Northeast terror outfits moving to Myanmar: Assam Rifles

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Terrorist outfits of the northeastern region have shifted their bases to neighbouring Myanmar following crackdown by the Bangladesh security forces, an official of the para-military Assam Rifles said Saturday.

“Several terrorist groups of the northeast India have been shifting their camps to Myanmar after the Bangladesh security forces continued their crackdown against them,” Inspector General of Assam Rifles Satish Dua told reporters here.

Bipasha to do a cameo in ‘CID’

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Bollywood actors promoting their films on small screen is not new and the latest to join the list is Bipasha Basu. The actress is set to make a comeo appearance in crime-based TV show “CID”.

“‘Raaz 3’ promotions in full swing. Today I am on the sets of the very famous TV show CID! My little cameo in one of the episodes! Fun!” she tweeted.

“Raaz 3” is about the struggle in an actor’s life to attain fame and success. It releases Sep 7.

IANS

India to press Iran to cooperate in Israel diplomat attack

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India will press Iran to cooperate in the investigation into the attack on an Israeli diplomat in February when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh holds talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran next week.

“We haven’t received the report of the Delhi Police so far,” Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told reporters here Saturday when asked whether the Feb 13 attack on an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi will figure in the discussions between the leaders of the two countries.

BJP will continue to press for PM’s resignation

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Rubbishing the no loss argument of the government in the coal block allocations, BJP on Saturday made it clear that it is in no mood to allow Parliament to function till its demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation is met.

“A nation wide debate is on on this issue though it is not taking place in Parliament. Our strategy does not permit that we allow the government to use Parliament to end this debate without any accountability. We want the debate to go on further,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters here.

Armstrong gets support from fellow riders

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The US Anti-Doping Agency stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and banned him for life after the American decided not to fight charges that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his career.

One former rival, Filippo Simeoni, questioned why Armstrong didn`t continue to contest the charges.

Judges should not rule nation, ridicules ‘right to sleep’: CJI

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Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia on Saturday said judges should not govern the country or evolve policies and apply the enforceability test on some verdicts like making “right to sleep” a fundamental right.

Doing some frank introspection on judiciary’s functioning, he also wondered what would happen if the executive refuses to comply with judiciary’s directives that may not be enforceable.

NCDEX hikes margin on wheat by 10% to check prices

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To control rising wheat prices, the country’s second biggest commodity bourse NCDEX has hiked deposit money to 23 percent from today onwards for traders keen to buy the grain from the exchanges’ platform.

The deposit money (margin) has been increased to 23 percent from 13 percent for wheat traders. The margin is a minimum percentage of money that traders are required to deposit with the exchange to trade in the commodity future.

PM to hold talks with Khemani, Ahmadinejad

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will leave for Iran on August 28 to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, which will be preceded by crucial bilateral talks with Iran’s supreme leader Ayotollah Ali Khemani and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

A host of meeting with the leaders of other NAM countries, including Pakistan, is also likely to take place on the sidelines of the 16th Summit of 120-nation grouping, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said while briefing reporters here on Prime Minister’s four-day Iran visit.

Over two crore vacancies to be filled in govt organisations

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There were over two crore vacancies across many government organisations ranging from the bank sector to the CBI, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, V Narayanasamy, said here on Saturday.

These vacancies were in different sectors and would be filled soon, he said, inaugurating the ‘Question Bank Workshop on English Language and Comprehension’ organised by the Staff Selection Commission’s Southern Regional Office here.

Pak: Trial of 26/11 suspects adjourned for a week

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The trial of seven Pakistani men, including Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, charged with involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, was on Saturday adjourned for a week at the request of a defence lawyer.

Khwaja Haris Ahmed, the counsel for Lakhvi, submitted an application that asked the Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court to put off the hearing as he was unwell.

Judge Chaudhry Habib-ur-Rehman accepted his request and adjourned the case till September 01.

The court summoned four prosecution witnesses to appear at the next hearing, sources told a news agency.

SL arrests 98 illegal immigrants bound for Oz

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The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested at least 98 people who were trying to illegally leave for Australia by two trawlers.

A trawler named Ann Mishal was intercepted with 77 on board in the western seas off the West coastal town of Chilaw while 21 more on board another unnamed trawler were intercepted eastern waters off the eastern coastal town of Batticaloa, the Navy said.

The arrested are to be handed over to the police for further investigations.

Sri Lanka in June launched special coordinated operations to nab illegal immigrants to Australia after recurring cases.

Gloves are off, Congress dares BJP to no-trust motion

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Dubbing the coal blocks allocation controversy as a ‘non-issue’, Congress today challenged the BJP to bring in a no-confidence motion against the UPA government instead of stalling Parliament proceedings. The BJP would not be bold enough to take such a course of action as it would not only expose its “true colour” but also fissures in the party-led NDA, Congress spokesman and JPC chairman P C Chacko told a meet-the-press programme here.

Pak’s PPP prepares for showdown with judiciary

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With a showdown between the government and the judiciary looming, top leaders of Pakistan’s ruling party have held meetings to prepare a strategy for the standoff and to decide whether the Premier should appear in court on Monday to face a contempt charge.

The apex court’s order asking Raja Pervez Ashraf to appear before a five-judge bench was discussed at a meeting of the Pakitan People’s Party’s top leadership chaired last night by Prime Minister Ashraf and President Asif Ali Zardari.

China willing to promote military ties with US

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China is willing to work with the US to properly handle their differences and promote stable and sound development of military-to-military ties, a senior Chinese Army officer has said.

Cai Yingting, a deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army, made the remarks on Thursday in a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter at Pentagon.

Cai, who arrived in the US on Monday for a visit, said the two nations have made key and positive progress in developing bilateral relations since the Obama administration came to power in 2009, reported Xinhua.

First batch of Hajj pilgrims to take off on Oct. 6

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The first batch of Andhra Pradesh state Hajj pilgrims will take off on October 6. Saudi Arabian Airlines will carry more than 8,500 Hajj pilgrims from across the state in 24 flights between October 6 and October 19.

Increase in Hajj expenditure still worries the pilgrims and more than 4000 Hajj aspirants, who earlier opted for Green category accommodation, have requested for a downgrade to Azizia category due to fare hike. The traveling expenditure has been increased by Rs 42000 compared to last year.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister in Assam

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka arrived here on Saturday on a three-day goodwill mission aimed at wooing back the North-East people who had left Bangalore and some other cities following rumours of attacks on them.

The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, who also looks after the home portfolio, is likely to visit the northeastern state of Manipur also.

Ashoka arrived at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport near Guwahati around 10.30 am and headed straight for Assam capital Dispur where he is expected to meet Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Mumbai violence: NCP president defends R R Patil

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Maharashtra NCP President Madhukar Pichad has come out in support of the State Home Minister R R Patil saying there was no need for his resignation as demanded by the opposition over a deteriorating law and order situation and the August 11 violence in Mumbai.

“Patil is a honest and strong leader of the party. It is the job of the opposition to criticise. The question of his resignation does not arise,” he said on the conclusion of a day long study camp of district NCP workers held here Friday.

BJP slams govt’s zero-loss theory on coal scam

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday rejected the Congress-led UPA government’s no-loss theory on the allocation of coal blocks to private players, alleging it was trying to mislead the people.

“When coal blocks are allocated, the right to mine rests with the private allottees, not government of India. Even without actual mining, the government has lost control over those mines at a throw-away price,” Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said at a press conference at the party office here.

Azharuddin’s statue to be erected at RGI cricket stadium

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Bronze statues of Mohammad Azharuddin and VVS Laxman, will be erected by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. HCA is preparing to execute the plant within the next three months. Although statues of many great Australian cricketers have been erected at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but this is the first time that any player is being honoured this way in India.

Question mark over Mamata’s democracy, investment promises

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The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government is facing flak for failing in its election promises of restoring democratic and promoting an investment-friendly climate in the state.

The government recently denied former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee permission to hold a party programme, drawing widespread criticism.

Now, an industry body says it is apprehensive about the state’s investment climate.

The Man Who Promised Prophet (s.a.w.s.) To Tell The Truth

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Telling the truth is a very good habit. If you always speak the truth, you can save yourself from a lot of trouble! Here is a story of a man who did a lot of bad things, but his promise to tell the truth saved him.

Once a man came to the prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and said, “Oh prophet of Allah, I have many bad habits. Which one of them should I give up first?” The prophet said, “Give up telling lies first and always speak the truth.” The man promised to do so and went home.

Forty years on, romance still alive between Dilip, Saira

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Their marriage is four decades old but romance hasn’t faded between Bollywood couple Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu.

The couple enjoyed a quiet dinner together at Saira’s 68th birthday, revealed yesteryear superstar Dilip Kumar.

“It was Saira’s birthday yesterday (Thursday). Her friends claimed her attention since morning,” Dilip Kumar tweeted Friday.

“But the late evening was just the two of us, for the quiet dinner at our favourite restaurant,” he posted further.

IANS

India in command as rain plays spoilsport on Day III

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Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s career-best figures of six for 31 helped India easily enforce the follow-on against New Zealand on third day but inclement weather stood in the path hosts’ victory in the first cricket Test being played here today.

The New Zealand first innings folded at 159 as Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha three for 44 shared the bulk of the spoils as hosts had a hige 279-run first innings lead.

In the second innings New Zealand were 41 for one when umpires decided to call off play. Only 37.3 overs of play was possible on the day.

Gold zooms to new record at Rs 31,300 on strong global cues

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Buoyed by a strong rally overseas, gold rose to touch a new high of Rs 31,300 per 10 grams in the bullion market here today.

Gold added Rs 185, registering gains for the sixth day in a row, while silver added Rs 950 to Rs 57,800 per kg on
increased buying.

Silver coins also spurted by Rs 2,000 to Rs 73,000 for buying and Rs 74,000 for selling of 100 pieces on strong
demand.

Ghai to don director’s hat again for action film with Salman

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Filmmaker Subhash Ghai has decided to wield the megaphone again and team up with Salman Khan for an action packed masala entertainer.

Ghai had stopped directing films to concentrate on his film school Whistling Woods International. But now he will
soon be getting behind the camera.

He has two films at hand — one with Salman Khan that will roll out next year.

I am returning to direction. I have two films.. one with Salman that I will start next year and other I will start shooting this year,” Ghai told PTI.