Swine flu: One more dies in MP, toll rises to 28

Bhopal, September 02: With one more person succumbing to swine flu today, the death toll due to the disease rose to 28 since its outbreak this season in Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

Besides, 13 more patients tested H1N1 positive, taking the total number of persons suffering from swine flu to 105 in the state, they said.

The influenza claimed 12 lives in Indore, 10 in Bhopal, five in Jabalpur and one in Gwalior

–Agencies

Six Naxals arrested in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, September 02: Security forces today arrested six armed Naxals at Kosekodi village in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district.

Police officials said the arrest was the result of a joint operation by BSF, district police and Special Police Officers who had received information about the movement of Naxals in the area.

The Naxals were busy in a meeting when the security forces reached the Kosekodi forest. Naxals, after spotting the security forces, opened fire at them.

When the forces returned the fire, the Naxals ran away.

Malegaon blast accused sadhvi shifted to Mumbai

Nashik, September 02: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, developed chest pain while being taken to Mumbai today.

She was shifted from Nashik Ayurvedic Hospital to J J Hospital in Mumbai following a court order earlier today.

However, she developed chest pain after starting for Mumbai at around 1.30 pm, her lawyer Umesh Walzade told PTI.

She was taken to Igatpuri rural hospital and after primary treatment she resumed her journey, he said.

Andhra CM’s health improving

Hyderabad, September 02: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah who has been down with viral fever showed marked improvement today, state Principal Secretary (Health) P V Ramesh said.

“A team of doctors from NIMS monitored the Chief Minister’s health condition three times today and found marked improvement. However, he has been advised to take rest tomorrow as well,” Ramesh told newsmen here.

SBI opens exclusive branch in Hyderabad for ultra HNIs

Hyderabad, September 02: State Bank of India on Thursday opened an exclusive branch — the first-of-its-kind in the country– for the ultra high networth individuals (HNIs) here.

“Accounts will be opened through invitations by the bank. We are targeting around 250 upper elite customers by March 2011 for this branch,” said Shiv Kumar, chief general manager, (Hyderabad circle) SBI.

Couple detained in missing explosive trucks case

Bhilwara, September 02: A couple has been detained here in connection with the mysterious disappearance of explosives on the way to Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh from a firm based in Rajasthan’s Dholpur, police said.

“Shivcharan Heda and his wife Deepa Heda, who had been absconding since forthnight was detained by a team of Bhilwara police. The accused will be handed over here to CID-CB,” Umesh Ojha, Deputy SP Bhilwara city, said.

Wakf tenant can be evicted by Civil Court only: SC

New Delhi, September 02: The Supreme Court has ruled that a tenant of
a Waqf property can be evicted only by a Civil Court and not by the
Wakf Tribunal.

A bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Tirath Singh
Thakur disagreed with the views of High Courts of Andhra Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Punjab and Haryana and also
with the Waqf Tribunal, who have held that only Wakf Tribunal can
order the eviction of a tenant as the jurisdiction of the Civil
Courts is barred as per sections 6 and 7 of the Wakf Act.

RBI clears debt restructuring for aviation sector

New Delhi, September 02: The Reserve Bank has allowed banks to restructure the debt of the cash-strapped aviation sector to help the beleaguered industry come out of financial turmoil, sources said today.

The RBI has sent a communication to the banks with regard to debt restructuring for airlines, banking sources said.

“The RBI has allowed banks to restructure loans. We will look at the viability of aviation companies,” a senior official of Bank of India told PTI.

Bank of India has an exposure of around Rs 4,000 crore to 4-5 companies in the aviation sector.

HC vacates interim stay on CBI probe

Chennai, September 02: The Madras High Court has vacated an interim order staying a CBI investigation into alleged misuse of office by a former chairman of Medical Council of India in the renewal of grant of approval to a private medical college in Puducherry.

When the matter came up before Justice C T Selvam, the Special Public Prosecutor for CBI cases N Chandrasekharan gave an undertaking that no harassment would be caused to either the staff, students or the management of the institution pending further hearing.

British PM backs foreign minister over gay rumours

London, September 02: British Prime Minister David Cameron backed Foreign Secretary William Hague today after the top diplomat’s aide resigned over “malicious” rumours that they had an inappropriate relationship.

Hague yesterday issued a deeply personal statement about his wife’s miscarriages and their difficulties in having children as he denied having an affair with male advisor Christopher Myers, 25.

“We have always given William our 100 percent support.

BlackBerry should share users’ data: UN

London, September 02: The chief of the UN’s telecommunications agency is urging BlackBerry’s manufacturer to allow foreign law enforcement agencies access to its customer data.

The International Telecommunication Union agency’s Secretary-General Hamadoun Toure says governments fighting terrorism have the right to demand access to users’ information from BlackBerry’s maker Research in Motion Ltd.

Relations between Obama and Bush ‘awkward’: Report

New York, September 02: Relation between US President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W Bush remains “awkward” and “non-existent,” according to a report.

The two leaders spoke yesterday as Obama announced the end of US operations in Iraq. The last conversation they had was in January when Obama asked Bush to raise money along with former president Bill Clinton for Haiti.

Four killed in Iraq attacks

Baghdad, September 02: Four people were killed and one injured in Iraq Thursday by unknown gunmen and a roadside bomb, while an army base came under rocket attack overnight.

A local official in Fallujah, some 60 km west of the capital Baghdad, survived an assassination attempt, but two people with him – including his brother – were killed, witnesses said.

They said the official, Farouk al-Kartan, was not injured. The unknown gunmen quickly fled the scene.

Earlier, a senior finance official at the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education had been killed by unknown gunmen in Baghdad.

First death anniversary of YSR observed

Hyderabad/Kadapa, September 02: The first death anniversary of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was observed across the state today.

Family members of the late YSR and senior Congress leaders, including Union Minister Veerappa Moily paid homage at the ‘YSR Ghat’, his burial site, inside the family estate at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district, while the state government organised several functions.

Son Jagan, his mother and Pulivendula MLA Y S Vijayalakshmi and other family members took part in special prayers conducted at a church inside the estate.

Moily pays tributes to YSR on behalf of AICC

Kadapa (AP), September 02: Union Minister and AICC general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh M Veerappa Moily today paid homage to late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on his first death anniversary at ‘YSR Ghat’ at Idupulapaya in the district.

Moily, who came on behalf of the AICC, offered floral tributes in the presence of Reddy’s son and Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy, Congress Rajya Sabha member K V P Ramachandra Rao, state Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy and other Congress leaders.

Wife of killed Bihar cop inconsolable

Patna, September 02: Rajni Devi, the wife of sub-inspector Abhay Kumar Yadav who was killed by Maoists Thursday, fainted several times and was inconsolable after being informed about her husband’s death.

More or less similar was the condition of Yadav’s old mother, his mother-in-law and sister-in-law. His three minor children were in a state of shock and speechless.

Maoists killed Yadav, one of the four Bihar policemen they abducted four days ago, following a decision by a ‘jan adalat’ or kangaroo court.

Afridi will be under pressure: Akram

New Delhi, September 02: Allrounder Shahid Afridi will be under tremendous pressure as it is a difficult time for him to become the one-day skipper in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal, feels former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram.

“Pakistan start their final phase of their tour of England on Thursday. The warm-up game against Somerset at Taunton will see the return of Shahid Afridi as captain.

Afridi will be under massive pressure to ensure the team plays good cricket. The situation is not ideal for him to take over as ODI skipper,” Akram told ESPN-STARSPORTS.

Gadkari to visit Russia from Monday

New Delhi, September 02: Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari will be visiting Russia for five days from Monday on an invitation from awareness group Water Freedom Revolution (WFR), a party statement said Thursday.

According to the statement, WFR is an international awareness movement dedicated towards promoting the importance of clean drinking water.

“Shri Nitin Gadkari has accepted an invitation from the Water Freedom Revolution to visit Russia from September 6 to 10, 2010,” the statement said.

Amit Shah challenges apex court’s handing over of Sohrabbudin case to CBI

New Delhi, September 02: Gujarat’s former minister of state for home Amit Shah has moved the Supreme Court questioning its Jan 12, 2010, judgment handing over the investigations into the Sohrabuddin Sheikh-Kausar Bi abduction and killing case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Shah, now in judicial custody, has questioned the propriety of the apex court bench of Justice Tarun Chatterjee and Justice Aftab Alam hearing the matter and handing over the investigation to CBI when Justice Chatterjee himself was under the CBI scanner.

Dhoni will face challenge ahead with retirements

Kolkata, September 02: With the young crop of Indian cricketers falling short of expectation, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would face a big challenge especially after the retirement of the senior players, former captain Sourav Ganguly said today.

“Dhoni’s biggest challenge will be in the coming one or two years when Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman retire. Next year, we have about five away series and it will be a test of his captaincy and his players. His future as Indian captain will be determined,” Ganguly told a television channel.

Rahul visits BJP leader’s house, shares grief

Amethi, September 02: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today paid a visit to the house of a BJP leader, whose mother-in-law expired recently, to share his grief.

On his way to Veer Rampur village in Shahgarh to unveil the statue of freedom fighter Pratap Narain Dubey, Rahul halted at Dularpur Khurd village and visited BJP leader Awadhesh Singh’s house. He took ‘prasad’ during his brief stay there.

The “tehervi” (post-death ritual) of Singh’s mother-in-law was scheduled today. Singh is also the village head of Dularpur Khurd.

–Agencies

SC rap: Govt to allot 2.5 MT foodgrains for BPL families

New Delhi, September 02: Acting on the directive of the Supreme Court, government today decided to release an extra 2.5 million tonnes of foodgrains to states for distribution among the poor but it will not not be free.

“As an interim ad-hoc measure, pending a final decision on the issue, the government is releasing an additional quantity of 2.5 million tonnes of wheat and rice to the states at a BPL price for next six months,” Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told reporters after a meeting of an Empowered Group of Ministers.

Youth killed in road accident

New Delhi, September 02: A young man was today killed and another injured when the scooter in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding truck here, police said.

The incident took place in Daryaganj early this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Sunny Garg (22).

Sunny sustained head injuries and died on the spot while his friend was admitted to a hospital.

The truck has been impounded but the driver fled from the spot.

Israel, Palestinians set for face-to-face talks

Washington, September 02: With a diplomatic push from US President Barack Obama, Israeli and Palestinian leaders start direct peace talks on Thursday overshadowed by scepticism on all sides and violence in the volatile West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet at the State Department, relaunching talks after a 20-month hiatus and seeking a deal within one year that will set up an independent Palestinian state side-by-side with a secure Israel.

Mamata announces month-long ‘anti-terror’ movement

Kolkata, September 02: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today announced a month-long ‘anti-terror’ movement across West Bengal from September six to “highlight CPI-M’s armed attacks and atrocities” on her party workers.

“We will undertake a month-long movement all over the state in the form of padayatra and rallies to highlight the atrocities by CPI-M cadres with the help of the police and the administration in their bid to occupy areas,” Banerjee told reporters after a party core committee meeting.