Centre closely monitoring situation on H1N1: Nadda

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda on Sunday said that his ministry is closely monitoring the situation arising in some states due to the surge of H1N1 influenza.

Reiterating that the present spurt is seasonal, he assured that all necessary assistance and support is being provided to the states to manage the situation.

Nadda informed that he has been in constant touch with Chief Ministers and Health Ministers of the affected states on the issue.

Egypt releases, deports jailed Australian journalist

Egypt Sunday decided to release jailed journalist Peter Greste, who will now be deported back to his native Australia, according to media reports.

The Egyptian foreign ministry coordinated with the Australian embassy in Cairo for the journalist’s release and Greste was supposed to depart for Sydney, a Xinhua report said, citing a source.

Greste, who was freed after reportedly spending 400 days in prison, worked for the Doha-based Al-Jazeera English news channel, along with Egyptian national Baher Mohammed and Egyptian-Canadian Mohammed Fahmy, who are still in jail.

Five killed in another Boko Haram attack in Nigeria

Boko Haram militants killed five people in two separate attacks in the northeast Nigerian city of Gombe Sunday, witnesses said.

One of the attacks, by a suspected suicide bomber, targeted a military checkpoint in the Kasuwar Katako area of the city, while the other targeted a local market, a witness said, according to a Xinhua report.

Three people, including a soldier, died in the suicide bomb attack on the military checkpoint, while two people died in the market explosion, another witness said.

Kurdish forces free 15 oil workers from IS

Kurdish troops have freed 15 oil workers seized by the Islamic State (IS) militants a few days back at an oil facility near the city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, a security source said Sunday.

“The 15 workers, who are affiliated to the Iraqi North Oil Company, were found held in a cellar at the sprawling facility after the Peshmerga (Kurdish troops) defeated the IS militants,” Rasoul Qader, a Peshmerga leader in Kirkuk, said without giving further details, according to a Xinhua report.

Yemen rebels set three-day deadline for power transfer

The Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen, currently controlling capital Sana’a gave a three-day ultimatum for power transfer, in order to resolve the crisis that has engulfed the country.

The Shia Houthi group, also known as “Ansarullah”, based in Yemen’s far northern province of Saada, has been expanding their influence southwards, in spite of signing a UN-sponsored peace and power-sharing deal Sep 21, 2014.

Pro-democracy activists back on Hong Kong streets

Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong took to the streets again Sunday to demand “real democracy” in their first big march after the “Umbrella Movement” folded up in December, last year.

Local media reported that tens of thousands of people participated in the protest, demanding rights to elect their local head of government in 2017, when the enclave’s citizens will be able to vote, although only for candidates previously selected by China.

Palestine says decision to join ICC ‘irreversible’

Palestine’s decision to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) was irreversible, a top Palestinian official said Sunday.

“All powers on earth will never bring the clock back,” chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio, in an interview, which was cited by Xinhua in its report.

Erekat added that the Palestinian leadership was heading towards becoming a member in the ICC.

Plunder of Wakf properties, fraud case against Gufran-e-Azam soon

Former Chairman of MP Wakf Board Gufran-e-Azam has once again occupied the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to lodge an FIR against him for fraud.

Department of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare have written to Director General of Police to register cases against Gufran and former CEO Zaidi. They are likely to be booked under sections 420, 467 and 468 of IPC against the duo.

Gufran has recently booked under fraud case by selling Wakf property by Economic Offence Wing of Madhya Pradesh.

If my luck is benefitting people, then vote for BJP: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sought a majority for BJP in Delhi by presenting himself as a “lucky” person as he ridiculed his rivals for giving all credit for “successes” during his tenure to his good fortune only.

Addressing a rally here, he talked about the performance of his eight-month-old government and said the prices of commodities like petrol and diesel have come down, benefitting the people and helping them save some money.

Delhi poll battle heats up as Modi, Kejriwal, Sonia go all out to woo voters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday made determined bids to woo the people of Delhi for Feb 7 assembly polls, launching sharp attacks on their rivals while seeking to convey their commitment to politics of development.

Raising the pitch on last Sunday before voting, Modi, Kejriwal and Gandhi addressed rallies in different parts of the national capital and drew enthusiastic response from their supporters.

Good US-India relations don’t threaten China: Obama

President Barack Obama has said that there are undoubtedly aspects of India that make US closer to India, but China doesn’t need to be threatened because Washington has good relations with New Delhi.

“There’s no doubt that there are aspects of India that make us closer to India,” he told noted Indian-American journalist Fareed Zakaria in an interview in New Delhi at the conclusion of his three-day historic visit.

GST to become a reality by 2016: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah, who Sunday welcomed over 100 corporate leaders into the party, said he was confident that Goods and Services Tax (GST) will become a reality by 2016, a party release said.

Shah told the gathering that the Bhartiya Janata Party-led government had taken several steps to restore confidence of investors, said the release.

He elaborated on the steps taken by Narendra Modi government to change business climate and restore business confidence such as ‘Make in India’ campaign and ordinances on some pending legislations.

PM Modi hails Indian Coast Guard

On Indian Coast Guard day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the bravery of the maritime border force and said the country will remain grateful to them for tirelessly protecting the coasts.

“I salute the determination & bravery of our coast guard personnel on the 38th Raising Day of the Indian Coast Guard,” he tweeted.

“Indian Coast Guard has left no stone unturned in tirelessly protecting our coasts. We will always remain grateful to them for their valour,” he added.

—PTI

Shiv Sena rubbishes talk of alleged differences with BJP in Maharashtra

Seeking to downplay the controversy over ‘Saamana’ editorial criticising the BJP over drought relief to farmers, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said his party had no differences with the BJP while running the Maharashtra government.

“Whatever assurances and promises were made before the elections, it is our duty to get it fulfilled and implemented effectively. Shiv Sena will work together with the BJP for the same,” Uddhav told reporters here after inducting Mahendra Thorve, Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader from Karjat taluka in Ragiad district into the Sena fold.

AAP has not fulfilled any of the promises made so far: Amit Shah

BJP on Sunday tore through the AAP, accusing its chief Arvind Kejriwal of not fulfilling any of the promises made to the people and asked the electorate to not fritter away their votes on a party that has “no policy”.

BJP president Amit Shah, addressing an election rally in Patel Nagar constituency for party candidate Krishna Tirath, asked the electorate to give full-majority to the saffron party.

Will move court if Ram temple is not built by 2016: Swamy

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday said if construction of Ram temple does not start in Ayodhya by 2016 he would approach court.

“If by 2016, construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya does not start, we shall choose other methods including knocking at the doors of the court,” Swami said.

He was addressing a gathering during the golden jubilee celebrations of Vishwa Hindu Parishad here.

In the existing syllabus, the history written by Britishers is being taught, he said.

“With the formation of majority?government at the Centre, the existing syllabus will be changed,” he said.

Celebrate diversity, don’t discriminate on religion: RSS chief

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said diversity is to be celebrated and no one should be subjected to persecution and discriminated against because of their different attires or different ways of worship and dissimilar traditions.

“Diversity is to be celebrated and not to be opposed…,” said the chief of the Sangh Parivar fountainhead, which has come under flak in recent months over the activities of outfits affiliated to it, including on reconversions, while addressing the fifth International Conference and Gathering of Elders here.

Los Angeles female-only mosque may be first in US

A downtown Los Angeles mosque that forbids men from attending may be the first of its kind in the United States.

The Los Angeles Times reports that more than 100 women gathered Friday at the interfaith Pico-Union Project for the inaugural prayer marking the launch of the Women’s Mosque of America, a nonprofit hoping to create space where Muslim women can learn and connect with other women.

BSF foils 11 bids by terrorists to enter India

The Border Security Force (BSF) foiled 11 attempts by terrorists in January to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan, a senior BSF official has said.

“Eight of the bids were made in the last 15 days,” the official told IANS here.

“The (terrorist) groups mostly consisted of six to eight heavily armed militants belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT),” he added.

According to the official, the infiltration attempts were made even as Pakistani border guards shelled Arnia and R.S. Pura sectors.

Govt has no desire to issue ordinances: Venkaiah Naidu

Faced with criticism over the government issuing several ordinances, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the government has “no fancy for issuing ordinances” and that the Opposition should allow the Parliament to function properly.

“Nobody has got a fancy for issuing ordinances. We don’t want to issue ordinances. But a violent minority cannot obstruct a silent majority from taking the country’s development forward,” the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

BSF foils 11 bids by terrorists to enter India

The Border Security Force (BSF) foiled 11 attempts by terrorists in January to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan, a senior BSF official has said.

“Eight of the bids were made in the last 15 days,” the official told IANS here.

“The (terrorist) groups mostly consisted of six to eight heavily armed militants belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT),” he added.

According to the official, the infiltration attempts were made even as Pakistani border guards shelled Arnia and R.S. Pura sectors.

I-League: East Bengal beat Shillong, Pune edge past Mumbai

Nigerian striker Ranti Martins sparkled on the pitch for Kolkata giants East Bengal as he provided both the first goal and the winning header to sneak past Shillong Lajong 2-1 in an I-League encounter Sunday, while in Pune, home side Pune FC went on top of the leader board as they clinched the state derby encounter against Mumbai FC courtesy a 3-2 scoreline.

At the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata, Trinidadian forward Cornell Glen pulled one back for the visitors, Shillong Lajong.

‘CBI going slow on Mukul Roy as BJP using him to break Trinamool’

Accusing the BJP of “using” Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy to “break” West Bengal’s ruling party, state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury charged the CBI of going slow on the former railway minister who was quizzed in the Saradha scam

“BJP is using Roy to break the Trinamool. That is why the CBI is going slow on him,” Chowdhury, also an MP from the state said, but clarified that is was his personal observation.

Live-in partner kills woman, her son

A 25-year-old woman and her four-year-old son were strangled by her live-in partner here in the capital, police said Sunday.

Rukhsana and her son Firoz were found dead in their rented accommodation in a slum in north Delhi’s Sarai Rohilla area around 8 a.m. Sunday.

Her sister Naveesha told police she found their bodies when she entered the house.

Police said Rukhsana’s live-in partner Salman committed the crime Saturday night and fled after locking the door of the house from outside.

“A hunt is on to nab Salman,” said a police official.

Why is Kejriwal lying on power, water rates, asks BJP

The BJP Sunday asked Arvind Kejriwal why he was lying to the people on the electric tariff and water prices among the fourth set of five questions for the AAP chief.

BHaratiya Janata Party leader Nirmala Sitharaman asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to answer why he was lying to the people of Delhi by putting up hoardings comparing the lowest per unit rates of electricity bill in January 2014 with the highest in January 2015.