Sat, Nov 21, 2009
Attack on TV channel: Sardesai to meet Maha CMSenior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in Mumbai on Saturday to lodge a formal protest over the attack on the offices of TV channel IBN-Lokmat. Sardesai will meet Chavan in his capacity as the president of the Editors Guild, along with several senior journalists, and discuss the issue with the chief minister. Journalists will also stage a demonstration at Hutatma Chowk at 1 pm on Saturday to condemn the attack, he said.
Army foils infiltration bid along LoCSecurity personnel on Friday night foiled an infiltration bid, after a brief encounter with militants along the Line of Control in Balakote area, nearly 190 km from Jammu. Troops patrolling the forward area along the Line of Control in Balakote in Poonch district observed some movement of militants and opened fire on them, said Brigadier General Staff, 16 Corps, Gurdeep Singh. Firing started from across the border, resulting in an exchange of gunfire for a brief period.
Differences with party resolved: Trinamool MPDisgruntled Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Kabir Suman, who had alleged that he was unable to work for the people of his constituency because of opposition from a section of party leaders, on Friday said differences with party members had been resolved.He also demanded that he be allowed to speak in Parliament against the anti-Maoist operations by the police and central forces in West Midnapore district.
Illegal mining:Karnataka minister on the defensiveKarnataka Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy on Friday night said the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee's report -- describing as 'illegal' the mining of iron ore by the Obulapuram Mining Company owned by him in Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border -- was not that of the apex court. He said the report by the CEC is an 'ex parte report' since the Obulapuram Mining Company "was never heard before
Hawala scam: Koda seeks time from EDFormer Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, who failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, has sought time for his appearance, saying his documents are not ready. Koda, along with his associates, has been accused of being involved in a Rs 2000-crore hawala scam.According to one of his advocates, Koda has sought time as some of his documents, wanted by the ED, were either with the Income Tax Department or with the State Vigilance Department.
Fri, Nov 20, 2009
Advani doesn't want to continue as leader of OppnBharatiya Janata Party senior leader L K Advani has told party leaders that he does not want to continue as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha for the next five years, senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday."He told us that he does not want to continue till the tenure of the 15th Lok Sabha and would like to hand over the responsibility to some other colleague," Naidu said.He said Advani was elected leader of the party for the 15th Lok Sabha.
Shun censorship, propaganda: Dalai Lama to ChinaObserving that the 1.3 billion people of China have the 'right to know the reality', Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Friday advised the Communist regime there to shun 'censorship and distorted propaganda'.He also said that he had always advocated a greater role for India in Asia and the world as it is the largest democracy on the planet."The Communist party has no right to keep them away from reality," he said.
TN: No radioactive material found in Maltese shipAfter a day-long search of a Malta-registered ship following an anonymous call that it contained radioactive material, authorities allowed it to anchor inside the Chennai port. on Friday, as they found "no apparent radioactivity" in the vessel.
No decision yet on new CIC: GovtPrime Minister Manmohan Singh met Leader of Opposition L K Advani and Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily on Friday to decide on the new Chief Information Commissioner but the meeting remained "inconclusive".
Afghan Taliban chief not in Karachi: Pak govtPakistan on Friday dismissed reports claiming Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar had fled from Quetta to Karachi, with the help of the Inter Services Intelligence, to avoid the possibility of being targeted by United States drones."This is ridiculous to say the least," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters. He said there had been speculations about Omar's presence in Pakistan 'for years'.
Advani claims credit for stepping down from postL K Advani, who has been ruling the roost in the Bharatiya Janata Party along with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, claimed credit for stepping down as Sushma Swaraj took over the Leader of the Oppposition's post from him.
Reddys illegally mining in AP, says SC committeeThe Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the Supreme Court on environment and forest, in its preliminary report submitted to the apex court has confirmed that prima facie there was illegal mining beyond the limits of leased lands, in violation of the forest conservation act by Reddy's companies.
On PM's US agenda: N-deal, Headley, Indo-Pak tiesPrime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to articulate his concerns on the terrorism emanating from Pakistan during his meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington on November 24. Dr Singh is also expected to tell Obama that India wants Pakistan to dismantle the terrorism infrastructure operating on its soil and ensure that its land is not used to launch acts of terror against India.
China has direct link with Kashmir, says Mirwaiz"I believe that China is not a party to the conflict (over Kashmir) but China has a stake as far as peace in the region is concerned. So, the Hurriyat Conference welcomes the approach adopted by China and America jointly in terms of addressing the issue of Kashmir in South Asia," Farooq said. He was referring to the Sino-US joint statement issued on Tuesday after a meeting between President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.
Can't understand Gafoor's statements: Mumbai copsRefuting allegations by their former boss that they dithered from "responding to the situation" during 26/11, some police officers said on Friday that they did not understand what prompted former Mumbai police commissioner Hassan Gafoor to make such remarks.
'Faheem's sign matches with maps' handwriting'Specimen signatures of 26/11 accused Faheem Ansari matched with the writings on maps of Mumbai terror sites seized from him by Lucknow police at the time of his arrest in a bomb blast case in Uttar Pradesh last year, a handwriting expert informed the trial court on Friday.
'Delhi, Hurriyat talks can't succeed without Pak'Pakistan on Friday claimed that any talks between the Indian government and separatist Kashmiri leaders will not be successful without its involvement.
'After Taj hotel, Headley visited Trident too'American terror suspect David Headley had also stayed at Oberoi Trident besides the Taj -- the two hotels attacked on 26/11 -- before the Mumbai carnage, reinforcing suspicion of his link with the audacious strike, according to investigators on Friday.
Headley revelations may embarrass Mumbai policeThe Union home ministry believes the newly-formed National Investigation Agency will have to reinvestigate the 26/11 case if the David Headley-Tahawwur Rana probe produces unexpected links with the Mumbai terror attacks. This will be a serious matter and hit the Mumbai police's credibility.
Who were the women with Headley?The investigation, currently being conducted by the National Investigating Agency, has highlighted the possibility that David Headley -- the American citizen arrested last month in Chicago by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on terror charges -- may have involved a couple of women in his plans.
'Senior cops did not respond to 26/11'Some of the top Mumbai police officers have been accused by their former boss of dithering from "responding to the situation" during the 26/11 attacks. Hasan Gafoor, the then Mumbai Police Commissioner, said, "a section of senior police officers refused to be on the ground and take on the terrorists. By doing so, they chose to ignore the need of the hour."
Images: The NSG chief who led from the frontThe elite National Security Guard was under pressure to use gas to neutralise the heavily armed Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists during the Mumbai terror attacks last year, but the idea was shot down for fear of repeat of another Russian theatre disaster.
Images: Jagan appoints himself as star campaignerThe Congress Member of Parliament from Kadapah Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who made an unsuccessful bid to become the Andhra Pradesh chief minister after his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy died in an air crash, made a debut as the party's star campaigner for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.
26/11 anniversary: Stay alert, says AntonyUnion Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday asked the three services to remain alert and step up vigilance around the first anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
India at a loss over growing Sino-US ties: ReportIndia's unease over the Sino-US joint statement on Indo-Pak relations may indicate a "sense of loss" in New Delhi at the growing ties between China and America, Chinese scholars said on Friday. While justifying the controversial Sino-US statement that pledged support for improvement in Indo-Pak ties, they said it is in China's interests to have an "orderly neighbourly environment."