Month: December 2009

IAEA seeks information on planned Iranian nuclear sites

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Tehran, December 01: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is still awaiting information from Iran on the ten additional nuclear sites that the country plans to build, the IAEA’s spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday announced plans for the uranium enrichment plants as a reaction to a resolution by the IAEA’s governing board last week which censured Tehran for having secretly started to build such a plant at Fordu.

Maoists behind violence aided by Trinamool: Left Front

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Kolkata, December 01: The ruling Left Front in West Bengal today alleged that the Trinamool Congress was preparing the ground for Maoists and using them for perpetration of violence in the state.

The Front submitted a memorandum to a visiting Central team accusing the Maoists of being behind the violence.

Maoists, termed as the “main threat to internal security by the highest echelons of the government”, are the main actor behind the violence, said the memorandum, signed by Front chairman Biman Bose and addressed to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Rupee rises further by 20 paise versus US dollar

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Mumbai, December 01: A smart rally in equities helped the Indian rupee strengthen further by 20 paise at 46.31/32 against the US dollar amid sustained weakness in the American currency overseas.

Forex dealers said exporters sold dollars as the as the American currency weakened further against major world currencies impacting positively on the rupee sentiment.

Sharp rise in the Indian benchmark sensex for the second successive day by over 272 points or 1.61 per cent mainly supported the rupee rise. Brokers said anticipation of capital inflows further boosted the rupee sentiment.

Congress attributes Rohroo loss to ‘groupism’

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Shimla, December 01: The Congress today admitted that its defeat to BJP at Rohroo — a seat held by the party for the past 20 years in Himachal Pradesh, had been caused by “groupism”.

“Groupism appears to be one of the main reasons for the party’s defeat in the constituency,” AICC Secretary and in-charge of its affairs in Himachal Pradesh Vijaya Lakshmi told reporters here.

However, she hoped that everything would soon be fine within the state unit of party.

Gafoor flouted SOP during Mumbai terror attack: Pradhan

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Mumbai, December 01: Former Mumbai Commissioner of Police Hasan Gafoor had flouted the Standard Operating Practice during the 26/11 terror attacks by making Joint Commissioner Rakesh Maria incharge of the control room, the Ram Pradhan Committee report has said.

The report said the Committee, which probed the response of the security agencies to the attacks, examined the SOP in case of bomb blast or terrorist strikes sent to it by the CP.

Air India losses double to Rs.5,000 cr

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New Delhi, December 01: Cash-strapped national carrier Air India’s losses for last fiscal are expected to more than double to Rs.5,000 crore owing to the economic meltdown and low yields, Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Tuesday.

Air India had incurred a loss of Rs.2,226.16 crore during 2007-08, Patel told the Rajya Sabha.

The flag carrier of the country is making losses since 2004-05.

BJP hints at govt reluctance to discuss Liberhan report

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New Delhi, December 01: BJP today said it was prepared for a debate in Parliament on the Liberhan Commission report and hinted that the government was shying away by seeking a postponement on sly pretexts like not having a Hindi version.

“Yesterday evening, Lok Sabha Speaker called me and said (SP Chief) Mulayam Singh Yadav had told her that the Hindi version of the report was not available and he could not participate in the debate without reading it,” BJP Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters.

Ansals can’t escape liability for Uphaar tragedy: SC

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New Delhi, December 01: The Supreme Court today said the Ansals, owners of Uphaar Cinema, cannot escape liability for the gruesome June 1997 fire mishap in which 59 people perished by merely passing the buck to the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB).

A bench of Justices R V Raveendran and K S Radhakrishnan said the theatre owners should not abdicate its liability by merely insisting that the mishap occured due to the fire caused by short circuit emanating from DVB’s transoformer.

Collective efforts needed to check spread of HIV: Sonia

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New Delhi, December 01: Underlining the importance of collective efforts by various government departments to check the spread of HIV, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today said controlling the virus was high on the priority of the government.

“The disease needs collective efforts and understanding of all our people to contain it from spreading. Checking HIV/AIDS is a high priority of the government,” she said at the flagging off ceremony of the ‘Red Ribbon Express’, a dedicated train travelling across the country to spread awareness about the virus, on the occasion of World AIDS Day.

Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar gets bomb threat

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Ahmedabad, December 01: Thorough searches were conducted in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad today following an SMS received by the control room that bombs have been planted at various places in the two cities, police said.

In Gandhinagar, searches were conducted in the state secretariat and assembly premises, the places mentioned in the SMS, but nothing was found, police said.

In Ahmedabad, Bomb Disposal Squad, dog squad and police team were sent to various location, however, so far nothing incriminating has been found. The searches are on at some places, police said.

Arrest of wanted terrorist in Bangladesh to be verified

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Agartala, December 01:The Tripura government has asked the central intelligence agencies to confirm media reports from Dhaka about the arrest of a wanted northeast India terrorist leader in Bangladesh, police said here Tuesday.

“We have asked the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and IB (Intelligence Bureau) to verify the media reports about the detention of NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura) supremo Biswamohan Debbarma by the Bangladeshi security forces,” Director General of Tripura Police Pranay Sahaya said.

Drug trafficking busted in North Kerala; 3 held

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Kozhikode, December 01: Police today claimed to have busted a drug pedalling racket in North Kerala with the recovery of 40 kg of ganja and arrest of three persons.

Working on the inputs gathered from drug peddlers who were nabbed from here in recent days, the police laid a trap and seized 26 kg ganja from a car and arrested Suresh Kumar, said to be the main supplier of the drug in North Kerala, yesterday, City Police Commissioner S Sreejith told reporters here today.

Big Cinemas opens 15th multiplex in Malaysia

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Mumbai, December 01:Big Cinemas Lotus Five Star, a joint venture between Reliance MediaWorks Ltd and Lotus Five Star group, inaugurated its 15th multiplex in Malaysia Tuesday.

Housing six screens with a seating capacity of 1,000, the multiplex has been opened in Kulim town of the Kedah state of the country. It would screen Hollywood, Chinese, Indian and Malay movies.

Big Cinemas opens 15th multiplex in Malaysia

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Mumbai, December 01:Big Cinemas Lotus Five Star, a joint venture between Reliance MediaWorks Ltd and Lotus Five Star group, inaugurated its 15th multiplex in Malaysia Tuesday.

Housing six screens with a seating capacity of 1,000, the multiplex has been opened in Kulim town of the Kedah state of the country. It would screen Hollywood, Chinese, Indian and Malay movies.

Gangster Abu Salem opposes framing of extortion charges

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New Delhi, December 01: Underworld don Abu Salem today opposed framing of extortion charges in a Delhi court on the ground that the Indian government did not mention about his impending prosecution under harsher penal provision while seeking his extradition from Protugal.

“The CBI, in the extradition request to Portugal, had said that Salem would be prosecuted under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 384 (extortion) which prescribes a maximum jail term of three years of the IPC,” Arvind Shukla, counsel for the accused, told the court.

Criminal burnt to death in Uttar Pradesh

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Lucknow, December 01:A man who had over a dozen criminal cases against him was beaten and burnt to death by locals in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district, officials said Tuesday.

The incident took place in the Biswaan locality of Sitapur Monday night when the deceased, Shailendra Verma, went to the house of Kirtarilal.

Four arrested for series of robberies

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New Delhi, December 01: Four persons were arrested here for their alleged involvement in robbery cases in the high security Chanakyapuri locality, police said today.

The arrested have been identified as Ravi Verma, Parveen Kumar Sah, Sachin and Jamna Ram, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Shankar Dass said. Another accused Anup Kumar is absconding.

Cash amount of Rs 46,200, stolen mobile phones, an iPod and a camera have been recovered from their possession, Dass said, adding, two of the three incidents took place in the early hours of November 30.

Exchange of futures for physicals facility launched

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New Delhi, December 01:Leading commodity exchange Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) Tuesday launched India’s first transaction facility to integrate the futures markets with the physical markets.

The facility, Exchange of Futures for Physicals (EFP), involves two parties that wish to swap futures and physical positions at the same time. In all cases, one party already has physical exposure to a product that it wishes to sell and/or convert to a price exposure via futures.

Israel warns EU over east Jerusalem dispute

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Jerusalem, December 01: Israel sternly warned the European Union on Tuesday against recognizing east Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital, saying such a move would damage Europe’s credibility as a Mideast mediator.

BJP flays Delhi govt for hike in water tariff

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New Delhi, December 01: The BJP today slammed the Delhi government for “further burdening” the citizens by announcing hefty hikes in water tariff in the national capital.

Terming the hike as an assault on the residents, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly V K Malhotra said the “80 to 200 per cent increase” in tariff will make life extremely difficult for the citizens.

“It is clear that the Sheila Dikshit government has taken the people of Delhi for granted after her third consecutive win,” Malhotra said.

Iran says may take serious action against Britons

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Tehran, December 01: Iran will take serious measures against five British yachtsmen detained in the Gulf if it proves they had “evil intentions”, a close aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday.

Relations between Britain and have been dogged by tension in recent years over a range of issues, from Tehran’s nuclear programme to Iranian allegations of British involvement in post-election violence in June this year.

Oil prices rose by more than $1 on fears of a diplomatic crisis after news of the detainment was made public on Monday.

Shiv Sena to take up cause of Marathi in Parliament

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New Delhi, December 01: With the MNS seemingly eating into its ‘Marathi Manoos’ agenda, Shiv Sena has decided to take up the cause of Marathi in a big way in Parliament.

Sena MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will speak in Marathi especially on issues close to the heart of the people of Maharashtra and concerning the development of the state, party MP Bharat Kumar Raut said.

Good news on AIDS front, new infections down by over 100,000

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New Delhi, December 01:India had reassuring news on the HIV/AIDS front on World AIDS Day Tuesday. The number of HIV positive people in the country had declined by 400,000 over the last five years and new infections were down by at least 100,000 per year.

“In 2002, over 27 lakh (2.7 million) people in India were HIV positive. The number has gone down to 23 lakh (2.3 million) in 2007. We have reduced the number by over 400,000,” Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on the occasion of World AIDS Day here.

Shiv Sena to take up cause of Marathi in Parliament

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New Delhi, December 01: With the MNS seemingly eating into its ‘Marathi Manoos’ agenda, Shiv Sena has decided to take up the cause of Marathi in a big way in Parliament.

Sena MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will speak in Marathi especially on issues close to the heart of the people of Maharashtra and concerning the development of the state, party MP Bharat Kumar Raut said.

BJP hints at govt reluctance to discuss Liberhan report

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New Delhi, December 01: BJP today said it was prepared for a debate in Parliament on the Liberhan Commission report and hinted that the government was shying away by seeking a postponement on sly pretexts like not having a Hindi version. “Yesterday evening, Lok Sabha Speaker called me and said (SP Chief) Mulayam Singh Yadav had told her that the Hindi version of the report was not available and he could not participate in the debate without reading it,” BJP Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters.