Month: December 2013

Congress not shielding Tejpal: Shinde

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The Congress is not shielding Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, who is accused of sexual assault by his junior colleague, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Sunday.

Booked for sexual assault on a junior colleague, Tejpal has been sent to six days’ police custody by a court in Goa.

Shinde said the central government cannot interfere in the case.

“Our government does not protect culprits in any way,” the home minister said at a press conference here.

“Since it is a case of a different state, the centre cannot interfere in it,” he said.

10 killed in Iraq violence

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Up to 10 people were killed and 45 wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq’s Diyala province Sunday, a police source said.

The blast occurred as a roadside bomb went off near a funeral procession of dozens of mourners. They were carrying the coffin of a Sunni tribal leader’s son in Wajihiyah town near Baquba, the provincial capital city, some 65 km from Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

“The latest reports said 10 mourners were killed by the blast and 45 wounded, including 13 critically,” the source said.

Anubhav Sinha’s next to be a comedy

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Director-producer Anubhav Sinha, who is gearing up for the release of his Madhuri Dixit-starrer production “Gulaab Gang”, about the women vigilante group, says his next will be a comedy.

Sinha, who went behind the camera to direct Shah Rukh Khan-starrer superhero film “Ra.One” and multi-starrer “Dus”, told IANS: “It’s too early to talk about it. All I can say is that it’s a comedy that will go on floors soon.”

Reportedly Nikhil Bhat will helm the project to be made under Sinha’s banner Benaras Media Works.

Iran to build second n-power plant

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Iran has plans to produce more electricity by building a second nuclear energy plant in the country’s Bushehr province where the first plant was built, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Sunday.

“Based on our estimates, the second nuclear power plant will be built in the same province,” Rouhani said, reported Xinhua.

In November, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation chief Ali Akbar Salehi said his country would start building its second nuclear power plant in near future in cooperation with Russia.

Maharashtra irrigation scam whistle-blower joins AAP

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The Aam Aadmi Party got a boost in Maharashtra with Vijay Pandhare, former bureaucrat and whistle-blower in the multi-billion rupees irrigation scam, joining the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit Sunday.

Pandhare, an acknowledged expert in irrigation, retired from government service Saturday.

Asked of his plunge into politics, the soft-spoken and mild-mannered Pandhare told IANS: “I had been toying with the idea since nearly a year and took a final decision after my retirement.”

Indian industry calls for global fund to meet WTO obligations

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The Indian industry Sunday called for a WTO agreement on mandatory global funding to meet extra costs incurred by poor and developing countries for meeting obligations they undertake at its forthcoming Bali meeting.

“Industry is of the view that there is a need for the WTO agreement to set up a mandatory global funding mechanism that will meet additional costs for developing or least developed countries (LDCs) for meeting obligations they undertake at Bali,” the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said here in a statement.

Voting ends in Rajasthan

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Voting for a new Rajasthan assembly came to an end at 5 p.m. Sunday, an official said.

Polling began at 8 p.m. for 199 seats of the 200-member assembly. In Churu constituency, voting was countermanded due to death of the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate. The poll is now slated for Dec 13.

——–IANS

No scope for AAP in Delhi: Advani

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Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani Sunday asserted that given the political scenario in Delhi, there was no scope for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader, in conversation with journalists, said: “There was a time when only one party got all the votes, but we gave the people an option and created a bi-polar political system. I don’t think that there is scope for a third party now.”

The AAP has made the Delhi assembly elections a three-way affair for the first time. Till now, the electoral battle here was always fought between the Congress and the BJP.

Makers of ‘Raaz 4’ hunting for child artist

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Filmmaker Vishal Mahadkar is all set to direct fourth installment of “Raaz”, a remake of 1976 Hollywood hit “The Omen”, says he is desperately looking for a child artist to play a vital role in his film.

In the Hollywood horror thriller, said to be one of the best in the genre, Harvey Stephens played the Devil’s son Damien perfectly.

“Right now my focus is on the child artist. We need the right child to play the lead in the film. We are desperately hunting for the child,” Mahadkar, who ventured into direction with Kunal Khemu starrer crime thriller “Blood Money”, told IANS.

Niall Horan dating Louise Thompson?

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One Direction band member Niall Horan is reportedly dating actress Louise Thompson and both of them are seeing each other a lot.

There were rumours about their fling in May this year but this time things are said to be more serious between them.

“Louise has been dating Niall – they’ve seen each other lots and talk all the time. But it suited both of them for their nights together to be secret. He’ll sneak her into his house in North London, often when it’s dark,” dailymail.co.uk quoted a source as saying.

I live in mystical unicorn land: Leona Lewis

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Singer Leona Lewis says she lives in a “mystical unicorn land” to keep herself happy and avoid the negative people in her life.

The 28-year-old rose to fame after winning “The X Factor” in 2006.

“Mystical unicorn land is where I live…friends say I’m always in unicorn land where everything is funny and sweet,” dailystar.co.uk quoted Lewis as saying.

“This lifestyle is amazing but you also come across sharks and horrible people, so I try and surround myself with mystical unicorn people like myself,” she added.

Living in a world created by herself is therapeutic, says Lewis.

Indian-origin couple found dead in London

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An Indian-origin couple was found dead at their home in London, a media report said Sunday.

The woman, identified as Poonam, and her husband Sanjeev Kumar, lived in Southall, BBC reported.

The Metropolitan Police said the woman had been killed by “compression of the neck” while her husband was found hanging in a room.

Police said they have found nothing suspicious in the case and were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

————–IANS

After Lekhi leak, complaint against Madhu Kishar

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Like BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi, social activist Madhu Kishar may attract the ire of the National Commission for Women (NCW), with a Congress-backed students union here accusing the latter of leaking the Tarun Tejpal rape victim’s name on Twitter.

National Students Union of India leader Hasiba Amin told IANS that she had filed a complaint with the NCW Saturday against Kishwar and also the Goa Police for not entertaining her complaint for nearly a week.

Expedite probe into Afghan war crimes: rights body

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The prosecutor’s office of the International Criminal Court (ICC) should expedite its preliminary inquiry on grave international crimes committed in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch said Sunday.

In its November Report on Preliminary Examination Activities, the ICC prosecutor’s office found that “(w)ar crimes and crimes against humanity were and continue to be committed in Afghanistan”.

ICC said it would examine whether the government was taking sufficient action to investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Liverpool striker Sturridge sprains ankle

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Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is expected to miss his side’s Premier League encounter against Hull City Sunday due to an ankle injury.

“The striker rolled his ankle in training,” read a statement on the Liverpool website, reports Xinhua.

“Sturridge returned to training at Melwood this week; however, he sustained an ankle sprain which will require further assessment.”

The 24-year-old, who has scored nine goals this season, came off the bench to score an 89th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Everton last weekend.

————IANS

African terrorists slaughter tuskers, rhinos to finance attacks

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African terrorist groups are poaching wild animals to finance their operations, purchase weapons and acquire other military supplies, an environmental organisation has said.

Elephant Action League said Saturday that the horns of rhinoceros and the ivory extracted from elephants’ tusks are sold in the black market at a higher price than gold or cocaine in some Asian regions, reports Prensa Latina.

Sindhu wins Macau Open title (Roundup)

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Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu won the women’s singles title at the $120,000 Macau Open Grand Prix Gold defeating Canada’s seventh seed Li Michelle in the final here Sunday.

The World No.11 won 21-15, 21-12 in 37 minutes in their first ever encounter at the Macau Forum to clinch her second Grand Prix Gold title. Sindhu had also won the Malaysia Open in May.

Assembly polls will impact not only states, Lok Sabha too

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With just a week left before results of five assembly polls are out, the Congress and the BJP appear confident yet a little wary of the high voter turnout. Not only is the reputation of incumbent chief ministers and likely prime ministers of the two national parties at stake, but the results could also impact the Lok Sabha polls only about six months away.

Himachal sanctioned Rs.2 crore for treatment of poor

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Poor and needy patients in Himachal Pradesh have received a total of around Rs.2 crore from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for treatment during the past 11 months, an official said here Sunday.

The state government has requested corporate and industrial houses to contribute generously towards the relief fund.

Since January 2013, more than 190 patients were provided financial assistance totalling Rs.1.85 crore from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for treatment at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla and other hospitals, a government spokesperson said.

Modi talks of ‘Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat’

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The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Sunday said his party would carry forward the initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir on the principles of “Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat” as envisioned by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Scientific validation of ayurvedic medicines begins in Kerala

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CARe Keralam, which recently scientifically validated the anti-diabetes ayurvedic formulation Nishaakathakaadhi Kashayam (NKK) thus facilitating its sale abroad, is going ahead with the same process for other products too, an official said Sunday.

The scientific validation of the diabetes formulation was a first-of-its-kind attempt in the history of ayurveda. Such validation is necessary for the marketing and sale of ayurvedic products in foreign markets.

B-town mourns Paul Walker death, says gone too soon

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Hollywood actor Paul Walker’s death has came as a shock for everyone and mourning his demise Bollywood celebrities say that he has “gone far too soon”.

Walker, best known for his role as Brian O’Conner in the “The Fast and The Furious”, died in a car accident Saturday in Santa Clarita, California. He was 40.

Celebrities took to Twitter to express their sorrow and grief. Here is what they have to say:

Varun Dhawan: Can’t believe Paul walker is gone. Life is crazy. Don’t know why but this news has really depressed me. RIP Paul Walker.

Australia assumes G20 presidency

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As Australia officially assumed the presidency of the G20 Sunday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said hosting the event in 2014 is a “big opportunity”.

“Hosting the G20 in 2014 is a big opportunity and a big responsibility for Australia,” Xinhua quoted Abbott as saying in a press release.

Abbott said the G20 presidency allows Australia to “help shape the global economic agenda for the benefit of all countries, and provides the opportunity to showcase the best of our nation”.

Steve Waugh says no amount of ‘prancing’ can save a player once he’s shown his ‘fear’

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Former Australian captain Steve Waugh has said that no amount of ‘prancing, preening or dialogue’ can rescue a ‘fearful’ cricketer once he has shown his vulnerability in the confined space of a cricket ground.

According to News.com.au, in his book ‘ The Meaning Of Luck’, Waugh pointed out that the eyes cannot hide fear, adding that to have the antennae to detect such anxiety is a vital mechanism for any player to possess, especially the captain, who can tailor his tactics accordingly to capitalise on the situation.

Obama administration urges N. Korea to release American war veteran

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The United States has called on North Korea to release an elderly American military veteran arrested since last month.

Pyongyang has held Merrill E. Newman accusing him of killing civilians during the Korean War 60 years ago.

The State Department said Swedish embassy officials were granted permission to visit Newman on Saturday, the first access by Western officials to him since his arrest.

According to CBS News, Newman, an 85-year old former special forces officer, was detained at the end of a trip to North Korea.