President Nicolas Sarkozy’s re-election team last night (Friday) denied suggestions that raids resulting in the arrest of 19 suspected Islamists were politically motivated.
The president was also accused of being “totally disproportionate” by stating the series of murders in Toulouse this month were “a little like” the September 11 attacks in terms of their deep impact on the national psyche.
Hacker group Anonymous has rubbished the media report that said it planned to take down the entire internet on Saturday.
“What is this #OperationGlobalBlackout nonsense? I thought we settled this back in February? It won’t happen. Stop asking us about it! >.<," the group's account (@youranonnews) tweeted on March 29. Another account, (@AnonymousIRC), added, "Dear Netizens, Internet will remain online. And to the death we will defend it. Always. Sail strong and do not get distracted by trolls."
A girl was killed and six others were injured high-speed car crash in Mumbai.
According to reports, a speeding Hyundai Getz rammed into an auto-rickshaw on Friday night.
Three boys and three girls travelling in the car and the auto driver were injured in the accident. All seven were admitted to a government hospital. One of the girls, who was in critical condition, succumbed to her injuries today.
The question as to whether the car driver was driving under the influence of alcohol would be established once the medical reports come.
–Agencies
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni here Saturday to discuss the development of all-round cooperation between China and the Southeast Asian nation.
Before the meeting, Hu attended a welcome ceremony hosted by the Cambodian king.
According to his schedule, Hu will meet Cambodian Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen later Saturday.
Signalling a patch up with her estranged aide Sasikala who was expelled last year from the AIADMK, party supremo Jayalalithaa on Saturday revoked the action, accepting an explanation issued by her.
“VK Sasikala has sent a letter to me. She had also issued a statement with the same content. I accept the explanation,” Jayalalithaa said in a statement here. “The disciplinary action against Sasikala is cancelled,” she said.
On March 28, Sasikala had issued a statement through AIADMK-promoted Jaya TV, stating she had snapped ties with all those who had “betrayed” Jayalalithaa.
Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the government was requesting four political parties to quickly make up their mind on the Telangana issue.
The home minister added that three amendments with regard to AFSPA were pending with the Cabinet Committee on Security.
Throughout the Budget session of Parliament there were repeated disruptions over the Telangana issue.
-PTI
Violence continued to haunt Pakistan’s biggest city and financial hub as the killing of a political worker and an attack on a senior police officer led to increased tension on Friday.
Hidayatullah Mehsud, a worker of the Awami National Party was killed in Mangopir area today while in another incident, armed assailants attacked a senior police official Farooq Awan near Lasbella Chowk killing a police guard.
In altogether, this week has witnessed the killing of 18 people and dozens being wounded and scores of vehicles being torched.
More than 75 militia members from Korukonda Area Committee of Maoists on Saturday surrendered before the Visakhapatnam rural police.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Visakhapatnam Range) Soumya Mishra said those surrendered included eight members involved in blasting of BSNL towers at Lambasinghi in November 2011, burning of Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation quarters at Cherlapalli village last December and attack on police team at Rallagedda village in February.
Legendary actress Madhubala and dancing diva Madhuri Dixit are among the names that come to Dia Mirza’s mind upon the mention of Bollywood’s most iconic women.
“Madhubala, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen… these are among the most iconic women I can think of in Bollywood,” Dia said here while unveiling the top 10 iconic bestsellers of beauty brand The Body Shop. If Dia was to grab one aspect of each of their lives, what would that be?
Dia Mirza
The TDP on Friday demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government immediately cancel all “irregular” land allotments made to private entities and individuals in the state between 2006 and 2011 in the light of the damning findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
Addressing a press conference, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said the allotted land should be resumed and re-distributed to the farmers, from whom, it was forcibly acquired.
Russia’s Vedic Cultural Centre housing the country’s largest Hindu temple is facing demolition in St Petersburg, the hometown of president-elect Vladimir Putin, as a court has ordered its ‘eviction’ from the leased premises. “Following an arbitration court decision on Thursday, the biggest Hindu temple of Russia will now be demolished,” chairman of the Centre Suren Karapetyan said, appealing to presidents of India and Russia to provide “urgent help” .
An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit Kashmir valley on Saturday, including its summer capital Srinagar, forcing people to rush out of their homes in panic.
Kashmir disaster management head Aamir Ali said tremors were felt at 9.46am and the tremblor’s epicentre was in
Hindukush mountains in Afghanistan.
Ali said people rushed out of their homes in panic and took shelter in open spaces.
There was no immediate report of any loss of life or damage to property, he added.
–Agencies
All banks, including private sector lenders, will remain open till 5 pm on Saturday for special clearings of government transactions for 2011-12.
The Reserve Bank has directed private and public sector banks to remain open on March 31, 2012, with a view to facilitate accounting of all government transactions for the current financial year (2011-12).
Banks have also been advised to ensure that the clearing houses under their jurisdiction conduct business keeping in view the operational convenience at the local centres.
Sultana’s Dream a science-fiction was first published in 1905 making it probably the first Indian sci-fi work. It is a short story written by Roquia Sakhawat Hussain. Begum Roquia was born in 1880 at Rangpur which is now in Bangladesh.
The tomb on the premises of murder accused Hamza bin Omar alias Zaffar Pahelwan is not that of Bhagmati, contended family members at a press conference organized at Pahelwan’s Aman Nagar residence on Friday.
In an effort to prevent child marriages, the administration of Bharatpur district in Rajasthan has made it mandatory for the date of birth of the groom and bride to be printed on the wedding invitation card, an official said Saturday.
Many child marriage cases are reported on Akshaya Tritiya in Bharatpur, about 180 km from here.
A teenager immolated himself in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region after his parents failed to provide him with new clothes to wear during his examinations.
Though his age was not disclosed, Kamran was a ninth grade student in Shabqadar town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Dawn reported Saturday.
Neighbours in Samnath area claimed that Kamran had asked his parents to buy him new clothes ahead of his examinations but his poor parents could not afford to do so.
Disheartened by his family’s poverty, Kamran sprinkled petrol and set himself ablaze, they said.
Many girls are joining Engineering and Medical courses but very few girls aspire to become a pilot. One such girl is Salwa Fatima.At her young age only,she had determined to become a pilot.
After finishing school education,she joined St.Annas College,Mehdipatnam for her intermediate course where she was given fees concessions and other facilities.
Sanjay Dutt and Shah Rukh Khan have come together on screen just once. In the title song of the SRK starrer Om Shanti Om in 2007.
But if all goes well, the two superstars may soon share more than just a dance step on screen in Agneepath director Karan Malhotra’s next.
While there had been rumours about the ‘next’ venture in question being a sequel to Malhotra’s 2012 blockbuster Agneepath, the filmmaker told us that it would be an original idea.
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that he believed there was sufficient global oil supply to fill in the gap by reducing exports from Iran, making it possible for more sanctions on Iran’s energy sector and countries buying oil from the Islamic republic.
Obama said in a statement that his conclusion was made after carefully considering the current global economic conditions, increased production by some countries, the level of spare capacity, and the available strategic oil reserves, among other factors.
A Controversial proposal by the government to include a Hindu Undivided Family ( HUF) within the definition of a person in the existing antiterror law has been opposed by Parliamentarians.
A meeting of the action committee to protest against the irregular appointments in Urdu University met yesterday at Mahboob Jigar Hussain Hall, Siasat under the chairmanship of its president Maulana Syed Tariq Quadri,Advocate and General Secretary Soofi Academy.
The meeting was attened by its converer Mr.Nusrath Mohiuddin, General Secretary INSAF, Dr.Shaik Naser, Mr.Syed Zainulabedeen,Abdur Rahman Shafeq Sharfan,Mohiuddin Rasheed, Waseem Abdul Haq, M.A Nizami, Tajamul Azhar Mohammed Samiuddin and staff members of MAMUU in struggling against recruiting non-urdu teachers.
Actor Tusshar Kapoor is keen to work with his father, yesteryears star Jeetendra, but says his dad is not interested in making a comeback in films.
“People keep asking me when will we see you on screen with your father? But he (Jeetendra) should be interested in it. I think he is not interested in getting back to the films. He is enjoying his business and now he thinks like a business man. I don’t think my dad wants to comeback in films,” Tusshar told IANS.
From the point of view of various developmental activities,Hyderabad and R.R Dist top the list.This was disclosed by Ms.Y.R Anuradha,Director of Census Operations. She released the details of household survey.
During this survey 2,55,94,996 houses and 10.24,534 households were covered.
For the first time many surprising revelations were known.Details of Mobile Phones,Laptops,Computer and Internet connections were surveyed.
Wife brutally murdered by hubby
(Siasat News): A husband brutally killed his wife in Banjara Hills and fled the scene. This hair-raising incident occurred at Bhola Nagar, Road No. 12 late last night where Fouzia Khatoon, 28, was killed in her husband Feroz Khan’s attack.
Feroz Khan not only strangulated her to death but also later, cut her wrist veins and fled the scene. According to police sources, Fouzia and Feroz got married 9 years back and have two children.