Month: June 2013

Lalu targets Nitish after RJD wins Maharajganj Lok Sabha by-poll

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Patna, June 5 (ANI): Expressing his delight with the defeat of the ruling Janata Dal (United) in the Maharajganj Lok Sabha by-poll, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar must resign and apologise for his follies.

“It is defeat of Nitish Kumar, his policies, it is his failure. He should apologise and step down,” said Yadav.

Former Bihar Chief Minister and Yadav”s wife, Rabri Devi, on her part expressed her gratitude towards the voters of Maharajganj.

Bangladesh lifts ban on YouTube

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Bangladesh lifted a ban on popular video sharing website YouTube, eight months after it was imposed to prevent the viewing of an anti-Islam film which had sparked worldwide protests.

“The ban has been lifted,” a spokesman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Sunil Kanti Bose said.

Talking to state-run BSS news agency Bose said the people in Bangladesh now could have access again to the YouTube as all the International Internet Gateway (IIG) were directed to provide the popular service to the customer.

Farmers’ group welcomes order bringing political parties under RTI

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The Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) farmers’ group has welcomed the Central Information Commission (CIC) order bringing political parties under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

“We stand firm in demanding that all public bodies working for public causes using public funds adhere to complete transparency and accountability,” said the MKSS in a statement.

“We are confident that this will provide an opportunity to ensure transparency of functioning of parties while protecting their right to political freedom of choice and association,” it added.

Algerian diplomat meets Dubai leader

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The Algerian consul-general to Dubai called on the deputy ruler of Dubai at the beginning of his tenure in the UAE.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and the UAE’s minister of finance, received Abdelkrim Belouassaa at the Dubai ruler’s court.

Sheikh Hamdan welcomed and wished the Algerian Consul-General success in his mission for the benefit of the two countries.

–IANS

UAE, Poland discuss relations

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Top officials of the UAE and Poland met here and held talks on improving bilateral relations.

Saeed Hamdan Al-Naqbi, director of the Joint Committees Department at the UAE’s ministry of foreign affairs, received Polish Ambassador to the UAE, Adam Krzymowski.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed a number of issues of mutual interest and ways of boosting cooperation in several fields.

—-IANS

Not Jiah Khan’s First Suicide Attempt

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t is now becoming clearer that Bollywood heroine Jiah Khan’s suicide was not a sudden decision and that she has been battling with serious depression since quite some time. It is also not her only suicide attempt!

According to reports, the actress had tried to kill herself around eight months ago by slitting her wrists when she was drunk.

Love gone sour seems to be a big reason behind her second successful suicide attempt.

Daily Bhaskar newspaper revealed that Jiah had fought with her boyfriend Suraj Pancholi over texts and phone calls the night she died.

Farmer leader Manvir Teotia released from jail

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Farmer leader Manvir Teotia, who led peasants’ agitation in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhatta Parsaul two years ago, was released from jail Wednesday after 23 months of judicial custody in Dasna jail in Ghaziabad.

The leader was released after certain cases, registered against him, were either withdrawn by the government or bail was granted to him by the court.

Rights panel seeks report on Dalit students

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The National Human Rights Commission Wednesday sought a report from human resource development ministry over 18 Dalit students’ suicide in country’s elite educational institutions and discrimination against them in Patna University.

The commission issued notice to the secretary in the ministry on the basis of media reports alleging caste-based discrimination and violence in the hostel of Dalit students in Patna University early this year.

Terrorist shot dead in encounter with security forces

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Security forces shot dead a terrorist in a gunfight after their foot patrol came under fire from the ultras in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Wednesday. An unidentified terrorist was killed and the operation was on till late evening, an Army spokesman said in Srinagar.

Security forces launched a search operation in Rajpora area of the district, 45 km from Srinagar, after their foot patrol came under firing by ultras.

Muslims and Sikhs feel more British than Christians: Study

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Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists feel more British than Christians living in the UK, it was revealed today. Experts say that ethnic minorities are ‘less likely to take their Britishness for granted’ when compared to white people in 21st Century Britain.

University of Manchester academics have analysed the 2011 Census, and found that every other main religion in the UK feels more British than Christians.

Sixty two per cent of Sikhs, 57 per cent of Muslims and 54 per cent of Hindus describe their national identity as British only. The figure is only 15 per cent for Christians.

‘Shocked’ by Jiah Khan’s death, boy commits suicide in Jaipur

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A twelve-year-old boy has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling hook in Sriganganagar city with family members claiming he was apparently upset over actress Jiah Khan’s death.

Babu, a fifth class student of Gurunanak Basti in Sriganganagar district, on Tuesday committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling hook in his home, investigating officer (IO) Ramesh Kumar told PTI on phone.

”Victorious” Modi meets Rajnath Singh, Advani in Delhi

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Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, whose national ambition got a boost as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the by-polls, met party chief Rajnath Singh here on Wednesday amid indications that he may be made the head of the party”s campaign committee for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP President congratulated Modi for the party”s win in the Gujarat by-polls.

Modi also met BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani later in the day.

Meanwhile, the BJP supporters and activists burst crackers in Ahmedabad and distributed sweets following the party”s superb victory in the by-polls.

Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris hospitalised after ‘suicide attempt’

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Pop icon Michael Jackson’s 15-year-old daughter Paris Jackson on Wednesday allegedly tried to commit suicide and was rushed to a hospital here, according to media reports.

“She’s going to be OK,” a source close to the Jackson family told CNN. The source, who was at the hospital, said it was unclear why she was hospitalised.

However, celebrity news website TMZ, quoting its sources, said it was a suicide attempt and she was taken from her Calabasas family home on a stretcher and conveyed to a nearby hospital.

Building collapses in Philadelphia

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A building has collapsed in the city of Philadelphia, with up to 10 people believed to be trapped under the rubble, Xinhua reported quoting the US media.

The four-storey building, reportedly housing residential apartments, collapsed around 10.45 am in the downtown area of Philadelphia. Initial reports indicated eight to 10 people may be trapped under the debris.

The building next door was undergoing demolition, but it was not immediately clear if there was any connection, Fox News reported.

Dozens of firefighters and emergency personnel were at the scene searching for victims.

Import duty on gold, platinum hiked to 8%

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With spiralling gold imports putting huge pressure on the current account deficit, government tonight hiked the import duty on the metal to 8 per cent, up by 2 per cent, in a bid to rein in demand. “The import duty on gold has been increased from 6 per cent to 8 per cent,” Revenue Secretary Sumit Bose told PTI.

Man commits suicide in UP Police custody

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A 30-year-old man committed suicide by consuming poison in the custody of Uttar Pradesh Police, a Delhi Police officer said Wednesday.

Rinku, a resident of Aligarh, was arrested Tuesday from Delhi’s Khajoori Khas area by a joint team of Delhi Police and UP Police for eloping with a 14-year-old girl, who also belongs to Aligarh.

“After Rinku’s arrest, he was handed over to UP Police. On the way to Aligarh he got sick and was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead. The cause of the death was consumption of some poisonous substance,” the Delhi Police official said.

Greatly upset with Jiah Khan’s suicide: Amitabh

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Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan says that he is very upset over the suicide of actress Jiah Khan.

“I am very sad and also worried. It feels strange to talk about it. Sometimes there are situations when someone gets sad and depressed. They come with dreams and when it is not fulfilled, they give up. I want to say that to end your life like this is not good. I am deeply upset with what has happened with Jiah Khan,” he said at an event here Wednesday.

Building collapses in Philadelphia (Lead)

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A building has collapsed in the city of Philadelphia, with up to 10 people believed to be trapped under the rubble, Xinhua reported quoting the US media.

The four-storey building, reportedly housing residential apartments, collapsed around 10.45 a.m. in the downtown area of Philadelphia. Initial reports indicated eight to 10 people may be trapped under the debris.

The building next door was undergoing demolition, but it was not immediately clear if there was any connection, Fox News reported.

Dozens of firefighters and emergency personnel were at the scene searching for victims.

Big B, SRK to again co-star?

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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan might again be seen with actor Shah Rukh Khan in director R. Balki’s upcoming film.

“There are talks going on at the moment. R. Balki will only be able to tell you,” Bachchan told the media.

The two stars have beem seen together in “Mohabbatein” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”.

—-IANS

Assam Police hints at NSCN-IM hand in border area violence

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The Assam Police Wednesday hinted at the involvement of Naga rebel group NSCN-IM in the Monday’s incident of violence in a Assam district bordering Nagaland.

“There are indications that the ceasefire militant outfit of Nagaland – NSCN-IM are involved in the firing incident that took place on Monday,” Assam Police Inspector General (Law and Order) S.N. Singh said after visiting the Naginijan area in Jorhat district, where one labourer was killed by assailants suspected to have come from the Nagaland side Monday.

Blind girl raped in Gujarat

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A 14-year-old blind girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour in Odhav area of the city, police said today.

The girl was asleep on the terrace of her house on Sunday night when Manish Parmar (25), the accused, forcibly took her to his terrace and raped her, police said.

Her elder sister approached the police yesterday.

“Parmar, was arrested late last night.

—PTI

UK Islamic centre gutted in suspected racist attack

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An Islamic centre in north London was burnt down on Wednesday in what the country’s counter-terrorism officers suspect to be a racially-motivated arson attack, allegedly by a far-right group.

The Al-Rahma Islamic Centre in Muswell Hill, north London, was burnt down early this morning and the Metropolitan police believe the fire may have been started deliberately.

Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism officers are investigating the suspected racially-motivated arson attack on the Somali community centre.

NEET results declared

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The results of the first National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to all under-graduate medical colleges were declared today with 3,66,317 candidates qualifying.

In all, 6,58,040 candidates appeared in the test conducted by CBSE at 1251 examination centres located in 85 cities all over India and abroad, said a CBSE statement.

The qualifying criteria for unreserved category was 50 percentile and 1,57,214 candidates qualified in this category out of the total 3,66,317 qualifying candidates.

Chidambaram takes on Modi, raises Ishrat Jahan case

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Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday hit back at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for targetting the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre following the verdict of the by-polls in the latter’s state, and said what matters is the kind of candidate one wins with.

Over two lakh qualify for engineering admission in Andhra

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Over two lakh students have qualified for admission into engineering colleges in Andhra Pradesh while nearly 89,000 have become eligible for studying medicine and agriculture.

The results of Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET) were declared Wednesday by Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, also the minister for higher and technical education.

The pass percentage in the engineering stream was 72.67 percent and in medicine 80.79 percent.