Month: April 2015

US pledges support in fight against Boko Haram

by

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday pledged continuing US support to Nigeria and its regional partners in the fight against extremist group Boko Haram, a media report said on Thursday.

In a separate telephonic talks with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, Obama highlighted the need for Nigeria and its regional partners to build on the recent progress against Boko Haram, the White House said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

Entry tax for AP vehicles challenged; HC gives interim relief

by

In a partial relief to some of private bus operators in Andhra Pradesh, the Hyderabad High Court today issued interim orders asking them to submit indemnity bonds at check posts while entering Telangana instead of paying tax.

Telangana government yesterday issued an order imposing entry tax on transport and commercial vehicles coming from Andhra Pradesh from today, treating them as `other state vehicles’.

Telangana starts levying entry tax on AP vehicles

by

The process of collecting entry tax on transport and commercial vehicles coming from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana has begun with Telangana Transport officials levying motor vehicle tax on them.

“The process of collecting entry tax on vehicles commenced from midnight yesterday at Kodada and Vadapalli check posts (bordering Andhra Pradesh). The vehicle owners from Andhra Pradesh are voluntarily paying the taxes by cash and DD,” Nalgonda Deputy Transport Commissioner Chandrasekhar Goud said.

Cow is being glorified as “Rashtar Mata” through “Missed call” Movement

by

Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) which was started by Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath has started a movement over the mobile phone to glorify cow as the “Rashtra Mata”. The Hindu Activists are circulating a message which reads “Make cow Rashtra Mata, Give missed called on missed call on Toll Free number – 07533007511.”

Vishwa Hindu Parishad also supports this movement. The activists of Hindu Yuva Vahini plan to popularize this movement throughout the country.

Minorities schemes remain unimplemented – 35% budget surrendered

by

Yesterday Financial Year 2014-15 ended but the budget for various welfare schemes of Minorities Department could not be released. As a result of which, 35% of the allotted budget was surrendered. The officials of the department of Minorities Welfare tried their level best till the last moment to get the funds from Finance Department but failed. The schemes which could not be implemented include Grant in Aid to Wakf Board, Subsidy to Minorities for bank loans, construction of Rubath in Ajmer and Aid granted to Ms. Salwa Fatima for her pilot training.

Ghulam Ali’s Performance at Hanuman temple, Varanasi

by

Ghazal Maestro, Ghulam Ali of Lahore will render ‘thumri’ and ‘chaiti’ along with 57 musicians at Sankat Mochan at Hanuman Temple in Varanasi on 8th April, 2015 on the occasion Annual Music festival to be held in Varanasi. This festival is being held since 1923 to mark Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Famous Musicians and Artists from all over the country participate in this festival.

Sunny Leone urges fans to watch ‘Ek Paheli Leela’

by

Mumbai, April 1 (ANI): B’town diva Sunny Leone, who is busy these days promoting her upcoming movie ‘Ek Paheli Leela’, urged her fans to watch the movie. Directed by Bobby Khan, ‘Ek Paheli Leela’, is slated to release on 10th April 2015.

‘Ill-fated’ Costa Concordia was carrying ‘Mafia-owned’ cocaine when it drowned

by

(ANI): Italian investigators have said that Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, which sank in January 2012, had ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate’s drugs hidden on it, a report said.

According to the investigators, the phone and tape recordings of ‘Ndrangheta gang members had revealed that the cruise was carrying a huge shipment of Mafia-owned cocaine when it went down, The Mirror reported.

In one of the recordings, ‘Ndrangheta boss Michele Rossi, said to his associate Massimo Tiralongo that the ship, which made them a laughing stock around the world, took the “p**s” out of them as well.

Indian-American Preet Bharara: World’s sheriff or ambitious manipulator?

by

By Arun Kumar (16:02)

Washington, April 1 (IANS) The enviable record of Wall Street’s Indian-American prosecutor Preet Bhrara, known in India for his dogged prosecution of an Indian diplomat, has put him in the limelight, but some have also questioned his methods.

Time magazine put him on the cover and Vanity Fair described him as “Wall Street’s most fearsome foe”. recalled the Washington Post while calling him as “The brash New York prosecutor who’s indicting left and right.”

Nigeria’s new president is Indian defence college alumnus

by

Nigeria’s newly elected president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari who defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election, is an alumnus of the Indian Defence Services Staff College in Wellington from where he graduated in 1973.

Maj. Gen. Buhari became the president-elect after President Jonathan conceded defeat in the election and put in a call to congratulate his opponent, the presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC). This is the first time a Nigerian sitting president has conceded defeat in an election.

Raina to tie knot on Friday

by

The pre-wedding ceremonies of star India cricketer Suresh Raina were held today, ahead of the ‘big day’ on Friday.

Reports say the 28-year-old Raina will be tying the knot with fiancee Priyanka Chowdhary at a posh hotel here.

Middle-order batsman Raina returned to the country with his India teammates after the semifinal loss to Australia in the World Cup last week.

Raina is contracted with Chennai Super Kings, who are scheduled to kick start their campaign in the eighth edition of Indian Premier League on April 9, barely six days after his wedding.

Togadia hits back at Mamata

by

Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister for banning his entry into state, VHP leader Pravin Togadia today wondered whether Mamata Banerjee would arrest preachers belonging to a minority religion on streets and mass prayer attenders at places of worship.

“It is Mamata Banerjee’s blunder to apply Section 144 CrPC in every district of Bengal to ban my entry for the rally on April 5.

“Would Mamata didi arrest a minority religious leader sermonising on streets and attenders for mass prayers in a place of worship on a particular Friday this month?” Togadia told PTI.

Over 40 killed as trawler sinks off Russia

by

At least 43 people died when a trawler with 132 people on board sank off the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East, a rescue official said, according to media reports on Thursday.

The official added that 63 people were rescued. “All in all, 106 people (those who had died and the survivors) have been taken aboard the ships participating in the rescue operation,” the officer said.

Twenty-six people are still missing, while 26 fishing vessels are involved in the search and rescue operation, according to reports.

Congress asks BJP to expel ‘regressive’ Giriraj Singh

by

Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Wednesday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party to expel Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Giriraj Singh for his ‘white skinned’ remark on party chief Sonia Gandhi.

“Giriraj Singh has lost his mental balance. We condemn his regressive mindset and demand his expulsion from the party. Prime Minister Modi should apologize to the nation,” she said.

Meanwhile, another Congress leader Pramod Tiwari called for a criminal case against the Bihar MP.

Iran talks productive, progressing: US

by

The US said on Wednesday that the Iran nuclear talks underway in Switzerland that are aimed at laying the groundwork for a potentially historic agreement have been “productive” and making “progress”.

“The sense that we have is that, yes, the talks continue to be productive and that progress is being made,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday, according to a Press TV report.

He added that “as long as we are in a position of convening serious talks that are making progress”, Washington “would not arbitrarily or abruptly end them”.

TMC MLA attends Mohan Bhagwat’s programme

by

Stoking controversy by attending a programme where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was the chief guest, suspended TMC MLA Swapan Kanti Ghosh today asserted there was no such political whip that he could not attend programs where opposition leaders were present.

“I have come here to listen to the lecture of Professor Dinanath Batra on education system. I was not aware that Mohan Bhagwat was present at the programme. Even if he is present what is the harm in my attending the programme,” Ghosh told reporters here.

Ghosh was recently suspended from the party for making anti-party statements.

Israel approves 2,200 homes for Palestinians in East Jerusalem

by

Israel has approved a plan to construct 2,200 housing units for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, an official said on Wednesday.

The move was hailed as a victory for Arab residents of the city, according to a Jerusalem municipality spokesperson, Xinhua reported.

The new neighbourhood, called Arab al-Sawahra, would mark the largest construction project for Palestinian families in East Jerusalem since Israel captured and annexed the territory in the 1967 Middle East War.

Hafeez’s action to be officially tested on April 9: PCB

by

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez will undergo an official reassessment of his bowling action on April 9 in Chennai, along with Pakistan Women’s allrounder Javeria Khan, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement said on Wednesday.

Hafeez was reported for suspect bowling action during the first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates last year.

CBI registers 40th FIR in coal allocation case

by

The CBI on Wednesday registered a fresh case in its ongoing probe into the coal block allocation scam, taking the total number to 40, an official said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the case against Nagpur-based B.S. Ispat Limited’s director and some other people under charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating.

The company and its director have been booked in the allocation of Marki Mangli Coal Block, the official said.

The agency also conducted searches at four places in Maharashtra.

The 39th FIR was registered on March 19.

(IANS)

Chinese couple jailed for trafficking own baby

by

A couple in south China’s Guangdong province have been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for selling their own baby, in the latest case of child-trafficking in the country.

The No.2 Zhongshan People’s Court in Zhongshan city also fined the couple 10,000 yuan ($1,599) each, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to a court statement issued on Wednesday, the couple made 15,600 yuan by selling their five-month-old baby boy in a hotel in Zhongshan in June 2014.

The man, surnamed Huang, said they sold the baby because they faced hefty medical expenses for the sick infant.

Andhra’s new capital named Amaravati

by

Amaravati will be the name of the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced on Wednesday.

He told reporters after a cabinet meeting that it was unanimously decided to name the new capital Amaravati.

The new capital is being built in Vijayawada-Guntur region and Amaravati, the ancient town on the banks of the Krishna river, is part of the region.

Naidu said the new capital would have the strength of both the ‘vastu’ and auspicious name.

Water reservoirs left with 35 percent of storage capacity

by

The water storage available in 85 important reservoirs of the country as on March 31 was 53.97 billion cubic metres (BCM), or 35 percent of the total storage capacity of these reservoirs, an official statement said on Wednesday.

This storage is 84 percent of the storage of corresponding period in last year and 108 percent of the average storage in last decade.

The present storage position during current year is less than the storage position of last year. But it is better than the storage of average of last ten years, it added.

Yemen evacuation: Over 350 head home on two IAF flights

by

The Indian evacuation efforts of its stranded nationals in strife-torn Yemen was in full swing on Wednesday, as two Indian Air Force flights took off from Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, carrying over 350 Indian nationals back home even as a naval ship went back to a Yemeni port to ferry more Indians to safety.

A Globemaster transport plane took off from Djibouti carrying 168 Indians. It is expected to arrive at Kochi in Kerala at 1.30 a.m. on Thursday, the defence ministry tweeted.

Salman’s defence of not driving car unacceptable: Prosecution

by

Prosecution today rejected Bollywood star Salman Khan’s defence that it was his driver Ashok Singh who was driving his vehicle at the time of the 2002 mishap, saying it appears to be a “brought up” witness whose contention was belated and introduced at the fag end of the trial.

Khan had submitted for the first time on Monday that Singh was at the wheel and not him, while giving his statement after evidence was closed in the case, said special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat today while making final arguments in the sessions court.

New trade policy makes doing business in India easy

by

The new foreign trade policy unveiled on Wednesday here aims to make doing business in India easy by moving towards a paperless working environment.

“Trade facilitation and enhancing the ease of doing business are the focus areas in the new policy,” Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters on the occasion.