployment rate highest in 26 years

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Washington, September 04:The US unemployment rate jumped to 9.7 percent in August, as employers slashed an additional 216,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labour Statistics reported Friday.

While employers cut fewer jobs in August than in July – when 276,000 jobs were lost – the unemployment rate soared to a 26-year high.

The rate is up from 9.4 percent in July. The number of unemployed people increased by 466,000 to 14.9 million, the government said.

Black box of YSR’s helicopter recovered

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Hyderabad, September 04: The black box of the ill-fated Bell 430 helicopter that crashed killing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and four others has been recovered, officials said Friday.

The black box or cockpit voice recorder was recovered from Nallamalla forests in Kurnool district, where the helicopter crashed Wednesday.

The anti-Maoist Greyhounds force, which found the black box during search operations in the area, handed it over to a team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which began a probe into the crash.

Moulana Naseeruddin granted bail

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Hyderabad, September 04: The Supreme Court Of India today Granted the conditional bail to the Muslim cleric Moulana MOhammed Naseeruddin who has been languishing in the Sabarmati jail for more than five years.

He was arrested by the Detection Crime Branch of Ahmedabad Police on 30 November 2004 in connection with the former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya murder case conspiracy and during this incident one youth Mujahid Saleem was killed by the Gujarat police near the DGP’s office.

YSR body kept at Camp office, tommorrow funeral at Pulivendla

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Hyderabad, September 03: The chief minister’s body has arrived at Hyderabad Airport. The dead body of the CM was taken to his residence right from the Begumpet Airport this late evening. The Government has planned to keep the YSR’dead body from 9 am to 1 pm tomorrow, at Lal Bahadur Stadium for public viewing. He will then be taken to his village, Pulivendula, for last rites.

YSR Reddy and four other people were killed when their helicopter crashed in the dense jungles of southern India during a pounding rainstorm, media reported. The body of the Chief Minister arrived in Hyderabad.

YSR was an ideal chief minister: PM

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New Delhi, September 03: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday mourned the death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, saying he was an “ideal chief minister who was a role model for other states”.

In a personal touch to a condolence message he sent to the chief minister’s wife Vijayalaxmi, the prime minister said in the death of Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, he had lost a valued colleague on whom he “depended for support and ideas”.

YSR to get state funeral

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New Delhi, Sep 03: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will be given a state funeral Friday while the national flag will fly at half mast in Delhi and all state capitals Thursday and Friday, the government announced.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after a cabinet meeting here that the tricolour would also fly at half mast all over Andhra Pradesh in tribute to the chief minister who died in a helicopter crash Wednesday.

5000 CRPF, Greyhounds & Sukhoi jet join search for CM

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Hyderabad, September 02: A helicopter carrying Chief Minister Y,S, Rajasekhar Reddy is missing for ten hours since it took off from here, triggering concerns about his safety.

At 7.15 pm, finance minister K. Rosaiah said there was still no word from the Chief Minister, the personnel accompanying him or the aircraft crew.

The IAF has pressed into service a Su-30MKI fighter aircraft with synthetic aperture radar for high resolution ground mapping in and around Kurnool to locate the copter.

AP assembly adjourns sine die

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Hyderabad, September 01: Andhra Pradesh Assembly was today adjourned sine die after adoption of appropriation bills amid uproarious scenes.

TDP member D Narendra made some allegations against the Congress government and its leaders during Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah’s speech on the bills.

The TDP members entered into the well of the house as Deputy Speaker N Manohar put the bills to vote. The bills were adopted amid the din after which the House was adjourned sine die.

–PTI

Indian high commissioner to Pakistan visits trading post on LOC

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Srinagar, September 01: Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharad Sabharwal Tuesday visited the Salamabad trade facilitation centre and Kaman Post on the Line of Control (LOC) in north Kashmir to familiarize himself with the modalities of the trans-LOC trade between the two parts of the divided state.

“The high commissioner was also informed about the modalities of passenger inflow and outflow through the trade facilitation centre”, a senior official said here.

Won’t quit parliamentary panel: Jaswant Singh

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New Delhi, September 01: A combative Jaswant Singh on Tuesday said he would not quit as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, a day after the expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was told by his former party to quit the parliamentary post.

Asked by reporters if he would oblige the BJP by quitting the PAC, Jaswant Singh said he would not.

“The decision (to ask him to quit the PAC) is of the (Lok Sabha) Speaker, and not of a political party,” he said.

India moving towards new hydrocarbon asset auction system

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New Delhi, September 01: From an annual auction of its hydrocarbon blocks, India is moving towards a year-long bidding process, said Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasada here Tuesday.

“The government of India is moving gradually but inexorably towards the Open Acreage Licensing System from the current New Exploration Licensing Policy,” Prasada said at the inauguration of an international conference on National Data Repository (NDR).

Money for widows of 1956 Melbourne football team

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New Delhi, September 01: The sports ministry Tuesday decided to provide financial assistance to the widows of players of the 1956 Indian team that finished fourth in the Melbourne Olympics.

Sports Minsiter M.S. Gill said that widows of T.A. Rahman, P.R. Thangaraj, K.S. Kittoo and M.K. Kempiah will receive a cheque of Rs.150,000 each.

Nine surviving members of the team, captain Samar Banerjee, S.S. Narayan, A.S. Salam, Ahmad Hussain, Nikhil Nandi, P.K. Banerjee, M.Z. Zulfikar, Tulsidas Balaram and Keshto Pal, were given similar assistance in February.

–Agencies

South India’s largest mall to be ready next year

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Chennai, September 01: The first phase of the 1.8 million sq. ft. Rs.750 crore Express Avenue, billed to be south India’s largest shopping mall cum commercial and hospitality complex, is expected to be ready here early next year.

“The first phase will have 11 lakh sq.ft. retail space and will house about 260 retailers – anchor retailers like Lifestyle, Future Group – and others, food court, multiplex theatres,” R.R. Aroonkumar, chief financial officer of Express Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, told IANS Tuesday.

Bhardwaj to double up as Andhra governor

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New Delhi, September 01: Karnataka Governor H.R. Bhardwaj will also discharge the functions of his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N.D. Tiwari, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said Tuesday.

This will be in addition to his own duties, said an official statement here.

–Agencies

Astronaut takes a second, closer look at Brahmaputra

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Guwahati, September 01: US astronaut Mike Fincke Tuesday took a close look here at the river Brahmaputra, which he had viewed from space some months ago.

“I saw the Brahmaputra from space. Today I have seen it with my own eyes. It is indeed a pleasure to be by the side of this great river,” Fincke told IANS.

Fincke and his wife Renita, an engineer with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), arrived here to attend a series of functions.

The visit is special for the couple as Renita originally hails from Assam.