Month: February 2014

Need to implement total sanitation programme: Chidambaram

by

Regretting that people still use open toilets all over the country, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram today stressed the need to expedite and intensify implementation of the total sanitation programme to prevent such habits.

Inaugurating a sanitation facility for 15 schools in this district, he said the UPA government’s law that corporates should spend two per cent of their profits for social causes had brought funds for 26 toilets in these schools.

Israeli court orders removal of illegal structure in West Bank

by

The Israeli Supreme Court Wednesday ordered the state to destroy a structure in an illegal and sensitive outpost in the West Bank within two weeks, the Ha’aretz daily reported.

The illegal outpost of Havat Gilad, built on private Palestinian land not far from Nablus, has been a site of clashes between settlers and Israeli security forces for over a decade, according to Xinhua.

Permission sought to keep NSA phone records longer

by

The Obama administration has asked a special court for permission to hold on to National Security Agency (NSA) phone records for longer than five years, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The daily describing it as “an unintended consequence of lawsuits seeking to stop the data- surveillance programme”, Xinhua reported.

Seemandhra meted out great injustice: Yanamala

by

Former finance minister and TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu today said great injustice was meted out to the Seemandhra region on account of bifurcation of the State.
Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, Yanamala alleged that the Centre has failed to distribute assets on the basis of population. “It was ridiculous that GoM member and Union minister Jairam Ramesh had said one lakh crore rupees would be given to Seemandhra”, Yanamala said. (NSS)

City cable MD joins TDP

by

In the home district of PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana, Managing Director Srinivas Rao of City Cable joined in TDP.
TDP politburo member Ashok Gajapati Raju welcomed Srinivas Rao, who came in a rally from his residence to Ashok Babu bungalow. The City Cable operators also joined the TDP on the occasion. Satya Network owned by Botcha is another network in the district. (NSS)

Venkaiah slams congress for trying to install new CM

by

BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today said if people vote for Third Front in the ensuing elections, it will amount to voting for the Congress.

Addressing party leaders in Vijayawada, Venkaiah criticized the Congress for trying to install fourth chief minister in the State. Stating that the Third Front has no policy or commitment, he termed the ‘alternative’ combination of parties as a ‘parking slot.’ He alleged that all the leaders from Third Front have an ambition to become Prime Minister and everyone of them has their own agenda.

Court rejects Vanzara’s plea seeking chargesheet copy

by

A court here today rejected suspended IPS officer DG Vanzara’s plea seeking a copy of the supplementary charge sheet filed by CBI in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of CBI court HS Khutvad had reserved the order yesterday.

Vanzara’s counsel, V D Gajjar, had contended that even after 20 days of filing of the charge sheet it had not been taken on record by the court.

“Under section 206 of the criminal procedure code, it is magistrate’s duty to provide the copy to the accused,” Gajjar contended.

Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi resigns

by

Admiral DK Joshi resigned on Wednesday in the wake of submarine INS Sindhuratna accident. The Defence Ministry has accepted his resignation.

Vice Admiral Robin Dhowan will take over as acting Naval Chief till a regular Naval Chief is appointed. 59-year-old Joshi had about 15 months more left in service. He was a specialist in anti-submarine warfare and had taken over as the Navy Chief on August 31, 2012.

Rain in Delhi, Thursday to be cloudy

by

After a warm and sunny day, the national capital experienced a brief spell of rain Wednesday evening. The Met office has forecast a cloudy Thursday.

The unexpected rain lasted for a few hours.

Wednesday’s maximum temperature was recorded at 26.2 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season’s average.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Thursday will start with shallow fog and the sky will remain cloudy throughout the day.

Some parts of the city may experience light rain and thundershowers.

BJP hasn’t made any mistake in handling minorities: Hussain

by

After BJP President Rajnath Singh’s comments about the party’s handling of minority community triggered a debate, the party on Wednesday said it has not committed any mistake which warrants an apology.

“Rajnath Singh said BJP has not committed any mistake. We are not like Congress. Had we committed any mistake, we would have sought an apology by bowing our heads. BJP has not done any mistake. We have honestly worked for the welafre of people of the country and have treated Hindus and Muslims with equality,” BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Minor girl stabbed to death for refusing suitor in AP

by

A 14-year-old girl student was allegedly stabbed to death by a youth after she refused his marriage proposal in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Ravi, entered the girl’s house at Kankuru village of Jaipur Mandal in the district last night and allegedly stabbed her, they said, adding the girl was initially shifted to a local hospital and then referred to another hospital.

She, however, died on the way, police said.

Seemandhra Congress leader joins TDP

by

The Congress Wednesday received a jolt in Seemandhra, with former minister T.G. Venkatesh announcing that he was joining the Telugu Desam Party.

Venkatesh was a minister in the cabinet of Kiran Kumar Reddy, who resigned last week to protest the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

After consulting his supporters, Venkatesh said he would join the TDP.

Venkatesh was considered a confidant of Kiran Reddy, who also quit the Congress and is planning to float a new regional party.

Not aligning with Congress in 2009 was a mistake: Lalu

by

RJD chief Lalu Prasad said Wednesday that not aligning with the Congress in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections was a “mistake” and Nitish Kumar was not a factor in Bihar.

“Not aligning with the Congress (in the last Lok Sabha) elections was a mistake,” Lalu Prasad said in the “Ghoshnapatra” programme telecast by ABP news channel.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is in talks with the Congress to finalise an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections expected April-May.

Congress seeks ban on opinion polls

by

The Congress Wednesday urged the Election Commission to ban opinion polls till the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath, secretary of the party’s legal and human rights department K.C. Mittal demanded registration of a case into the alleged manipulation of opinion polls.

He urged the poll panel to issue instructions to ban opinion polls “until the expiry of 48 hours from the close of the polling for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections”.

Salem not to be handcuffed as court hears his plea

by

A special TADA court here today pulled up Navi Mumbai police while hearing an application filed by extradited gangster Abu Salem opposing handcuffing.

“Do you think he will flee amid the security,” asked special judge G A Sanap, who directed police not to handcuff Salem till the application was decided.

Navi Mumbai police had said that it had received an intelligence input that he might attempt to run away.

“You have said in your affidavit that he will flee, but why should he be given the opportunity,” asked the judge.

Whatever I am today is because of my dad, says Kohli

by

Captain Virat kolhi today remembered his dad after guiding India to a convincing six-wicket win over Bangladesh in their Asia Cup opener here, and said whatever he has achieved in his life so far was solely because of the contributions of his departed father.

Captaining the side in place of an injured regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kohli led from the front with a magnificent 136 to lead India to a comfortable win.

Ramesh faces ire of united Andhra agitators in Tirupati

by

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today faced the ire of supporters of united Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress and Telugu Desam, on his visit to the temple town of Tirupati.

The agitators blocked the road leading from airport to Tirupati and raised slogans ‘Jairam go back’, due to which the minister arrived two hours behind his schedule to attend a function.

However, some of the agitators were arrested and police drove the minister to Tirupati medical college to take part in the function, police said.

KCR to be first Chief minister of new Telangana state !!!

by

TRS President K. Chandrashekar Rao, who is now considered as ”Father of Telangana” in all probability will be first Chief Minister of the new T state after the 2014 elections.
Even after a merger or alliance between the TRS and Congress, the question of anybody else other than KCR taking the reins of the new state is ruled out as an overwhelming opinion among the party cadre as well as the people in the region is that the TRS President should be at the helm of affairs in rebuilding the new state.

T bill reaches Prez; Chiru emerges front runner for CM post

by

Even as the AP bifurcation bill reached President Pranab Mukherjee for his assent, the fight for Chief Minister’s post took a new turn. The Union Law Ministry, which received the bill from Home Ministry, sent it to the President for his approval that will be followed by a Gazette notification.

India comprehensively beat Bangladesh by six wickets

by

Powered by Virat Kohli’s 19th century, India romped home to a comprehensive six-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second One-Day International (ODI) of the Asia Cup held at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium here Wednesday.

Knowing India’s strengths as a chasing pack, skipper Kohli put Bangladesh in to bat first. The hosts put up a strong batting show to notch up a challenging total of 279/7 which India chased down in 49 overs.

Indian-American firm to pay $15 mn for false claims

by

diagnostic firm founded by an Indian-American physician has agreed to pay $15.5 million to settle charges that it falsely billed federal and state health care programmes and paid kickbacks to physicians.

The Diagnostic Imaging Group (DIG), founded in 1985 by Mumbai native Leena Doshi, would pay $13.65 million to the federal government and an additional $1.85 million to New York and New Jersey under a settlement announced by officials of the two states.

Doshi herself has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing.

Job offer fraud, One held by Cyber Crime police Cyberabad

by

The accused Rajendra Prasad r/o Borabanda, Cyberabad, was arrested by Cyber Crime Police, Cyberabad on Feb 25 in a case of Vedanta Aluminum Ltd JOB OFFER FRAUD to the tune of Rs.4,50,000.

Sateesh Vathsa R/o Moti Nagar of Hyderabad lodged a complaint stating that he was cheated by G. Rajendra Prasad for searching a job and paid Rs. 50,000 to him, which is a fraudulent recruitment drive using the name of Vedanta Aluminum Ltd., Bhubaneswar of Odisha.

Incidents of Maoist violence down: Shinde

by

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said incidents of Maoist violence had come down in the country in the past one-and-a-half to two years.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of inauguration of a BSF unit near Nadapuram, about 70 km away from here, he said documents circulated by CPI(Maoist) were proof of the decrease in Maoist activities.

“In the country, wherever such Naxalite movements are there, Government of India is already careful on this. Maoists have expressed worry in these papers over the decline of their strength,” the minister said.

Samaikyandhra is wellbeing of all regions: Jagan

by

Affirming that the unholy nexus of Congress, BJP and TDP could split the State geographically but will not succeed in dividing the Telugu people, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said, in the coming elections YSRCP would ride on the popularity crest in both the regions as its definition of Samaikyandhra is the well being of Telangana, Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra.

AP CM Kiran Kumar Reddy mulls his future course of action

by

Continuing his consultations about his future course of action, Andhra Pradesh caretaker Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy interacted with students and youth from Seemandhra here today.

Reddy, who had resigned his post and the Congress on February 19 protesting against Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation, has been holding confabulations with expelled Congress MPs, a few ministers, MLAs and MLCs on the possibility of launching a new political party.