Month: April 2014

TDP is actually ‘Telugu Destruction Party’: Brinda Karat

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In a scathing attack on Telugu Desam Party-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat said the TDP actually stands for ‘Telugu Destruction Party’ since it has paved the way for communal forces to gain ground in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to reporters while campaigning for the Gajuwaka CPM contestant Narasinga Rao, Karat attacked BJP as well as Congress, alleging that both parties are two sides of the same coin and that the country deserved an alternative which the CPM could provide.

Pak to cut off power supply to PM office, Prez House over dues

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Electricity supply to 18 key government buildings in Pakistan, including the President House and the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, was today ordered to be disconnected for non-payment of bills running into several crores.

Power supply to Parliament Lodges and the official residence of the Chief Justice was also ordered to be disconnected.

Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali issued the order and said electricity connections to all institutions and individual consumers who have not paid their bills will be disconnected.

Indonesia says ready to host 2019 Asian Games

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A top sports official of Indonesia Tuesday confirmed that the country will officially express its readiness to host the 18th Asian Games in 2019 during the visit of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) May 5.

“The team of OCA will visit Indonesia May 5 and see if we are ready. We will express our readiness to host the games,” Indonesian Youth and Sport Minister Roy Suryo said, reports Xinhua.

The Minister added that Indonesia has received the offer from the Asian sport governing body, OCA after Vietnam gave up their hosting rights for the regional games due to economic reasons.

Five Netai massacre accused arrested from Hyderabad

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The West Bengal CID arrested from Hyderabad five accused of the infamous Netai massacre case of 2011, in which CPI(M) activists allegedly fired upon innocent villagers killing nine persons, and produced them in a West Midnapore district court today.

The five accused, including the one from whose house bullets were allegedly fired, were given transit remand for a day by the West Midnapore CJM’s court and would be produced before the Jhargram ACJM’s court where the case is committed.

Ornithologist falls to death from Kerala peak

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A 52-year-old ornithologist from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History in Tamil Nadu died when he slipped and fell from a peak in the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, police said Tuesday.

S. Bhupathy, head of the department of conservation ecology at the Salim Ali Centre in Coimbatore, fell from the 1,868-metre Agasthyarkoodam peak located within the sanctuary in the Western Ghats.

Officials from the Neyyar Dam police station told IANS that the incident occurred Monday afternoon.

Priyanka questions Modi’s ‘childish behaviour’

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Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Tuesday hit out at BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and questioned his “childish behaviour” in calling Rahul Gandhi by different names.

“Sometimes he compares Rahul to an actor, sometimes calls him ‘namuna’ (sad example) and sometimes ‘shehzada’ (prince). You (Modi) aspire to become prime minister, why are you getting into such childish behaviour,” said Priyanka Gandhi, who is campaigning here for her brother and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

Imran Khan-backed T20 league gets PCB nod

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Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been given the green signal by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to organise a Twenty20 league next month.

A PCB spokesman said that the organisers have been given a No-Objection Certificate (NOC), revealed the Express Tribune.

The league named ‘Love Pakistan Peace Cricket League 2014’ is expected to be played across five cricketing centres including Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar between May 3-18.

Jindal Steel Q4 net drops 28 percent

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Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) Tuesday announced a 28 percent drop in consolidated net profit of Rs.402.5 crore for the fourth quarter ended-March due to higher depreciation and interest as well as lower sales.

The company had posted a Rs.562 crore net profit for the same quarter in the previous fiscal.

“Net profit is down because of a variety of reasons such as higher depreciation and interest and a planned shutdown in our Raigarh plant,” JSPL chief executive Ravi Uppal said.

India-born Rajeev Suri named Nokia CEO

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Finnish technology giant Nokia Tuesday named India-born Rajeev Suri as its chief executive officer (CEO).

“As Nokia opens this new chapter, the Nokia Board and I are confident that Rajeev is the right person to lead the company forward,” said Risto Siilasmaa, chairman of the Nokia board of directors, in a statement Tuesday.

Aus exploration company says it may have found missing MH370

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An Australian marine exploration firm today claimed that it has found the wreckage of the crashed Malaysian jet in the Bay of Bengal, 5,000 km away from the current search location in the Indian Ocean.

Adelaide-based GeoResonance yesterday said it had begun its own search for the missing flight MH370 on March 10, the Star newspaper reported.

Iraq election necessary to end crisis: deputy PM

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Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq stressed the necessity of parliamentary election in the country to get out of the current crisis situation, a media report said Tuesday.

“If Iraqis go to vote, Iraq will change and if they don’t, the country will stay as it is now and will worsen. The future of Iraq solely depends on these elections,” al-Mutlaq told Xinhua.

Mutlaq leads the secular Iraqiya coalition, which consists of the National Iraqi Dialogue Front and eight other entities and has many supporters in Sunni areas.

Pawan Kalyan booked for remarks against TRS chief

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A case was today registered against Jana Sena president and Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan for his alleged derogatory comments against TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, police said.

The case was registered in Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh against.

Based on a private complaint, a local court in Nizamabad had yesterday directed the police to probe the matter. Accordingly, Dichpally police booked a case against Pawan Kalyan under relevant sections of the IPC, Police Inspector Venkateshwarlu said.

Five securitymen shot dead in Pakistan by bank robbers

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At least five security personnel and a robber were killed in an exchange of fire Tuesday in Pakistan, a media report said. Four others were injured in the firing.

The security officials fired at armed robbers who had looted money from a private bank located in Mastung bazar, in Balochistan, and were fleeing, Dawn online reported.

The robbers retaliated to the firing by the security officials and a fire fight followed.

An assistant commissioner and a deputy superintendent of police were among those injured.

The police have arrested two robbers.
(IANS)

BJP demands white paper on Trinamool’s Saradha connections

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Condemning the Trinamool Congress for launching personal attacks on its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, the BJP Tuesday demanded a white paper on West Bengal ruling party’s connection with the Saradha chit fund scam.

Interacting with media persons here, Bharatiya Janata Party state unit chief Rahul Sinha sought to know why the Trinamool was rattled by the questions regarding sale of party chief Mamata Banerjee’s paintings for a whopping price and demanded it come clean on the chit fund scam.

Cristiano is TAG Heuer brand ambassador

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World’s leading watchmaker TAG Heuer has signed up football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as its brand ambassador.

“TAG Heuer is by far the best at what it does and has been for more than 150 years. No other luxury brand has such strong ties to the highest levels of sports. It is incredibly glamorous yet also so unconventional, and we share exactly the same determination: to totally change the game, push the limits and make our own rules. It is a great honour to be a part of such a powerful and pioneering legacy,” said Cristiano.

Con man dupes cash van gunman of Rs.15 lakh

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A con man duped a security guard of a cash collection van of Rs.15 lakh outside a mall here, police said Tuesday.

A cash collection van of a private firm was parked outside the Lifestyle Mall on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road.

Gunman Yogesh was guarding the van while the other staff of the cash collecting firm were collecting money from traders inside the mall.

“A con man told gunman Yogesh that some cash was lying near the van. Yogesh got down from the van and started picking up the currency which was in Rs.10 notes and amounted totally to Rs.250,” said a senior police officer.

Trinamool MP apologises for ‘development for votes’ remark

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Trinamool Congress MP and Bengali film actress Satabdi Roy tendered an unconditional apology to the Election Commission after it slapped a show cause notice for her speech, poll officials said Tuesday.

The commission had Monday issued notice to Roy following her address at a party rally in West Bengal’s Birbhum district where she stated that priority for development will be given to those areas from which she corners the maximum number of votes.

Telecom tribunal allows 3G roaming pacts

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The Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) Tuesday allowed telecom service providers to provide 3G services beyond their licensed areas, quashing an earlier decision by the government.

The DoT issued notice to telecom operators asking them to stop 3G inter-circle roaming service. It also had put a cumulative penalty of around Rs.1,200 crore, which TDSAT quashed.

Fire on ‘Devon Ke Dev Mahadev’ set, no injuries

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A fire broke out on one of the sets of Life OK’s mythological show “Devon Ke Dev Mahadev” Tuesday afternoon, but “no one suffered any injuries”, said a statement from the channel.

The fire broke on the sets put up at Naigaon here around 1 p.m. Five fire engines tried to control the blaze.

“It is unfortunate that such an incident occurred on one of our sets in Mumbai earlier today. As a responsible channel, we ensured a timely and smooth evacuation and we are grateful that no one suffered any injuries,” said the statement from the channel.

SC appoints third arbitrator in RIL gas dispute case

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The Supreme Court Tuesday appointed Australia’s Justice (retd.) Michael Hudson McHugh to chair the arbitration proceedings in disputes between Reliance Industries and the Indian government over the shortfall in gas production in the KG basin and its consequential implications.

A bench headed by Justice Surinder Singh Nijjar named Justice McHugh as the third arbitrator, and the chairman of the arbitration panel after the earlier former Australian judge James Jacob Spigelman had to be withdrawn as his name figured in the list of names suggested by the RIL as possible third arbitrator.

Modi gave away ecologically sensitive land for factory: Congress

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The Congress Tuesday alleged that BJP leader Narendra Modi gave away ecologically sensitive land in Gujarat to a detergent company.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference Tuesday that Modi in 2007 allocated 8,500 acres of land to a detergent company to set up a cement factory in Bhavnagar district.

“Of the total 8,500 acres, 1,000 acres belonged to a reservoir,” said Singhvi.

Not worried about becoming a fat slob: Ed Sheeran

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Singer Ed Sheeran isn’t worried about becoming a “fat slob” because he thinks his records aren’t sold on his looks.

The “Sing” hitmaker will release his second album “X” later this year and believes that his appearance has nothing to do with his success and that he doesn’t have to watch his weight, reports contactmusic.com.

“I don’t think I’ve ever sold records based on my looks, which is positive, because it means that even if I do become a fat slob when I’m older, it won’t matter,” said Sheeran.

Attacks on northeast people, threat to society: President

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Expressing sadness over attacks on youths from the northeastern region in the national capital, President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday said the “pluralistic character” of the country must not be weakened.

“It is unfortunate that the capital city of Delhi had some time back witnessed certain tragic incidents of attacks on young people from the northeast,” Mukherjee said at the 14th convocation of Manipur University here.

Join hands for a better tomorrow: President to Manipuri youth

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Asserting that societies flourish only in an “atmosphere free from violence”, President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday asked the youth from Manipur to “join hands” with the rest of India in “forging the future of the nation”.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of Manipur University here, Mukherjee said India was proud of the achievements of the young men and women of Manipur.

However, people should realise that peace was important for development, he said.

Congress, BJP colluding on corruption: Kejriwal

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday claimed that both the Congress and the BJP are colluding on corruption, and also questioned as to why key leaders of both parties, such as Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, had opted not to address election rallies in contesting constituencies Varanasi, Vadodara, Rae Bareli and Amethi.

Addressing a news conference here, Kejriwal alleged that the leaderships of both parties have reached an understanding not to campaign in respective constituencies.