Month: June 2013

Nitish does not believe in doing ‘nautanki’ like Modi: JD(U)

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Terming as “nautanki” the visit of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to Uttarakhand, a state minister on Friday said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar does not believe in “aerial show off”.

“Our Chief Minister (Nitish Kumar) believes in working for genuine welfare of people on ground and not in aerial show off,” the minister said. She also criticised estranged BJP for going hammer and tongs on the state government charging it with ignoring stranded pilgrims in the Himalayan state.

Modi met only industrialists in Mumbai, not common man: Cong

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Maharashtra Congress today targeted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi by pointing out that the BJP leader met industrialists while in Mumbai, but did not meet “the common man”.

Apart from meetings with the state BJP’s core group and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Modi attended a closed-door meeting with industrialists at a five-star hotel here yesterday. He also attended a book launch.

“In his Mumbai visit, Modi chose not to meet the common man from the slums but met industrialists. Why does he meet industrialists so frequently?” MPCC spokesperson Sachin Sawant said here.

Youth attempts to sexually assault octogenarian woman

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A youth was arrested today for allegedly attempting to rape a 80-year-old woman and seriously injuring her in the city.

The woman was seriously injured in the incident that occurred late last night and had been hospitalised, police said.

The 30-year old man, entered the house last night around 11 PM and attempted to sexually assault the woman, who resisted and fought with him.

The man, a daily wage earner, allegedly hit and bit her and ran out of the house when the woman’s daughter knocked at the room door, police said.

China’s foreign debt rises to $765 bn

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China’s outstanding foreign debt hit $764.97 billion by the end of March, up from about $737 billion at the end of 2012, the country’s forex regulator said Friday.

The country’s outstanding long and medium-term foreign debt stood at about $199 billion, up from about $197.06 billion at the end of December, reported Xinhua citing the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAE) in a statement.

Outstanding short-term foreign debt, due within one year, rose to about $566 billion from $541 billion at the end of last year, it said.

—-IANS

Center non-serious about Uttarakhand pilgrims- Chandrababu Naidu

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Mr. N. Chandrababdu Naidu, President of TDP tendered unconditional apology on the unpleasant incident occurred at Dehradoon Airport the other day wherein there was fight between the M.P’s of TDP and Congress. He was talking to Newsmen on his return from Dehradoon. He blamed the Central Govt. that despite disastrous flood in Uttarakhand, the Central Govt. did not declare it as national calamity which speaks of its non-seriousness. Criticizing P.M’s aerial survey, Mr. Naidu said he should have camped at least for two days in Dehradoon. The Central Govt. left the pilgrims in trouble.

Afghan Editors’ delegation in Siasat

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Journalist from Afghanistan who are touring India for the past two week visited Siasat Urdu office yesterday and got the details about the practical training. These Journalists are getting training from the experienced American Professor observed the Editorial and publishing process of Siasat. Mr. Gurdeeth Singh, incharge of American Consulate brought this delegation to Siasat office. Afghan Journalist told that they have full freedom in their country. He advised the trainees to continue their mission with their bold writings.

Cong targeting Modi because of his charisma: Phadanvis

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Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Phadanvis today alleged that Congress was targeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi because of his charisma, and his recent appointment as chief of BJP’s campaigning committee.

Modi’s popularity had scared Congress, he claimed.

Talking to media here, Phadanvis countered the criticism directed at Modi over his visit to rain-ravaged Uttarakhand.

Govt happy at Supreme Court order: WB panchayat minister

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West Bengal Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee today said that the government was happy at the Supreme Court order rescheduling the dates of the panchayat polls in the state in five phases.

“We are happy,” Mukherjee told a TV channel.

He, however, accused the State Election Commission of ‘being averse’ to holding the panchayat polls “and that caused the delay in the process.”

The minister said that the state government did not want the panchayat polls to be held during the month of Ramzan.

Cong leaders step up efforts for favourable decision on Telangana

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Amid reports that the Centre is mulling various options to address the contentious statehood issue, Congress leaders in both Telangana and non-Telangana regions have stepped up efforts to get a favourable decision.

The Telangana Congress leaders would be organising a public meeting here on June 30 to highlight the statehood demand.

They plan to send out the message that Congress leaders from the region are leaving no stone unturned to achieve the statehood.

US continues with its diplomatic efforts to get back Snowden

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The United States continued with its diplomatic effort to get back Edward Snowden, who is wanted in the country on the charges of espionage and leaking classified documents, with various countries including Russia, a US official has said.

“We continue to be in touch via diplomatic and law enforcement channels with countries through which Snowden might transit or that could serve as a final destination,” the State Department spokesperson, Patrick Ventrell, told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

Indo-American pleads guilty to bribing officials for contract

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An Indian American contractor has been pleaded guilty to the charges of bribing government officials for bagging a contract, the Department of Justice has said.

42-year-old Hitesh Desai, a resident of Jersey City in New Jersey, faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and fine of USD 2,50,000.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 2.

In his guilty plea, Desai conceded to offer a bribe of USD 5,000 to a government official in New Jersey to bag a contract. Desai was a contractor, who worked on various construction projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Gayle blasts ton as WI start campaign with easy win

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Opener Chris Gayle was at his attacking best as he smashed a 100-ball 109 to fashion an easy six-wicket victory for the West Indies against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the Tri-nation One-Day series here.

The big-hitting Gayle blasted nine fours and seven sixes in front of his home crowd to make an easy work of the 209-run target at the Sabina Park.

This was Gayle’s 21st ODI ton and third on this ground, the previous one coming against New Zealand last year.

India not willing to play by the rules: US lawmakers

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Top American lawmakers today criticised India’s trade and business policies, saying that New Delhi is not willing to play by the rules.

“When you look at India’s industrial policy, trade barriers, the rampant piracy, the tax discrimination and what appears to be an absolute disregard for our intellectual property rights, you realize that India is a country that is not willing to play by the rules right now,” Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn said at a Congressional hearing.

Bombs in Iraq kill 19 people

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Bombs in Iraq targeting a checkpoint run by government-allied Sunni militiamen, a Shiite tribal leader’s funeral and a soccer field killed at least 19 people today, in the latest strikes by militants seeking to destabilise the country.

Iraq is in the midst of its deadliest and most sustained wave of violence since 2008, raising fears the nation is returning to the widespread sectarian-charged bloodshed that pushed it to the brink of civil war in 2006 and 2007. More than 2,000 people have been killed in bombings and other violent attacks since the start of April.

UN says 2 killed in Myanmar refugee camp dispute

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The UN refugee agency says two people were killed and six wounded when security forces tried to quell a dispute at a refugee camp housing Muslims in western Myanmar.

The agency says yesterday morning’s dispute was apparently triggered by disagreements over how some 4,400 ethnic Rohingya at the camp in Pauktaw township should be resettled. The camp houses Muslims displaced by deadly sectarian fighting in Rakhine state last year that pitted Buddhists against Muslims.

Modi conspired to instigate Hindus post Godhra: Zakia’s lawyer

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Zakia Jafri’s lawyer today alleged before a court here that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had conspired to instigate Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers and other members of Hindu community after the Godhra train burning incident in 2002.

Ehsan Jafri, Zakia’s husband and former Congress MP, was one of those who were slain during the riots across Gujarat after the Godhra incident.

Advocate Sanjay Parikh, Jafri’s lawyer, made the allegation during the argument before Metropolitan Magistrate B J Ganatra.

Despite Democracy, Myanmar’s Muslim Minority Still Suffering

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In late May, the Myanmar president Thein Sein arrived in Washington, DC for a historic meeting with Barack Obama. The US president praised him lavishly at the press briefing that followed their summit. He lauded his leadership “in moving Myanmar down a path of both political and economic reform”, before discussing joint projects that US assistance will focus on in Myanmar, such as improving agriculture. Pleased, Thein Sein replied: “I take this opportunity to reiterate that Myanmar and I will continue to … move forward so that we can build a new democratic state, a new Myanmar.”

Army to get first woman ADC to a Commander

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Lieutenant Ganeve Lalji–a young intelligence officer–is set to create history by becoming the first woman to be appointed as a key aide to an Army Commander as part of Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh’s efforts to provide more avenues to women in the force.

She will become the aide-de-camps (ADC) of Central Army Commander Lt Gen Rajan Bakshi, who will be taking over his post in Lucknow on July 1. ADCs are officers who serve as a personal assistant of top officers including the Army Chief and Army Commanders.

Veerappa Moily presents PetroFed Oil and Gas Industry awards

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Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dr. M. Veerappa Moily presented the annual PetroFed Oil and Gas Industry awards for 2012 for excellence in performance in various categories at a function here today. The awards for performance during fiscal 2011-12 were in 11 categories. Dr. Moily congratulated the five companies in the private and eight companies in the public sector and the individuals who received the awards.

India hopes for renewed talks with Pakistan

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External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday expressed confidence for a renewed process of parleys with neighbouring Pakistan under the new regime of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Khurshid stated that the new regime under Sharif in Pakistan has been sending positive signals for a renewed peace talks, which can spur a new wave of diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring nations. “Under the democratic process, there has been a new government there.

Chopper crash victims’ kin may get special pension

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Families of the victims of the chopper crash in Uttarakhand may get special pensions from the government, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said Friday.

“We have requested Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to compensate the victim’s next of kin via an extraordinary pension scheme that is given to families of security forces personnel who are killed in anti-Naxal operations,” NDMA vice chairman M. Shashidhar Reddy said here.

US woman gets life for severing husband’s penis

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A US woman who cut off her husband’s penis and threw it in a garbage disposal has been sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole.

The Orange County district attorney’s office says Catherine Kieu was sentenced today for a July 2011 attack that mutilated her estranged spouse. Kieu, 50, can seek parole in seven years.

Prosecutors said Kieu drugged her husband’s tofu with sleeping pills and screamed “You deserve it!” before attacking him with a kitchen knife.

She was convicted of torture and aggravated mayhem.

Shinde says all will be done to trace missing, trapped

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Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Friday said there was no clarity on how many bodies may be buried under debris in Uttarakhand, and said all efforts would be made to find those missing or trapped.

The home minister said many people continue to be stranded in Badrinath and some other locations. He said the evacuation of old people, women and children stranded in Badrinath in Uttarakhand was the top priority of teams engaged in the rescue effort.

3,600 Indians return from Kuwait, India asks for ‘time and space’

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With around 3,600 Indians having returned from Kuwait this year, India Friday said it has asked the Gulf country’s government to “provide time and space” to expatriates overstaying or on irregular visas to return on their own or to regularise their stay as per its law.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said here at a briefing that 3,600 Indians have returned home since the beginning of the year. These include 1,000 who had been issued Emergency Certificates and 2,600 who had their passports.

Gas price decision will hike power tariffs, fertilizer costs: BJP

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The BJP Friday said that UPA government’s decision to double the natural gas prices from April 1, 2014 will lead to increase in power tariffs and fertilizer costs and makes CNG transportation more expensive.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Venkaiah Naidu said that it had been reported that power tariff will go up by Rs.4.70 per unit for gas-based plants and by almost 16 to 25 paise in other cases.