Month: July 2013

US general handling Air Force sex scandal set to retire

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A US general handling the air force’s worst sexual scandal has said he will soon retire.

Gen. Edward Rice Jr., head of the San Antonio-based Air Education and Training Command, said he would leave the military “in several months” but did not mention the scandal. It’s not known if his retirement has anything to do with the controversy, reported Xinhua.

Rice was reported to have uncovered the scandal that implicated 33 basic training instructors at the San Antonio-Lackland joint base for alleged misconduct with 67 recruits and technical school students two years ago.

India will remain an important strategic partner: US

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Expressing satisfaction at Secretary of State John Kerry’s first visit to New Delhi, the US has said it’s keen to carry forward the “positive relationship” with India which will “continue to be an important strategic partner.”

Kerry “did enjoy every aspect of his visit,” State department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters here Tuesday noting he “had some very productive meetings as part of the India Strategic Dialogue.”

Afghan army chief says Pak can stop war in country with one word to ‘controlled’ Taliban

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The chief of the Afghan army has said fighting in Afghanistan could be stopped in weeks if Pakistan told the Taliban to end the insurgency.

General Sher Mohammad Karimi said Pakistan controlled and gave shelter to Taliban leaders, who are deliberately sending fighters to Afghanistan.

Karimi told the BBC’s Today programme that the Taliban are under Pakistan’s control – the leadership is in Pakistan.

He added that if Pakistan put pressure on Taliban leadership or convinced them that could of great help.

I’m not a criminal, says Bolivia Prez after jet di

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Bolivian President Evo Morales angrily denied any wrongdoing today after his plane was diverted to Vienna over suspicion fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was on board.

“I’m not a criminal,” the Austria Press Agency quoted Morales as saying at Vienna airport, after France, Italy, Spain and Portugal denied his plane entry into their airspace overnight.

Bolivian and Austrian officials said Snowden was not aboard the plane which arrived from Moscow late yesterday, though no search of the jet has been carried out.

Pakistan must play in same positive manner as India: Shahid Afridi

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Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi has said that the national team needs to adopt and play in the same positive manner as the Indian team is doing currently.

Talking to reporters in Lahore, where he is training at the National Cricket Academy, the former Pakistan skipper said there was a time when the Indians were derided for not playing positive cricket.

“Today things are different. The present Indian team has changed its approach and is playing positive cricket with an aggressive approach,” he said.

Spiraling terror attacks from Pak Taliban makes Nawaz govt rethink over dialogue plan

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The newly elected Nawaz Sharif government is in a fix over reaching out to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for dialogue, particularly after the latest spiral of terror attacks by the group and subsequent claims of involvement.

Sources said that the latest terror acts has hampered the government’s resolve to contact militants and put them in a dilemma as how to proceed ahead in the given circumstances.

According to the Daily Times, immediately after winning the historic May 11 polls, PML-N hinted at holding talks with the TTP.

66,000 pilgrims pay obeisance at Amarnath

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Over 66,000 devotees have paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas so far, even as another batch of 2,176 pilgrims left here for their upward journey.

Over 66,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine till Wednesday, yatra officials said.

Of these, 64,993 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine till last evening, while over 1,500 had darshan this morning.

Corrupt Bihar top cop’s house converted into a school

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The Bihar government Wednesday opened a school for mentally challenged children in a house confiscated from former director general of police Narayan Mishra, convicted for amassing wealth through graft, an official said.

The school, named “Chaman” (garden) is the first such in Bihar.

“It is a unique school to impart education to mentally challenged children and it opened in the confiscated house of a top police officer,” a district official said.

Maoists kill ‘police informer’ in Andhra Pradesh

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Maoists shot dead a man, branding him a police informer, in Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam district Wednesday, police said.

The incident took place in Vijaypuri Colony on Kothapalli highway in Venkatapuram mandal of Khammam district, about 300 km from here.

The victim, identified only as Bhagat, was a native of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and was living in Khammam for last few months.

The Maoists blamed Bhagat for the April 16 encounter at Puvarti village of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh in which police gun down nine guerillas, all hailing from Andhra Pradesh.

Sikh couple forced to leave US theatre for wearing kirpan

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A Sikh couple was forced to leave a movie theatre in California because of wearing kirpan, a move which prompted them to seek an apology from the company – AMC Theaters – which runs the cinema complex.

The AMC Theaters on the other hand has justified its decision, stating that it has banned weapons of any sorts in its 347 theatres across the United States and Canada.

“Our ‘no weapons’ policy prohibits guests from carrying weapons of any kind into our theatres. This national policy is for the safety and security of our guests and staff,” it said.

AAP condemns denial of asylum to Snowden by India

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Wednesday condemned the central government for denying asylum to fugitive former CIA agent Edward Snowden who blew the whistle on US data mining.

“The Aam Aadmi Party condemns these cowardly acts of our government and demands that as a country governed by a constitution which protects civil liberties, and committed to protecting whistleblowers, the government must stand up to the US and offer political asylum to Snowden,” the AAP said in a statement.

Govt to make efforts to restore Kedarnath glory

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The Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand was “partially destroyed” and suffered serious damages in the recent floods but government would make all efforts to restore it to its “original glory”, Minister of Culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch said on Wednesday.

A team of ASI officials and experts was sent to Uttarakhand to visit the temple and assess the damage. However, the chopper carrying the team could not land due to bad weather, she told reporters.

No need to change collegium system: CJI designate

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There is no need for changing the present collegium system of appointing judges to higher judiciary nor the impeachment provisions in the Constitution, says Chief Justice of India designate Justice P Sathasivam.

However, judiciary is open to any good suggestions or measures to improve the present system of appointment, he says dismissing criticism that it is not transparent and that the government has no role in it.

Sahara Stadium to host first ODI

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The Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium will host its first One-Day International (ODI) when Australia tour India for one Twenty20 and seven ODIs during October-November.

All the ODIs will be day-and-night matches starting at 2.30 p.m., said a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) statement.

The following are the ODI fixtures: Pune (Oct 13), Jaipur (Oct 16), Mohali (Oct 19), Ranchi (Oct 23), Cuttack (Oct 26), Nagpur (Oct 30), Bangalore (Nov 2).

The lone T20I will be played ahead of the ODI series Oct 10 at Rajkot, beginning at 7 p.m.

India greets US on its Independence Day

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India and the US share values of democracy and their cooperation will be the “defining partnership” in the 21st century, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday while wishing the government and citizens of the US on the eve of the country’s Independence Day.

The US celebrates its 237th Independence Day on July 04.

Mukherjee, in a message to President Barack Obama, said the occasion reminded him of the “shared values of democracy, pluralism, equality, liberty and rule of law that form the bedrock of the global strategic partnership between India and the United States of America”.

Heavy rains lash Uttarakhand, water level rising in Ganga

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The flood-devastated Uttarakhand on Wednesday witnessed heavy rainfall in several regions affecting the relief and rehabilitation work being carried out by various central and the state agencies in the Himalayan state.

According to reports, Garhwal and Kumaon regions of the state witnessed heavy downpour this morning which led to partial suspension of relief work in these areas.

Although the state authorities are monitoring the situation closely, the he Met department has predicted more rainfall in several districts of the state in the days to come.

Child sex ratio in J-K alarming: Union ministry

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Union Health and Family Welfare ministry today expressed concern over dropping child sex ration in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the state government to take necessary steps to reverse the trend.

“The child sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir is alarming.This a matter of great concern,” Union Health Secretary K D Raju said while addressing the national summit on ‘Best Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare System’ here.

The Child sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir fell from 964 girls per 1000 boys in 2001 Census to just 862 girls per 1000 boys in 2011 Census.

Pak FO slams US drone attack in North Waziristan

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Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has reportedly condemned the latest round of drone strike carried out by US in the North Waziristan region on Tuesday. The strike killed seven people and injured two others in which a house in North Waziristan’s Miramshah town was targeted, The Dawn reports. According to the report, FO’s statement said that drone strikes were a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity adding that Pakistan has repeatedly emphasised the importance of bringing an immediate end to these.

Civilian deaths from US drone strikes in Pakistan fall to all-time low: Report

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The number of reported civilian deaths by US drone attacks in Pakistan is at an all-time low, a report has revealed.

The report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), an NGO based at City University in London stated that the number of drone strikes conducted under Obama’s administration stands at 318, while the total number of strikes carried out since 2004 is 370.

The drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal region killed at least 2,500 people, 400 of whom are said to be civilians.

1984 anti-Sikh riots: Notice issued to CBI on Tytler’s plea

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The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on an appeal of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler against a trial court order reopening a case against him related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Justice S.P. Garg, seeking response from the agency, also issued notice to the complainant, Lakhwinder Kaur, and asked her to reply within four weeks. The matter was posted for Sep 18.

Maoists kill `police informer’ in Andhra

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Maoists shot dead a man, branding him a police informer, in Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam district Wednesday, police said.

The incident took place in Vijaypuri Colony on Kothapalli highway in Venkatapuram mandal of Khammam district, about 300 km from here. The victim, identified only as Bhagat, was a native of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and was living in Khammam for last few months.

The Maoists blamed Bhagat for the April 16 encounter at Puvarti village of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh in which police gun down nine guerillas, all hailing from Andhra Pradesh.

Sonam Kapoor wants to play Meena Kumari

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Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor would love to play legendary actress Meena Kumari in case her biopic is made because she is fascinated by real characters with some flaws.

“I would like to play Meena Kumari…she had such a tragic life,” said Sonam known for playing different roles in films like “Delhi 6”, “Mausam”, “Aisha” and “I hate Luv Storys” among others.

Court rejects withdrawal of hate speech case against Azam Khan

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A local court has rejected a plea of the Uttar Pradesh government for withdrawal of a case lodged against state minister and SP leader Azam Khan for allegedly delivering a hate speech and using derogatory language against former Chief Minister Mayawati in 2007.

Chief Judicial Magistrate B K Pandey refused to accept the state government’s application for the withdrawal of the case filed by the UP police during the Mayawati government.

The judge said there were discrepancies in the sections mentioned in the charge sheet and the application filed by the government.

Polling for Andhra panchayats in three phases

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Panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held in three phases on July 23, 27 and 31, state Election Commissioner Ramakanth Reddy announced Wednesday.

Elections to 217,578 wards in 21,491 panchayat bodies will be held on revenue division basis in three phases.

Elections to 6,883 panchayats will be held in the first phase while 7,738 bodies will go to polls in the second phase.

The last date for filing of nominations is July 13 while the scrutiny will take place the next day. The last date of withdrawal of nominations is July 17.

AP panchayat polls to be held on July 23, 27, 31

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The Gram Panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh will be held in three phases on July 23, 27 and 31.

A notification to this effect was issued by the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission today.

The elections will be held in three phases and nominations can be filed from July 7 to 13, State Election Commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy told reporters here.

The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is July 17 (not later than 3 PM) and the list of contesting candidates will be published on the same day.