Month: March 2014

Syrian army recaptures two towns near Lebanese border

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Syrian troops Saturday wrested back control over two strategic towns near its border with Lebanon, media reported.

Government troops have recaptured the towns of Ras al-Ma’ara and Flaita in the rugged al-Qalamoun region bordering northern Lebanon, about 80 km north of Damascus, eliminating armed militant groups and destroying their weaponries, Xinhua reported.

The victory is the latest in a string of successful operations the army has recently undertaken to dislodge rebels from the northern edge of Damascus near the Lebanese borders.

Minorities “apprehensive” about Modi becoming PM: BJP leader

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In remarks that are likely to embarrass BJP leadership in run-up to elections, senior party leader and Goa deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza today said minorities continue to be “apprehensive” about Narendra Modi becoming prime minister, even as he billed BJP the “most secular” party.

“The apprehension (about Modi becoming PM) was always there. It is still there,” D’Souza told a press conference at the party headquarters here.

“Minorities will have apprehensions (about Modi becoming PM),” he said responding to a query.

Sonia, Rahul to tour seven districts of Telangana

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Telangana Congress Campaign Committee chairman Damodar Rajanarasimha on Saturday informed that AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi would participate in the election campaign in Telangana in the last week of April.

Rahul warms up to mediapersons

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Ignoring the security cover after finishing his speech, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today mingled with assembled mediapersons near their enclosure about any problems faced by them during his maiden rally here.

Gandhi, who was here to campaign for his party’s nominee Raj Babbar, came down from the podium to have a chat with journalists at the Ramlila ground here.

“Since how long have you been here? Did you get drinking water? Was it bottled?” he asked a journalist.

As the journalist nodded affirmatively, he moved to talk to another mediaperson.

Governor asks officials to prepare clear CRS policy

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Governor ESL Narasimhan has directed the senior officials to prepare a clear and viable CSR policy for the State by which tangible benefits in health and education sectors flow to the people of the State. He also wanted that all necessary measures should be taken for the progress and sustainable development of the successor States as per the provisions of the AP State Reorganisation Act.

Sabir Ali’s inclusion in BJP was not a right step: Ramdev

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Amidst raging controversy over expelled JD(U) leader Sabir Ali’s joining BJP and subsequent annulment of his membership, yoga guru Baba Ramdev today said his inclusion in the saffron outfit was not a “right step”.

The yoga guru, however, clarified that it was his personal view.

Ramdev, who was here for a signature campaign on issues regarding Bharat Swabhiman Trust, told reporters that BJP should include people only with 100 per cent clean and nationalist image.

Hockey India to give aid to Afghanistan Hockey Federation

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With the aim of promoting hockey across the world, Hockey India (HI) took a strategic decision Saturday to provide aid to Afghanistan Hockey Federation.

The decision was taken in the 22nd board meeting of Hockey India held at Holiday Inn Hotel here Saturday.

Afghanistan Hockey Federation had requested for aid in a communique received early this month. HI board has agreed to send Hockey sticks, balls and goalkeeper pads to them.

Ponnam threatens to file case against Pawan

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Karimngar MP Ponnam Prabhakar has ridiculed the remarks of Jana Sena party president Pawan Kalyan against the Congress party and described them as immature comments.

Speaking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan here, Ponnam alleged that Pawan was making political statements without having any basic knowledge about the subject. He also ridiculed Pawan for praising BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. He also accused the BJP of using Pawan Kalyan to create confusion among the people.

Northeast parties stitch alliance with NDA

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Eleven major regional parties under the banner of North East Regional Parties Forum (NERPF) Saturday stitched an alliance with the BJP-led NDA for peace and development in the region.

“We (NERPF) have pledged our alliance with the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to ensure peace and development in the northeastern states. Everybody has witnessed the good work of the previous NDA government in terms of developing our backward region,” Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said.

Gavaskar briefed on IPL by Ranjib Biswal

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BCCI’s Interim President Sunil Gavaskar today met IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal who briefed the former Indian captain on “various aspects” related to the upcoming seventh edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 league.

“I had a meeting with Ranjib Biswal – chairman, IPL, and the management staff, in Dubai, earlier today. They briefed me on the various aspects related to the Pepsi IPL 2014, and updated me on the current status of this year’s season, which will commence on 16 April 2014 in the UAE,” Gavsakar said in a statement.

INTUC demands Congress tickets for next polls

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Nearly 500 activists of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) on Saturday staged a protest at Gandhi Bhavan demanding that the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee give tickets to INTUC in the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Northeast parties stitch alliance with NDA (Election Special)

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Eleven major regional parties under the banner of North East Regional Parties Forum (NERPF) Saturday stitched an alliance with the BJP-led NDA for peace and development in the region.

“We (NERPF) have pledged our alliance with the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to ensure peace and development in the northeastern states. Everybody has witnessed the good work of the previous NDA government in terms of developing our backward region,” Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said.

Palestinians hope prisoner release delay will be brief

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A senior Palestinian official said a release by Israel of Arab prisoners would not go ahead today as envisaged but he hoped there would only be short delay.

“Today the prisoners will not be released… Maybe in the coming days,” Issa Qaraqae, the minister of prisoner affairs, told AFP.

“There are efforts to solve the crisis and I believe that in 24 hours everything will be clearer.”

Mulayam to file nomination papers on Apr 22

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Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav will file his nomination papers from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat on April 22.

“The SP chief will come here and file his nomination papers on April 22,” senior party leader and Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Minister Balram Yadav, while addressing a gathering said here.

The SP supremo can also address an election meeting at the ITI ground here after filing his papers, Yadav added.

–PTI

IBL to be held in September

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Badminton Association of India (BAI) president Akhilesh Das Gupta said Saturday that the second edition of the Indian Badminton League (IBL) will be held in September.

“The IBL will be held in September this year. Like last year, it will take place after the World Championships,” Das Gupta told IANS here.

Last year too, the inaugural edition of the IBL was held after the Worlds in August, which was won by the Saina Nehwal-led Hyderabad Hotshots.

A 26-year-old woman gang-raped

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A woman, age 26-year-old was allegedly gang raped by the owner of a garment factory and his associate in east Delhi’s Gandh Nagar area on Thursday night. The duo was arrested early on Friday.

For the past few months, the victim had been working at a garments factory in the area as a tailor. Though married for four years, she had been living separately from her husband in Vishwas Nagar.

She was leaving after work for home with a female colleague at around 10 pm on Friday when the Devender, 31, and Sanjay, 39, called her back to the factory, she said in her statement to police.

Rahul’s balloon will burst too, not just Modi’s: CPI

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Joining issue with Rahul Gandhi who flayed the Gujarat development model as a “new heavier balloon” filled with “gas”, CPI today said there were hardly any differences in the economic policies of both Congress and BJP and such ‘balloon stories’ are not of any use and cannot resurrect the country.

–PTI

Kejriwal asks party workers not to take law into hands

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Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal today asked his supporters not to take law into their own hands while dealing with anti-social elements.

He made this comment while addressing party workers here in an apparent reference to last evening’s incident at Charkhi Dardi in Bhiwani district where supporters thrashed a person for hitting the party convener on his neck during campaigning.

The former Delhi Chief Minister said the thrashing of the youth was wrong. “I am hurt by the reaction of AAP supporters,” he said.

SSLC language papers easy, says students

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The first day of the SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) examinations on Friday was a piece of cake for students with many of them looking forward to secure very high marks in their first language paper.

Venkatesh R, a student of Kerala Niketan School, is also hopeful to score around 90 marks in English. “It was an easy paper. I am worried about the Hindi exam now,” said Venkatesh.

Revealed: How Mars lost its reservoir of water

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As scientists the world over are excited about the presence of water on Mars, a new research on meteorites reveals how the water vanished from the Martian surface.

The large amounts of water escaped into space within the first half-billion years of Mars’ existence while remaining water froze and may have formed reservoirs of ice still hidden below the surface, a promising study shows.

“The new study now strengthens the case that huge amounts of ice remain hidden on Mars,” lead author Hiroyuki Kurokawa of Nagoya University in Japan was quoted as saying.

Yousuf agrees to join Pak”s new national selection committee

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Former Pakistani Test captain Mohammad Yousuf has reportedly agreed to join the new national selection committee for cricket. The committee will reportedly take charge from April 1, with Rashid Latif as the chairman of the new national selection committee. According to The Nation, a source said that Latif had recommended the name of Yousuf to work with him in the new committee as a national selector and also agreed to the nomination of former Test batsman Haroon Rasheed as a co-opted member.

Congess will be wiped out in LS polls: Badal

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Accusing the Congress-led UPA government of “failing miserably” on all fronts, Punjab Chief Minister and SAD supremo Parkash Singh Badal today said the party would be “wiped out” in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

“As Congress has failed miserably on all fronts including price rise, unemployment, internal and external security, and economy, it will be voted out of power in the coming Lok Sabha elections,” Badal told reporters here today.

He charged the Congress-led UPA government with doing nothing during its 10-year tenure for alleviating poverty in the country.

Don’t write Congress off, says Antony

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Defence Minister A.K.Antony Saturday contended that the electoral prospects for the Congress-led UPA have brightened and a third stint in power is a possibility for the combine.

“Please don’t write us off…. people’s line of thought is there for us and there’s every possibility for a third UPA government as the graph of the Congress now has risen.

“Moreover there are internal problems in the BJP and Indians want a united India because voting for (BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra) Modi means the country would disintegrate,” said Antony while interacting with reporters here.

Ex Pak cricketers welcome Gavaskar’s appointment as BCCI chief

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Former Pakistan captain and coach, Waqar Younis has welcomed the appointment of batting legend Sunil Gavaskar as the BCCI interim chairman for IPL affairs and said this appeared to be the first step towards cricketers playing a more prominent role in administration.

“It is good news because I have always believed that cricketers should look after the game the world over because they understand the sport better,” Waqar said on PTV sports.