Month: June 2012

Shattered Mubarak sons in ‘tears’ after Mursi victory

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While Egyptians of most creeds rejoiced over the results of the historic presidential election, there was shock and despair in a corner of Cairo’s Tora prison where the Mubarak brothers are lodged.

The imprisoned sons of ousted president Hosni Mubarak — Gamal and Alaa — who would have desperately hoped for an Ahmed Shafiq victory, were a shattered duo.

“Gamal and Alaa reacted with shock and tears at Sunday’s announcement that the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi was Egypt’s new president,” security sources were quoted as saying by the state news agency MENA.

Mohamed Morsi begins work to form national reconciliation govt

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After his historic triumph in Egypt’s first free presidential election, Islamist Mohamed Morsi on Monday started consultations to form a national reconciliation government to overcome deep political divisions and project himself as a moderate leader of “all Egyptians”.

Morsi, who on Monday moved into the palatial presidential office of his ousted predecessor Hosni Mubarak, reached out to all those who had led the popular uprising, signalling that he may include his electoral rivals into his national government.

Juhu rave party: Temporary protection from arrest for 2 accused

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Three days after 44 persons were declared to have tested positive for drugs following a police raid on rave party at a plush hotel in suburban Juhu last month, two of them have filed anticipatory bail applications in the special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act court.

“Supratik Roy and actor Amit Gaur have moved for an anticipatory bail and the court has given them protection from arrest till June 27,” said their lawyer, advocate Taraq Sayyed.

The court also asked the police to clarify which charge under the NDPS act was applicable against the two, Sayyed said.

VB Singh triggers speculation of resignation, meets Sonia Gandhi

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Union Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was slapped with charges of conspiracy and corruption in a 23-year-old case, on Monday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi, triggering speculation of his resignation.

Reacting to the framing of charges, Singh had earlier in day said “the evidence is concocted. The CD has not been authenticated. They have not compared my voice”.

Asked whether he would resign, he said “I don’t care for my office at all. I don’t want to embarrass my party and the Prime Minister. As and when the occasion arises, certainly I will take appropriate action”.

I did cricket a favour by rejecting Sachin Tendulkar: Dennis Lillee

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Australian great Dennis Lillee on Monday recalled his first meeting with Sachin Tendulkar and said on a lighter note that he did the game a “favour” by rejecting the batsman when he went to the MRF Pace Foundation with an ambition to become a fast bowler in the late 80s.

Hoping to become a pacer, Tendulkar went to the MRF Pace Foundation in 1987. But his ambitions were crushed by the foundation’s coaching director, Lillee who advised the then young Tendulkar to focus on his batting instead of bowling.

Soon I will not be a political entity: Pranab Mukherjee

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“Soon I will not be a political entity,” Pranab Mukherjee remarked hours before he resigns as Finance Minister to contest Presidential poll, but promised to deliver his “last message” before he bids adieu.

Mukherjee received a warm send off from officials of Finance Ministry whom he thanked for the support extended during his three-year stint at North Block.

In the midst of farewells he received today, the 77-year-old leader promised the quotes-seeking media a “last message” before he submits his resignation to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh somtime tomorrow afternoon.

Narendra Modi is secular to core: Babulal Gaur

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Even as debate rages over credentials of next prime minister, senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh minister, Babulal Gaur, on Monday termed Narendra Modi as a “secular” leader.

“Narendra Modi desh ke dusre Vallabh bhai Patel hain…shudh secular hain,” (Narendra Modi is another Vallabh bhai Patel of this country…He is secular to core), the municipal administration minister told a press conference after unveiling the “Narmada River Conservation Plan” of the state government.

He was replying to a query on who will be NDA’s prime ministerial candidate for 2014 polls.

Pak sends reminder to Interpol to arrest Musharraf

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Pakistan has sent a reminder to Interpol to immediately arrest former President Pervez Musharraf, a “proclaimed offender” in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007.

The Federal Investigation Agency has written another letter to Interpol to remind it to immediately arrest Musharraf and hand him over to Pakistan so that he can be produced before a court conducting the trial of those accused in the assassination of former Pakistan Premier, Senior Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali said.

Taliban attacks Pak military posts, 8 soldiers dead

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Eight soldiers and 15 militants were killed in fierce clashes that erupted after over 100 Taliban fighters sneaked in from Afghanistan and attacked military posts in northwest Pakistan, with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf saying he would raise the matter with Kabul.

The Taliban launched the attack late last night and killed at least eight soldiers, Pakistani military officials were quoted as saying by CNN.

Fifteen Taliban fighters were killed in the exchange of fire that followed the attacks on check posts in Upper Dir district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Youth throws acid on girl, inflicts knife injuries

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A youth threw acid on a girl and attacked her with a knife in Railway colony here this evening, injuring her seriously, police said.

The girl was referred to PGI Chandigarh for treatment, they said.

The girl, an employee with the Railways, is living with her mother in the Railway colony in Ambala cantonment.

She was on her way back home from the office when the youth threw acid on her and inflicted knife injuries, police said.

The reason for the attack was yet to be ascertained, they said.

We will achieve flyover at any cost: Naidu

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Alleging that the Congress government was deliberately delaying construction of a flyover at the Kanaka Durga temple here, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has demanded that the State government take up the work immediately. He also declared that they would achieve the flyover under any circumstances.

50% waiver on UDF to Hajj pilgrims

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The GMR Hyderabad International Airport Authority has agreed to waive 50% on the User Development Fee UDF for the Hajj pilgrims during the current Haj Season 2012.

Vikarm R Jaisinghani, Chief Executive Officer of GMR, in a communication has stated that giving due regard to the factors highlighted by the State government, the GMR was agreeable to continue the 50% waiver on the UDF.

BC students stir for funds release

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Tension prevailed when the BC students tried to lay seize to the Telugu Sankshema Bhavan, Masab Tank, demanding the State Government to allot budget for the fee-reimbursement scheme and increase the mess charges of the BC, SC, ST hostel students, under the leadership of State BC Student Association.

Five cops hurt as minister’s escort vehicle runs amok

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Five policemen following Mines & Geology Minister Galla Aruna Kumari were injured when the escort vehicle in which they were following her lost control and turned turtle. They were rushed to the Ruia Hospital.

The accident occurred near Chinnagottugallu. The minister has directed the doctors of the Ruia Hospital to take good care of the injured policemen. (NSS)

HC issues notices to chief secretary

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The High Court has given notices to Chief Secretary Pankaj Dwivedi in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Police Officers Housing Society.

The court issued notices questioning why the government failed to take action against the irregularities committed when senior IPS officer Umesh Kumar was in the Grey Hounds wing. (NSS)

HC rejects Koneru Prasad’s bail petition

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The High Court on Monday rejected the bail petition of Koneru Rajendra Prasad, who was arrested for the irregularities in the Emaar Properties case.

Koneru has sought bail as the CBI, which arrested him had already filed a charge-sheet in the court. After hearing the arguments of his lawyer, Justice Samudrala Govindarajulu has struck down the petition. (NSS)

Political war over flyover in Vijayawada

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High tension prevailed in Vijayawada as both the TDP and the Congress held dharnas, protesting against each other’s stand on the proposed flyover at the Kanaka Durga temple.

After the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu announced his decision to stage Maha Dharna, Congress local MP Lagadapati Rajagopal also announced his decision to stage a counter dharna.

Lagadapati, owner of real estate giant Lanco group, has announced that he would meet Naidu to learn engineering techniques from him. When he sought police permission to meet the TDP chief, they denied it.

TPF urges singareni workers to vote for IT

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The Telangana Praja Front (TPF) has called upon the Singareni collieries Workers to elect the Trade Union which will fight for the workers’, separate Telangana State, and which opposes Globalization, Mechanization, privatization in the elections to be held for recognized Trade Union, on June 28 in Singareni Collieries.

Attack on laxmipet dalits: 65 arrested so far

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S. A. Huda, Director General (Law and order) and official spokesperson of Police Headquarters has stated that the CID launched investigation into the killing of Daliths of Laxmipet village in Vangara mandal of Srikakulam district on June 12 identified 65 accused so far. The CID is going into entire gamut of this episode. He stated that the sleuths have fairly gathered information about the actual accused, who directly involved in the carnage and those behind the scene as part of criminal conspiracy.

Will bye-election result prompt high command to give shock treatment to the CM and PCC chief?

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Even though the supporters of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy were repeatedly asserting, after their visits to Delhi, that change of guard in the State was not there at all, intense speculation continued in the Congress party circles about the possibility of ‘total cleansing’ and ‘major changes’ in the leadership of both the Government and the Congress Party. There is an expectation that soon after the Presidential election, there are bound to be major changes in the State, probably including change in the Government.

PC Ghose sworn in as HC judge

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Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as a Judge of A.P High Court at a simple ceremony organized at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan here today.
Justice P C Ghose was also appointed as Acting Chief Justice of the High Court.

Four vehicle lifters nabbed

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The Kachiguda Police have nabbed four vehicle lifters and recovered property worth Rs 11 lakhs from their possession.

According to the information, on June 24 at 6 pm, the police conducted vehicle checking at Barkhatpura and Nimboli Adda crossroads and took four persons into custody while they were moving suspiciously. When interrogated, they confessed that they committed theft of 10 two-wheelers and one Hyundai car under the limits of Kachiguda, Narayanaguda, Amberpet and Chandanagar police stations.

Eye camp for scribes and I&PR staff

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The Press Academy of Andhra Pradesh, in association with Department of Information and Public Relations and Vasan Eye Care Hospital, is organizing an eye camp on June 26 and June 28 for the journalists and staff of Information and Public Relations department.

The eye camp will be conducted from 10 am to 5 pm during these days in the conference hall of Press Academy.
The Commissioner of I& PR R V Chandravadan will be participating as the chief guest in the inaugural program while Chairman of Press Academy Tirumalagiri Surender will preside. (NSS)

Prasanna demands probe into phone calls of CBI JD

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YSR Congress leader and Kovvur MLA Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy on Monday demanded that the government order a comprehensive inquiry into the telephone call list of CBI Joint Director V V Laxminarayana.

Speaking to the media here, Prasanna Kumar Reddy stressed the need for a probe into the call list of telephones of Laxminarayana. He alleged that Laxminarayana was acting as agent of AICC president Sonia Gandhi and TDP Chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu. “We would meet the Prime Minister and President of India on the style functioning of Laxminarayana”, he added. (NSS)