Month: April 2014

Cong has accepted defeat as it plans to support Third Front: Modi

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BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today said Congress has already accepted defeat as the party plans to support a Third Front government at the Centre to keep him out of the race.

The 63-year-old Gujarat Chief Minister was speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Gandhinagar constituency of party veteran L K Advani.

Skirting a direct reply to a question on attacks by Priyanka Gandhi on him, Modi said, “Congress has accepted defeat as it is now saying that it will support the Third Front to keep me out of race.

Servant not the ruler deserves your vote

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The polling day has arrived. For the past several days people listened to the speeches of political leaders belonging to various parties and learnt about their programmes and agendas. Every candidate and every party made lofty claims to lure voters.

IMPORTANCE OF HONESTY IN ISLAM

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Islam commands the Muslims to be honest to himself and to others. This order recurrently comes in the Noble Qur’an and the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). Islam orders the Muslim to tell the truth even if it is against the ones own interest. Islam orders him not to cheat or betray other people. A Muslim is ordered by Allah to be truthful in his words and deeds, privately and publicly alike.

‘Indian election getting more attention in the US than ever’

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India’s general election is getting more attention in the US than ever before, a former top American diplomat who played a key role in revival of Indo-US ties after India’s 1998 nuclear tests, has said.

“My impression is that this election in India is getting more attention in the United States than any other in a very long time,” Strobe Talbott, president of the leading American think-tank Brookings Institute told a Washington audience at a panel discussion on Indian elections.

China owes its progress to its leadership quality: Jaishankar

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China owes its progress mostly to its leadership quality, Indian Ambassador to the US S Jaishankar, who earlier had a diplomatic stint in Beijing, said on Tuesday.

Jaishankar made the remarks during his key note address at the Washington launch of the book – “Re-Imagining India- Unlocking the potential of Asia’s next super power”.

Jaishankar lauded China’s leadership saying, “China, where I was till recently, to my mind, owes its progress most to its leadership quality. Not surprisingly, it has most serious leadership training programme today.”

People at large will stop criminals in politics: Aamir Khan

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Bollywood actor Aamir Khan today expressed sadness over the trend of political parties giving tickets to candidates with criminal background considering their winnability, but expressed hope that people at large would stop voting for criminals.

“Political parties give tickets to people with criminal background because they want one seat in the Lok Sabha. The same people later sit in Parliament and decide laws of our country,” Khan said.

Chiranjeevi breaks queue, left embarrassed

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Union minister and Congress leader K. Chiranjeevi had to face some embarrassing moments at a polling station here Wednesday as a voter raised an objection when he broke the queue.

A voter stopped the actor-turned-politician and his family members when they tried to walk into the polling centre even as others were standing in the queue. The superstar was taken aback when a voter told him that he can’t have a special treatment in a polling centre.

Pakistani journalists live under constant threats: Amnesty

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Pakistani journalists live under constant threat of being killed, harassment and other violence from all sides, including intelligence services, political parties and armed groups like the Taliban, the Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday.

“A bullet has been chosen for you: Attacks on journalists in Pakistan” describes how the Pakistani authorities have almost completely failed to stem human rights abuses against media persons or to bring those responsible for such account.

Editors appeal to vote for Dr. Qayam Khan

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Dr. Qayam Khan real public servant, say the editors. Mr. Mirza Rayees Hasan Afandi editor Blizzard Daily, Mr. Mir Muzaffar Ali Adeem editor Din ba Din daily, Mr. Syed Ismail Naseeruddin editor Voice of Hyderabad, Mr. Karar Husain editor Faani Faani, Mr. Syed Mahmood Ali editor Straight Forward fortnightly, Mr. Shaker Ahmed editor Qalam ki Pukar, in a joint statement appealed voters of Chandrayangutta assembly constituency to cast their vote in favour of Dr. Qayam Khan and elect him with thumping majority to bring political change for development and prosperity of the area.

India-US ties important for India’s development: Envoy

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Calling the India-US relationship “an important factor in the future development of India”, Ambassador S. Jaishankar says the relationship is awaiting “its next quantum leap patiently.”

The Indian envoy was speaking Tuesday at the launch of the book “Reimagining India: Unlocking the Potential of Asia’s Next Super Power” by McKinsey & Company at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

Are exoplanets mimicking signs of life when there is none?

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Are astronomers being fooled by signs of life on exoplanets? This may well be the case if we believe a significant research, suggesting that the search for life on planets outside our solar system may be more difficult than previously thought.

The presence of multiple chemicals such as methane and oxygen in an exoplanet’s atmosphere is considered an example of a biosignature, or evidence of past or present life.

The researchers at University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) discovered that a lifeless planet with a lifeless moon can mimic the same results as a planet with a biosignature.

Three leftists killed in Philippines

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Three suspected members of a leftist rebel group were killed in a clash with government troops in southern Philippines Wednesday , a military official said.

Captain Ernest Carolina of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division said the gun battle happened in a forested area in Montevista town.

Carolina said no one from the government side was killed or injured.

The 4,000-strong New People’s Army, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is fighting a leftist insurgency since 1969.

———–IANS

Voting begins in Daman and Diu

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Voting for the lone parliamentary constituency of Daman and Diu began Wednesday, officials said.

Just four candidates are in the fray. Balloting is taking place at 119 polling stations.

As many as 102,260 electors are eligible to exercise their franchise in the union territory.

—————-IANS

Eddie Redmayne to star in sex-change drama

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English actor Eddie Redmayne is teaming up with “Les Miserables” helmer Tom Hooper once again for an adaptation of sex-change drama “The Danish Girl”.

This is their first film after the 2012 musical blockbuster.

The movie’s screenplay, adapted by Lucinda Coxon, is based on David Ebershoff’s 2001 book of the same name about the real-life love story of Danish painters Einar Wegener and his wife Gerda, reports contactmusic.com.

Zanetti to retire when season ends

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Inter president Erik Thohir said Javier Zanetti will retire at the end of the season to join the club management as a director.

He said Inter discussed with Zanetti about his future over the past few months and the Argentine has agreed to stop playing, reported Xinhua.

“The meetings with Zanetti have been going on over the last couple of months to know his vision. The discussion is already done, he’ll become part of the management,” he said Wednesday.

The captain just recovered from a leg injury and played in Inter’s 0-0 draw with Napoli last week.

————IANS

Bihar votes for Lok Sabha, assembly

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Lok Sabha polls for seven seats of Bihar and bypoll for one state assembly seat began Wednesday, officials said.

Prominent candidates include Sharad Yadav, Hukum Deo Narain Yadav, Ali Ashraf Fatmi, Kirti Azad, and Pappu Yadav.

As many as 94 candidates are in the fray for the Lok Sabha polls in Madhepura, Jhanjharpur, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Begusarai and Khagaria.

By-poll is being held for the Sahebpur Kamal assembly seat in Begusarai district. Former minister Parveen Amanullah resigned from the seat and joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli votes for Lok Sabha

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Voting began Wednesday for the lone parliamentary constituency in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, officials said.

Natubhai Gomanbhai Patel, sitting MP and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, faces Delkar Mohanbhai Sanjibhai of the Congress, Khulat Janiyabhai Chandubhai of the Nationalist Congress Party and Chhotubhai Babubhai Patel of the Aam Aadmi Party.

As many as 188,783 electors, including 46.63 percent women, are eligible to decide the fate of 11 candidates.

A total of 26.33 percent electors are in the 18-25 age group.

Unfulfilled promises of crores of developmental work

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In a grand function on May 9, 2003, at Kamatipura dispensary, foundation stone was laid for 30 bed hospital. The foundation tablet still exists here however the hospital not even has a single bed.

A renovation project of magnificent heritage building of Nizamia Unani Tibbi College (Charminar Shifakhana) began on February 3, 2011 with the cost of 3.5 crore. The work is unfinished even after 3 years.

Modi votes, clicks selfie, attacks Congress

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BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Wednesday cast his vote, clicked a selfie and criticised the Congress, saying the time is up for the “mother-son” government.

Taking a dig at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi, Modi said that he can give a first person account and say that this elections will ensure that the Congress will be ousted from power and that a new and strong government will come to power.

Polling underway for first election in Telangana

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Voting is underway for 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 state assembly seats in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh amid tight security Wednesday, officials said.

Balloting is taking place at 30,574 polling booths across 10 districts of Telangana including Hyderabad.

More than 28.17 million electors are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first election in Telangana since parliament passed a bill in February for separate statehood to the region.

As many as 265 candidates are in the fray for the Lok Sabha and 1,669 for the assembly constituencies.

Voting begins in Punjab, good turnout in rural areas

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Voters queued up at polling booths across Punjab in good numbers Wednesday as polling started on all 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state in a single phase, officials said.

As many as 253 candidates are in the fray.

People could be seen queuing up at some polling stations even before the official opening time of 7 a.m. The voter turnout was good in rural areas.

Balloting is being held at 22,060 polling booths where more than 19.5 million people are eligible to vote.

Storms leave 35 dead in US, thousands without power

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As severe storms swept across South and Central America, at least 35 people were left dead and tens of thousands remained without power even as forecasters downgraded the threat to the eastern half of US.

Some storm risks remain, including the possibility of large hail, damaging winds and flash flooding in portions of the South and East Coast, National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Centre said Tuesday night.

Brisk polling in Gujarat

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Polling started on a brisk note in most of Gujarat’s 26 Lok Sabha seats Wednesday with long queues witnessed at some places even before the polling stations opened.

According to state election officials, an average of 8-10 percent voting has been recorded in the first two hours since polling started 7 a.m., with large turnout in Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Anand, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Bardoli.

A total of 334 candidates, including many bigwigs, are in the fray.

Villagers defy boycott call as Srinagar votes

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Villagers Wednesday defied a separatist boycott call, while voters in cities and towns mostly stayed away from polling stations as balloting began in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Barely 15 votes were cast at two polling stations in Ganderbal district’s Kangan town in the first one hour of polling.

In contrast, 50 votes had been cast at the Wussan polling station during the first half an hour despite the fact that voters said separatists pasted posters in the village threatening them with dire consequences.

Hot day ahead in Delhi

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It will be a hot Wednesday in Delhi and the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 42 degrees Celsius, said the Met Office.

“The sky will remain mainly clear throughout the day,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department.

The day’s minimum temperature settled at 22.8 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season’s average.

Humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 37 percent.