Month: February 2013

Zardari to visit Tehran to finalise gas pipeline deal

by

Despite mounting US pressure, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly decided to travel to Tehran this week to finalise a multibillion dollar gas pipeline deal. Under the agreement, Iran would offer a loan of 500 million dollars to Pakistan for the construction of a gas pipeline on its side of the border. However, the project has run into trouble due to an absence of investors fearing economic sanctions by the US, reports The Express Tribune. A foreign ministry official confirmed that Zardari will begin a two-day visit to Iran on Tuesday to finalise the much-anticipated deal.

Govt. making all efforts to create amiable environment in Delhi, says Sheila Dikshit

by

Asserting that there is a need to rectify all the mistakes, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday said the government is making all efforts to ensure that nobody in the national capital feels unsafe.

“The government can help, can alert the people and will take action wherever required. The police also now have to be more alert. Around 20 to 22 lakh people move in metro (Delhi Metro), about 50 lakh people travel daily in buses. So, it comes to a total of around 70-72 lakhs. To monitor it and to change the culture will take time,” Dikshit told media here.

Palmer University Chiropractic doctors’ team arrives at Hyderabad

by

An 18-member team of Chiropractic doctors led by Prof. Dr. Moin Ansari and Mrs. Shahida Ansari reached Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Shamsabad from Chicago via Delhi. During their weeklong stay at Hyderabad the Chiropractic doctors will examine students of Ashraful madaris High School Yakut Pura. They will examine all registered patients at Abid Ali Khan Eye Hospital, Darushifa on February 28 and March 2.

5.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Tibet

by

An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted Gerze county of Ali prefecture in southwest China”s Tibet Autonomous Region at 1:11 p.m. Beijing Time Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The epicenter, with a depth of 9 km, was initially determined to be at 34.4 degrees north latitude and 85.7 degrees east longitude.

Another earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale occurred in the same area at 1:22 p.m. Beijing Time, with a depth of 3 km, the center reported.

No casualties has been reported so far. (Xinhua-ANI)

Iran seeks stronger trade ties with India

by

Iran-India trade can be increased from the current $15 billion through more cooperation in areas like energy and industries, Ali Ardashir Larijani, speaker of the Iranian parliament (Majlis) said here Monday.

Larijani urged India to facilitate greater business opportunities and academic collaboration with Iran.

Expediting issuance of student visas by India would help more students from Iran to come and study in India, he said.

Mozilla launches Firefox OS for mobile

by

Mozilla, which is a not-for-profit organization, behind the Firefox web browser has announced handsets based on its operating system for mobile phones.

According to Jay Sullivan, vice president of products at Mozilla, Firefox phones are likely to be sold first in the developing world and Eastern Europe and will be at the cheaper end of the smartphone market.

He said manufacturers LG, ZTE, Huawei and TCL had all committed to building devices, with more firms “to follow”.

Hyderabad blasts reaction to Kasab, Afzal hanging: Shinde

by

Terming the Hyderabad twin blasts a reaction to executions of terror convicts Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru, union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Sunday stressed the need for the anti-terror hub and said he will talk to various chief ministers who were opposed to it.

“We have been giving terror alerts throughout the country. We were expecting, when there have been two executions in the country, some reactions were bound to happen,” Shinde told media persons here.

Man held in Noida for trying to molest woman

by

The son of a retired IAS officer has been arrested on charges of attempting to sexually assault a young woman who had come to a hotel to learn yoga, police said Sunday.

“We have arrested the accused, whose conduct has been most shameful,” Superintendent of Police Yogesh Singh said.

Police sources identified the young man as Vivek Sharma, son of Deo Dutt Sharma.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that the drunk man tried to force her into his car at a luxury hotel in Sector 18 here Saturday. When she screamed for help, the hotel staff telephoned the police.

Hyderabad blast: Delhi Police hunt for IM operative Raju Bhai

by

Delhi Police Sunday launched an intensive search for Raju Bhai, an alleged Indian Mujahideen operative linked to the Hyderabad blasts which killed 16 people and injured over 115.

“We have launched a search to trace Raju Bhai, who can provide vital leads in the Hyderabad blasts case,” a senior official of Delhi Police’s Special Cell told IANS.

Raju Bhai, in his early 30s, has been on the radar of the special cell since his name figured in the August 2012 Pune serial blasts probe.

NATO Patriot missiles to cost Turkey $8.5 mn annually

by

NATO’s Patriot missile systems, requested by Turkey to protect it from a potential Syrian attack, are expected to cost Ankara 15 million liras ($8.5 million) annually, the Turkish defence minister said.

Ismet Yilmaz made the statement after he and his German and Dutch counterparts visited both the Dutch and German Patriot sites in Adana and Kahramanmaras near the border with Syria.

The visit came after the final of six Patriot missile batteries deployed to Turkey was declared operational under NATO command and control Feb 15.

Railways will introduce helpline for women: P.K. Bansal

by

Indian Railways will soon introduce a 24X7 helpline for women that will be tracked “on real-time basis”, Railway Minister Pramod Kumar Bansal said while stressing that the safety of passengers, particularly women, was top priority.

“The safety and security of passengers, especially the women, is the top priority of the Indian Railways,” Bansal told IANS in an interview ahead of the rail budget he will present Tuesday.

Saira-Dilip inaugurate lane named after Joy Mukherji

by

Saira Banu remembered her “Shagird” co-star Joy Mukherji as a friendly and a wonderful human being while inaugurating a lane named after the late actor on his 74th birth anniversary.

“This has been done very beautifully. I never thought that me and Yusuf saab (Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar) will ever come for such an occasion. It feels like Joy is still between us,” said the 68-year-old here Sunday. She was accompanied by Dilip Kumar.

“I hope he would have been here today. He was very friendly and a wonderful human being,” she added.

Quake jolts Japan

by

An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted central Japan Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake at 4.23 p.m. local time rocked the northern Tochigi Prefecture, reported Xinhua.

No tsunami alert was issued and no damage and injuries have been reported so far.

–_IANS

Man dies of swine flu in Odisha

by

A man died of swine flu at a private hospital here – the first death from the disease in the state this year, an official said Monday.

The 42-year-old victim was working in the information technology sector and was infected during his stay in Kolkata recently, B.K.Panda, director of the state public health department, told IANS.

After returning home, he was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar where he died of the disease Sunday, Panda added.

Kremlin Museum plans to exhibit Nizam jewels

by

The Moscow Kremlin Museum may exhibit jewellery from the priceless collection of Nizam of Hyderabad at an exhibition of Indian jewellery in the Russian capital.

“A preliminary agreement has been reached with the National Museum in New Delhi. Talks are being held to present jewellery from the Nizam of Hyderabad collection,” Elena Gagarina, director-general of Moscow Kremlin Museum told IANS.

“This is a unique project. No other country has seen the exhibits, which will be exposed at the Moscow Kremlin Museum,” Gagarina added.

States to tighten border security for vote count

by

Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland have been told to tighten security on their international and inter-state borders ahead of the vote count in the three states Feb 28.

“Security along the borders will be further tightened in view of the counting of votes,” an Election Commission official told IANS Monday.

The union home ministry has also directed the states to take steps to seal the international border by deploying additional Border Security Force and Assam Rifles troopers.

The BSF guards India’s border with Bangladesh while Assam Rifles is posted along the Myanmar border.

Australia struggling at 128/5 at tea

by

Australia were struggling at 128 for five in their second innings and trailed India by 64 runs at tea on the fourth day of the first cricket Test match here Monday.

Michael Clarke (31) and Moises Henriques (5) were in the middle after Indian spinners ran through Australia’s top batting order.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh took a couple of wickets each while Ravindra Jadeja picked one.

–_IANS

South Korea’s first female president takes office

by

Park Geun-hye was sworn in as South Korea’s first female president Monday, pledging economic revival and educational system overhaul and urging North Korea to rid itself of its nuclear programme.

“The new administration will usher in a new era of hope premised on a revitalizing economy, the happiness of our people, and the blossoming of our culture,” Park said in an inauguration speech delivered to some 70,000 people gathered in front of the country’s parliament for the ceremony.

Dilsukhnagar Blasts planned from Shilpi lodge in Dilsukhnagar

by

 

The elite National Investigation Agency which started probing the twin blasts of Dilsukhnagar, has been making rapid progress, say sources. The found that noted terrorist Raju Bhayya stayed in the Shilpi lodge in the area and suspect that he might have organized the operation. A team from Maharashtra which examined the CC TV footage of the lodge, identified Raju Bhayya, said sources.

 

Pak Taliban describes Rehman Malik as comedian

by

The Pakistani Taliban have mocked Interior Minister Rehman Malik by describing him as a “comedian”, with a militant spokesman saying a “serious person” should replace him for any dialogue between the two sides.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan compared Malik to Pashto comedian Ismail Shahid and said the group did not take the minister’s statements seriously.

Investigative agencies believe media guesswork, suspect role of Muslim terrorism

by

Although the various agencies investigating into the Dilsukhnagar blast case are working on different angles but it seems that all the agencies are working on the same hypothesis that Muslim terrorists are behind the blast, hence it is made to believe that Improvised Explosive Device has been used in the explosion. The same modus-operandi was used in the Makkah Masjid, Malegaon, Ajmer Shareef and Samjhauta express blasts so the question arises why our investigative agencies are overlooking the possibilities of involvement of Hindutva terror groups.

Earthquake jolts Japan

by

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit Kanto area north of Tokyo on Monday, causing no damage.

The quake in Japan did not generate a destructive tsunami, a report said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or serious injuries.

More details are awaited.

Woman sets herself and two daughters on fire

by

A woman set herself on fire along with her two minor daughters in Bihar’s Begusarai district this morning, a police officer said.

Disturbed with her alcoholic husband, the woman, identified as Usha Devi (35), set herself on fire with two daughters Sonali (7) and two-month-old Saraswati, Superintendent of Police (SP) Chhatraneel Singh said.

All of them died on the spot.

An FIR has been lodged in this connection and raids were being carried out to nab Chaudhary, who was absconding, the SP said.

—-PTI

Muslim youth residing at Masajid under police scrutiny

by

Police have started scrutinizing the Muslim youth residing in masajid in connection with Dilsukhnagar twin blast case and police are seeking the information regarding them.

Police personnel have directed the administrative committees of the various masajid of the city to submit the identity cards of the youth residing in the masjid rooms to the respective police stations.

This action of police has created terror among the Muslim youth staying at Masajids.

Siasat news

Women organization express concern over rising incidents of crimes against women

by

State Progressive Organization of Women (POW) expressed deep concern over rising incidents of crimes against women including rape, sexual assaults etc. It stressed the need for a comprehensive law to deal with the crimes and to provide protection to women.

The state body of POW has planned to launch a large scale campaign in this connection, on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8.

Siasat news