Allahabad, November 09: Police today claimed to have seized an ‘ashtadhatu’ idol, estimated to be over a century old and worth over Rs 2 crore in the international market with the arrest of two persons in this connection.
The idol, made of an alloy of eight metals and hence called ‘ashtadhatu’, was seized in Tharwai police station area of the district’s trans-Ganga region, about 35 kms from the city.
Thiruvananthapuram, November 09: Locked in a war of words on the Mullaperiyar dam issue with Tamil Nadu, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said release of water from Aliyar dam in the neighbouring state resulted in heavy inflow into Moolathara reservoir causing breach of its side canal.
Talking to reporters at Pathanamthitta, he said a 50 metre-long stretch of the canal wall of Moolathara dam, part of the inter-state Parambikulam Aliyar project, collapsed causing extensive damage to agricultural crops in the area.
Hyderabad, November 09: The Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) today asked the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government to take more proactive measures to prevent racist attacks against Indian students Down Under.
With an aim to benefit Indian students, FISA has proposed to the Centre to provide insurance cover, legal help and set up a resource centre that would serve as a one-stop-shop for students, Gautam Gupta, Chair of Advisory Board of FISA, told reporters here today.
The Central Government is looking into the proposals, he said.
Seoul, November 09: The US and North Korea will hold talks in December, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported Monday citing a senior official here.
‘The bilateral meeting appears most likely to be held after the Thanksgiving holiday, which falls Nov 25-29,’ the official said requesting anonymity.
The US State Department is likely to announce the details of the meeting such as date and venue by Tuesday, the report said.
Mumbai, November 09: The Air India management is understood to be contemplating abolishing productivity-linked incentives of top executives as a part of cost-saving plan, sources said today.
“There is a proposal to abolish productivity-linked incentives of the functional and executive directors altogether,” a NACIL source said.
The National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) currently has six functional directors and over 40 executive directors.
The proposal is likely to be discussed in the Air India Board meeting to be held in Chennai on Wednesday, they said.
Baghdad, November 09: Iraq’s national airline plans to resume direct flights between Baghdad and Paris after 20 years, the government said on Monday, prompted by demand following a drop in violence levels and a rise in investor interest.
State-owned Iraqi Airways will sign an agreement with French authorities in mid-November to resume weekly flights between Baghdad and Paris, Iraq’s cabinet said in a statement.
Kolkata, November 09: Police say Maoists are adopting new methods of attack, following the deadly assault on four EFR jawans yesterday by armed people in plain clothes at Gidhni in West Midnapore district.
The jawans were sipping tea at a local stall when the attackers in plain clothes and undistinguishable from common people suddenly attacked them.
Thrissur, November 09: Eight-day-long holy Synod of the Church of the East will be held here, for the first time in India, from January 13 next year.
The global head of the Church of the East, Catholicos Patriarch, Mar Maran Dinkha IV, would make his Apostolic visit to Kerala to coincide with the Synod, Dr Mar Aprem, Metropolitan and Chief of the Church of the East in India told reporters here today.
He said that 11 Bishops besides the Patriarch, would be participating in the Synod. This would be the first synod of the Church of the East to be held in India, Aprem said.
Bangalore, November 09:The Congress in Karnataka today demanded resignation of the BJP government led by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for “betraying” people and “playing with the lives” of flood affected in north Karnataka.
“Yeddyurappa has no moral right to continue. People are praying when this government will go. Yeddyurappa instead of tendering apologies, should quit,” Congress Leader in the state assembly Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Mumbai, November 09: The Bombay High Court would soon examine a proposal to compensate those who languish in jail for petty offences.
The High Court is currently hearing a PIL on the overcrowding of jails in Maharashtra.
During an earlier hearing, Advocate Yug Chaudhary, appointed as an amicus curiae (friend of the court), had pointed out that in many cases where the offence is punishable only with fine, people are thrown into jail.
Mumbai, November 09: In a bid to trace the steps of David Headley, arrested by FBI for his involvement in an LeT plot to carry out attacks in India, Mumbai Police has begun questioning and recording statements of people who used to work with him or knew him during his stay here.
“We have recorded statements of various people in this connection,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria told PTI here.
Sources in the investigation said that a woman had been identified who used to work with the US citizen during his stay in Mumbai.
Lucknow, November 09: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court today directed listing of the writ petition of UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi seeking a CBI probe in the case relating to arson at her house on July 15. A division bench comprising Justices Abdul Mateen and Satish Chandra passed the order.
New Delhi, November 09: With a fresh attack on an Indian in Melbourne, the targeting of Indian students in Australia is set to dominate proceedings when Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd comes to India on a two-day visit Wednesday with an agenda to broaden the scope of bilateral ties.
Rudd starts his visit from Mumbai with a bout of cricket diplomacy. He will be watching the India-Australia one-day international match Wednesday evening and is expected to meet top Indian business leaders in Mumbai.
Almaty, November 09: Thirteen people were burned to death after a fire broke out at a warehouse in the Kazakhstan capital Monday, media reports said.
The incident took place at around 5.00 p.m. in a plastic-foam warehouse, Xinhua reported.
The fire was put out after it engulfed an area of about 8,000 sq metres, an official of the Kazakhstan Emergency Situations Ministry said.
Twenty-five fire engines were deployed to put out the fire. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
—IANS
New Delhi, November 09: A depleted Delhi side will face a stiff challenge from Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy Super League tie at the Roshanara Club here Tuesday.
Delhi, which was already missing international players Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ashish Nehra who are on national duty, has been hit by a spate of injuries as well.
New Delhi, November 09: A court Monday sent Uttar Pradesh gangster Munna Bajrangi to 30 days’ police custody in the national capital.
Additional Sessions Judge Madhu Jain allowed a plea of the Delhi Police seeking 30 days remand of Bajrangi for allegedly indulging in a series of organised crimes with his associates here.
The court also issued a production warrant against former Uttar Pradesh legislator Mukhtar Ansari under the stringent Maharashta Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA).
New Delhi, November 09: A case of negligence has been registered against “unknown people” in the Delhi Metro breakdown incident where some passengers broke open the emergency doors of a train and walked on the tracks at a risk to their lives, police said Monday.
“We have registered a case under section 337 (negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unknown people as the incident could have led to a major tragedy. We would be examining role of all the stakeholders of Delhi Metro as well as people,” a senior Delhi Police official told IANS.
New Delhi, November 09: To provide better health services to people in rural areas, the health ministry Monday said it was launching a web portal to provide health related information.
The National Health Information Network will come into operation within the next 90 days. Knowledge Commission chairman Sam Pitroda will head a committee formed to look after the network.
Washington, November 09: US investigators probing a deadly mass shooting at Fort Hood are examining possible links between the alleged gunman and an American-born imam said to be a supporter and leading promoter of Al Qaeda, the Washington Post reported Monday.
The suspect, Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, attended the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, a Washington suburb in Virginia, in 2001 when its spiritual leader was Anwar al-Aulaqi, a figure who crossed paths with Al Qaeda associates, including two Sep 11 hijackers, the daily said citing an unnamed senior US official.
New Delhi, Novemebr 09: A blanket of fog is likely to cover the Delhi skies Tuesday morning, weather officials said Monday.
The foggy weather is attributed to the approaching dry winds from west India as western disturbances over north Pakistan have resulted in moisture in northwest India.
“The morning will be foggy Tuesday with clouds covering the sky during afternoon. The maximum and minimum temperature are likely to settle at 30 and 15 degrees Celsius, respectively,” an India Meteorological Department official said.
Chandigarh, November 09: A massive anti-encroachment drive was carried out here Monday to recover illegally occupied land for the development of the third phase of Chandigarh, officials said.
“This drive was carried out for the removal of leftover unauthorized encroachments on 46.30 acres of illegally grabbed land,” said the official spokesperson here.
The enforcement staff removed 40 structures, two nurseries and five junk dealers. Chandigarh is one of India’s most well planned cities.
—IANS
New Delhi, November 09: Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Moscow next month, India and Russia Monday decided to firm up their cooperation in tackling the common threat of Taliban terrorism in Afghanistan and expand ties in areas ranging from civil nuclear energy and defence to trade and investment.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin Monday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here. The volatile situation in violence-torn Afghanistan and the common threat of the Taliban-led extremism topped their discussions, official sources said.
Prague, November 08: A scandal hit the Czech Army Monday after its two commanders were found wearing Nazi symbols on their helmets during their mission in Afghanistan, media reports said.
Lieutenant Jan Cermak wore the SS Dirlewanger brigade symbol and sergeant Hynek Matonoha wore the symbol of the 9th SS panzer division Hohenstaufen.
The SS units were the cruellest of German dictator Adolf Hitler’s armed forces, which actively exterminated civil populations of occupied countries during the Second World War.
Chennai, November 09: Fourteen additional judges of the Madras High Court Monday were upgraded and sworn-in as permanent judges, bringing up the total number of the court’s permanent judges to 40.
The judges were sworn-in by Chief Justice H.L.Gokhale.
While the court, including its bench in Madurai, has a sanctioned strength of 60, it now has 54 judges, with six posts vacant. The court earlier had 26 permanent judges and 28 additional judges. Fourteen of the additional judges were Monday upgraded and sworn in as permanent judges.
New Delhi, November 09: The Delhi government Monday informed the Delhi High Court that it is willing to change a law that criminalises begging.
Filing an affidavit before a division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar, counsel Nazmi Waziri said the government is ready to amend the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act.