Month: July 2013

Election Commission to hold consultations on implementation SC judgement on freebies

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The Election Commission of India has decided to call a meeting of all recognized national and sate political parties to hold consultations on implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, dated July 5 in SLP(C) No.21455 of 2008 and TC No.112 of 2011 – S. Subramaniam Balaji Vs. Government of Tamil Nadu and others in the matter of framing guidelines on manifestoes of political parties.

The date for such a meeting will be fixed very soon. The Commission has in the meanwhile sent a copy of the judgment to the recognized parties for their information and firming up of views.

Obama has no plans to cancel Russia visit: US envoy

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Barack Obama is not going to cancel his visit to Russia, the US ambassador in Moscow said Monday, after media reports said the American president might call off the trip if whistleblower Edward Snowden is still in Russia by that time.

“I am busy preparing for President Obama’s arrival in Moscow and St. Petersburg in September. I am looking forward to the visit,” Xinhua quorted ambassador Michael McFaul as posting on Twitter.

Congress criticises Mamata’s attacks on Bengal poll panel

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Disapproving of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s attacks on the State Election Commission, the Congress Monday said statutory bodies should not be degraded by the political leadership which should show respect for such institutions.

“The democratic institutions should not be degraded by anyone politically. Parliamentary democracy can function properly when we respect all statutory bodies,” newly appointed Congress general secretary in-charge of the state C.P. Joshi told media persons here.

Modi’s ascent to national politics will be a disaster: CPI-M

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The CPI-M Monday said the projection of Narendra Modi by the BJP as an alternative to the neo-liberal policies of the Congress would only bring disaster for the country.

Speaking at the launch of the centenary celebrations of veteran Marxist leader and former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party’s effort to bring Modi – the Gujarat chief minister – to national politics.

Digvijaya’s remarks on terror anger BJP

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Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s tweets Monday about possible links between Narendra Modi’s teleconference with party workers in Bihar and blasts in the Mahabodhi temple triggered angry response from the BJP which said that his remarks were “nonsensical” and “bizarre”.

Digvijay Singh asked if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s teleconference with Bihar BJP cadres had any connection with the serial bomb blasts in the Mahabodhi temple.

Two youth booked for teenager’s rape in Punjab

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Two youth were Monday booked for the alleged rape of a teenaged girl in Punjab’s border district of Tarn Taran, police said.

The victim, a class 9 student, was on way to her school Monday when the youth kidnapped her and raped her at a photo studio at Dhotta village in Tarn Taran, 275 km from here.

“No arrests have been made so far but raids are being conducted to arrest both youth,” a police officer in Tarn Taran said.

Delhi to have new 100-bed hospital

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Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia Monday said a new 100-bed hospital would be set up in south Delhi.

The foundation of a 100-bed hospital will be laid in Sarita Vihar, he said.

He also said that 100 dialysis machines will be installed in government hospitals to provide better coverage as at present, patients have to wait very long for their turn.

–IANS

NIA probing Bodh Gaya blasts, says Shinde

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the 10 blasts that rocked the Mahabodhi temple complex in Bihar’s Bodh Gaya town Sunday, Home Minister SushilKumar Shinde said Monday and confirmed that 10 out of the 13 bombs planted at the holy site exploded.

“The home ministry took immediate action and NIA teams were sent to Bodh Gaya. Our investigation is progressing. I would not like to say anything more,” Shinde told reporters. The explosions miraculously injured only two people.

Digvijaya submits report on Telangana to Sonia

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Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh has submitted his report on Telangana issue to party president Sonia Gandhi.

He told reporters in the national capital that while he has given his report, a final decision would be taken after the chief minister, deputy chief minister and the state party chief submit their roadmaps to the leadership.

Digvijaya Singh, who is incharge of party affairs in the state, said a decision on the contentious issue depend on when the three leaders make their presentation before the leadership.

Domestic help gang-raped in Delhi

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A 19-year-old Nepali domestic help was allegedly gang-raped by two labourers working in the area when she was sleeping in the open in the bungalow where she worked, police said Monday. Both the culprits have been arrested.

“The victim, who started working three days ago as a domestic help in a bungalow at Malviya Nagar area (in south Delhi) was raped by Shripal, 19 and Suresh, 20, early Monday. She informed her employer who approached police,” said a police officer.

The accused worked as labourers in an under-construction house in the neighbourhood.

42 dead in Cairo, army blames Morsi supporters

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At least 42 people were killed Monday in clashes outside a military facility in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, the country’s health ministry said, as army said it was a result of an attack by ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s supporters.

Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB) party, in a statement, blamed army for the killings, while claiming that the dead were the ousted president’s supporters.

The party said the security forces fired at the protesters at dawn outside the headquarters of the Republican Guard in Cairo’s Nasr City area, where Morsi is reportedly detained, Xinhua reported.

‘Desperate’ man locks head in cage to quit smoking

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A Turkish man from Kutahya,is so desperate to quit his smoking habit that he has locked his head in a wire cage to prevent himself from putting a cigarette in his mouth.

Ibrahim Yucel is trying to kick a 26-year-old habit of smoking two packets of cigarettes per day, News.com.au reported.

The 42-year-old told Hurriyet Daily News that he came up with the unusual idea after watching motorbike riders wearing helmets.

Yucel, who locks cage on his head every day, said that he realised he had to wear something on his head so that he could not physically bring a cigarette to his lips.

Bodh Gaya blasts: National Commission for Minorities expresses shock and pain

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The National Commission for Minorities has passed a resolution expressing shock and deep pain on the assault in the holy places in Bodh Gaya.

The National Commission for Minorities in a resolution passed its chairman Wajahat Habibullah and the four other members Vinod Sharma, K.N. Daruwalla, Dr. Ajaib Singh and T.N. Shanoo here today said that Bodh Gaya is not only revered among the Buddhists in India, but across the world.

The National Commission for Minorities in its resolution said that Bodh Gaya ‘was among the most sacred sites for all Indians, whatever their denomination’.

Delhi minister seeks proper arrangements for Ramadan

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Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia Monday asked state government agencies and police to make all the necessary arrangements and maintain law and order during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Walia, also represents Laxmi Nagar constituency in east Delhi, asked East Delhi Municipal Corporation officials to ensure proper sanitation in the area, especially around mosques.

Ramadan is starting from July 10.

Indefinite curfew on in Mancachar

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Indefinite curfew continued in Mancachar and adjoining areas in Assam’s Dhubri district along Meghalaya and Bangladesh border following violence there yesterday.

The curfew clamped last night, continued on Monday even though no fresh incident has been reported so far, Hatsingimari sub divisional officer Ramen Malakar said.

The prohibitory orders were in force to prevent any law and order situation following the body recovered from river Kanu in the area yesterday was being taken back after post mortem in Dhubri town, official sources said.

Aarushi’s throat could have been slit using ‘Khukuri’: Forensic expert

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Deposing before a CBI court in Aarushi Talwar’s murder case, a former forensic science expert on Monday said there is a possibility that the deep cuts on the teenager and the domestic help’s throats could have been inflicted with a ‘Khukuri’ (Nepalese knife).

Dr RK Sharma, former HOD of forensic science at AIIMS, told the court of Additional Sessions Judge Shyam Lal, that Aarushi’s post mortem report mentioned ‘sliced carotid artery’ and it is difficult to slit it using a scalpel, as the artery is deep inside the neck.

Assam flood situation worsens; PM speaks to Gogoi

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The flood situation in Assam further deteriorated on Monday with 80 more villages coming under water, while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to discuss the situation and extended the central help.

With these 80 villages coming under water in Dhemaji, Chirang and Lakhimpur districts, altogether 350 villages in 11 districts were now submerged affecting over one lakh people, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.

Warrant against Mallika Sherawat in obscenity case

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A local court today issued a bailable warrant against Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat in connection with an obscenity case.

The Vadodara district court issued the warrant and asked her to appear before it on August 19.

Former president of the Baroda Bar Association, Narendra Tiwari, had filed a case and sought a non-bailable warrant against Sherawat over her “obscene” dance performance at a New Year eve party held in Mumbai on December 31, 2006.

Death toll reaches 12, as hotel collapses in Secunderabad

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At least 12 people were killed and 15 injured when a hotel collapsed in Secunderabad early Monday, police said.

The two-storey building of City Light Hotel on Rashtrapati Road in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, came down crashing around 6.30 a.m.

Police, fire fighting personnel and rescue workers managed to evacuate 22 people from the rubble and shifted 15 of them to government-run Gandhi Hospital. The condition of some of the injured is stated to be critical.

Gupta encounter case: Prosecution seeks death for 14 policemen

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The prosecution today sought death penalty for 14 policemen and two others, convicted in the case related to the fake encounter killing of Ram Narayan Gupta alias Lakkhan Bhaiya, an alleged aide of fugitive gangster Chhota Rajan.

On Friday, Mumbai sessions court convicted 21 persons, including 14 policemen, but acquitted the former `encounter
specialist’ police officer Pradeep Sharma.

“Lakhan was unprotected, and in their (police’s) custody,” special prosecutor Vidya Kasle said, seeking the

1,000 schoolchildren held for drinking in Kenya

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More than 1,000 children suspected of underage drinking have been arrested in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, BBC reported.

Bars and clubs were raided during the weekend after police received complaints that they had become crowded with school children, during a three-week teachers’ strike.

Most of the children were later released because there were not enough cells to hold them, police said.

Teachers are on a nationwide strike to demand better pay.

20 Taliban militants killed in eastern part of Afghanistan

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Afghan officials have said that more than 20 Taliban militants have been killed in security operations in the eastern part of the country.

Afghan National Army soldiers killed 16 Taliban militants and confiscated weapons, cars, and motorcycles belonging to the militia in a largest operation, which took place in Wardak Province, west of Kabul.

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty quoted a spokesman for the Wardak Governor as saying that four additional Taliban were killed in a smaller police operation in the province.

Rupee breaks 61: ‘It’s biggest failure of economist PM’, alleges BJP

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday took the Congress-led UPA Government to task after the Indian rupee breached the 61 mark against the U.S. dollar, saying this is the biggest failure of the economist Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to manage the economy.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said this is the worst news that the rupee has fallen well below 61 rupees to a dollar.

Porn floods Qantas` Facebook page

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Qantas’ Facebook page was flooded with porn by spammers on Sunday.

Spammers plastered pornographic images on the site while commenting on a post about a Qantas promotion to win tickets to the British and Irish Lions match against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday, News.com.au reported.

The images were on the site for about nine hours until a man called Stephen Ostrer, whose son saw the posts, contacted the company.

The airline said it monitors the social networking page regularly, but some spammers got through their filters. (ANI)