Month: September 2009

Congress hails Rahul for democratising youth bodies

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New Delhi, September 30:The Congress Wednesday hailed party general secretary Rahul Gandhi for his efforts to introduce internal democracy in the student and youth wing of the party.

“The efforts of Rahul Gandhi to introduce internal democracy by holding organisational election in the Youth Congress and National Students Union of India (NSUI) can be called as revolutionary from political point of view,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.

Mayawati government accused of defying court over memorials

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New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government was Wednesday accused of defying the Supreme Court by continuing work at Dalit leaders’ memorial sites in Lucknow.

The accusation was made by Lucknow resident Mithilesh Kumar Singh, whose lawsuit against Dalit memorials has left the Mayawati regime face contempt proceedings for allegedly violating the Supreme Court Sep 8 order stopping all construction work.

In his rejoinder, Singh said “the state government was trying to camouflage its violation of the court’s order in the garb of confusion over the order though there was none”.

US Congress set to vote on Pakistan aid with ‘no terror’ conditions

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Washington, September 30: The US Congress is set to take the final step to triple non-military aid to Pakistan, but with stringent conditions demanding action against extremist groups on its soil and preventing attacks on neighbouring countries, namely India.

Though the bill scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives Wednesday does not mention India so as not to hurt Islamabad’s sensitivities, it specifically lists extremist movements Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the outfit behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Family locked up by ‘Psycho’ dad for 7 years in Mumbai

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Mumbai, September 30: It’s a story that will send a chill down your spine, a story of a 60-year-old father, who locked, beat and starved his wife and daughters for 7 years.

Francis Gomes, a 60-year-old unemployed man, living in Mumbai along with his wife and 3 daughters had confined his family in the house since 2002.

The father allegedly kept them locked up as he was convinced that his girls would be raped if they even stepped out of home.

26/11 accused Kasab confessed voluntarily before Magistrate

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Mumbai, September 30: A city Magistrate on Wednesday told the 26/11 trial court that prime accused Ajmal Amir Kasab had confessed about his role in the terror attacks voluntarily before her, saying he wanted others to draw inspiration from his confession.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rama Vijay Sawant Vagule said Kasab was produced before her on February 17 where he said he wanted to confess.

He was given 24 hours to reconsider if he wished to confess, she said.

Will Smith to host Nobel Peace Prize concert

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London, September 30: Hollywood star Will Smith will host this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Concert with his actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The couple said hosting the show would be an awe-inspiring experience.

“The opportunity to recognise the laureate’s contributions to the world peace movement will be an awe-inspiring experience – we are both humbled and honoured to take part in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert this year,” mirror.co.uk quoted Smith as saying.

Planners take heritage walk through walled city

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New Delhi, September 30: Undaunted by the ever-buzzing crowds in the market places and narrow alleyways of the walled city, city planners and UNESCO urban planning experts embarked on a heritage walk here on Wednesday.

This ended with an array of speculation on conserving the area, mostly on how to oust the “wholesale” squatters and get the community to care about their heritage.

The walled city now appears as lanes after lanes of wholesale markets selling bulk paper, hardware and other products.

Drew Barrymore injured while shooting for ‘Whip It’

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London, September 30: Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore badly bruised her leg while filming for her directorial debut “Whip It”, about a roller derby team.

Barrymore, who is also acting in the movie, was left black and blue when a training session with Detroit Derby Girls star Racer McChasher went wrong.

“We were wrestling and rolling around on the track, one of our skates and both our body weights were on my thigh. I had a bruise that was a foot long and a foot wide. My entire leg was covered,” explained the 34-year-old actress.

—IANS

Court approves denial of admission to Meerut girl in Delhi varsity

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New Delhi, September 30: The Delhi High Court has denied admission to a Meerut girl in a varsity in the capital on the ground that her study centre for the B.Ed course for teachers’ training was not here.

The court, in a ruling this week, agreed with the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University’s decision to deny admission to Nisha Shokeen, who pleaded that she had been denied admission in the M.Ed course as her study centre for B.Ed was in Meerut.

Court asks Delhi Police to expedite parole decisions

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New Delhi, September 30: Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the police to take quick decisions on the increasing number of parole pleas from convicts languishing in Tihar jail here.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan directed Delhi Police to send out verification reports of parole pleas at the earliest.

It was hearing a plea of 28 Tihar jail inmates who had written a letter to the court complaining about the delay in hearing their parole pleas.

Two-year jail for Indian Oil official

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Chandigarh, September 30: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Wednesday sentenced a former Indian Oil official to two years in jail for illegally issuing gas connections about two decades ago.
According to CBI officials, the case was registered against R.C. Sahni, 65, area manager of Indian Oil in Chandigarh in November 1990.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs.14,000 on Sahni but acquitted the owners of two gas agencies in Barnala town in Punjab.

Congress hails Rahul for democratising youth bodies

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New Delhi, September 30: The Congress Wednesday hailed party general secretary Rahul Gandhi for his efforts to introduce internal democracy in the student and youth wing of the party.

“The efforts of Rahul Gandhi to introduce internal democracy by holding organisational election in the Youth Congress and National Students Union of India (NSUI) can be called as revolutionary from political point of view,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.

Congress sells foreign dreams to Haryana farmers in manifesto

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Chandigarh, September 30: Haryana’s ruling Congress seems to be selling foreign dreams to farmers in the state in their election manifesto released Wednesday, offering them help in buying land in any part of the world if their land is acquired to set up Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
“Farmers whose land will be acquired by us will get all help from our officials to buy land not only in other states of India but also in other countries of their choice,” Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said here.

Parsvanath to raise 35 mn dollars through private placement of shares

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New Delhi, September 30: Inspite of the huge setback faced by the real estate developers due to the steep slowdown in the sector in the past few months, the realty firm , Parsvanath Developers is eying private placement of shares.

By issuing the shares through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP), the firm intends to raise 35 mn dollars (around Rs 168 crore) . The proceeds of the share sale will be used to reduce debt of the company and to complete its existing projects.

Ind vs WI: A formal show live from Wanderers at 6 pm

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Johannesburg, September 30: India’s fate in the Champions Trophy has been depending on Pakistan’s victory over Australia in the ongoing match today.

The present scenario is indicating that India’s chance to book semifinals berth are very much grim as Pakistan failed to post big total on board. Australia need just 206 runs in the 50 overs to enter the semis.

If Pakistan defeat mighty Aussies here, India will have to thrash West Indies by huge margin to stay alive in the tournament.

India will take on West Indies here at New Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg.

Manna Dey nominated for Dadasaheb Falke award

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New Delhi, September 30: Eminent singer Manna Dey will be given the prestigious Dadasaheb Falke Award for the year 2007 on October 21. President Pratibha Patil will give him the award.

According to the report, a five-member committee selected Dey’s name for the award. Renowned singer Dey sang around 3, 500 songs between 1950 and 1970.

Dadasaheb Falke award is the highest honour in Indian cinema. The award was instituted in the honour of Dada Saheb Falke, known as father of Indian Cinema, by the Indian Government in 1969.

—Agencies

Tata in its new voyage to share BSNL’s tower

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New Delhi, September 30: Tata Teleservices , which was reported to be leading in terms of customer addition till last month is now into news again. Tata Tele is said to have signed an agreement with BSNL under which Tata will share its tower for next 15 years.

India’s sixth-ranked mobile operator. Tata Teleservices has been popular for its CDMA services but now has taken to expand its GSM services and so in order to speed up its network as well as to save cost the company will be sharing Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd’s tower.

Sensex cross 17,000-point level

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Mumbai, September 30: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Wednesday staged an impressive rally of over 270 points to cross the psychologically crucial 17,000-point level for the first time in 17 months.

Marketmen said sustained capital inflows on anticipation of strong quarterly earnings by India Inc, triggered heavy buying.

India put West Indies into bat

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Johannesburg, September 30: Indian Skipper MS Dhoni won the toss and invited West Indies to bat first here at New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

India are virtually out of the tournament. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar ruled out for today’s match due to food poisioning while out of form Ishant Sharma has been dropped. Dinesh Karthik and AM Nayar are included in the side.

India’s hopes were depending on outcome of ongoing encounter between Pakistan and Australia. But it seems that Aussies will win the match quite comfortably.

Atomic energy should not remain confined to a “privileged few” says PM

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New Delhi, September 30: Seeking international cooperation in its efforts for a major expansion in the nuclear programme, India today said benefits of atomic energy should not remain confined to a “privileged few” as it was vital to meet power requirements of developing countries.

“We need the concerted and collective efforts of the international community to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy as widely as possible,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at a function where IAEA chief Mohammad ElBaradei was conferred the coveted Indira Gandhi Peace Prize.

Bal Thackeray describe Raj as new Jinnah

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Mumbai, September 30: Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday described MNS chief Raj Thackeray as the new Mohammad Ali Jinnah and said his estranged nephew was intent on dividing Marathi people.

“The British incited Jinnah and forced him to divide India. Now, a new Jinnah at home is dividing Marathi people,” Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.

He blamed the Congress for encouraging Raj, saying the party cherished a dream of dividing Marathis and gaining power. The Congress is using parties like MNS to fulfil the dream, he said.

Hotel management girl student gangraped for a month

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New Delhi, September 30: A 23-year-old hotel management student has claimed that she was abducted, gangraped and filmed the act by four men after taking her to three states in about a month, police said on Wednesday.

The girl, a resident of west Delhi’s Uttam Nagar, alleged that she was forcibly taken by a man whom she knew for about one-and-half years in his car from Pragati Maidan on August 31. She was in the custody of her alleged kidnappers till September 26.

Australia vs Pakistan: Aussies need 206 runs to win

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Centurion, September 30: Australian (Aus) pacers restricted Pakistan on 205 runs. Pakistan (Pak)set 206 runs total before Australia to seal the semi finals berth here at SuperSports Park in Centurion.

India’s chances are very much depending on the outcome of Pakistan vs Australia match in the Champions Trophy.

If Pakistan defeat Australia here, the chances of Men in Blue will be alive. On the Other hand, Aussies need a win here to qualify for super four.

Electing to field, Australian bowlers gave no room to Pakistani batsmen and restricted them to moderate total of 205 runs.

Air India Pilots back to work

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New Delhi, September 30: Air India pilots began reporting back to work Wednesday soon after they called off their five-day strike, bringing relief to thousands of harried passengers though officials said schedules would get back to normal only late night.

Bookings that had been stopped would also begin shortly, an executive director of the airline said.

Honouring Urdu Litterateur in Life Time–A Unique & Rare Moment!

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Bhopal, September 30 (Pervez Bari): A litterateur being adored and eulogized in his life time for his literary pursuits and his overall personality when one is alive and kicking is a rare moment. It is certainly a break from the set tradition and trend of praising one to the skies after one is dead and gone.