Month: June 2015

Actress Konkona Sen Sharma’s journey in the industry has been straightforward, largely displaying her tremendous acting skills in non-‘masala’ cinema nut shje terms it “convoluted”.

Attending a special initiative “Career Konnect: Power to Women” aimed at encouraging working mothers, Konkona said: “My journey has been a convoluted one till now. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was in college.”

“And acting was something I happened to stray into and subsequently made it my world though it was already my world because of my parents (mother and leading actress Aparna Sen).”

Following the ban on tight jeans, short tops and leggings by a north Kerala women’s college, Muslim cleric Mufti Shamoon Kazmi on Monday said that youngsters following a bit of fashion is not un-Islamic.

“I would like to say that they are youngsters and can do a little bit of fashion if they like to. It is nothing like un-Islamic that such a big decision, like a ban is required. But they should also know their limits,” Kazmi told ANI

The political group leaders of the European Parliament (EP) on Monday called Greece and the creditors to return to the negotiating table before the end of Tuesday.

As the Greek debt talks deadlocked again, EP President Martin Schulz and political group leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss the latest situation on Greece with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Xinhua reported.

The extraordinary meeting adopted a position on the immediate next step that should be taken, according to the EP.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday accused Greece of a lack of willingness to compromise, calling on the government in Athens to take “self-responsibility” in dealing with its debt issue.

Merkel made the remarks at a press conference after meeting her cabinet members and German party leaders to discuss recent developments of the Greek debt crisis, Xinhua reported.

“Europe can only work when we’re prepared to compromise. The generous offer (to Greece) was our contribution to the compromise,” she told journalists about the failed talks over a proposed bailout for Greece.

The AAP government on Monday introduced an amendment to the Delhi Value Added Tax (Second Amendment) Bill 2015, which might lead to a hike in prices of petroleum products, tobacco and aerated drinks in the capital.

Currently, VAT on goods under the fourth schedule of Value Added Taxes in Delhi is fixed at 20 percent. The proposed amendment will enable the AAP government to impose VAT varying from 12.5 percent to 30 percent.

Watches worth above Rs.5,000 will also come under this category.

The BJP on Monday slammed the AAP’s budget, saying that it will lead to price rise in the capital.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijender Gupta, who is leader of the opposition in the Delhi assembly, said during a discussion on the budget for 2015-16 presented by the Aam Aadmi Party government, that it was a “deficit budget”, and the proposed increase in entertainment and luxury taxes was bound to pinch the middle class.

Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, as well as ace India cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni have made it to the Forbes annual Celebrity 100 rankings of the world’s highest-paid celebrities.

Both Bachchan and Salman share the 71st rank with earnings of $33.5 million each, while Akshay with $32.5 million is placed 76th. Dhoni with $31 million is ranked 82nd.

This year’s list ranks the world’s 100 highest-paid celebrities, regardless of nationality.

YSR Congress Party leader YS Sharmila, on her latest phase of “Paramarsha Yatra”, landed at Shamshabad airport to a warm and rousing welcome. Party workers and leaders turned up in big numbers to welcome her.

Loksatta founder-president Dr Jayaprakash Narayana today administered shock to TDP by uttering that there was no problem for Andhra people living in Hyderabad for the last 13 months.

Probably stepping into his father and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s shoes to lend a helping hand to the poor and deprived, IT Minister KT Rama Rao today offered Rs 1 lakh to Nagaiah who acted in Vedam film and begging at Film Nagar. Moved at the penury of Nagaiah, who is begging in Film Nagar to make both ends meet, KTR invited him to his residence and offered Rs 1 lakh cheque.

Actor-turned-Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul was on Monday granted bail by a West Bengal court in a case pertaining to his alleged inflammatory remarks.

Besides Paul, another controversial Trinamool leader Anubrata Mondal, who is facing prosecution for a hate speech, was also granted bail by a court.

Chargesheeted for bailable offences by the CID for his kill-and-rape remark, Paul surrendered before a court in Nadia district, following which he was granted bail.

President Pranab Mukherji is scheduled to stay in Hyderabad, the joint capital of two Telugu States, until July 8.
During his 10-day sojourn, the President is expected to pay a visit to Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateshwara in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh on July 1. And on his return to Hyderabad, the President will attend a program to receive first copy of a book “Uniki” authored by Maharashtra Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao at HICC on July 3.

The Hyderabad High Court of Telangana Government here on Monday issued orders transferring six district judges.

According to the order, M. Venkataramana has been appointed as special judge for CBI Court. Similarly, Vijaya Sarathi Acharyulu was posted as chief judge of Warangal district; Aravainda Reddy as chief judge of Nizamahad district; Balayogi as chief judge of City Civil Court; Sambasiva Rao Naidu as fourth additional metropolitan judge, Nampally; Tirumala Rao as second additional metropolitan judge, Nampally. (NSS)

Popular Tollywood actor and Janasena president Pawan Kalyan today announced that he would disclose his opinion on the latest political developments in the two Telugu States i.e. cash-for-vote, phone-tapping and other issues by the end of this week or in early next week.

Ahead of the launch of the flagship program of Harithaharam on July 3, Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari today directed vice chancellors of various universities and officials of education department to conduct massive plantation of saplings program in their campuses and premises. During a high level review meeting with them at Secretariat here, the deputy chief minister asked them to take up on war-footing the project to expand green cover in the state.

The Santoshnagar sleuths have busted a notorious interstate snatching gang of three persons and seized stolen property 13 tolas of gold and two motor bikes from their possession.

The criminals were arrested on Sunday evening during vehicle checking at Rakshapuram ‘T’ Junction. M. Appalanaidu, DI, Santoshnagar PS, arrested the trio under the guidance of. V. Satyanarayana, IPS.

India on Monday signed the Articles of Agreement for establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) at a ceremony in Beijing.

At the event held at the Great Hall of the People, 57 prospective founding member countries gathered for the ceremony and 50 countries signed the Articles of Agreement.

The Articles will remain open for signature for the remaining seven countries till December 2015, said an official statement from the Indian embassy in Beijing.

Indian envoy Ashok K. Kantha led the Indian delegation and signed the Agreement.

Governor ESL Narasimhan today extended invitations to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu to attend a dinner party being accorded in honour of President Pranab Mukherjee on his arrival at Raj Bhavan on June 30 at 7 pm. The Governor asked the two Telugu Chief Ministers to turn up to the important program along with their spouses.

Pradeep Gharat, who secured the conviction of Bollywood actor Salman Khan in the drunken driving and hit-and-run case as special public prosecutor, has been given the same responsibility in Maharashtra’s worst-ever hooch tragedy, it was announced on Monday.

So far, 103 people have lost their lives in the Malwani hooch tragedy case of June 17. Eight accused have been arrested so far including one from Delhi and another from Gujarat, while eight policemen and four excise department personnel has been suspended so far.

As part of his regular annual sojourn in Hyderabad, President Pranab Mukherjee today landed on the campus of Hakimpet Air Force Station here in a special IAF flight.

The country’s first citizen was given a rousing reception by Governor ESL Narsimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, ministers, leaders and officials at Hakimpet Airport near Secunderabad on Monday afternoon.

All set to don the director’s hat for a self-scripted movie, actress Konkona Sen Sharma says after two years of hard work on the script, she is convinced that she is passionate about making a film.

Claiming that she never wanted to be an actor, Konkona said: “Today, I’m passionate about wanting to make a film. And I know this because I’m working on this film for two years now. I was never a writer but I’ve written a script. For me this is a major achievement but for others it might be a minor one. But I never thought I’ll stick to one thing for so long.”

“Ishq-e-Ibaadat”, all geared up to go on floors, is about two love stories running parallel in time, says director Noor Mani.

“It is a romantic love story. Currently we are in pre-production. We are auditioning and getting songs completed with Arijit Singh, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam,” Noor to IANS.

He said the film, under the flag of Amee Patadia’s AMEE films, is based on a novel.

Energy cooperation, trade and connectivity and people-to-people links are set to top the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s early July visit to the five Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan – a region largely neglected for many years.

A nine-year-old boy was drowned after he accidentally slipped into Hussainsagar lake.

According to Ramgopalpet police, the deceased, V Balraj, went to Hussainsagar lake along with his mother and seven-year-old sister Saritha on Sunday evening. Both Balraj and Saritha fell into the lake while playing. While their mother saved Saritha, Balraj slipped into the lake and got drowned. They were residents of Anand Nagar in Khairtabad.

A 70-year-old man committed suicide allegedly due to financial problems.

According to Keesra police, the deceased, K Bikya of Nagaram, took the extreme step by consuming some unknown poison on June 22 and died at the Gandhi Hospital on Monday. He ran into financial crisis after marrying off his two daughters. Recently, his eldest son-in-law had abandoned his daughter which deteriorated his financial conditions consequently driving him to suicide.