Month: July 2013

Pakistan violates truce, targets Indian soldiers in J&K

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Violating the ceasefire, Pakistani troops on Monday fired at Indian soldiers while they were trying to rescue two porters who were wounded in twin blasts along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.

The blasts occurred when some porters were carrying supplies from one army post to another in Sabzian-Mandi belt along the LoC at around 8 am, an army officer said.

When soldiers rushed to the scene to rescue the injured porters, Pakistani troops fired on them, he said.

SC seeks response from Centre, states on mental hospitals

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The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and state governments to a plea for improving the condition of mental hospitals in the country by providing adequate financial resources.

A bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan asked the governments to file their responses on the petition filed by National Human Rights Commission seeking its direction to set up more mental health hospital and make them mode autonomous.

Government lacks will to combat terror, says RSS

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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Monday condemned the terror attack at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya and said terrorists were succeeding because the government lacked the will to decisively deal with them.

RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya, in a statement, said the need of the hour was to deal decisively with terrorism.

“RSS condemns in strongest terms the explosions carried out by terrorists at the Bodh Gaya temple of Lord Buddha, who was the harbinger of universal peace and who gave the world the message of peace, compassion and non-violence,” the statement said.

Batla encounter: Court express displeasure on counsel’s absence

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A Delhi court on Monday expressed displeasure over non appearance of the counsel for accused in the 2008 Batla House encounter case in which lone suspected Indian Mujahideen operative Shahzad Ahmad is facing trial.

“If the counsel do not appear, I may fix for judgement. The defence can give their submission in written,” Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri said while deferring the matter for tomorrow after the counsel for the accused informed that his senior will not be able to come as he is busy in some other case.

Egypt: Gunfire at Military Building Leaves 40 Dead

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Egyptian soldiers and police clashed with Islamists protesting the military’s ouster of the president in bloodshed that claimed at least 40 lives, officials and witnesses said, and plunged the divided country deeper into crisis with calls by the Muslim Brotherhood’s political party for all-out rebellion against the army.

Digvijay if there is ‘a connect’ b/W Modi visit,blasts

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Congress leader Digvijay Singh today stoked a fresh controversy with his remarks that the serial blasts at Bodhgaya happened a day after Narendra Modi asked BJP workers to teach a lesson to Nitish Kumar and Amit Shah visited Ayodhya.

Congress sought to wriggle out of the controversy saying all five posts of Singh on Twitter need to be understood in entirety and no one should politicise the bomb blast issue while BJP took strong objection to his tweets saying it appears “he has lost his balance.”

Antony’s visit led to enhanced military coordination: China

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China on Monday said Defence Minister AK Antony’s visit here has given both countries an opportunity to enhance their “strategic cooperative partnership” and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas through increased military-to-military coordination.

China paid “high attention” to Antony’s visit as he held talks with Premier Li Keqiang, Defence Minister Gen Cheng Wanquang and State Councillor and Special Representative on India-China border talks, Yang Jiechi, Chinese Foreign Ministry said here today.

President Mukherjee to visit Rajasthan for two days

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President Pranab Mukherjee will undertake a two-day visit to Rajasthan beginning on Tuesday.

President Mukherjee will attend the 2nd Convocation of Central University of Rajasthan at Kishangarh on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he will attend the 8th Convocation of Malaviya National Institute of Technology at Jaipur.

On the same day, President Mukherjee will inaugurate the Innovation and Incubation Centre at IIT Jodhpur and attend the First Convocation of IIT, Jodhpur.

—–ANI

Indonesia: Muslims in Maluku start fasting on Monday

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Muslims in several villages in Ambon, Haruku, Saparua and Seram islands in Maluku province have started Ramadan fasting earlier than other Muslims in Indonesia as Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali on behalf the government will announce the start of the fasting month in an itsbat (confirmation) meeting on Monday evening.

Taher Karepesina, a local from Kabau village in Haruku Island, said they began Ramadan fasting by taking a pre-dawn meal locally known as ‘kepala sahur’, early on Monday.

Bickering among agencies led to Bodh Gaya blasts: Goa BJP

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Goa unit of BJP today condemned the serial blasts in Bihar’s Bodh Gaya town and said the latest terror attack was a result of “bickering” among the country’s investigative agencies.

State executive of the ruling party, which held a meeting here, passed a resolution denouncing the “dastardly act” in the pilgrimage town yesterday.

This meeting condemns the dastardly act of the terrorists in Bodh Gaya, where innocent pilgrims were injured,” said the resolution.

AHRC orders probe against SDO

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The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has taken suo-motu cognisance in a case and and ordered probe into allegations against the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) Rangia.

The Commission comprising its Chairperson Dr Justice Aftab H Saikia and Member Tarun Phookan ordered that the probe
be conducted against SDO Dr Karuna Kumari by Assam Government Principal Secretary Personnel (A) Department within a month.

The case followed newspaper reports appearing in local vernacular dailies on July 5 relating to the alleged

Snatcher held

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A youth, whose name figures in the list of top 10 snatchers of Delhi and NCR, has been arrested, police said today.

Acting on a tip-off, a special team of Crime Branch arrested 25-year-old Sandeep alias Kalia from Rithala on
Saturday.

He was allegedly involved in over 38 cases of snatching and auto thefts and had spent over six years in Tihar jail
under MCOCA, police said.

With his arrest, four snatching and two auto theft cases have been worked out,” Additional Commissioner of Police
(Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav said.

Haddin wants end to Ashes hurt

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Australia’s Brad Haddin said today the tourists are desperate to end their Ashes “hurt” when they face England in the latest edition of Test cricket’s oldest rivalry.

The familiar foes begin a five-match series at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge ground on Wednesday with England
bidding for a third straight series win over Australia — something they last managed in the 1950s — after a home
success in 2009 was followed by a first triumph ‘Down Under’ in 24 years in 2011.

But vice-captain Haddin hopes the pain of those reverses will help fuel Australia’s bid to reclaim the urn.

India push England to third spot in ICC Test rankings

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South Africa have strengthened their position as the number-one ranked Test side while India move into second position pushing down England to the third spot in the latest rankings released Monday by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

South Africa have gained seven ratings points, lifting them to 135 ratings points – 19 ratings points clear of second-ranked India. Third-ranked England can regain No.2 spot if they win the Ashes 3-0 or better.

One arrested in SP convoy attack

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A Maoist, who is on bail, was arrested from Pokharia village in Dumka district in connection with the July-2 fatal attack on Pakur Superintendent of Police Amarjit Balihar and others at Kathikund.

Satan Besra has confessed after his arrest yesterday to have been involved in the attack on the SP convoy. He whistled to alert the Maoists when the cars approached,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dumka range) Priya Dubey told reporters here.

Dubey said Besra revealed that the action squad from Giridih district of Jharkhand had perpetrated the crime.

Rs 11 cr for fish farming in Punjab

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Punjab government today said it has earmarked funds to the tune of Rs 11.16 crore for 2013-14 to promote fish farming in the state.

Disclosing this here today, Punjab Fisheries minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said an outlay of Rs 11.16 crore has been
earmarked in the annual plan 2013-14 against Rs 10.55 crore during 2012-13.

He said that farmers were adopting intensive fish culture in ponds and tanks on modern scientific lines through
composite fish culture of fast growing species.

World’s 1st IVF baby born using new embryo screening technique

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A healthy boy in the US has become the world’s first test tube baby to be born using a new low cost “next-generation sequencing” IVF technique that screens the embryo for genetic defects, Oxford scientists announced today.

The method, through which the baby was born last month, uses the latest DNA sequencing techniques and aims to increase in-vitro fertilisation success rates while being more affordable for couples and lowering the risk of miscarriages, researchers say.

India, Albania ink deal to prevent tax evasion

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India and Albania Monday signed an agreement to avoid double taxation and prevent fiscal evasion in a bid to facilitate bilateral investments.

The two countries signed an agreement “for avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital”, said the finance ministry.

Under the terms of the agreement, business profits will be taxable in the source country if the activities of an enterprise constitute a permanent establishment in the source state.

UK toughens up school curriculum

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Fractions for students as young as five years old and computer programming from the first year of school are among some of the revolutionary changes planned as part of Britain’s new national curriculum released here today.

The new school education agenda, set to kick in from September 2014, is aimed at competing with some of the world’s best school systems.

Egypt militants bomb gas pipeline to Jordan

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Attackers in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula bombed a gas pipeline to Jordan on Sunday, witnesses said, amid a surge in attacks on police and soldiers since Islamist president Mohammed Mursi’s ouster.

Witnesses told AFP the blast took place near the North Sinai provincial capital of El-Arish, scene of major disturbances since Mursi’s overthrow by the military on Wednesday.

On Friday, armed Mursi supporters stormed the provincial headquarters, raising the black banner used by al-Qaeda-affiliated militants, an AFP correspondent reported.

20 pc cut in Haj quota, private tour operators share go down

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India today announced a 20 per cent cut in Haj quota, the entire burden of which will be borne by private tour operators who will witness their share going down to a mere 9,995 from 45,000.

The India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Agreement on Haj 2013 was signed on March 16 in Jeddah under which the Haj 2013 quota for India was 170,025 seats comprising 125,025 seats for pilgrims facilitated by Haj Committee of India (HCOI), Mumbai and 45,000 for pilgrims through private tour operators (PTOs).

No bail for dancer-actress Shalu Menon

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Dancer and actress Shalu Menon Monday was refused bail by a court here and was sent to police custody till Wednesday evening in a cheating case. Her counsel argued that she was a victim of media trial.

She was arrested from her house near Kottayam Friday for her links to a con-couple who cheated people by offering them solar panels. She was sent to judicial custody Saturday.

Wasim Akram to marry Australian girlfriend

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Legendary Pakistan paceman Wasim Akram said on Monday he will marry his Australian girlfriend, who has converted to Islam and will settle in his home country.

Australian media reported that Wasim proposed on bended knee to Shaniera Thompson in her living room.

“Yes, I will marry next year and I’ve known Shaniera for the last one-and-a-half years and she has converted to Islam,” Wasim said.

“I feel lucky that I have got a second chance in life.”

The 47-year-old’s first wife Huma died in 2009.

Wasim said Thompson, a former public relations consultant, will settle in Pakistan.

Former Andhra minister held in dowry harassment case

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Former Andhra Pradesh minister and sitting Congress MLA P Shankar Rao was today arrested in connection with a dowry harassment case lodged against him by his daughter-in-law, a senior police officer said.

Rao, who represents Secunderabad Cantonment constituency, was apprehended from his residence in Musheerabad by the sleuths of Central Crime Station (CCS), he said.

Dec 16 gangrape: Prosecution evidence over

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A Delhi court today completed recording of the evidence of prosecution witnesses in the December 16 gangrape case with the investigating officer (IO), saying she had arrested accused after the incident was reported.

“Now the statements of the prosecution witness stands closed,” the court said while fixing July 10 to begin recording of the statements of the accused who will explain the circumstances appearing in the evidence against them in response to queries put by the judge.