Vermont, May 28: Violent weather swept across the Eastern seaboard overnight, dropping heavy rains that flooded towns from New England to Georgia, knocking out power and killing at least three people in the Atlanta area.
Intense thunderstorms stalled over central Vermont, pushing rivers over their banks and ripping up streets. About 200 people were forced from their homes.
Hyderabad, May 28: Blaming the ruling Congress for the “uncertainty” in the State, Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu hit out at TRS and others for targeting his party and pointed out that it was for the Centre to decide on statehood for Telangana.
Washington, May 28: Americans have an unfavourable opinion of Pakistan which has appeared in the news consistently since the US killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, near Islamabad, a new poll shows.
One in four surveyed consider the country an enemy of the US, and seven in ten think aid from the US to Pakistan should stop or decrease, according to the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll.
But the new figures released on the same day Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Islamabad, show animosity toward Pakistan is nothing new.
Mumbai, May 28: Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar has agreed to sing the title track of ‘Maaee’, the film in which her younger sister and equally celebrated singer Asha Bhosle is making her acting debut.
“Lata didi has agreed to sing the title track of my film `Maaee` and I am very happy,” Asha told reporters.
The title track is yet to be recorded and will be scheduled as per Lata Mangeshkar`s availability, who has reduced her playbacking singing drastically and sings very few songs nowadays. It has been composed by Nitin Shankar.
New York, May 28: Indian Consul General in New York Prabhu Dayal on Saturday came out in support of Krittika Biswas, the daughter of the Vice Counsel General, saying US authorities should not have arrested her.
Biswas (18), who claims she was wrongfully arrested on suspicion of sending obscene emails to her teacher, is suing the New York City government for USD 1.5 million.
Dayal said the US State Department is wrong in its reading of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and asserted that diplomatic immunity is extended to family members of consular officers.
Ahmedabad, May 28: The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Gulberg Society massacre case during the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat has given a clean chit to the then four top police officers and said it had no evidence to charge them with alleged dereliction of duty and destroying evidence.
Mumbai, May 28: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said he was hurt when nephew Raj Thackeray left him to found a new party and rubbished talk of his retirement.
Asked who will take his place and mantle (of leading the Sena), the 83-year-old Sena supremo told ‘Times Now’ channel that he failed to understand why such questions were being asked.
“Why should you think that way? I can’t understand. Thank God, you are not asking me that question, straight [away], what if I die? Then what will I do? When I die, what can I do? I can’t do anything.”
Islamabad, May 28: Without mincing words, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday said Pakistan would have to make some difficult choices regarding its future course. Maintaining that the U.S. could not solve Pakistan’s problems for it, she added that they could not be wished away by whipping up anti-Americanism or conspiracy theories either.
Chicago, May 28: A Pakistani Navy man was present during discussions with his Pakistani spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence, handler Major Iqbal, on landing sites and arrival of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists by sea for the Mumbai terror attack, David Headley told a Chicago court Thursday.
During cross examination by lawyers defending his long-time friend, Pakistan-born Tahawwur Rana, Headley also known as Daood Gilani said when visiting Pakistan, he always briefed Iqbal first at a Lahore safehouse.
Mumbai, May 28: Oil companies resumed supply of jet fuel to national carrier Air India Friday after huge unpaid bills led to the cancellation of four flights earlier in the day.
“We have reached an understanding on the issue. We would be paying for our jet fuel requirements and also expect further relief from the ministry of civil aviation in this regard,” senior Air India operations official told IANS.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi faced tightening military and diplomatic pressure as NATO airstrikes hit Tripoli for the fifth straight night and Russia joined Western powers in demanding his departure.
NATO bombed several sites in the capital on Friday night, Libyan state television and Arab news channel Al Arabiya reported. The Libyan broadcaster said NATO raids also caused “human and material” damage near Mizda, to the south.
New Delhi, May 28: Home Minister P Chidambaram today said that India lives in the “most difficult neighbourhood” in the world as terrorism infrastructure in Pakistan has flourished “as an instrument of state policy”.
Calling for stronger Indo-US ties to combat terrorism and other threats, Chidambaram stressed on the need for a “stable, peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood” for the security of the people of India.
Islamabad, May 28: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that there was “absolutely no evidence that anyone at the highest level of the Pakistani government” knew where bin Laden was and said she would return to Washington “ever more committed” to the relationship.
She went on to emphasize that Islamabad must make “decisive steps” in the days ahead to fight terrorism.
Paris, May 28: It turned out to be a good day for Indians in the French Open tennis Friday with both Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna advancing to the third round of women`s and men`s doubles.
Seventh-seeded pair of Sania and Elena Vesnina of Russia defeated Kristina Barrois of Germany and Johanna Larsson of Sweden 7-6(4), 6-3. They now await the winner of the match between two Spanish pairs, 11th-seeded Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Anabel Medina Garrigues, and Lourdes Dominguez Lino and Laura Pous-Tio.
Ahmedaba, May 28: The “summons” was issued by the investigating officer asking Ms. Setalvad to appear before him on May 31 for questioning in connection with the case. The vacation judge, G. B. Shah, quashed the summons which the court believed was based on the erroneous charge sheet filed against her describing her as an “absconding accused.” The court gave 15 days’ time to the police to “rectify” the charge sheet since she was not an “absconder” before continuing with the investigation.
Gaza, May 28: A senior Palestinian official in Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party has said that the national unity government is to be formed in ten days, Xinhua reported.
Nabil Shaath, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee, told a news conference in Gaza following a meeting with leaders of Islamic Hamas movement that a technocrat Palestinian government is to be formed in ten days.
Houston, May 28: NASA astronauts made history twice on Friday, venturing on the final spacewalk of the agency’s 30-year shuttle program and completing assembly of the $100 billion International Space Station.
Astronauts Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff floated outside the orbiting outpost’s Quest airlock for the fourth and final spacewalk planned during shuttle Endeavour’s 16-day mission, the next to last in the US space shuttle program.
New Delhi, May 28: The most awaited event in a school student’s calendar – the summer vacation – leaves even the most devoted parents shaking in their boots. Many scout for summer workshops. But for those who cannot afford these annual rituals or don’t want to, the solution could simply lie in picking up the paintbrush or going online.
“I set up an art studio in the building where we live and gave my daughter paints, big sheets of paper and brushes. Then I set her free to explore and show her hidden talent,” said Anamika Nanda, mother of eight-year-old Deesha.
Hyderabad, May 28: Praja Rajyam leaders C Ramachandraiah and MLA G Srinivas Rao today visited officials of election commission at New Delhi and appealed election commission to sanction the process of merger of the Praja Rajyam Party with the Congress.
The matter of Praja Rajyam party’s merger with Congress was pending with election commission and Praja Rajyam party has submitted required documents for merger to the election commission.
New Delhi, May 28: After the successful conclusion of the first round of the Homeland Security dialogue between the two sides, India and the United States on Friday agreed that the two countries faced a common threat.
Addressing a joint press conference with his American counterpart Janet Napolitano, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said, “I am deeply grateful to the US Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security for travelling to India along with her team and extending her country’s unconditional support in combating terrorism in all its form.”
Hyderabad, May 28: The medical entrance test of Aligarh Muslim University shall be held on May 31, between 10 am to 1 pm.
Candidates who have not received hall tickets so far can log on to website www.amucontrollerexams.com and check their entrance test centre.
Siasat news
A showdown between Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party appears imminent over the communal violence bill with the ruling party dismissing as “pernicious propaganda” the latter’s criticism that the law was fraught with dangerous consequence.
Noting that the BJP’s reaction on the draft bill was “premature” as nothing has been finalised, Singhvi said, “BJP is trying to further its communal agenda…it clearly reflects BJP’s guilt complex.”
Chicago, May 28: Mumbai attacks co-accused David Coleman Headley told a Chicago court that he is no longer proud of the 26/11 carnage, in which he played a key role.
When asked by Defence Attorney Patrick W Belgan if he was still proud of the Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 people including American nationals, Headley said, “No”.
Headley was testifying in a court here on the fourth-day of the trial of Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana, another co-accused in the case. The statements formed part of the testimony of Headley, who has pleaded guilty.
Hyderabad, May 28: Inaugurating the blood donation camp and photo exhibition organised by NTR Memorial trust, ahead of inaugurating Mahanadu conclave, TDP supremo Mr. N Chandrababu Naidu said that humanitarian service is the fundamental aim of TDP, and the blood donation camp has been organized by NTR memorial trust with the same aspiration so as to motivate TDP activists for blood donation. Mr. Naidu told this while talking to media persons.
Regarding photo exhibition he said besides TDP founder late Mr. N T Rama Rao these photos will give insight into party’s ups and downs.
Chennai, May 28: Ailing Tamil superstar Rajinikanth left for Singapore on Friday for further treatment. The 60-year-old actor is accompanied by his family members – daughters Aishwarya and Soundarya, sons-in-laws and doctor Muralidharan, sources said.
It is learnt that Rajinikanth’s wife Latha will leave for Singapore on Saturday.
The matinee idol, who was admitted to the Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre with fever and fluid retention following acute gastro-intestinal and respiratory problems since May 13, was discharged from the hospital on Friday evening.