Month: January 2015

Renewed Boko Haram raids kill many in northeast Nigeria

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Scores of people have been killed and many others forced to flee to the mountains following a renewed series of Boko Haram raids in northeast Nigeria, a lawmaker and a relief agency official said today.

The reported attacks by the Islamists targeted the Michika area in northeastern Adamawa state, where bodies reportedly littered the streets in several villages.

The bloodshed in northeast Nigeria has reached unprecedented levels in recent weeks, raising questions about security for general elections set for February 14.

PM Modi pays tribute to Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary.

The Prime Minister took to twitter to honour the leader.

“Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai was a unique personality who was ahead of his time. I salute this proud son of India on his birth anniversary,” he posted.

Born in 1865, Lala Lajpat Rai was leader in the fight for independence. He was popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’ and was also called ‘Sher-E- Punjab’.

(ANI)

The meaning of Obama

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this while co-hosting his monthly radio show ‘Mann ki baat’ with US President Barack Obama.

“Some people wonder what ‘Obama’ means. In Swahili language, spoken in parts of Africa, Barack means one who is blessed. I believe, along with a name, his family gave him a big gift,” he said.

When a questioner asked both Obama and Modi whether they had imagined to reach the positions they have reached, the US President said like Prime Minister Modi, when he had visited the White House for the first time, he too had also stood near the iron fence.

AirAsia flight QZ8501: Indonesia military ends hunt

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The Indonesian military said that it was stopping its efforts to recover the remains of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 almost a month after the commercial jet crashed into the sea.

Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, Basarnas, will continue its work to try to retrieve bodies from the wreckage site in the Java Sea, a civilian source close to the search and rescue operations told CNN.

The military provided the majority of personnel and hardware involved in the recovery operation, which was hindered by bad weather and technical problems.

Majority of Americans unaware about Sikh and Sikhism: Survey

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A majority of Americans are unaware of what Sikhism is or what a Sikh looks like and this despite the country being home to more than half a million of them, a latest study has said.

According to the report ‘Sikhism in the US: What Americans know and need to know’, many Americans have never heard of the religion and only 11 per cent of them have a personal acquaintance or friend who is a Sikh.

Woman succumbs to swine flu, family cries negligence

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The family of a 50-year-old woman, who succumbed to swine flu in Amritsar, has blamed the doctors and the hospital, holding them responsible for negligence.

The victim succumbed to the deadly virus soon after she was brought to a government hospital for treatment.

“My mother had got a fever a week back and tests showed that she was suffering from typhoid. A specialist doctor gave her the medicine for it. She did not go anywhere out and stayed indoors only and still she got the infection,” said the victim’s son, Surdeep Singh.

Women liquor licence holders warn of self-immolation over ban

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Over 50 women liquor licence holders here have urged the Maharashtra government to reconsider its decision to impose a ban on alcohol in the district and threatened to immolate themselves if the demand was not met.

Earlier this month, the BJP-Shiv Sena government declared mineral-rich Chandrapur as a “dry district”. Wardha and Gadchiroli have already been declared so.

Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar played a key role in taking the decision, which will come into effect from April 1, to ban the sale, purchase, production and consumption of liquor in Vidarbha district.

Delhi polls: Kiran Bedi woos Muslims, says she is against divisive politics

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Reaching out to Muslims, BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi Tuesday said she was against “divisive politics” and that she was contesting the polls on development plank.

“My religion is that of humanity. I’ve never believed in divisive politics. Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai apas mein hai bhai bhai (All are brothers),” Kiran Bedi said addressing a rally in Seelampur constituency.

Bedi assured the women of the area of security and safety, if voted to power.

Life of Obama is an inspiration: Modi

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The life of US President Barack Obama is an inspiration due to the way he has brought up his daughters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

Co-hosting his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio programme with Obama, Modi, striking an emotional chord, said Obama’s “life is in itself an inspiration. The way he has brought up his two daughters, the way he is proud of his two daughters.”

Modi, Obama ‘Mann Ki Baat’ episode in e-book format

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The content of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ with US President Barack Obama will soon be available in an e-book format.

After Modi made such a suggestion, senior Information and Broadcasting officials said that they would work on bringing out an e-book.

“An e-book as desired by the Prime Minister will soon be brought out,” I&B Secretary Bimal Julka said, adding modalities would be discussed at the earliest.

Coal scam: Manmohan Singh denies favouring Hindalco

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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told CBI that Hindalco was not favoured in any manner in the allocation of Talabira-II coal block and that it was done as per prescribed procedures.

He is believed to have made this point when CBI officials examined him 10 days ago in pursuance of the orders of a special court going into the case relating to the scam.

The statement of the former prime minister, who was holding the portfolio of Coal during the relevant time, was filed as part of the CBI’s progress report in the case before the special court on Tuesday.

J&K: NC, Congress won’t fight each other in Rajya Sabha polls

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The National Conference will back Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Feb 7 Rajya Sabha elections for four seats in Jammu and Kashmir.

This was decided after an hour long meeting between National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and Congress president Sonia Gandhi late Tuesday in New Delhi. The National Conference will field former ministers – Sajad Ahmad Kichloo and Nasir Aslam Wani – for two other seats.

The NC-Congress combine would field candidates for only three out of the four seats to ensure Azad’s victory in these elections, sources said.

Dalai Lama calls China a ‘great’ nation

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Calling China a “great nation”, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has said he admired the country and its hardworking people.

“China is a great nation with long history, cultured, hardworking people I admire,” he said yesterday while responding to a query by mediapersons on the sidelines of an event at a public school in Rajendra Nagar.

Responding to another query, he said, “India and China are two most populous nations, neighbours and have close friendship and mutual trust. It is very necessary not only for Tibet but for Asia.”

HC rejects Talwars’ plea against a film allegedly based on Aarushi case

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The Bombay High Court today rejected a petition filed by dentist couple Nupur and Rajesh Talwar who had sought stopping of the release and telecast of a film allegedly based on the murder of their daughter Aarushi and domestic servant Hemraj.

The division bench headed by Justice V M Kanade disposed of the petition, saying that the script of the film (‘Rahasya’) bore no resemblance with facts in Aarushi case.

The High Court also refused to stay the order to enable them approach the Supreme Court, noting that it had passed an interim order last year which was not challenged.

IAS Coaching

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Masjid-e-Ummul Hasnain, H-Colony, Indiranagar, Bengaluru-560038, Ph-080-25219961 invites applications from the candidates belonging to the Muslim community for sponsoring them for coaching to IAS/IPS/Central Services at reputed coaching institutes of New Delhi/ Hyderabad/ Bengaluru. The candidates should be graduates, i.e. B.A/B.Com./ B.Sc. / B.E/MBBS and should have secured more than 70% marks (Aggregate). They may send their CV or before 24-01-2015. Sanaullah, IAS (Retd), Convener. Ziaullah Khan, President.

Courtesy: Karnataka Muslims

Muslims first victims of ‘terrorism’: French FM

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French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called today for international cooperation against extremism, saying Muslims have been the first victims of “terrorism”.

“No one fights under the name of religion,” Fabius told journalists in Kuwait, the first Muslim country he has visited since last month’s deadly attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo by Islamist gunmen.

When Kuwait and France fight “against terrorism, we fight those who are not only liars, but also killers,” he said. “Muslims have been the first victims of those terrorists.”

‘Rush Hour’ TV pilot in works

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CBS has ordered a pilot for a TV series based on 1998 American action comedy film ‘Rush Hour’.

‘Cougar Town’ creators Bill Lawrence and Blake McCormick have penned an adaptation of the 1998 movie, which originally starred Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, reported Entertainment Weekly.

The story will follow a stoic, by-the-book Hong Kong police officer who is partnered with a cocky local LAPD officer, who has no interest in working with a partner.

Kyle Dean Massey to star in ‘Nashville’

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Broadway star Kyle Dean Massey will be joining the cast of ‘Nashville’.

Massey, 33, will be portraying an openly gay and successful country music star named Kevin Bicks, reported Deadline.

The arrival of Kevin Bicks in Nashville will cast doubt on closeted Will Lexington’s (Chris Carmack) belief that gay country singers must hide their sexual orientation in order to be accepted.

Massey has appeared on the Broadway stage in ‘West Side Story’, ‘Pippin’ and ‘Wicked’.

Colm Feore joins ‘Gotham’ cast

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Actor Colm Feore has joined the cast of ‘Gotham’ and will be seen playing The Dollmaker in the crime television series.

The villain – real name Dr Francis Dulmacher – has previously been referenced on the Fox series, described as a “mad European scientist”, reported Deadline.

Feore, 56, has previously appeared on ‘Revolution’, ’24’ and ‘The Borgias’, while his big-screen credits include ‘Thor’ (2011) and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (2014).

Cameron Diaz, Benji Madden step out first time post wedding

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Cameron Diaz and her new husband Benji Madden were spotted together for the first time since their marriage earlier this month.

The newlyweds were having a double date with Benji’s twin brother Joel Madden and his wife Nicole Richie at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, reported Ace Showbiz.

Phillip Phillips sues to escape ‘American Idol’ contract

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Former ‘American Idol’ winner Phillip Phillips wants to part ways with producer of the show that launched his career.

The winner of the 11th season of the reality series has filed a legal petition against the show’s producer 19 Entertainment to get out of an “oppressive, fatally conflicted” contract, reported Ace Showbiz.

US citizens dies in a terrorist attack in Libya

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The United States has confirmed the death of its citizen in Libyan capital Tripoli where masked gunmen stormed a luxury hotel and killed eight other people besides the American national.

“We can confirm the death of a US citizen in Libya,” a senior State Department official said yesterday without divulging any additional detail.

Early in the day, the State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, condemned the terrorist attack on the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli.

Ties with Egypt to strengthen in coming mths: Indian diplomat

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With stability returning in Egypt, the bilateral ties between New Delhi and Cairo will strengthen as the two countries will see more development in coming months, an Indian diplomat has said.

“After the election of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the return of relative stability to Egypt, we again see a great interest from businessmen from the side of Indian community and the government to pick up the momentum in terms of our relationship and hopefully we will see more developments in the coming months,” India’s Ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri said here yesterday.