Month: December 2009

New battalion for VIP security: DGP

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Fatehgarh Sahib, December 02: The services of policemen posted in police stations will not be taken for VIP security so that people do not face any problem, Punjab DGP P S Gill said today.

“A special battalion will be created for this purpose (for VIP security),” Gill told reporters here.

He said due to increase in population and police activities, 100 new police stations will be established in the state in future. He said to fill 1,600 vacant posts, the police department has sought approval from the state government.

Four men rob toll tax collection office of Rs 19 lakh

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New Delhi, December 02: Four unidentified men armed with country-made weapons allegedly barged into a toll tax collection company office in east Delhi this morning and decamped with Rs 19 lakh in a car reportedly having a police sticker pasted on it.

The incident took place in Ghazipur area at around 7 am.

Four unidentified robbers entered the office of the toll tax collection company. Three of them were carrying country-made pistols while the fourth one had a knife in his hand, police said.

Three employees of the company were present at the time of the incident.

Pranab Mukherjee promises action over anti-Sikh riots

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New Delhi, December 02: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday promised to consult Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to decide what could be done to punish the guilty in the anti-Sikh violence of 1984. Mukherjee made the intervention in the wake of an emotional appeal by Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur during Zero Hour.

She wanted to know what the government had done over the past 25 years to punish those who killed innocent Sikhs in the wake of the October 1984 assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Top Taliban commander killed in Pak

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Islamabad/Peshawar, December 02: Three militants, including a key pro-Taliban commander, were killed and six captured during operations in Pakistan’s restive tribal belt and the northwestern Swat valley today, while an army officer was injured in a skirmish in Waziristan.

Commander “Launcher” Mulla was killed along with two militants while five rebels were injured during operations by security forces in Kurram tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said.

Troops targeted militants at Dopak Super Kot in the central part of Kurram Agency.

Maruti exports 1,00,000 A-Star in 11 months

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New Delhi, December 02: The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India today said its flagship export model, A-Star, has crossed one lakh-mark of overseas shipments in less than a year of selling the car in the global markets.

The company said the milestone was crossed with a batch of shipment leaving the Mundra Port today. It further added that A-Star’s green label has been a success in Europe.

MSI had launched A-Star in November last year in India and started exporting it since January this year.

Three IPS officers transferred in Andhra Pradesh

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Hyderabad, December 02: In a minor administrative reshuffle, Andhra Pradesh government today transferred three IPS officers.

Kothakota Srinivasa Reddy, a 1994-batch officer, has been posted as DIG (Warangal Range) succeeding Lakshmana Mohan who has retired, a press release said here.

This is the third posting for Reddy in six months.

Sanjay Kumar Jain of the 1997 batch, on repatriation to the state from CBI, has been posted as Srikakulam SP in place of M Naganna who has been appointed Commandant of City Armed Reserve in Hyderabad, the release said.

–Agencies

Liberhan debate on Dec 9-10 in Lok Sabha

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New Delhi, December 02: The much-talked about Liberhan Commission report will be discussed in Parliament next week with the Lok Sabha taking up the matter on December 9 and 10, soon after the 17th anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid.

The debate in the Rajya Sabha could be held on the same days or immediately after that of the Lok Sabha, Parliament sources said.

BJP will be fielding a battery of senior leaders including party President Rajnath Singh and Deputy Leader of the party in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj to take part in the debate.

Naidu condemns arrest of TRS chief

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New Delhi, December 02: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu today condemned the arrest of TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao for launching a fast-unto-death protest to demand a separate Telangana state and said the Andhra Pradesh government should drop all case registered against TRS workers.

He also said the TDP’s stand on the Telangana statehood has not changed and that there was no going back on the demand for a separate state for the region.

Centre to set up committee on inclusive education

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New Delhi, December 02: The government will set up a committee on inclusive education which will suggest, among other things, special measures required for educating the disabled children, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said today.

“The round-table will look at all problems, including those faced by the physically challenged persons. We will also speak to the Unque Identification Authority of India for conducting a mapping of the disabled people so that the data can be used during policy formation,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a book release programme.

Central team suggests upgraded technology for police

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Kolkata, December 02: Among the suggestions given by the team from the Union Home ministry to the administration in West Bengal today was the upgrading of technology and an increase in the strength of the police.

“They suggested introduction of better technology for gathering more information in Maoist-affected areas and increased manpower in the police force,” state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said at the conclusion of the two-day visit by the team, which did not visit trouble spots in the state, but met top officials from nine violence-affected districts here.

Four robbers remanded to two days police custody

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New Delhi, December 02: A Delhi court today remanded to two days police custody four persons arrested for their alleged involvement in series of robberies in the high security Chanakyapuri locality here.

“Considering the nature of the offence as the accused have been involved in many cases and the recovery has to be effected, their two days police custody is granted,” Metropolitan Magistrate Pritam Singh said.

The court allowed the police to quiz accused Ravi Verma, Parveen Kumar Sah, Sachin and Jamna Ram till December four.

Big blow to ULFA; Rajkhowa held in Bangladesh

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New Delhi, December 02: In a major setback to ULFA, its top leader Arabinda Rajkhowa has been detained in Bangladesh and is likely to be handed over to India soon.

Another top northeast insurgent leader of banned National Liberation Front of Tripura Biswa Mohan Deb Barma has also been detained by the authorities in Bangladesh.

Top government sources said 53-year-old Rajkhowa was picked up by sleuths of Bangladeshi security agencies last week and kept in a secured location in Dhaka while Deb Barma was detained in the southeastern port city of Chittagong.

Centre has extended full support to J-K: Omar

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Jammu, December 02: Thanking the Centre for support extended to the state in providing funds for development, J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said it is up to the officers to use these for the benefit of people.

“Union Government has extended every support to Jammu and Kashmir. I am thankful to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi,” Omar told a public rally in Rajouri district’s Kalakote, 105 kms from here today.

Regarding Panchayat elections, the Chief Minister said people should participate in the elections whole-heartedly and in large numbers.

12 fresh dengue cases in Delhi, total climbs to 1,106

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New Delhi, December 02: Twelve fresh cases of dengue were reported in the national capital today, taking the total number of patients to 1,106, even as civic authorities said the disease can be contained only after mid-December.

With the dip in temperature, the number of dengue cases reported in a day has been declining over the past few days.

The per day figure ranged from seven to 13 in the last seven days compared to around 20 to 25 cases earlier.

“With 12 fresh positive cases of dengue, the total has reached 1,106,” Municipal Health Officer, MCD, N K Yadav told PTI.

Now Chidambaram’s turn to clash with Opposition

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New Delhi,December 02: Home Minister P Chidambaram today exchanged angry words in the Rajya Sabha with Opposition BJP which objected to his statement on “Hindu militancy”.

Trouble began when Chidambaram said the government would follow a “zero tolerance” policy for “Jihadi terrorism” or “Hindu militancy”.

BJP’s objection was why the Home Minister was refraining from using the term “Islamic terrorism” though he used the words “Hindu terrorism” during his reply to the debate on the internal security.

Japan to introduce environment tax in FY ‘10

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Tokyo, December 02: Key members of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s Cabinet agreed on Wednesday that the government will try to introduce an environment tax in the forthcoming fiscal year, government sources said.

With regard to a new tax system aimed at combating global warming, the Democratic Party of Japan’s campaign platform for the last election in August said the party will “study the introduction,” without specifying a time frame.

Abhi will make a great Pa: Ash

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Mumbai, December 02: Aishwarya Rai says she is fully convinced that actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan will make a good father in real life because he is so “real and rooted”.

“Everybody has been asking me if Abhishek will be a good pa (father) in connection with the release of our forthcoming production ‘Paa’. I think it’s silly for me to be even making the statement. It’s given – I married the man. So obviously I have the conviction in the husband he is or the father he will be,” Aishwarya, 36, told IANS in an interview here.

Dilshan lifts SL to 366/8 at stumps on Day 1

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Mumbai, December 02: The first day’s play offered an intriguing passage of play with a heady cocktail of high quality batting from Sri Lankan batsmen laced with a dash of some a spirited bowling from the Indian bowlers for most part of the day.

But by the time stumps were drawn to the day’s play, the Sri Lankans, at 366/8, seemed to be in a more advantageous position thanks to the gusty batting efforts from Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Matthews and Tharanga Paranavitana.

Ex-Pak Army Major linked to 26/11; handled Headley

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Mumbai, December 02: A former Pakistan Army Major, who has joined the ranks of Lashker-e-Taiba(LeT), is emerging as one of the masterminds of the Mumbai carnage and was in direct touch with arrested US terror suspect David Headley.

The former Armyman identified as Sajid Mir has turned out to be Headley’s handler in Pakistan and was tasking the American to learn praying like Jews so that he could conduct a recce of Jewish Centre Nariman House in Mumbai and the premises of a newspaper in Denmark, official sources said here today.

Accommodation ‘no longer issue’ at the World Cup: FIFA

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Cape Town, December 02: Football fans who are planning on travelling to the World Cup in South Africa no longer need to worry about finding a bed.

FIFA has deleted accommodation from the to-do list of issues to resolve before the tournament.

‘We are fine. It’s not any more on the list as an issue,’ FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said in surprise remarks Wednesday in Cape Town after a meeting of the World Cup organizing committee.

Nokia sees cellphone market up 10 pct in 2010

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Mumbai, December 02: A Nokia E90 communicator is pictured under a plastic case at the CeBIT computer fair… Enlarge Photo A Nokia E90 communicator is pictured under a plastic case at the CeBIT computer fair…

Nokia, the world’s largest cellphone maker, forecast handset market volumes would grow around 10 percent next year, more than analysts’ 8.6 percent consensus.

Nokia also said on Wednesday its market share would be unchanged in 2010.

Israel strips more Palestinians of Jerusalem status

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Gaza, December 02: Israel stripped Palestinians of Jerusalem residency status last year at a faster rate than at any time in the history of the Jewish state, an Israeli rights group said on Wednesday, citing official Israeli statistics.

“Revocation of residence has reached frightening proportions,” said Dalia Kerstein, executive director of Israel’s HaMoked Center for the Defence of the Individual.

ULFA’s Rajkhowa arrested in Bangladesh, say sources

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Guwahati, December 02: Arabinda Rajkhowa, chairman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and its publicity secretary Apurba Baruah have been arrested in Bangladesh, informed sources said on Wednesday.

Both are expected to be in India’s custody soon, the sources told .The two leaders are believed to have been arrested by the Special Branch of the Bangladesh Police from downtown Dhaka.

Rajkhowa, 56, was in Bangladesh for close to two decades, operating out of bases in that country to order hit-and-run strikes in Assam.

NATO to follow US lead with 5,000 troops for Afghanistan

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Brussels, December 02: NATO’s non-American members are to follow the US lead by sending at least 5,000 extra troops to Afghanistan next year, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Wednesday.

US President Barack Obama Tuesday announced plans to boost the US contingent in Afghanistan by 30,000 troops, putting the pressure on NATO’s other members to follow suit.

Online CAT is here to stay: IIM committee

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New Delhi, December 02: The highly competitive Common Admission Test (CAT) for entry to the country’s top B-schools will be held online again next year despite the technical glitches that marred the exam this time, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) admissions committee said on Wednesday.

Himanshu Rai, a professor at IIM-Lucknow and chairman of the admissions committee, said he was sorry that students had to face a harrowing time owing to technical problems since CAT’s staggered 10-day schedule began on Saturday.