Month: March 2012

Rana dubs Headley ‘unrepentant terrorist’

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Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana has told a US court that his friend David Headley, convicted in 26/11 Mumbai attack, was an “unrepentant terrorist” and he had knowledge of latter’s “link” with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

In his latest submission before a Chicago court, Rana, however, has challenged the Government’s assertion that he does not require a fresh trial.

Last year, a grand jury in Chicago had found Rana guilty of providing material support to support LeT and plotting attack on a Danish newspaper along with Headley.

Sarkozy nixes halal meat in schools for Muslim

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The issue of France’s Muslims moved front and center into the presidential campaign with the incumbent, Nicolas Sarkozy, excluding any special indulgences for halal meat or separate swimming hours for Muslim women in public pools.

Echoing his 2007 campaign, Sarkozy insisted that French civilization must prevail in France. He created France’s first ministry of immigration and national identity after being elected, but has since done away with it.

Karnataka lawyers to boycott courts today

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The Karnataka State Bar Council has directed all lawyers across the state to stay away from the courts on Monday in protest against the police “excess” on some of its members last Friday when some advocates attacked mediapersons and policemen at the city civil court complex here.

“As a mark of protest against police excess on a section of lawyers at the city civil court complex and blaming the entire community for the violent incident Friday, our members will boycott courts across the state Monday,” council president K.N. Subba Reddy told reporters.

Narayana apologizes to Geeta Reddy

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CPI State secretary Dr K Narayana has reportedly apologized to Major Industries Minister Dr J Geeta Reddy for his remarks against her.

Narayana, who had already made controversial remarks against the arrested IAS officer Srilakshmi and apologized, has once again created flutters and angry retorts from the ruling party for his alleged remarks against Geeta Reddy. Apart from women’s organizations, Dr Narayana’s wife also reportedly took exception to his remarks against women.

YSR Cong issues warning to CBI

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A warning was issued to the CBI by the YSR Congress on Sunday that the arrest of Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the illegal assets case will raise crores of hands in protest across Andhra Pradesh.

Ambati Rambabu, YSR Congress spokesperson said that the CBI will have to face the consequences if they “touch” YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He also slammed certain television channels that aired on how Jagan cancelled his trip to Nellore and would be arrested any moment.

Who will play God, SRK or Sallu?

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Buzz is that either Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan will portray the lead role in Akshay Kumar’s home production ‘Oh My God’

It’s a film that was conceived more than two years ago, but looks like the heavens are yet to give it a green signal.

Akshay Kumar who was supposed to play Lord Krishna in his home production, Oh My God is still looking for someone who can replace him for the film’s lead role.

Passenger plane makes rough landing in central Iran

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A passenger plane operated by the Iranian flag carrier airline, Iran Air, has made a rough landing in Isfahan in the center of the country.

Iran Air Flight 3401 took off from the Iraq capital Baghdad and headed for Iran’s third largest city, Isfahan, at around noon on Sunday. The aircraft’s rear tire burst as soon as it touched down on the runway at Isfahan’s Shahid Beheshti International Airport, Mehr News Agency reported.

The pilot however managed to avoid disaster and save the lives of all passengers on board. There have been no reports of injuries among the passengers.

UK pokes nose into foreign elections

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British officials are attacking the democratic elections in countries, not exactly considered as their friends, after their own general election landed in a major scandal in 2010 with the majority of ‘elected’ MPs lacking public support.

Former Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Sunday, as Russians went to polling stations for the Presidential elections, that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is a “ruthless” dictator, whose days are numbered.

US school denied games for being Islamic

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An American Muslim school was denied the right to participate in a basketball and football competition with other schools in Texas for only one reason; being an Islamic their Islamic faith.

“We didn’t see how it had anything to do with Tapps or our kids and sports,” Cindy Steffens, an administrator with the Houston-based Iman Academy SW, told The New York Times on Sunday, March 4, referring to the name of a private-schools association.

RGV Wanted Sunny Leone, Settled For Nathalia Kaur Instead

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Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma’s latest discovery Nathalia Kaur, who will perform an item number in his film Department, may be the talk of the town, but it emerges that the filmmaker initially wanted to sign porn star Sunny Leone for the song, says a media report .

However, RGV alleges that the Bhatts, with whom the porn actress has a contract, did not let this happen.

Now, Kaur will not only be seen in the item number choreographed by Ganesh Acharya, which was shot last week, but will also share screen space with Sanjay Dutt in RGV’s next film.

CIA set to control Afghanistan after 2014

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Pentagon may put the US special forces under CIA control in Afghanistan after 2014, allowing the Whitehouse to claim troops have been withdraw as they will be considered spies.

The plan revealed by Associated Press sources has not yet been presented to US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the White House, or the relevant congressional oversight committees.

A CIA-run war will also hinder any potential for accountability and transparency, as their activities and funding would become classified and journalists or other forms of oversight would not be welcomed.

Israel will decide on Iran war independent of US: Lieberman

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The Israeli foreign minister says the decision to attack Iran is one that Israel will make regardless of what course of action the US decides to take.

Avigdor Lieberman’s remarks, made in an interview with Israeli public radio on Sunday, came shortly before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due in Washington to discuss Iranian nuclear activities with the US President Barack Obama.

“Clearly, the United States is the biggest world power and the biggest and most important country that is a friend of Israel, but we are independent,” he added.

Many pilots sleepy during flight

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Many transportation employees such as pilots, train conductions and truck drivers are sleep-deprived on duty, a new US study warns.

The US National Sleep Foundation (NSF) poll found that 11 percent of transportation employees work while sleepy, compared to the 7 percent who work in other sectors.

The study which included about 1,100 people older than 25 and working in different sectors showed that sleepy transportation workers were three times more likely to report job performance problems and had an average of about 45 minutes less sleep per night than their non-sleepy counterparts.

Iran enemy deserves all options: Army

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The Iranian Armed Forces have vowed to use “every option” available to counter any potential military aggression against the Islamic Republic.

In a statement published on Monday, Iran’s Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff warned the US and Israel against further harassing the people of the world with their warmongering rhetoric.

The members of the Armed Forces are ready to serve and make any necessary sacrifice to protect and strengthen the Islamic Republic, the statement added.

Pakistan asks Interpol to issue Musharraf arrest warrant

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Pakistan says it has formally requested the Interpol to issue an arrest warrant against the country’s former President Pervez Musharraf over his alleged involvement in the killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

“We have sent a request to the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) for the arrest of Pervez Musharraf,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik said in the capital Islamabad on Sunday.

Five engineering students held for robbery

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At least five students of a private engineering college here were arrested Sunday for robbing bus passengers at knifepoint, official said.

The youth, all aged 19, told police that they were forced to commit the crime Feb 27 because the monthly expenses they were getting from their homes was inadequate.

They had looted Rs.6,500 in cash and three mobile phones from two passengers at Bhubaneswar bus stand, Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitinjit Singh told reporters.

Power crisis puts small industries, spinning mills in doldrums

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Severe power crisis, which forced the government to announce power holidays to the small industries, has made the spinning mills in Guntur and Krishna districts to reduce production by 25 to 35 per cent which made them to incur huge losses. As many as 60 spinning and ginning mills in cotton rich Guntur district are facing threat of huge loses, following power holiday, announced by the government. All the spinning mills reduced their production by 25 to 35 per cent during the last 15 days.

BJP asks Centre to allocate sufficient gas to AP power projects

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Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)leader and former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today asked the Centre to allocate sufficient gas to the gas based power projects in Andhra Pradesh. In a letter, addressed to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas S Jaipal Reddy, a copy of which was released to media here, Mr Dattatreya said more than seven gas based power projects–G V K, Spectrum, Lanco, Vemagiri, Gautami and Konaseema — had been established in East Godavari district with a captive power of 2900 MW.

25 criminal cases registered in liquor syndicate issue

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The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has so far registered 25 criminal cases against those involved in the liquor syndicate case based on the scrutiny reports on the data gathered from searches in syndicate offices across the state. A ACB press release here today said 24 criminal cases had been booked on January 25, 2012 and another on March 2, 2012 and seized files after conducting searches at many places.

AP Minister against bauxite mining in agency areas

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Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Minister P Balaraju today said he was against bauxite mining in agency Girigen Adivasi-dominated areas in Visakhapatnam district. Addressing a news conference here, he said ‘as a tribal, I am against bauxite mining in the agency areas in the district.

State govt.extending Rs.10.000 Cr. subsidy on fertilizers

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Andhra Pradesh agriculture minister Kanna Lakshminarayana today said the state government was spending Rs.10,000 crore as subsidy on fertilizers and assured all kinds of assistance to farmers.

Addressing a programme, he said in 2004, the subsidy on fertilizers was only Rs.1,900 crore.

Now, it was Rs.10,000 crore.

Woman commits suicide after killing her son

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In a shocking incident, a young woman committed suicide by hanging herself after killing her 4-year old son at Srinagar colony in satyanarayana puram here today. Police said that the deceased D Manasa (22), committed suicide after killing her son Manoj (4).

Her husband had been harrassing her for more dowry for the last two years. unable to bear the torture, she took the extreme step. The police has registered a case and investigating. UNI

MP Hari Krishna unveils statue of N T Rama Rao

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Rajya Sabha member N Hari Krishna today unveiled the statue of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party(TDP) founder and his father N T Rama Rao at Garikaparru village in Thotlavalluru Mandal in Krishna district today. Later addressing the gathering, Mr Hari Krishna, made it clear that there were no differences between TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu and the NTR family.

Kareena rocked in Mujra, says Saif ali Khan

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Looking visibly distracted, he makes himself comfortable on the couch of his hotel room on the seventh floor. As securitymen and his assistants keep storming in and out of the room, the star waves his hands at them. “How am I supposed to give an interview with all of you guys making such a racket?” asks Saif Ali Khan on his whirlwind trip to the city to promote his latest venture, ” Agent Vinod”.