shameen

UP minister Azam Khan abuses IAS officer publicly

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Uttar Pradesh’s Urban Development Minister Azam Khan publicly scolded and abused an IAS officer at a meeting on Monday.

The officer of the Indian Administrative Services was abused after he sought to explain why two other officers were missing from the meeting of the senior bureaucrats.

Azam Khan was furious at the Principal Secretary and the Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department skipping the meeting. When the minister asked as to why the two were absent, the Special Secretary said the duo was busy with some other work.

Nupur makes explosive claims, Kanda’s custody ends today

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The police custody of former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda, under arrest in connection with the Geetika Sharma suicide case, ends on Tuesday even as more details about his past continue to tumble out.

Yesterday, the police had conducted fresh raids at Kanda’s house in SIrsa and are questioning him about his relationship with Geetika, who committed suicide on August 5.

In her suicide note, the former air hostess had named Kanda and his close aide Aruna Chaddha as being responsible for forcing her to commit suicide.

`Heroine` makers move court on smoking scene rider

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The makers of Bollywood film ‘Heroine’, starring Kareena Kapoor, Monday moved the Delhi High Court against the information and broadcasting ministry`s order to display anti-smoking messages during smoking scenes in the movie.

The film is scheduled to be released Sep 21.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher issued notice to the information and broadcasting and health ministries and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and sought their responses by Sep 10.

The CBFC was also directed to view the movie and file a report in sealed cover on next date of hearing.

Dravid, Gambhir nominated for civilian honours

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The BCCI has decided to recommend the former India captain Rahul Dravid and opener Gautam Gambhir for the Padma Bhusan and Padma Shri awards respectively.

“Dravid and Gambhir’s names were discussed earlier and president and secretary were to take a final call in this regard. The last date for filing nominations was August 15 and the names have been sent” a BCCI official reportedly told a news agency.

Sweet of Kareena to surprise me on birthday, says Madhur

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Filmmaker Madhur Bhandakar, who is giving final touches to `Heroine`, was in for a surprise on his birthday by the film`s leading lady Kareena Kapoor.

The national award winning director was dubbing for his yet-to-be-released film when Kareena surprised Madhur with a birthday cake with all the crew yesterday.

“I am either working or out on a family trip on my birthday. It was very sweet of Bebo (Kareena) to give me this birthday surprise,” Madhur Bhandarkar said.

Scientists successfully weigh single molecule

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After devoting 12 years to the project, scientists have fabricated the first-ever device to measure molecules one at a time.

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) researchers said it would eventually help doctors diagnose diseases, enable biologists to study viruses and probe molecular machinery of cells, and even allow better measurement of nanoparticles and air pollution.

Did DNA exist before life itself?

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Scientists are closer to demonstrating that DNA can form spontaneously from chemicals thought to be present on the primordial Earth suggesting that DNA could have predated the birth of life itself.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is essential to almost all life on Earth, yet most biologists think that life began with Ribonucleic acid (RNA). Just like DNA, it stores genetic information.

Prebiotic chemists have so far largely ignored DNA, because its complexity suggests it cannot possibly form spontaneously, the New Scientist reported.

Sensex drops 104 points; banks, power shares hit

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The Sensex Monday fell by 104.40 points to 17,678.81 on selling in banks, capital goods, metal and power shares amid the logjam in Parliament entering its second week over the coal block allocation issue.

The BSE benchmark index, which had lost 67 points in the previous session, opened flat on weak Asian cues but kept on sliding down as selling activity in interest-rate sensitive counters as well IT stocks increased.

Besides weak expectations of any immediate reduction of lending rates by RBI, a lower opening in European markets added soured the sentiment further.

2G spectrum: SC directs Govt to complete fresh auction of licenses by Jan 11

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The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Government to complete fresh auction of cancelled 122 2G spectrum licences by January 11, 2013 and warned that failure to meet the deadline would invite “contempt” action against erring officials with “exemplary” cost.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and K S Radhakrishnan, which extended the August 31, 2012 deadline for completing the auction process, made it clear that no court in the country will entertain any plea on this issue of 2G spectrum.

CAG’s observations on ‘coalgate’ disputable: PM

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said CAG’s observations on coal block allocation issue were disputable and asked the opposition to debate the matter in Parliament to allow the country to judge where the truth lay.

“I am sorry that the House is not allowed to function and the BJP is determined to disrupt the proceedings of Parliament. I wish to assure the country that we have a very strong and credible case,” he told reporters outside Parliament House after the opposition disrupted his speech in Lok Sabha.

Pak PM gets till Sept 18 to write letter against Zardari

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He could have been on his way out but Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was on Monday given a three-week reprieve by the Supreme Court that adjourned the contempt case against him till September 18, giving him more time to write to Swiss authorities on reopening corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Ashraf, who stepped into the shoes of Yousuf Raza Gilani who was disqualified for contempt when he refused to accept the court’s orders, requested that he be given four to six weeks to write the letter to Swiss authorities.

PM not allowed to speak; both houses adjourned till 2 p.m

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Both houses of parliament were adjourned till 2 p.m. Monday as the BJP refused to allow Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to make a statement on coal- block allocation.

Earlier too, both houses were adjourned till noon after slogan-shouting BJP members disrupted proceedings compelling the presiding officers to order the adjournment.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) kept up a chant demanding the prime minister’s resignation, effectively drowning out all attempts by him to speak. His statement was finally laid on the table of the two respective houses.

Bandh paralyses normal life in Assam, no fresh incident

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Normal life was paralysed in Assam by a 12-hour bandh called by the Bajrang Dal to protest the violence in the lower Assam districts where the situation was calm with no fresh incident reported today.

Bandh supporters burnt tyres and pelted stones at vehicles in different parts of the state following which the police took nearly 500 of them into preventive custody in Guwahati, Golokgunj and Agomoni in Dhubri, official sources said.

A Q Khan launches political party

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Disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist A Q Khan has floated a political forum ‘Tehrik-e-Tahaffuz Pakistan’ and said he plans to launch a countrywide youth awakening programme ahead of the upcoming general election.

Khan, in continous feud with the country’s establishment, said he plans to motivate the youth “regarding who to vote for and who not to vote for”, The Express Tribune reported.

“I will consistently urge youth to elect honest persons in upcoming elections and stand for survival of the country,” he said.

BJP wants PM to go, targets Congress too

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Alleging kickbacks in the allocation of coal blocks, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to accept moral responsibility and resign.

“We want him to accept moral responsibility. The PM is responsible for the revenue loss. That is why we want him to go,” Sushma Swaraj, who heads the opposition in the Lok Sabha, told the media.

She said all the coal blocks allocated without auction to private and state-run firms should be cancelled and these should be auctioned afresh.

Taliban kill 17 Afghan civilians in Helmand

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Seventeen civilians, including three women, who were at a picnic were killed by Taliban militants at Musa Qala district in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand on Sunday night, an official said on Monday.

“The incident happened in Roshan Abad neighbourhood, a remote area in Musa Qala district, late Sunday evening,” administrative district chief Nematullah told Xinhua.

Some of the slain non-combatants were beaten and others were shot dead, he said.

The area is under Taliban control and the reason for killing the innocent civilians was not clear so far, he said.

Myanmar sentences 3 UN staff to jail for violence

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The United Nations says a court in Myanmar has sentenced three of its staff to prison terms for their alleged involvement in a spate of bloody communal violence in the west of the country in June.

UN spokesman Aye Win said on Monday that a court in the Rakhine state town of Maungdaw sentenced two UN refugee agency employees to jail terms of six and three years. One UN World Food Program staffer was sentenced to two years.

Aye Win says the staffers were convicted of various crimes, including alleged participation in arson attacks and promoting hatred between Buddhists and Muslims.

Nigeria commences indirect talk with Boko Haram

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After months of confrontation with hardline Islamist militant group Boko Haram, the Nigerian government has opened “back-channel” talks with the outfit to end insurgency and spiralling violence that has killed hundreds in the oil-rich nation.

Indicating that the informal talks were on, Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said that the dialogue was through “backroom channels”, without elaborating.

NAM summit proves ‘failure’ of US sanctions: Iran

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Iran has hit out at the US, saying the holding of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Tehran proves the “failure” of America’s “threat and sanction” policy against the oil-rich country.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian said the anti-Iran policies of the US-led Western nations are doomed for failure.

Modest Kohli refuses comparison with Sachin Tendulkar

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Sachin Tendulkar sees a shadow of himself in Virat Kohli but the young Indian batsman says he literally worships the iconic cricketer and matching his feats would be nothing short of “mission impossible” for him.

Kohli is the fastest to score 1000 and then 3000 ODI runs and has been India`s most prolific scorer this year with five centuries which led to many comparing him with Tendulkar.

Tendulkar himself considers Kohli a worthy challenger to his incredible record of 100 international centuries.

However, Kohli said there is no comparison between him and his idol.

Bill to set up AIIMS-like institutes across India

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A bill to help the Centre set up AIIMS-like institutes across India by a notification was introduced in the Lok Sabha Monday.

The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2012 will also replace a recent ordinance which allowed the six AIIMS-like institutes to become operational from September, 2012.

The bill will confer powers upon the Centre to establish AIIMS-like institutions by notification in the official gazette.

Heavy rains disrupt rail, road traffic in Mumbai

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After a long spell of scanty rains, the country’s commercial capital woke up on Monday to heavy rainfall which disrupted rail and road traffic. The weather office has forecast more showers.

More rain is likely in the next 48 hours, said a weather official.

Colaba in south Mumbai recorded 57.1 mm rain, while Santacruz in the north recorded 34.2 mm of rainfall till 2.30 pm Monday.

Rail and road traffic was hit and trains on the western and central lines were running late by 10-20 minutes.

We never claimed ‘zero loss’ in coal block allocation: Chidambaram

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Three days after claiming that there was no question of gain or loss in coal block allocation as the coal has not been mined, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said the government never used the term “zero loss”.

“None of us used the phrase zero loss. Nevertheless, a section of the press has incorrectly reported that government claimed that there was zero loss in the allocation of coal blocks,” Chidambaram said in a written statement.

Wish movement had remained as it was, says Kiran Bedi

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Kiran Bedi, a key member of the disbanded Team Anna, Monday said she wished India Against Corruption (IAC) had remained “a national movement” and asked members of the group to focus on the ruling Congress in their agitations.

Bedi, who did not participate in the Arvind Kejriwal-led protest in the national capital Sunday, setting off speculation of differences among the erstwhile Team Anna grouping, said the IAC should “focus on the political party which can give you the law”.