Month: April 2013

Girls being trained for Jihad at Islamic organisation:Mumbai Police

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Mumbai Police has kicked up a controversy following its circular which says the women’s wing of an Islamic organisation is “brainwashing and training girls for Jihad”.

The outfit has threatened legal action if no apology is tendered by the police.

The “internal circular” said the Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, one of the country’s largest Islamic organisations that runs 40 high schools and three junior colleges in Maharashtra, has been operating with the objective of “brainwashing college and school girls and train them for jihad”.

TDP chief Kiran to release white paper on power sector

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TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu has lashed out at the Congress government for increasing power charges, putting thousands of crores of rupees burden on the people, and said that it was painful.

Addressing the gathering after launching one day ‘Deeksha’ protesting against the power problems, at the Nagamalli Thota Sub-Station here on Monday, Chandrababu said that the Congress government has destroyed the power sector and made the State a dark one.

Left parties hold ‘Deeksha’ against power tariff hike

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The Left Parties leaders have demanded the State government to bear the burden of thousands of crores of rupees arising through power tariff hike. They alleged that the power charges were hiked due to lack of government’s foresight.

Several Left Parties’ have staged a ‘Joint Deeksha’ at the collectorate office here on Monday. CPM State secretary BV Raghavulu, CPI State secretary K Narayana and several other leaders, activists participated in the program. They raised slogans against the increased power charges and against the government.

Student killed in roof collapse de to hail storm

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A student died on the spot when the roof collapsed on him due to un-seasonal heavy rains on Monday. Another person’s condition was also severe and 20 persons received minor injuries, according to the information reaching here. Rain with heavy gales lashed the areas of Birkur, Banswada in the district.

The roof tops of the houses and shops were blown off due to the winds at several villages. Crops were destroyed at several places in Birkur area due to the hail storm.

–Agencies

YSRCP to launch hunger strike against Govt. policies

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The YSR Congress Party legislators, led by its honorary President Mrs Y S Vijayamma, will be launching indefinite hunger strike from April 2, against the –anti-people policies of the Government. ballot, bandh and dharnas over power crisis.

At a meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Vijayamma, has finalized the action programme of the party.

Botsa stands by CM on power issue

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The PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana stood by the Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on the power problem.
Speaking to the media here on Monday, he said that the Chief Minister was not taking any unilateral decisions and claimed that all his decisions were Congress party’s.

This is in sharp contrast to the criticism of the union minister Chiranjeevi and state ministers C Ramachandraiah and D L Ravindra Reddy that the Chief Minister took the decision unilaterally, without consulting the party and colleagues.

Bhandara rape-murder case handed over to CBI

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Facing flak for “failure” of police to make headway in the probe of alleged rape and murder of three minor sisters at Murmadi in Bhandara district, Maharashtra government on Monday announced that case would be handed over to CBI.

Home Minister R R Patil made the announcement in the state Assembly.

Three girls — aged 11, 8 and 6 years — went missing from their house on February 14 and their bodies were found in a well two days later. Initially there were allegations of rape and the case has not been solved by police so far.

Probe into Italian marines case handed over to NIA

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was today handed over the probe into killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by Italian marines off the Kerala coast.

The Home Ministry has taken the decision after the Supreme Court ruled that the Kerala government has no jurisdiction to prosecute the two Italian marines — Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone — allegedly involved in the killing of the fishermen last year.

Pope prays for peace in Syria, Korea on first Easter

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Pope Francis prayed for a “political solution” in Syria and for “reconciliation” on the Korean peninsula in his first Easter Sunday message in front of a crowd in St Peter’s Square.

Latin America’s first pontiff also issued an appeal for hostages held by militants in Nigeria and condemned human trafficking as “the most extensive form of slavery in this 21st century”.

–_PTI

Saif Ali Khan shoots anti-tobacco video

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Saif Ali Khan has shot a special video to spread awareness about ills of tobacco that will play in the beginning of his upcoming movie Go Goa Gone where he is seen as a cigar smoking zombie killer.

Saif, who plays the role of a Russian mafia lord, ‘Boris’ in the new comedy shot the video after signing up for the part. The video, featuring the star, is aimed at youth and will play before the beginning of the film.

2 tribal women to contest polls for first time in Pak

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Two women from Pakistan’s restive northwest have made history by becoming the first tribal women to file nomination papers for the May 11 parliamentary polls.

Forty-year-old Badam Zari filed nomination papers for a National Assembly constituency in the restive Bajaur tribal region yesterday while Nusrat Begum plans to contest elections from Lower Dir, a tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Traders to oppose local bodies tax in Supreme Court

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The controversial Local Bodies Tax (LBT) replacing the traditional octroi in various cities in the state will now be contested in the Supreme Court.

The Municipal Mazdoor Union (MMU) has decided to move the apex court by Wednesday seeking rollback of LBT and continuing with octroi.

“We are hoping for a hearing in the apex court by Thursday or Friday,” MMU President Sharad Rao told mediapersons here Monday.

Traders in the Navi Mumbai wholesale markets and employees of other municipal corporations observed a day’s strike against the LBT.

New pictorial warnings missing from tobacco products

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Even though the government-approved new pictorial warnings on tobacco packets were to be implemented April 1, a survey by a health organisation said Monday that no tobacco products in the national capital carried the new warning.

“Tobacco companies have been given ample time to ensure the new picture warnings on tobacco packs. A snap survey of 40-50 retail outlets by VHAI revealed that no cigarette, gutka or bidi packets have the new picture warnings,” said Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director, Voluntary Health Association of India.

Arrest warrant issued for Pakistani ex-minister

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Arrest warrants were issued Monday for Pakistan’s former commerce minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and six others accused in a multi-billion-rupee insurance scam, a media report said.

The warrants were issued by the Federal Anti-Corruption Court over the suspects’ failure to appear before court in the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) corruption case.

Apart from the Pakistan Peoples Party leader, another suspect in the case includes former federal commerce secretary Salman Ghani.

The court has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to present all six suspects April 12.

Gunmen torch NATO trucks in Pakistan

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Unidentified gunmen set ablaze five trucks carrying NATO equipment out of Afghanistan as the international military alliance winds down its combat mission there, a media report said Monday.

The incident happened in Bolan district, around 120 km from Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, Geo News reported.

Four masked gunmen on two motorbikes opened fire at the vehicles, forcing them to stop. They then doused the vehicles in petrol and set them on fire, Iftikhar Bugti, a government official was quoted as saying.

I missed Manisha while making ‘Dee Saturday Night’: Prakash

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Filmmaker Jay Prakash says Manisha Koirala is his lucky mascot and that she was supposed to play the protagonist in “Dee Saturday Night”.

“I badly missed Manisha while shooting the film. As people know, I consider her as my lucky mascot. She was supposed to play the protagonist in the film. But when she fell ill, I had to change the entire story line as she is irreplaceable,” Prakash said.

“Dee Saturday Night” is about rave parties and the film features Aman Verma and Prashant Narayanan, among others. It is slated for a May release.

Help check attacks from Afghan soil: Pakistan army chief to ISAF

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Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Monday urged the top commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan to help Pakistan check cross-border attacks launched from inside Afghanistan, the military said.

Kayani and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), met in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Xinhua reported.

The two military officials discussed a variety of issues related to strengthening cooperation and pressuring militants who threaten security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, an army statement said.

Three detained, one arrested for BSP leader’s murder

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Delhi Police Monday said three people have been detained and one arrested in connection with the murder of BSP leader and business tycoon Deepak Bhardwaj here last week.

“We have arrested Rakesh, the owner of the Skoda car, and we have detained three men – Sunil Mann alias Sonu, Purushottam alias Monu and Amit – who were involved in the murder of Deepak Bhardwaj March 26,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chhaya Sharma.

Amit was driving the car at the time of the murder. He was arrested Sunday.

Cops in love commit suicide in UP

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An Uttar Pradesh Police constable and his lover, also a cop, committed suicide in Varanasi late Sunday, police said.

Akhilesh and Kanchan Singh joined the force in 2011 and used to live together in a rented accommodation in the city.

Their bodies were discovered early Monday when another constable went to their house. After finding the door locked from inside, he peeped inside and found both the constables hanging from the ceiling.

While Akhilesh used a muffler to hang himself, Kanchan used her dupatta as a noose.

Petrol rates cut by 85 paise a litre from Tuesday

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State-run Indian Oil Corp (IOC) said it will cut the price of petrol by 85 paise a litre effective midnight Monday.

Allowing for local taxes, or VAT, petrol will be effectively cheaper by Rs.1.02 a litre in Delhi. It will cost Rs.67.29 a litre from Tuesday as compared with Rs.68.31 per litre currently.

This will be the second petrol price cut since March 15 when state oil firms reduced fuel price by Rs.2.40 per litre.

An IOC official told IANS Monday that the rate was cut because benchmark international oil prices had dropped.

Need milk in jail, gang-rape accused tells court

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Vinay Sharma, an accused in the Delhi gang-rape case, Monday filed an application in a fast track court here seeking milk and fruit in his jail diet.

Sharma’s application to Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna said he was a student and it was “his right” that milk and fruits be provided to him during judicial custody.

“It’s his (Vinay’s) right as a child and student to get milk and fruits,” Sharma’s counsel told the judge, who asked Tihar Jail authorities to file a reply.

BJP slams Congress’s comments on Modi, party rejig

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The BJP Monday slammed the Congress for comments over inducting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi into the party’s parliamentary board, saying that the Congress was “frustrated” as it knew it was going to lose in the 2014 general elections.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal Sunday said that Modi’s elevation to the party’s parliamentary board would pose a challenge to his own party. Sibal also questioned the elevation of Modi’s confidant Amit Shah as the BJP’s general secretary.

Aamna loves Lucknow, the city of Nawabs

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Actress Aamna Sharif seems to be in complete awe of Lucknow, the city of Nawabs.

She visited the city to shoot an episode of TV series “Ek Thhi Naayka”.

“Very beautiful city. I love Lucknow, I love clothes and food here. It’s a beautiful city,” Aamna said here on the sets of “Ek Thhi Naayka”.

The episode also features TV actor Bhanu Uday, who plays Aamna’s husband in it. The story revolves around a Muslim couple living in Lucknow.