Month: October 2013

BCCI title sponsorship rights go for base price

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The title sponsorships for the Indian cricket board’s international series and domestic tournaments were Thursday sold to Star India Pvt. Ltd. and ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. for a base price of Rs.2 crore per international match for a period of six months.

Given the instability in India Inc., the price was much lower than what Airtel was paying to the BCCI for each international match till March 31 when the telecom major refused to renew the contract. Airtel paid Rs.3.33 crore match.

Strict ‘no’ to tobacco advertisements in Kerala

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Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Thursday said advertising of tobacco products would soon be banned in the state in keeping with Section 5 of the Indian Tobacco Control Act, 2003.

Speaking to IANS, Chandy said he had not yet heard of the directive that was reportedly sent by the union health secretary to all chief secretaries in the states, seeking implementation of Section 5 of the Tobacco Control Act.

“If the directive has come, then no one need doubt that our government will take the necessary steps to see that the rule is implemented in letter and spirit,” Chandy said.

Sonakshi loved her Bengali avatar in ‘Bullett Raja’

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Actress Sonakshi Sinha, who will be again seen as a Bengali girl in her upcoming film ‘Bullett Raja’ after ‘Lootera’, says she loves Bengal’s traditional attire and folk dance.

Sonakshi has left no stone unturned to get into the skin of her character in the Tigmanshu Dhulia directed film.

China president makes historic speech in Indonesia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping made history in Indonesia today by becoming the first foreign leader to address the democratic country’s Parliament, using the platform to call for greater cooperation with Southeast Asia’s biggest economy and the region as a whole.

China “is ready to work together with Indonesia and other ASEAN countries to make the two sides share the same prosperity (and) stick together through thick and thin so that we can become good friends and good neighbors,” Xi said referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Lalu’s ex-secretary dodging CBI for 17 years

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Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad’s private secretary during 1990-96 and his partner in crime in the fodder scam has continued to dodge the CBI for 17 years, even though he was seen reportedly “enjoying life” in Dehradun in Uttarakhand state.

Lalu Prasad is among the 45 people convicted Sep 30 in a fodder scam case by a special CBI court in Ranchi. His secretary Mukul Kishore Kapoor disappeared after the scam was unearthed.

Oz junior cricketers celebrate birthday at Visakhapatnam orphanage

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Players and trainers of the Australian Under-19 cricket team celebrated the birthday of a player and a coach at an orphanage in Visakhapatnam.

Former Indian cricket team coach Greg Chappell, who is currently in charge of the Under-19 Australian team, was present on the occasion to celebrate the birthday of one of the players, Brian, and the team manager.

UAE forces complete mine clearing in Afghanistan

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces have completed its mine clearance project in Afghanistan and marked the occasion with a reception hosted at the UAE embassy in Kabul, officials said.

Since its start in 2011, the UAE armed forces have cleared landmines from a total of 25 million square metres of land, making the whole area good for agriculture and other civilian activities.

The two-year project also ensured the security of the local population of the areas concerned, UAE armed forces general headqurters said.

–IANS

Congress flays BJP over Modi toilet remark

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The Congress Thursday accused the BJP of double standards after its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said toilets had to be a greater priority than temples in India.

Addressing college students Wednesday, the Gujarat chief minister rued that many Indians still do not have access to basic sanitation.

“My image is that of Hindutva but I’ll tell you my real thinking. I have said in my state: pehle shauchalaya, phir devalaya (toilets first, temples later),” Modi said.

Protests in Seemandhra over Telangana

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Protests broke out in Seemandhra Thursday amid reports that a draft resolution for carving out a separate Telangana state will be coming up in the cabinet meeting this evening.

Protesters took to streets in different parts of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra) and laid siege to the residences of union ministers and MPs, demanding their resignation to mount pressure on the central government to keep the state united.

Various groups opposing the state’s bifurcation called for flash strikes in some towns.

Crime In Hyderabad (3.10.2013)

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US green cardholder’s suspicious death
(Siasat News): An elderly man died in Humayun Nagar in suspicious circumstances. The deceased was an American green card holder.

According to police sources, Javed Ahmed, 60, a businessman, resident of Vijaynagar colony, died in the house of his second wife. The relatives of his first wife alleged his second wife that she had killed him.

Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana state — Resolution likely in cabinet meet

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A draft resolution for carving a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh is likely to come up at the union cabinet meeting in the national capital Thursday evening.

The home ministry has drafted a resolution for the cabinet’s consideration in accordance with the July 30 decision of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for the formation of Telangana state.

Pakistani forces under attack in quake-hit areas

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Insurgents have increased attacks on Pakistani forces engaged in relief operations in the earthquake-hit southwestern Balochistan province, military officials said Wednesday.

Nearly 2,000 soldiers are involved in relief operations after a 7.6 intensity earthquake hit parts of Balochistan last month, Xinhua reported citing army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa.

He said the attacks will not deter the relief activities in the worst devastated areas.

‘Forgiving’ Whatmore says ‘nice person’ Ajmal had ‘fallen prey to few tricky questions’

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Pakistan’s head coach Dav Whatmore has reportedly accepted veteran spinner Saeed Ajmal’s apology over his comments that Whatmore is no better than a local coach, saying that Ajmal had merely ‘fallen prey’ to a few ‘tricky questions’.

Ajmal had denigrated Whatmore by saying that there is no difference between Whatmore and a local coach, apart from their pay packets and languages, and hailed former Pakistan internationals Waqar Younis and Mohsin Khan for handling the players better during their coaching stints.

Obama shortens Asia trip amid US shutdown standoff

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President Barack Obama has cancelled his long-planned trip to Asia, as a US government shutdown entered second day.

Obama told his counterparts in Malaysia and the Philippines he would not be able to meet them as planned.

A White House official said the president is also considering whether to attend diplomatic summits in Indonesia and Brunei, news24 reports.

National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said that Obama will evaluate the trips based on how events develop throughout the week.

2008 cash scam: Court reserves order on framing of charges

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A Delhi court on Thursday reserved its order on framing of charges in the 2008 cash-for-vote-scam involving former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and two BJP MPs.

Special judge Narottam Kaushal reserved for October 19 order on framing of charges.

“October 19 for orders,” the judge said.

During the arguments on framing of charges, Amar Singh had sought discharge from the case, saying there was no evidence to show that he had induced BJP MPs to cross vote in the trust vote in the Lok Sabha in 2008 in return for money.

Rahul Gandhi visits Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad

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(ANI): Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Gujarat on a two-day visit, visited Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad today.

Gandhi will later in the day hold a meeting of office-bearers of district and block committees of his party.

He will also attend a meeting of the national executive of the National Students Union of India and also interact with the elected members of local self-government institutions.

BJP adopted ‘double standards’ on convicted lawmakers ordinance: Narayanasamy

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Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) V. Narayanasamy on Thursday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its ‘double standards’ on the ordinance on convicted lawmakers.

Narayanasamy said the ordinance was brought after a meeting called of the

Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and other political parties by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath.

Ranveer Singh recovering, thanks fans for wishes

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Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who is suffering from dengue, is recovering at a hospital here. He has thanked his well-wishers for their support which he says has helped him “tide over my weakest hour”.

The ailing actor reached out to his friends and fans via social networking platform Twitter Thursday.

“Your love and blessings have helped me fight this illness. Thank you all for the warmth and wishes that helped me tide over my weakest hour,” he tweeted.

Arguments begin on sentencing of Lalu Prasad

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Arguments on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar chief minister Jagannth Mishra and others convicted in a fodder scam case began at 11 a.m. in a Special CBI court here Thursday.

The sentence will be pronounced to the convicted men through video conferencing in the Birsa Minda Central Jail of Ranchi. The arguments began in the Special CBI Court of Pravas Kumar Singh. The sentence is likely to be delivered at 2.30 p.m.

28 killed in Assam road accident

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At least 28 people including women and children were killed and nine injured in a road accident in Assam’s Barpeta district Thursday morning, police said.

The accident took place when two passenger vehicles coming from Bhubri district were hit by a truck near Dahla para area on National Highway- 38, under the Sarbhog police station.
The police said most of the victims were brick kiln labourers and their families.

12 militants killed in Pakistan suicide attack

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At least 12 militants were killed and eight injured Thursday morning in a suicide attack in Pakistan, according to media reports.

The incident took place when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the central building of a militant group Mullah Nabi Hanfi in Tul area of Hangu district, Xinhua reported.

Intensive firing was also heard but there was no news about whether the leader of militant group was dead in the attack or not.

No official rescue services were offered as the exact location of the militants’ centre was unknown.

Developing countries to get $410 bn in remittances

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Remittances to the developing world are expected to grow by 6.3 percent this year to $414 billion, according to revised estimates and forecasts issues Wednesday by the World Bank.

“India and China alone will represent nearly a third of total remittances to the developing world this year,” said the Washington-based global development institution in a statement, Xinhua reported.

“Remittance volumes to developing countries, as a whole, are projected to continue growing strongly over the medium term, averaging an annual growth rate of 9 percent to reach $540 billion by 2016,” it added.

Pakistan Army denies its troops involved in LoC clash

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The Pakistan Army has denied Indian accusations that Pakistani soldiers were involved in a reported clash on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).

An Indian army commander had alleged that Pakistani troops were involved in an ongoing gunbattle near the disputed border.

According to Dawn News, the Pakistan Army rejected the allegation as completely baseless.

The army said that it was a blatant lie and no such thing happened, a spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s public relations wing, said in a text message.

Eight policemen injured in Srinagar gunfight

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Eight policemen were injured in the overnight gunfight on Wednesday between a holed up guerrilla and the security forces in outskirts of Srinagar.

A senior police officer said eight policemen including an assistant sub-inspector were injured in the exchange of fire between a guerrilla and the security forces in Ahmad Nagar area, 10 kilometres from city centre Lal Chowk.