Month: February 2014

Pregnant woman beaten to death in Rajasthan

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Family members of a pregnant woman in Rajasthan have alleged that she was beaten to death by her in-laws when they came to know through a sex determination test that she would give birth to a girl child, police said Monday.

Shivari Devi’s brother Ramdeen registered a first information report (FIR) in this regard in Jodhpur’s Bhopalgarh police station Sunday night.

“The incident occurred in a nearby village where Shivari Devi stayed with her in-laws. The brother says that her in-laws informed him yesterday (Sunday) that she had died,” said police inspector Moolaram Choudhary.

SC notice to centre on AAP plea for assembly dissolution

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The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to the central government on a plea by the Aam Aadmi Party challenging the decision of not dissolving the Delhi assembly as recommended by the outgoing AAP government.

The plea challenged the presidential proclamation placing the Delhi assembly in suspended animation and not dissolving it as was recommended by the then Arvind Kejriwal government.

Zee Media office attacked in Jaipur

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An armed mob attacked the Zee Media office here and destroyed property and valuables on Monday.

Protesters belonging to an outfit called the `Karni Sena` launched an attack over alleged misrepresentation of `Rajputs` portrayed in the TV show `Jodha Akbar` aired on the Zee TV channel.

Armed with assault weapons and daggers, the protesters raised slogans and destroyed property and valuables inside the premises.

Ten injured in two blasts in Assam

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At least 10 people were injured when militants triggered two blasts in Assam’s Kamrup district on Monday evening, a day ahead of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to the state, police said.

The blasts took place at the crowded Gasbari daily market near Baihata Chariali.

Residents told police two motorcycle-riding youth lobbed two grenades at the market.

“A preliminary investigation indicated they were grenade blasts. We are yet to ascertain which militant outfit was involved,” police said.

All the injured were taken to a hospital.

–IANS

‘Ukrainian-like situation impossible in Belarus’

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said a Ukraine-like scenario would not take place in his country.

“Our military will carry out duty and tasks to maintain peace and stability in the country,” Xinhua quoted Lukashenko as saying Sunday during a meeting with top military and law-enforcement officials.

“We should not lose vigilance here. We should learn from other people’s mistakes and prevent even the slightest manifestations of instability in our country,” he added.

Gas dealers’ strike postponed by two months

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The proposed nationwide indefinite strike by cooking gas cylinder distributors scheduled to start Tuesday (Feb 25) has been postponed by two months, a top official said Monday.

“The strike has been postponed in view of the appointment of a high-powdered committee by the petroleum industry to review the MDG (marketing discipline guidelines) 2014, and jointly represent to the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, in a maximum 60 days,” said a statement by All India LPG Distributors Federation (AILDF) president Pratap Doshi.

US deputy Secretary of State to visit Ukraine

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US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will visit Ukraine amid prevailing uncertainty in the wake of a series of dramatic events over the weekend in the country, it was announced Monday.

Burns will be in Kiev from Tuesday to Wednesday to discuss US support for the country’s efforts to “secure a stable, democratic, inclusive, prosperous future,” Xinhua quoted the US State Department as saying in a statement.

Everything available in Pakistan, even n-bomb, said IM member: NIA

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Everything is available in Pakistan, even a nuclear bomb, if looked for properly, IM operative Riyaz Bhatkal told his cousin, arrested Indian Mujahideen member Yasin Bhatkal, during a chat, the NIA said Monday.

In a charge sheet filed in a Delhi court, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that Yasin Bhatkal and his cousin Riyaz, who is believed to be in Pakistan, had a conversation on June 1, 2013, during which Yasin asked if there was a way to procure nuclear bombs that could be used to attack Surat in Gujarat.

Awaiting jobs, Bengal’s empanelled teachers on relay fast

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Over 200 empanelled candidates in the West Bengal School Service Examination, 2012, are on a relay hunger strike for the past 19 days demanding job appointments.

The candidates have been protesting outside the office of the state School Service Commission (SSC) which conducts the examination and supervises the entire process till the appointment.

State Education Minister Bratya Basu Monday appealed to the protestors to call off their strike, saying 90 percent of them would get their appointments soon.

However, Basu also claimed the opposition was trying to politicise the issue.

Indian Mujahideen planned to attack Akshardham temple

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The Indian Mujahideen was planning to attack the Akshardham temple in the national capital and the army cantonment area in Pune, the NIA has said in a charge sheet filed against the outfit’s co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and three others.

According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge sheet filed Feb 20, data retrieved from laptops seized from Bhatkal and his aide Asadullah Akhtar, members of the Indian Mujahideen were carrying out reconnaissance of the Akshardham temple and Pune cantonment.

The NIA said the accused shared photographs of the temple on internet.

Jolt to Shiv Sena as its MP joins Congress

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In yet another pre-election jolt to the Shiv Sena, its influential MP from Shirdi, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, joined the Congress Monday.

Wakchaure crossed over at a public function in Shrirampur here.

Wakchaure becomes the third Shiv Sena MP to quit the party in the past weeks, sounding alarm bells in the opposition coalition, which comprises the Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Republican Party of India-Athavale. The two others joined the Nationalist Congress Party.

Chargesheet filed against Bhatkal, aide

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Delhi Police has filed its charge sheet in a local court against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co- founder Yasin Bhatkal and his associate Asadullah Akhtar for allegedly setting up an illegal arms factory here from where huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered.

The special cell of Delhi Police filed its supplementary charge sheet against Bhatkal and Akhtar before Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash who took cognisance of the final report and fixed the matter for further hearing on March 3.

KCR to remain in touch with Congress for developmental work on Telangana

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Amid speculations over a possible merger of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) with the Congress, party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao has said that he would remain in touch with the Congress for developmental work of Telangana, which is all set to become the 29th Indian state after Parliament approved the bill to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Rao has been at the forefront of the Telangana movement for the past 10 years.

Oldest man in the world from India, attributes his longevity to simple diet

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Born in 1896,the world”s oldest man, 118-year- old Premsai Patel, native of Korba village in Madhya Pradesh, attributed his long, healthy life to fresh green vegetables, pulses and a strict vegetarian diet A retired government teacher, Patel lives in Korba district of central Chhattisgarh state where he starts each day by reciting verses from the sacred Hindu scripture ”Ramcharitmanas” which he says ”purifies one”s body and the soul”.

Jennifer Lawrence appears sans-makeup in latest Dior campaign

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Jennifer Lawrence has posed bare-faced in her latest Dior campaign.

The 23-year-old Oscar-winning actress has posed almost make-up free in the latest shots for the fashion house’s spring collection and in one of the shots, she is seen covering her naked body with just a stylish pink handbag, the Daily Express reported.

The latest campaign has been shot by Patrick Demarchelier and Lawrence has been the face of the brand for the past two seasons. (ANI)

Airlines in fare war again, seats cheaper by up to 75%

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Low-cost carrier SpiceJet today triggered a third round of fare war by cutting ticket prices by a massive 75 per cent, a move which was soon followed by its rivals GoAir and IndiGo.

This is the third time in last one month that the Kalanithi Maran-promoted carrier has doled out enticing fares to customers, forcing the rivals to ape the move.

“Super Summer Sale’ offers up to 75 per cent off base fare plus fuel surcharge relative to last minute fares, for travel between April 1 and June 30,” SpiceJet said while announcing the scheme.

Muhammad Ali`s boxing gloves fetch 520k pounds

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Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves fetched a whopping price of 520,000 pounds at a recently held auction in New York. The boxing gloves worn by the former world heavyweight champion when he won his first world title from Sonny Liston, on February 25, 50 years ago, have been sold for 520,000 pounds, the Mirror reported.

Auction organizer Chris Ivy said that they had expected 300,000 pounds for the gloves; he said that the impressive result showed that Ali is a figure that transcends boxing. (ANI)

Vivek Oberoi wishes Narendra Modi should be the next Prime Minister

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Vivek Oberoi has revealed that he wants BJP’s Narendra Modi to swear in as the next Prime Minister of India. While flagging off the ‘Run for your country’ marathon, the 37-year-old said, “What I am seeing is that the entire team of BJP, be it volunteers or common people or the leaders have got so energized by Narendra Modi ji that if he becomes our Prime Minister and the dream of lakhs of people come true, you can imagine how much energy will be filled within our country”.

Shahid Kapoor wraps up ‘Haider’ shoot

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Shahid Kapoor has completed the schedule of his upcoming movie ‘Haider’ that was being shot in Kashmir. The ‘Kaminey’ actor tweeted that he has finished the entire schedule of his upcoming movie and had a great time in Kashmir and added that people there have big hearts and he will miss the local team specially. ‘Haider’, which is based on William Shakespeare’s drama ‘Hamlet’, is directed by Vishal Bhardwaj starring Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Tabu and is slated to release on 12th September, 2014. (ANI)

Ex-F1 racer David Coulthard dresses up like woman for charity

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Former F1 racer David Coulthard recently dressed up as a woman to raise money to fund a research into spinal cord injuries.

The 42-year-old TV commentator donned skin-tight golden leopard-print dress and make-up at a London ball for ‘Wings For Life’, the Daily Express reported.

Coulthard, who helped to raise 140,000 pounds, said that a spinal cord injury could happen to anyone and it is important to find a cure. (ANI)