Month: April 2014

AAP popularity rattling BJP in Varanasi, claims Kejriwal

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader chief Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a violent and rattled state because of his party”s decision to field him from Varanasi against Narendra Modi. “In the last week, in Varanasi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has gained in terms of popularity. This has rattled the BJP, that”s why goons from the BJP started assaulting us. Initially, they started attacking me with stones, eggs and throwing ink, although, that doesn”t bother me. But now, they have resorted to attacking general public.

HC dismisses Ramdev trust’s plea for holding yoga camps in

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The Allahabad high court on Tuesday dismissed a writ petition filed by yoga guru Ramdev’s trust challenging refusal of permission to organise yoga camps in Amethi.

The Lucknow bench of the high court, comprising Justice Sunil Ambawani and Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, passed the orders on the petition filed by Bharat Swabhimaan Trust.

The petitioner challenged the orders of sub divisional magistrates of Amethi, Tiloi and Musafirkhana refusing permission to organise camps at the mentioned places on different dates.

Kakinada will be developed as infotech hub: Pallam Raju

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Congress Kakinada Lok Sabha constituency nominee and Union Minister for Human Resources Development M M Pallam Raju said here today that Kakinada would be developed as an information technology hub.

“We are planning to develop Kakinada as an information technology hub to generate employment for locals. This will help development of the industrial sector with available human resources in the district,” Pallam Raju said.

Fate of Modi, Sonia and other top guns to be decided tomorrow

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The whole of Gujarat and Punjab goes to polls tomorrow in the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections along with some seats in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar that will decide the fate of top guns including Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi, L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

Telangana, the new state-to-be, will also elect its first assembly along with representatives to Parliament when elections will be held in 119 Assembly constituencies and 17 Lok Sabha seats in that part of Andhra Pradesh.

Progress in Palestinian reconciliation soon: Abbas

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that the next few days will witness concrete steps for implementing a recent reconciliation deal between the Fatah party and the Hamas movement.

“We will start to implement what we have agreed upon during the upcoming few days,” Xinhua quoted Abbas telling a meeting held to mark the founding of Jerusalem Fund in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The steps, he said, will include the formation of a technocratic government and later setting dates for general elections.

North Korea warns of ‘new form of n-test’

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North Korea Tuesday threatened to carry out “a new form of nuclear test” in response to US President Barack Obama’s Asia tour.

“The DPRK (North Korea) will advance along the road of bolstering up nuclear deterrent, unhindered, now that the US brings the dark clouds of a nuclear war to hang over the DPRK,” Xinhua quoted a spokesperson of the North Korean foreign ministry as saying in a statement.

Kerry asks NATO members to raise defense budget

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US Secretary of State John Kerry Tuesday urged NATO members to boost their spending on defense in response to what he called Russia’s efforts to change the “security landscape” of East and Central Europe.

Describing the events in Ukraine as a “wake-up call,” the top American envoy cautioned that “We cannot continue to allow allied defense budgets to shrink,” a refrain repeated oftentimes by U.S. officials over the years, Xinhua reported.

UN condemns attacks on aid convoy in C.A.R.

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The UN Tuesday condemned a deadly attack on an 18-truck humanitarian convoy, relocating 1,300 Muslims to safety in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR), which killed two people and injured six.

“The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic ( MINUSCA), as well as the senior humanitarian coordinator and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), have condemned the attack yesterday on a humanitarian convoy transporting to safety members of the Muslim community,” Xinhua quoted UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric as saying at a daily news briefing here.

US, EU sanctions defy common sense: Russia

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The US and European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis defy “all common sense”, visiting Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov said here Tuesday.

Lavrov, who is here to meet with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez, said, “We reject any type of sanctions, especially those sanctions adopted by the United States and the European Union against all common sense, regarding events in the Ukraine”, Xinhua reported.

Iran says its defence power no threat to neighbours

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Iran’s growing military power is not a threat to any country, including its neighbours, the Iranian government said Tuesday, amid reports that the US is partnering with Gulf Arab states to counter the Islamic republic.

“Iran’s defensive might is rather a guarantee for peace and stability in the region,” Xinhua quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham as saying while reacting over the reports that the US and Arab states in the Persian Gulf region are cooperating against Iran’s “missile threats”.

George Clooney engaged, dad thrilled

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Actor George Clooney’s father Nick Clooney is happy that his son is all set to marry British lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

Nick praised his son’s fiancee by calling her a “wonderful young woman” and said that he couldn’t be happier that his son will walk down the aisle again, reports contactmusic.com.

The actor was married to actress Talia Balsam in 1989 and called off his marriage in 1993.

UNSC lifts diamond embargo on Cote d’Ivoire

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The UN Security Council (UNSC) Tuesday renewed targetted sanctions on Cote d’Ivoire for another year.

It,however, lifted the diamond embargo and eased the arms embargo while making a distinction between lethal and non-lethal arms, Xinhua reported.

Recognising the overall progress and efforts made by Cote d’ Ivoire in stabilising the security situation and the economic recovery, a resolution adopted by the 15-nation body determined that the situation in the African country continues to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region.

Gunmen storm Libyan parliament, disrupts PM election

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A group of gunmen stormed the Libyan parliament Tuesday afternoon, disrupting the session to elect a new prime minister.

The gunmen dashed into the parliament hall when the interim parliament, General National Congress (GNC), was in a second round to select a new prime minister to substitute ousted Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, Xinhua reported.

Local TV footages showed that the gunmen fired several rounds, leaving some wounded. Some lawmakers were running away from the parliament building.

Royals win in Super Over with more boundaries

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The Rajasthan Royals clinched an exciting win in a thrilling Super Over finish based on the total number of boundaries and sixes hit during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here Tuesday.

Nadiadwala wraps up Poland schedule of ‘Kick’

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Bollywood filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala Monday wrapped up the Poland schedule of his directorial debut “Kick”.

The two-week schedule saw Nadiadwala canning the action-oriented climax with lead actors Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Randeep Hooda.

“Kick” has daredevil action, the hallmark of Salman’s films these days. For instance, the Bollywood superstar had to jump from the tallest building in Warsaw, the Palace of Culture.

In another scene, a bus will be crashing from the Gdanski Bridge into the Warsaw river. Then, there is a helicopter crash.

Need to address Hepatitis C, drug use: experts

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There was an urgent need to address issues like Hepatitis-C and adolescent drug use to prevent spread of HIV/AIDS, experts said Tuesday.

At a two-day meeting of North East Harm Reduction Networks (NEHRN) here, the experts also concluded the draft drug policy needed to be brought in fast.

Activists, recovering drug users, people living with HIV and representatives of NGOs and government departments participated in the programme.

Satire show targets US media for ignoring Indian election

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A video of British comic John Oliver taking a swipe at the American media for ignoring India’s election, “the largest democratic exercise in the world and in history,” has gone viral.

The premiere of Oliver’s new HBO news satire show, “Last Week Tonight” Sunday featured a ten minute segment starting with a clip of debates on American news channels about the Indian elections.

Here a guest is seen saying: “India is not even in the same hemisphere and there’s no point of discussing it.”

MIM might extend support to TRS in Chevella Lok Sabha Constituency

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The support of the minorities and the MIM party is expected to play an important and leading role in the success of the candidate to wrest the Chevella Parliamentary Constituency in the quadrangular contest in tomorrow’s crucial polling.

The Chevella Lok Sabha seat was won by the Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy in the 2009 elections and in the current elections he opted to enter the election from his native district of Mahabubnagar.

Modi, Naidu, Pawan to campaign in Seemandhra on May 1

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BJP is to begin its campaign in Seemandhra with its Prime Ministerial candidate and Gujrat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address a public meeting at Bhimavaram in West Godavari district on May 1. The tour of Modi assumes significance as he is to begin his campaign in Seemandhra just a day after general elections in Telangana. TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Chief and actor Pawan Kalyan are likely to participate in the meeting. TDP has alliance with the BJP and Naidu was seen participating in Modi’s campaign in Telangana recently.

Trace Modi’s wife: Letter asks CJI, Delhi CJ

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An advocate from Meerut has written a letter to the Chief Justice of India and Delhi High Court Chief Justice seeking their intervention for the “safety and security” of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s wife Jashodaben, alleging she has been “wrongfully confined at some unknown place”.

“It is seriously apprehended that she has been wrongfully confined by certain anti-social elements in collusion with top-level Gujarat security personnel,” said the letter written to Supreme Court Chief Justice R.M. Lodha and Chief Justice G. Rohini.

Jagan targets Chandrababu naidu

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YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has questioned as to why Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu had not implemented welfare schemes he had promised during his tenure.
Addressing a gathering at Gannavaram as part of his election campaign in the Seemandhra region, Jagan claimed that people never believed Chandrababu Naidu who scrapped all welfare schemes launched by his predecessor and TDP founder late N T Rama Rao, who had also founded the TDP.

11 IPS officials to monitor Elections in T

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Even as Election Commission has made all arrangement to ensure free and fair polling of Phase One General Elections 2014 in 10 Telangana districts, 11 IPS offices as District In-Charges would monitor the security arrangements for polling on April 30.
DGP Prasada Rao has issued orders in this regard and the officials will take up the responsibility in smooth conduct of the general elections. They will monitor the elections in the capacity of District in-charges. (NSS)

Police gears up for 1st phase of Polling

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The Andhra Pradesh Police is fully geared up for conducting the elections in 17 Parliamentary Constituencies and 119 Assembly Constituencies on April 30 in Telangana.
According to a press release issued by DGP office, police department has taken all measures for maintenance of law and order in the run-up to the first phase of General Elections on April 30 in 10 districts of Telangana, which also comprised of two police commissionerates – Hyderabad and Cyberabad.

Closure of HMDA Parks tomorrow

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“It is notified for information of the General Public that, the NTR Gardens, Lumbini Park, including Laser Show, and Sanjeevaiah Park will be closed on 30-04-2014 (Wednesday) on account of General Elections. Consequently, there will be no activities in the area of the Parks”(NSS)

Governor permits prosecution of 32 Excise inspectors

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Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan has taken a serious view over the nexus between the excise officials and liquor syndicate in the state and granted permission to the ACB for the prosecution of 32 Excise Inspectors.
The AC B authorities sought permission of the Governor for prosecuting the excise inspectors who were charged of colluding with the liquor syndicate. Cases were registered against as many as 180 excise and police for colluding with the liquor syndicate. However the files regarding these were gathering dust with the state government for the last one year.