Month: October 2013

Pak govt keen on peace talks with Taliban despite recent attacks

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Pakistan is keen on pursuing dialogue with the Taliban, despite a spate of attacks in the country, the national security adviser has said.

Three bomb blasts in Peshawar in past one week killed more than 140 people, prompting many to question a government plan to seek peace with the militants.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has denied responsibility for the attacks, which included a double suicide bombing on a church.

Sartaj Aziz, adviser on national security and foreign affairs to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said talks should be given a chance.

Three Naxals held after encounter in C’garh

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Naxals trade gunfire with security forces in a forest, after which three Maoists were arrested in
Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said today.

A joint team of Central Reserve Police Force and district police was on an area-domination operation in Pispera, Pakela, Pusbaka and Kottaguda villages of the restive Basaguda region, located over 400 kms away from the state capital Raipur, late last evening, a senior police officer told PTI.

When the security personnel reached near the forest of Pusbaka village, the Left extremists opened indiscriminate

Cabinet to soon take up Mudgal probe report on Walmart

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The Cabinet is expected to soon discuss the findings of Mudgal panel which probed allegations of lobbying activities by Walmart to enter the Indian market, as well as the pursuant Action Taken Report.

Corporate Affairs Minister Sachin Pilot said the Cabinet could not deliberate in detail the panel findings and the ATR yesterday.

“Because we could not take it up in detail and we had a very short discussion on the report and the Action Taken Report, so it will be taken up for consideration when we (Cabinet) meet next time,” Pilot said today.

Anti-bifurcation agitation in AP begins to take a violent turn

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After 65 days, the peaceful agitation opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh took a violent turn on Friday as agitators of political parties and Samakhyarashtra Parirakshana Samathi attacked central government offices here today.

Railway reservation counters were attacked while computers, server systems, LCD TVs and glass panels broken at
Kadapa railway station, after which the railway police arrested three persons.

Jayanti Janata Express, Arrakonam-Kadapa passenger train and a goods train were stopped for 30 minutes to one and

SC agrees to hear Centre’s plea on Aadhaar card

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The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on October 8 Centre’s plea seeking modification of an earlier order that Aadhaar card is not mandatory and no person should suffer for want of it in getting benefits of government schemes.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG), in its application, has sought “clarification or modification” of the order for continuing with its Direct Benefit Transfer for Liquefied Petroleum Gas Consumers (DBTL) scheme which can be availed by only those persons who have secured Aadhaar cards.

45% of Fortune 500 firms to be based in emerging markets by 2025

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The world’s corporate landscape is shifting towards the emerging markets as nearly half of the Fortune global 500 companies are likely to be based in developing countries by 2025, a report by McKinsey Global Institute said.

A related shift is just beginning to gather force, and it has the potential to redraw the world’s business map and rewrite the rule book on global corporate competition, according to the report.

‘White widow’ Lewthwaite’s ‘fake’ documents under scrutiny by S. African police

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The documents of Samantha Lewthwaite, dubbed the White Widow,’ are under scrutiny after it was revealed that she acquired her South African passport fraudulently.

Several law enforcement agencies are gathering information about the British terror suspect, home affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni told reporters in Pretoria.

According to news24, he said that the matter is being investigated, but not by the department of home affairs only. It is being investigated by the JCPS [justice, crime prevention, and security] cluster also.

Police fire teargas at ‘united’ Andhra Pradesh supporters

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Police today fired teargas shells to disperse a mob damaging vehicles in Madhurnagar area as part of the bandh being observed by supporters of a “united” Andhra Pradesh against the Union Cabinet’s decision to create Telangana state.

Taking advantage of a power cut in the area, a group of protesters started damaging private vehicles by pelting
stones and attempted to block the road, prompting police to fire a few teargas shells to disperse them, a senior police officer told PTI.

RBI expects 5-5.5% growth in current fiscal

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The Reserve Bank on Friday said the economy would grow by 5 to 5.5 percent in the current fiscal, pinning its hopes on good farm output and improved exports.

“We have no reason to dispute the growth rate projected by the government at 5 to 5.5 percent,” RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan told reporters after a board meeting here.

He based his optimism on expectations of a good kharif crop, improvement in exports and core sector performance data.

I-T department to slap fresh demand notices on Nokia

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In more trouble for Finnish mobile firm Nokia, whose immovable assets were attached in an alleged tax evasion case recently, the Income Tax department is set to issue fresh demand notices for payment of taxes to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

The department, according to sources, has also “prioritised” the tax demand notices on the firm pertaining to assessment years of 2011-12 and 2012-13 so that the “interest of the revenue” is not jeopardised against the backdrop of the current tax litigation with the company and the proposed acquisition of the mobile-phone maker by US giant Microsoft.

Find way for securing payment of Rs 19K crore: SC to Sahara & SEBI

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The Supreme Court on Friday asked Sahara and SEBI to formulate mechanism for securing payment of around Rs 19,000 crore of investors’ money after the Subrata Roy-led group agreed to pledge it’s immovable property as security but the market regulator questioned the sale deed and worth of the properties.

A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar asked the regulator and the Sahara group to sit together to find out mechanism and posted the case for hearing on October 28.

India’s service sector activity suffers worst slump in over 4 years in Sept

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Activity at Indian services companies shrank at the fastest pace in more than four years last month, suggesting the slowdown in Asia’s third-largest economy still has some way to run, a survey showed on Friday.

The HSBC Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), compiled by Markit, slipped from 47.6 in August to 44.6 in September, its weakest since April 2009.

That marked its straight third reading below 50, the threshold between growth and contraction.

It showed firms were less optimistic about the future and were cutting staff as new business dries up.

Skype and WhatsApp to be blocked in Sindh over terrorism fears

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Pakistan’s southern Sindh province has reportedly decided to block access to online communication networks including Skype and WhatsApp for three months to curb terrorism.

Sindh’s Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that the administration is compelled to ban those networks for three months over security reasons.

According to News24, police officials claim that these online applications were frequently being used by terrorists and criminal elements.

Shutdown rocks Seemandhra as Union ministers, MPs resign

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Seemandhra was on Friday rocked by protests and shutdown as some central ministers and MPs from Andhra Pradesh announced their resignation to protest against the cabinet approval for the formation of a separate Telangana state.

HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju, who on Thursday held back his resignation, announced his decision to go ahead with it ignoring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s counsel not to take any hasty step.

New X-ray vision maps internal structure of objects

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Scientists have developed a new kind of ‘X-ray vision’ that is able to peer inside an object and map the three-dimensional distribution of its nano-properties in real time.

Researchers from the University of Manchester, working with colleagues in the UK, Europe and the US, said the novel imaging technique could have a wide range of applications across many disciplines, such as materials science, geology, environmental science and medical research.

Three killed in explosion in firecracker unit

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Three persons were killed and 11 injured in an explosion at an unlicensed firecracker unit in Chengam at Tiruvannamalai district on Friday, Fire and Rescue sources said here.

The premises of the unit was used for storage purposes and crackers were being packed into gift boxes when the mishap occurred.

Two of the deceased were identified as A Indian (18) and A Chennammal (34). The body of the third person was charred beyond recognition.

Sheila Dikshit remains confident about polls

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Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday remained confident about the upcoming state assembly polls, and said the voters can see evidence of her good work in the lead-up to fighting for her fourth term in office.

” I am ready and confident. Our work speaks for itself. When people look around, they can see the good work I have done in Delhi,” Dikshit said, while making especial mention of her contribution to the transportation services under her regime.

Saldanha confirms tiger presence in Goa’s wildlife

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Goa Forest minister Alina Saldanha has confirmed the presence of tigers in the state wild even as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been a bit reluctant to declare Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve.

“This year also we saw the magnificent national animal Tiger marking its presence in the state,” Saldanha said in her message for wildlife week celebrated between October 2-8.

The statement comes two days after Parrikar had ruled out the strong presence of tiger in Goa’s wildlife sanctuaries.

Nearby star system Fomalhaut discovered to be one of widest triple stars

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The nearby star system Fomalhaut has been discovered to be not just a double star, as astronomers had earlier thought, but one of the widest triple stars known.

Researchers have shown that a previously known smaller star in its vicinity is also part of the Fomalhaut system.

Eric Mamajek, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester, and his collaborators found the triple nature of the star system through a bit of detective work.

Train fares to go up from Oct 6-7

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Train passengers will have to pay two percent more from midnight Oct 6-7 to adjust for the increase in fuel costs, a statement said Friday.

This is the second fare hike after the railways increased passenger fares in January after 10 years.

Railway sources said fares in all classes in all mail and express trains would be two percent more than existing fares from Oct 6-7 midnight.

According to the statement, there will be no increase in either second class ordinary (suburban) or second class monthly ticket fares.

Sri Lankan army blows up Prabhakaran’s underground bunker

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Slain LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran’s fortified underground bunker in Mullaitivu has been blown up by the Sri Lankan army, four years after the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers.

Prabhakaran’s bunker in Puthukuduirrippu in Mullaitivu, a popular tourist destination for visitors to the former conflict zones, has been destroyed, military sources confirmed as the army has officially denied knowledge of the demolition.

Residents claimed they heard a loud explosion around 6:40 p.m. last night following which the bunker was demolished, the Colombo Telegraph reported today.

Blessed to have a partner like Sahil Sangha: Dia Mirza

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Dia Mirza`s absence from the silver screen is often misconstrued as being out of work but the actress-turned-producer insists this is not the case as she is busy on the production front.

The 31-year-old actress, whose last acting sting was in her own 2011 debut production venture `Love Breakups Zindagi`, says she has stopped explaining to people who ask, `Where have you disappeared?`.

Miss Universe Culpo keen to enter Bollywood

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Miss Universe Olivia Culpo, currently in India to spread awareness about the girl child, says she would like to try her luck in Hindi movies.

“I like Bollywood. The dance moves and songs are very different from our movies. Bollywood is very colourful and I would like to try my luck in Bollywood,” Olivia told IANS while talking about her India plans.

The beauty queen is on a 10-day official tour, which ends Oct 6, to promote celebrating the girl child, women empowerment and AIDS awareness in various states of India.

Aamir’s support invaluable for ‘Shahid’: Hansal Mehta

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Filmmaker Hansal Mehta is busy promoting his `Shahid`, but he takes time out to thank actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan for supporting his film.

Set for an Oct 18 release, the movie is based on the true story of slain human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was killed in 2010 by unidentified assailants in his office. Raj Kumar plays lead role in it.

“I am more than happy that Aamir is supporting the film, but I will not take the credit for that,” Mehta, who had earlier directed movies like `Chhal`, said.

If I ever have a child, I wish it’s a girl, says Salman Khan

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Actor Salman Khan, who is busy shooting for his film ‘Jai Ho’, has managed to take out time to create awareness of the ‘Girl Child, Women Empowerment’ programme, and says if he ever has a child, he wishes it should be a girl.

“If I ever have a child.. Insh`allah I will… I wish its a girl. I want a girl child,” Salman said at the press conference of the social cause.

Salman Khan is supporting the cause along with Miss Universe Olivia Culpo and Sanjana Jon who is in India for 10 days for the awareness programme.

Salman asks how can you kill the child even before its birth.