Film: “Super Nani”; Cast: Rekha, Sharman Joshi, Randhir Kapoor, Anupam Kher; Directed by Indra Kumar; Rating: *** (3 stars)
There is something to be said about star power. At a time when the biggest of stars sell themselves to the highest bidder on any medium, Rekha preserves an aura of unattainable beauty. And yet she plays the ‘gharelu’ roles now in this Indra Kumar drama with as much panache as she did in “Sansar” 28 years ago.
Telangana Chief Secretary Dr Rajiv Sharma and DGP Anurag Sharma called on Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan here on Friday.
The Chief Secretary and DGP have reportedly discussed the issue of transfer of funds from Telangana’s Labour Department to Andhra Pradesh. They briefed the Governor on the steps being taken in this regard, including registration of cases against the AP officials by the Telangana Government. (INN)
YSR Congress has said that both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments should shun politicizing the Srisailam waters issue and ensure that Rayalaseema is not parched in the race for one-upmanship and blame game. A delegation of the Party MLAs will visit the Srisailam reservoir to highlight the failures of both the government in safeguarding the interests of the arid region.
Irfan, an accused in the RTI activist Shehla Masood murder case who has now turned approver, on Friday claimed before the trial court here that he did not speak the truth earlier as a co-accused had offered him money and also threatened him if he did otherwise.
During the cross examination before the special CBI judge Rajiv Kumar Ayachi, the defence lawyer today questioned Irfan on his varying statements before the court.
In reply, Irfan claimed that the co-accused Shaquib Ali alias Danger had offered him money to make false statements before the court, and also threatened him.
Tightening the noose around medical practitioners and chemist shop owners who prescribe and sell illegal and banned drugs, the Punjab government Friday said that such people will lose their licences.
Medical Education and Research Minister Anil Joshi said his department has issued written directions to the senior superintendent of police (SSPs) of all districts across Punjab to launch a massive search operation in their respective areas to uncover the unauthorised chemist shops and medical practitioners who are selling and prescribing banned drugs.
Andhra Pradesh Minorities Welfare Minister Palle Raghunath Reddy received the 13th Batch consisting of 300 Haj pilgrims at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamsabad, Hyderabad last night.
Special Secretary Syed Omer Jaleel, Minorities Welfare Commissioner Shaik Mohammed Iqbal, Telangana State Haj Committee Special Officer Prof. S. A. Shukoor and other senior officials were also present on this occasion.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh praised the role played by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in shaping the geography of India after independence.
India Friday pledged Sri Lankan Rs.5 million towards immediate relief to Sri Lankans affected by the mudslide that has claimed several lives and left over a 100 untraced in the island nation’s Badulla district.
The medium and long term assistance needs will be worked out in consultation with the government of Sri Lanka, external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
A massive mudslide, triggered by torrential rains, swept away scores of homes on Wednesday at the Koslanda plantation in Badulla district, about 220 km east of Colombo.
Seven Indian sailors were released on Friday by Somali pirates after remaining in captivity for about four years and would come back to India over the weekend.
“These seven Indians were in captivity for around four years and were released today,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
“They are in Nairobi (Kenya) at the moment and will be arriving in India over the weekend,” he added.
Out of these seven persons, two each are from Maharashtra and Karnataka, while one each are from Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee strongly condemned the exodus of leaders from Congress party into the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
The Sri Lankan cricket team on Friday arrived in India to play a five-match One Day International ( ODI) series against the hosts.
The first match is scheduled to be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.
Earlier this month, Sri Lanka was called in to fill the void by the West Indies team, which abandoned its India tour after a pay dispute between the players and the cricket board. (ANI)
The UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) Friday asked for unhampered delivery of humanitarian assistance to children in need of support amid the recent episodes of unrest in Central African Republic (CAR).
The UN organ noted that fresh fighting in northern and western regions of the country, as well as an upsurge of violence in the capital Bangui, have deteriorated the on-the-ground situation and jeopardised humanitarian access, Xinhua reported.
It particularly warned against the unprecedented attacks against humanitarian workers this month.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi will not attend the controversial anointment ceremony of the son of Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari here next month.
Asked if Gandhi had received the Imam’s invite, Congress sources said they were not aware if any such invitation had come.
Prodded further about her possible attendance, a source only said, “The question does not arise.”
UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa Friday called for an inclusive and sustainable approach for urban development that considers the needs of marginalised groups.
Commemorating the first-ever “World Cities Day,” Kutesa made the remarks at a UN high-level event themed “People-Centred Urbanisation” which highlights involvement of citizens to solve problems in urban planning, Xinhua reported.
Kutesa pointed out marginalised groups, like migrants, slum dwellers and youth, must be engaged and empowered to ensure that their needs are addressed.
Clashes erupted in the West Bank on Friday after weekly Muslim prayers while security forces deployed heavily around Jerusalem’s flash point Al-Aqsa mosque which reopened following the killing of a Palestinian by police.
Al-Aqsa, in the Old City, and adjacent neighbourhoods have seen months of violence, and the mosque compound has been a rallying point for Palestinian resistance to perceived Jewish attempts to take control of it.
Opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) today announced the last and final list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
The names of 11 candidates were announced after Political Affairs committee (PAC) of the party met under chairmanship of PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, a party spokesman said.
All the 11 candidates fielded by the party are new faces including Javaid Beigh, nephew of party MP from Baramulla and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh.
The Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) has requested the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to take a comprehensive review of the merger and acquisition (M&A) guidelines.
“To facilitate consolidation in the sector, it is important that the M&A guidelines be reviewed and modified to promote orderly growth of the sector,” COAI director general Rajan S. Mathews said in a letter to TRAI chairman Rahul Khullar.
The guidelines were notified in February.
On the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Friday, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Patel performed the ground breaking ceremony of ‘Shreshtha Bharat Bhavan’ to be built at a cost of Rs 176 crore as part of the ‘Statue of Unity’ project near Kevadia in Narmada district.
In her speech on the occasion, the CM thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conceiving such a project in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, according to an official press release issued here today.
Lok Janshakti Party leader Abdul Khaliq today condemned the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid for not inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the anointment ceremony of his son, saying it has exposed him as a “mindless and cynical” person who “in no way” represents common Muslims.
The LJP secretary general, who had in a recent interview criticised the Modi government for “growing” anti-Muslim feelings, said Syed Ahmed Bukhari has played a big role in alienating Muslims from the mainstream.
At least 30 people were killed Friday when a car bomb exploded in a crowded bus station in the northeastern Nigerian state of Gombe, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told media.
The explosion occurred during the morning rush hour at the popular bus station, according to a NEMA official.
“I have counted more than 30 bodies, but the toll is likely to rise,” the official was cited as saying by the Nigerian daily The Cable.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj begins a three-day visit to Mauritius from Saturday during which she will participate in the 180th anniversary of the Aapravasi Ghat, where from 1834 and 1920 almost half a million indentured Indian labourers arrived to work in the island’s sugar plantations.
She will be the chief guest on the occasion of activities being organised by the Mauritian government to mark the occasion.
Sushma Swaraj will call on President Rajkeswur Purryag and Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam.
She will also hold talks with her counterpart Arvin Boolell.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu paid glowing tributes to Sardar Vallabhai Patel on his birth anniversary today and said the leader was a “fiery champion of fundamental rights and liberty.”
Addressing a brief function at the State Secretariat to mark the National Unity Day, he said, Sardar Patel strove all his life for the unity of India.
He administered the unity pledge to the Secretariat employees on the occasion.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday announced cash award for information helping in the arrest of 12 absconding accused in the Burdwan blast case.
The NIA which is probing the case, announced the list on its website.
There is a cash award of Rs.10 lakh for five of the accused.
The website describes Sajid as “Chief of the Burdwan Module”, while the other four are dubbed “Suspected Bangladesh nationals” .
The NIA has claimed that the five often stayed in Murshidabad, Birbhum and Bardhaman districts.
Lashing out at the TMC dispensation, BJP today said West Bengal has been converted into a land of jehadis under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“The rule of law in Bengal has been converted into law of vote bank by TMC and West Bengal has become the land of jehadis under Mamata Banerjee.
“However, BJP imbibed under the ideology of nationalism led by Shyama Prasad Mukerjee, will not allow West Bengal to become a jehadi safe haven,” BJP National Secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said in a press statement.
Singh also condemned the arrest of BJP leaders in Makra in Birbhum yesterday.
Film: “Gone Girl”; Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris; Director: David Fincher: Rating: ****
“Gone Girl” is a gripping and provocative tale of a married couple, where the wife goes missing on their fifth anniversary. What starts off as an interesting ‘whodunit’ crime film, with typical cinematic fodder, suddenly changes track to offer something unique – a psychological thriller.