Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has decided to extend his latest mass contact programme– Indiramma Baata–, apparently after it earned him the backing of the Congress high command.
As per the latest plan worked out by the Chief Minister’s Office, Kiran Kumar will conduct the programme till February 2013, covering the remaining 18 districts in the state.
–Agencies
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday ruled out immediate cancellation of 142 coal block allocations as demanded by BJP and made it clear that he was ready for a fight with the opposition on the issue.
Singh conveyed his determination about not going for immediate cancellation of the coal block allocations informally to some senior ministers here, sources told .
BJP has demanded cancellation of 142 coal blocks but the Prime Minister is of the view that this could not be done immediately, the sources said.
An American woman who had previously been married nine times has been sentenced to life for killing her 10th husband to collect his USD 175,000 life insurance and then setting the body on fire.
Sharon Maxwell, 44, was sentenced to life in prison, a USD 10,000 fine and will not be eligible for parole until 2042, for murdering her husband Gordon Maxwell in Ore City in 2011.
She also lied that her 19-year-old son James, shot her husband Gordon Maxwell four times in the head and then set fire to his body in his pick-up truck in an attempt to get off the murder charge.
Close on the heels of its pilots going on strike demanding salaries, a section of Kingfisher Airlines engineers did not report for work today protesting non-payment of March salaries, forcing the airline to use the services of managers to certify the aircraft for operations.
There was, however, no impact on the operations as no flight was cancelled or delayed because of the fresh labour unrest at the ailing Vijay Mallya-owned carrier.
Fearing reprisals against Maharashtrians residing in northern states due to MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s ‘agenda of hatred’, RPI leader Ramdas Athavale today appealed to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to protect Marathis in his state.
Athavale whose party RPI (A) had fought Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, held earlier this year, in alliance with Shiv Sena, said dalit workers will take to streets to protect north Indians in Maharashtra and also the Hindi news channels–who are at the receiving end of Raj’s diatribe.
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is shooting for Yash Chopra’s untitled film in Kashmir, says he has learnt life’s lessons during his trip.
The 46-year-old actor completed the shooting in Pahalgam and is reportedly headed for Gulmarg next with the cast and crew of the film, releasing this Diwali.
“Leaving Pahalgham. Learnt lifes lesson in my forefathers land. Only beauty is not enough you gotta be tough too to survive. I will be Insha Allah (sic),” he tweeted.
-_PTi
Bollywood star Salman Khan Monday slammed speculations that Shirish Kunder was asked to leave “Kick” project following the not-so-great response to his “Joker” at the box office.
Kunder had been roped in to direct “Klick” and now Sajid Nadiadwala will wield the megaphone for it.
“No, that’s not true. Shirish left the film. He is working on something else. Ho gaya clear (Is it clear)? Good,” tweeted Salman, who plays the lead role in the film.
Kunder’s “Joker” released Friday and just a day later, he announced on Twitter that he is no longer on board as the director of “Kick”.
Straightening, blow drying and curling – as an actress, Priyanka Chopra has to go through several hair treatments. To keep her tresses healthy, she says she regularly goes for ‘champi’ (oil massage for hair).
“Being in the cine business, my hair goes through a lot of styling and chemical treatment on a daily basis. I make it a point to nourish my hair with its weekly dose of ‘champi’. It nourishes my hair from within and makes it stronger from within,” Priyanka, who has been signed on to endorse Dabur Amla Hair Oil, said in a statement.
A section of young Muslim professionals in Assam has launched a forum to find a peaceful solution to the present volatile situation in some parts of the state.
For finding a peaceful solution of the present scenario of hatred and violence prevailing in Assam, we have formed a platform named MY-FACTS (Muslim Youths: Forum Against Communalism, Terrorism and Sedition) comprising mostly
doctors, engineers, lawyers and IT professionals among others,” its Advisor Ashiq Zaman said in a release today.
Indian actress of French descent Kalki Koechlin says even though she mostly wears western outfits, her all-time favourite is the sari.
“I love to wear all sorts of clothes. People don’t see me in traditional clothes but sari is one of my favourite outfits, its just how you wear it, the Gujarati style or Bengali style or something different,” the 29-year-old said here Sunday.
Kalki was last seen in “Shanghai” and she is currently shooting for “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” and “Ek Thi Daayan”.
Rana Daggubati, whose Bollywood debut “Dum Maaro Dum” bombed at the box office, plans to speed up his work to ensure regular visibility.
“I have just finished a bilingual film called ‘Krishna Mandir Jagat Guru’ – it is a large action-based film in Tamil and Telugu. I will be starting a Hindi film in January. This time I am hoping to do things faster because each film is taking one, one-and-a-half-year to get done,” the 27-year-old said here Sunday at the Blenders Pride Fashion Preview.
(Pervez Bari) Welcoming the judgement given by a special sessions court in Ahmadabad in Naroda Patiya massacre, the worst of 2002 post-Godhra riots, the Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has hailed Ms Teesta Setalvad and her team for their toils to get justice to the victims and survivors of this ghoulish incident wherein 97 Muslims mostly women and children were sent to eternal sleep.
(Pervez Bari) Popular Front of India, (PFI), has welcomed the milestone verdict in the Naroda Patiya massacre case by the special fast track court in Ahmedabad, in a press statement issued by General Secretary K.M. Shareef.
Police have decided to conduct a DNA test on much married woman Shahanaz Ismail, who is now in the family way and her fourth husband Prasanna, who is said to be the baby’s father.
Police sources said Shahanaz, who was arrested in Bangalore and brought to the city yesterday after several complaints of marriage and cheating poured against her, had claimed she was carrying Prasanna’s baby.
Since Prasanna, one of the complainants against the woman, refuted her allegations, police have decided to conduct a DNA test on both to ascertain the truth.
(Pervez Bari): Popular Front of India, (PFI), has welcomed the milestone verdict in the Naroda Patiya massacre case by the special fast track court in Ahmedabad, in a press statement issued by General Secretary K.M. Shareef.
In order to update the modern technologies to the students of Indian Technical Institutes(ITIs) in Uttar Pradesh, a week long faculty development programme has been launched here today.
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with government of UP and Tata Motors, have launched Faculty Development Programme for ITI instructors of Motor Mechanic Vehicle trade here.
A youth committed suicide after killing a father and his daughter in Isapur village under Bhojpur police station in the district today.
Police sources here said Ravi (27) wanted to marry Devi (22) but her father Harendra (50) was opposed to this.
This morning Ravi equipped with two country-made pistols,first shot dead Harendra and Devi and later shot himself
dead.
Police have recovered the two firearms from the spot.
———–UNI
Diplomatic attempts to end the Syrian conflict are “nearly impossible” and not enough is being done to end the fighting, the new UN and Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said in a BBC interview broadcast today.
I know how difficult it is – how nearly impossible. I can’t say impossible – nearly impossible,” Brahimi, an
Algerian diplomat told the BBC. “And we are not doing much.
That in itself is a terrible weight.”
————-REUTERS
Coal India Ltd (CIL) will spend Rs.5,000 crore this fiscal to acquire assets abroad, Pratik Prakashbapu Patil, minister of state in the coal ministry, said Monday.
The state miner has also made a Rs.500-crore outlay to develop a coal block in Mozambique, the minister informed parliament in a written reply.
The overseas budget is in addition to CIL’s capital investment budget of Rs.4,275 crore for in the current fiscal to achieve production of 464.10 million tonnes and dispatch target of 470 million tonnes of coal.
The Kudankulam Atomic Power Project in Tamil Nadu, where fuel loading begins next week, is expected to start full-load generation of 1,000 MW from its first unit by December, an Atomic Energy Commission member (AEC) said here Monday.
“The fuel loading will start next week and power generation will start by end of October and is expected to reach its peak probably by December when it will generate 1000 MW,” AEC member M.R. Srinivasan told newspersons on the sidelines of a programme here.
(IANS) India should accept the recommendations by UN member states to address the country’s “most serious human rights problems”, Human Rights Watch said Monday.
During the September session of the UN Human Rights Council, India will submit its responses to the 169 recommendations made at its second review on May 24.
The wide-ranging recommendations call upon India to ratify multinational treaties against torture and enforced disappearances, and repeal the much-abused Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Thousands of Syrian refugees are stuck on the Turkish border while the authorities struggle to process a growing influx that could be swelled further by Syrian air and ground bombardment of a nearby town.
Syrian opposition activists said some 10,000 refugees had been stranded for a week on the Syrian side of the frontier adjacent to the southeastern Turkish province of Kilis, the main route into Turkey from the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.
A Syrian jet bombed the town of Azaz, 3 km from the border, early on Monday, prompting some of those who had not
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi has said the country is considering the construction of small oil refineries in some African countries, local media reported Monday.
Qasemi said that, on the sidelines of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit just concluded in Tehran, he negotiated with oil buyers, mainly from India, and from African and Central Asian states, on Iran’s oil export conditions in the future, reported Xinhua, citing the Tehran Times daily.
Eight people, including four Taliban militants, were killed in an attack on the governor of Afghanistan’s Kapisa province but he escaped unhurt, a spokesman for the governor said.
“A group of Taliban rebels ambushed the motorcade of Mehrabudin Safi in Tagab district. Police escorting the governor returned fire, killing four attackers,” Qais Qadiri told Xinhua.
Four policemen were also killed in the firefight, he said.
Taliban militants are active in parts of Kapisa province, 65 km north of Kabul.
Ahead of talks with his Chinese counterpart Gen. Liang Guanglie, Defence Minister A. K. Antony said Monday India has conveyed its concerns to China about its activities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and asked it to stop such activities.
“Government is aware of the infrastructure development by China at the border and their undertaking infrastructure projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK),” Antony said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.