Month: April 2010

Finance Bill Passed in LS

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New Delhi, April 29: UPA government mustered up adequate strength for passing Finance Bill 2010-11 in Lok Sabha it passed without any hitch.The main opposition Party BJP staged a walkout.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Finance Bill for 2010-11

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee moved the bill, along with some fresh amendments, after a 50-minute final reply to the debate in the lower house of parliament, which was then passed by a voice vote.

Here are the tax concessions announced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee:

Donatella Versace auctions internship

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London, April 29: Designer Donatella Versace is auctioning an internship at her New York office.

The highest bidder will not only work from the Versace office, but also get to visit a Donatella Versace and Christopher Kane show in Milan, at which the intern will get the opportunity to meet with Donatella, as well as receive a signed perfume bottle and T-shirt, web media reported.

Couple killed in mysterious blast in Mizoram

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Aizawl, April 29: A couple was killed in a powerful blast inside their house Thursday in Mizoram, police said.

Vanlalrema, 32, and his wife, Ramnunmawii, 36, were killed in the blast that occurred inside their wooden house at Seling, a mini township 40 km north of Aizawl.

“When the neighbours rushed into their house on hearing the loud explosion, they found the couple’s bodies on the floor,” a police official said, adding that the reason for the blast was still a mystery.

Manmohan, Gilani discuss Hafiz Saeed issue

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Thimphu, April 29: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conveyed his “deep concern” about Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, the suspected mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, to his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday. Pakistan, in turn, referred to legal difficulties in prosecuting him.

“PM (Manmohan Singh) mentioned deep concern about Hafiz Saeed and the way he is allowed to roam free and engage in communication not conducive (to the relationship between India and Pakistan),” Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said.

India-Pakistan talks positive

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Thimphu, April 29: The talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani have changed the climate between the two countries, and it is “good news for the region”, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting between Gilani and Manmohan Singh, Qureshi said the meeting was positive and concluded on a very positive note.

“It’s good news for the region. Let’s be happy with that.”

Train engine catches fire, mishap avoided

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Varanasi (UP), April 29: A train engine today caught fire while running due to overheating at Manduadih station on the outskirts of the city today.

The blaze was reported from the engine of Vibhuti Express, on its way to Howrah from Allahabad, around 8.15 PM, Ashok Kumar, Railway Public Relations Officer, said.

Fire tenders were rushed to the area and brought the blaze under control.

“Only some parts of the engine were damaged in the blaze due to overheating. Fire tenders doused the flames and everything is under control now,” the official said.

Uproar in Parliament over Tytler

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New Delhi, April 29: The acquittal of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case caused an uproar in parliament on Thursday, forcing an adjournment of the Rajya Sabha while the Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges on the issue.

Akali Dal member Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha midway through the question hour, complaining that the government was lax in prosecuting those responsible for the riots that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.

He demanded an immediate discussion on the issue.

BJP hesitant to withdraw support to Soren govt

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Ranchi, April 29: The BJP tonight appeared hesitant to withdraw support to Shibu Soren government in Jharkhand by taking appointments twice with Governor M O H Farooq and then cancelling them.

A delegation of party MLAs were to call on the Governor at 11:00 am, which was postponed to 7:00 pm and thereafter cancelled.

“As our discussions over the sensitive issue remain inconclusive, our delegation could not meet the Governor for a second time,” BJP’s state unit General Secretary Ganesh Mishra told PTI here.

Winehouse made husband angry

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London, April 29: Pop star Amy Winehouse ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil is furious at her wild, drunken flirting attitude.

“Blake flew into a rage when he heard about Amy’s antics at a recent barbecue. He knows Amy’s a fun-loving girl but he’s furious over her antics with a stranger at a party,” web media quoted a source as saying.

The 31-year-old now wants to keep an eye on her.

“He is demanding she moves to Sheffield while he finishes his stint in rehab. He wants her to move north so he can keep tabs on her,” source added.

The couple is now planning to move in together.

Disruption on Metro Dwarka line

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New Delhi, April 29: Metro services on the Dwarka line in the capital were affected for about 30 minutes today due to rains and hailstorm.

The problem was attributed to track circuit failure at some points in Dwarka Sector-12-Kirti Nagar section. A Metro official said the failure was due to rains, delaying trains for about 25-30 minutes from 5.30 pm.

A track circuit is an electrical device used to detect the presence or absence of a train on rail tracks, to inform signallers and control relevant signals.

DU VC owns moral responsibility

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New Delhi, April 29: Ever since the radio active material cobalt-60 was detected in Mayapuri Scrap Market of West Delhi several theories have come up about the source of the radioactive material.

Woman gives birth in moving train

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Harda (MP), April 29: A Nepalese woman today gave birth to a boy in a moving train on its way to Mumbai from Gorakhpur.

Manju (21), who was along with her husband Laxman, experienced labour pains while she was travelling in the Kushinagar Express and begot a child a little before it reached Harda station, Station Master N P Parashar said.

He said Manju and her child have been admitted in the district hospital.

Both Manju and her husband hail from Japa in Nepal.

–Agencies

DOS failed to utilise its budget: PAC

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New Delhi, April 29: The Space department’s procurement of stores and inventory control wing received flak from a Parliamentary committee for its failure to utilise its budget due to poor planning.

The Public Accounts Committee, in its 18th report, said that between 2001-02 and 2006-07, the Department of Space’s procurement of stores and inventory control wing could not utilise seven to 15 per cent of their procurement budget, which was on an average 56 per cent of the overall budget and constitutes a major activity of the department.

Man jailed for possessing Sambhar skin

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New Delhi, April 29: A court here has sentenced a man to imprisonment for his involvement in wildlife trade after he was found in possession of skin of endangered Sambhar deer.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) of Special Act, Dig Vinay Singh, last week sent Vishal Mehra to jail for the period undergone in judicial custody which was more than seven months.

A joint team of police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) had arrested Mehra with four Sambhar skin in Rohini area in September last year.

Nari Contractor issue to figure at BCCI meet

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Mumbai, April 29: The Mumbai Cricket Association will raise the issue of humiliation inflicted on former India captain Nari Contractor at this season’s IPL final at the upcoming BCCI working committee.

Contractor returned to his South Mumbai home without witnessing the IPL final on April 25 at D Y Patil stadium as the ticket he carried was declared invalid.

The MCA had got the ticket from the IPL authorities.

Chudasama prime conspirator in Sohrabuddin killing: CBI

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Gandhinagar, April 29: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a court Thursday that Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhay Chudasama, arrested by the agency for the 2005 killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in a fake shootout, knew Sheikh since 2001 and was using him to run an extortion racket.

Chudasama, who was arrested Wednesday, was remanded in seven days’ custody by the CBI court of Judge V.B. Barot in Ahmedabad.

Man arrested for raping 8-yr-old girl

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New Delhi, April 29: A minor girl was allegedly raped by a 60-year-old shopkeeper in west Delhi and the suspect has been arrested, police said today.

The incident took place in Uttam Nagar area yesterday afternoon.

The eight-year-old victim had gone to the shop of Hira Lal where he allegedly raped her.

“Lal asked her to come inside on the pretext of giving her toffees. She went inside the shop where Lal raped her and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone,” a senior police official said.

TN asked to explain deportation of Prabhakaran’s mother

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Chennai, April 29: The Madras High Court today asked the Tamil Nadu Government’s to explain its stand on the issue of slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran’s mother being denied medical treatment and deported back to Malaysia from here recently.

“Let us know the stand of the state government by tomorrow,” a division bench, comprising justices Elipi Dharmarao and K K Sasidharan, said when a petition on the matter filed by an advocate came up.

Government counsel G Desingu informed the court that he would get the reply from the state government by tomorrow.

Phone tapping under probe: PC

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New Delhi, April 29: Under attack over alleged telephone tapping, government today said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has ordered the matter should be gone into thoroughly but defended the right of revenue and enforcement agencies to intercept calls on suspicion of tax evasion.

It also said the issue of bringing the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO), which has modern equipment for tapping, under the Home Ministry needs to be reviewed.

CBI Director seeks new Act for the agency

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New Delhi, April 29: CBI Director Ashwani Kumar has sought a new Act for the investigating agency replacing the one that currently governs it, a demand supported by a Parliamentary panel.

In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice said it is in “agreement with the view of Director CBI and impresses upon the Ministry to have a fresh look and come up with a separate Act for CBI.”

Kanchi Shankaracharya ‘great son of the soil’: Somnath

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Kolkata, April 29: Describing Sri Jayendra Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi, as a “great son of the soil”, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today asked him to guide the country towards the “right path”.

“His holiness is among the greatest sons of India. He has spent his entire life for the sake of humanity. I appeal to him to guide the country so that people are on the right path,” Chatterjee said while accepting the Sri Chandrasekharandra Saraswati National Eminence Award.

India offers 1 bn dollar credit line to Bangladesh

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Thimphu, April 29: A high level Bangladesh delegation led by the advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit India next week to identify projects for the one billion dollar credit line offered to that country by New Delhi.

SAARC summit ends, pledges ‘green and happy South Asia’

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Thimphu, April 29: Vowing to plant ’10 million trees over the next five years’ to build a ‘green and happy South Asia’ and boost trade cooperation, the 16th SAARC summit concluded Thursday in this scenic capital city of an environment-conscious Bhutan.

Heads of states and governemnts of eight member-states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) also pledged to concentrate on the uplift of poverty stricken people in the region that is home to 1.5 billion humans – a fourth of the world population.

3 impersonating IT officials flee with Rs 2 crore

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Kolkata, April 29: Three persons allegedly impersonating as Income Tax officials fled away with Rs 2 crore from a property dealer”s house in East Kolkata today, police said. “The three posing as IT officials entered the house of Tarachand Dapatari at Beliaghat at around 2 pm and told his wife that they had raided the house.

Dapatari was not present in the house at that time,” Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police (Detective Department) Damayanti Sen said. They said the force was waiting outside and if she did not co-operate, they would call the force.

Lalu wants Rs.100,000 pension for MPs

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New Delhi, April 29: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Thursday demanded that the salary and pension of MPs should be increased to Rs.80,000 and Rs.100,000 per month respectively as many male MPs ‘will lose their jobs once the women’s reservation bill is passed’.

Many MPs from the treasury and opposition benches welcomed the suggestion by thumping on their desks. Lalu Prasad was taking part in a discussion on the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha.