BJP today slammed Congress for questioning the appointment of Amit Shah as its chief, saying it reflects “frustration” of the Opposition party which is “still reeling under” the defeat of the Lok Sabha polls.
BJP said Congress should “look inwards” and conduct an “introspection” into why it lost the elections and “wake up Rahul Gandhi who is sleeping” rather than interfering in the affairs of other parties.
India has earned around 40 million euros launching 15 foreign satellites from 2011 till date, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Jitendra Singh – who is also minister for Earth sciences, department of atomic energy and department of space, said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched 15 foreign satellites and 14 Indian satellites during fiscal years 2011-2014 and in this fiscal.
He said the revenue earned through launch of foreign satellites was 39.82 million euros.
Opening batsman Murali Vijay got his maiden overseas Test century to guide India to a competitive 259 for four on the first day of the first Test against England at Trent Bridge here Wednesday.
Vijay was unbeaten on 122 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on 50 as India pulled back things in their favour in the third session of the game.
Opting to bat first, India made a good start scoring 106 runs in the first session.
But England struck back in the second by picking two quick wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara (38) and Virat Kohli (1) to leave India at 107 for three.
Israel is considering charges of “severe violent crimes” against a policeman who harshly beat a Palestinian youth in Jerusalem, the justice ministry said Wednesday.
Last week a video showed that the policeman was badly beating 15-year-old Palestinian-American Abu Khdeir, while another police officer was holding the teen down.
“Apparent evidence was found supporting the guilt of the police officer suspected of severe violent crimes, committed after the minor was arrested and handcuffed,” Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying.
The FIFA World Cup semifinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands went into extra time after both teams were tied 0-0 at the end of regular time at the Arena Corinthians here Wednesday.
Argentine star Lionel Messi and Dutch key players Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie were all kept in check by a well disciplined and organised defensive display for both teams.
–IANS
Since the beginning of the FIFA World Cup June 12, Brazil’s Federal Police has denied entry to the country to 267 foreign citizens for various reasons.
There are many Argentinean nationals among those denied entry — before the FIFA World Cup, the Argentine authorities sent to Brazil a list of over 2,000 so-called ‘barrabravas’, football fans with a history of violence in stadiums, reports Xinhua.
So far, at least 44 barrabravas had their entry denied in the country, and one was arrested in Brasilia last week after managing to get in.
The world football governing body FIFA Wednesday announced the suspension of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) with immediate effect.
In a statement by FIFA’s Media Office, the football body said the suspension was on account of government interference, reports Xinhua.
Article 13, paragraph 1 and article 17 paragraph 1 of the FIFA Statutes oblige member-associations to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties.
In a bid to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, Chinese government Wednesday vowed to improve insurance services.
It has been felt that faster development of the sector will optimise the economic structure and promote innovation in social governance, reported Xinhua citing a statement released following a meeting of the Chinese cabinet or, the State Council.
It said the insurance and social security systems will be integrated, making commercial insurance a major pillar of social security.
Selahattin Demirtas, a presidential candidate of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Wednesday warned of the deepening sectarian conflict based on the ideological polarisation in Turkey.
“I believe that the sectarian violence and conflict that is happening in both Syria and Iraq applied to Turkey as well. The sectarian spilt based on ideological polarisation has been increasing each day in our society,” Xinhua quoted Demirtas as saying here.
The Obama administration Wednesday threatened to slap additional sanctions against Russia “very soon”, should Moscow fail to “change course” in eastern Ukraine.
“We’re ready to impose more costs, including targeted sector- specific sanctions, very soon if Russia does not decisively change course and break its support for separatists,” Xinhua quoted Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, as saying at a Senate hearing on the latest developments in Ukraine.
Hamas fired three rockets Wednesday evening into Dimona, a city where Israel’s nuclear reactor is located, the Israeli military said. However, it caused no damage or injuries to anyone.
A rocket was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, while the rest fell in open fields, reported Xinhua citing Israel’s Channel 2.
Hamas’ military wing Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they launched three M-75 missiles targeting the reactor in Dimona.
Russia is prepared to continue working on a UN Security Council (UNSC) draft resolution which rules out use of force against Damascus, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.
“The document should clearly lay out the Russian position: no coercive measures, including sanctions and force, can be presented there,” Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying in a statement.
“Any additional steps should be discussed at the UN Security Council, and any decisions should be made based on verified facts.”
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel congratulated BJP leader Amit Shah on being elected as the new BJP president on Wednesday.
In her message, Patel praised Shah for rising from a humble party worker during 80s to reach at such a high position in the party by displaying strong organisational skills.
Newly appointed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah called on former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at his residence today. Earlier, the BJP announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close aide and general secretary Amit Shah will take over as the party’s new president from previous incumbent and now Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The BJP Parliamentary Board met, where Rajnath Singh formally submitted his resignation from the post. His resignation was accepted in the meeting.
In a daring attack inside the court complex here, two persons allegedly threw crude bombs and opened fire at a local politician, prompting his gunners to retaliate, killing two of the attackers.
A case has been registered against 11 persons in connection with the attack, including former UP minister Vinod Kumar Singh, police said.
Six persons, including local politician Yashbhadra Singh alias Monu and his lawyer, were injured in the attack.
A man was today arrested for allegedly killing his newly-wed wife in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir as she was unhappy about his children from earlier marriage, police said today.
Kousar Begum, wife of Wazarat Iqbal, was found murdered on July 7 in Nain SukhAitti village in Rajouri with her by throat slit with a sharp-edged weapon, a police spokesman said.
During investigation, it was learnt that this was Iqbal’s second marriage and Kousar was unhappy with the four children he had from his first wife, the spokesman said.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday said the notice from the Income Tax department in the National Herald newspaper case was a “political witch-hunt” and it will only help the Congress bounce back.
“This kind of political witch-hunt will only help us come back faster,” Gandhi told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
A court here last month issued summons to Sonia Gandhi and her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi on charges of misappropriating funds of a company that used to publish the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.
Police here Wednesday said they have filed a case of gang rape based on the complaint of a woman who said she was kidnapped, raped by four men and later dumped near a park.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Atul Yadav said the woman accused four men of being involved in the crime. No arrests have been made so far in the case, he added.
She named two men – Yogendra Pandit, a resident of Kalyanpuri in Delhi, and Akhil Tomar from Rajendra Nagar in Sahibabad near Ghaziabad.
Their two other accomplices were not identified.
CPF (India) Pvt Ltd from Thailand is likely to invest about Rs 1,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh for setting up agri-based industries.
A delegation from the company met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here today and expressed desire to establish chicken processing, fish and prawns related enterprise in Chittoor, Nellore, East and West Godavari districts, an official release said here today.
The company officials have agreed to consider Naidu’s request to set up agri-based food parks, the release said.
As many as 20 fighters from the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria, were killed Wednesday morning in Syrian airstrikes on the northern city of al-Raqqa, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The airstrikes targeted a facility of the IS, an Al Qaeda breakaway group, which is used as a training camp for its fighters in al-Raqqa, Xinua reported citing the observatory.
Two other people were also killed in the airstrikes, according to the observatory.
At least 35 Palestinians have died and some 200 have been injured since Israel launched a military operation dubbed Protective Edge to stop rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources said Wednesday.
Health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said 11 people were killed Wednesday, including an 80-year-old woman and five children.
Five other people also died as the Israeli Air Force and naval artillery pounded the Gaza Strip.
Bollywood actress Preity Zinta has submitted four photographs to Mumbai police showing bruises on her hand to back her claim of criminal assault against her ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia even as the industrialist shared with investigators the contact details of witnesses he wants examined, police said today.
“These four photographs, which show bruises on Zinta’s hand, were received by us today. We are examining the photographs, which will be crucial pieces of evidence in the case,” said a police officer involved in the probe.
The state’s economy gave “a sense of gloom and doom” due to the “twin burdens” of a decade of Congress misgovernance and bifurcation of the state besides a Rs 18,236 crore “resource gap” during the current year, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said here today.
However, releasing a “white paper” on the state’s finances here today evening, the AP Chief Minister did not mention how implementing the promised loan waiver to farmers, womens’ self-help groups and weavers, would bleed the state’s exchequer further by nearly Rs 1 lakh crore.
A delegation of TDP MPs today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking transfer of three more villages from Telangana to residual Andhra Pradesh for smooth execution of Polavaram Multi-Purpose Irrigation Project.
The meeting comes a day after a bill to allow merging of some villages and mandals of Telangana with Seemandhra in a bid to deal with resettlement and rehabilitation those displaced by the Polavaram project was introduced in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will official host “Iftar Party” on July 22.
Unlike the regular venue of Nizam College Grounds, the Chief Minister has selected HITEX at Madhapur as the venue of his Iftar Party. Prominent personalities of Hyderabad are likely to participate in the first official Iftar Party of Telangana State.
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