Nitesh Rane's statement on Gujaratis would be examined: RR Patil

NAGPUR: Maharashtra home minister RR Patil today said the government will examine the controversial statement by youth leader Nitesh Rane regarding Gujaratis living in Mumbai, and take action if he was found guilty.

Nitesh, meanwhile, contended today that his tweet did not target every Gujarati living in Mumbai.

Patil, who was here to pay homage to Babasaheb Kedar, a cooperative movement leader who passed away yesterday, said every citizen of the country has the right to live anywhere in the country, irrespective his origins and language.

The state will initiate appropriate action if Nitesh was found guilty, Patil said.

Nitesh, son of state industries minister and Congress leader Narayan Rane, recently said on twitter that Mumbai-based Gujaratis who admire the performance of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi were free to go back to their native state.

He today clarified in Mumbai that he did not target every Gujarati. "I only said those who feel Narendra Modi is doing a good job can move there (Gujarat)," he told reporters.

"My remarks were not aimed against all Gujaratis but only about those who feel there is more development in Gujarat."

"I have taken a political stance ... I have stated clearly that people living in Mumbai who feel that Gujarat is developing better than us (Maharashtra) or those who feel that Modi is developing Gujarat better than us, why don't they go there," Nitesh said.

"I didn't say that all Gujaratis are like that. I didn't say we will drive (Gujaratis) out (of Mumbai)."

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ishrat case: Order on Pandey's advance bail plea reserved

AHMEDABAD: The special court for CBI cases here today reserved its order on the anticipatory bail plea of additional director general of police Prithvi Pal Pandey, an accused in Ishrat Jahan fake encounter killing case, till August 6.

The special court is hearing his application afresh on the directions of the Gujarat high court which has restrained the CBI from arresting the senior IPS officer till August 6.

Judge Gita Gopi is likely to pass the order on Tuesday. Earlier, Pandey's lawyer Nirupam Nanavati argued "CBI has been chasing Pandey and wanted to send him behind the bars by hook or by crook ... Despite the high court directing CBI not to arrest Pandey till August 6, the central investigation agency filed an application seeking his judicial custody."

CBI's branding of his client as a proclaimed absconder (in the chargesheet of Ishrat case) was totally illegal as Pandey appeared before the concerned court as per the orders of the Supreme Court, Nanavati said.

"It is not an error or mistake. It is a deliberate design so as to deprive Pandey of any discretionary order from seeking justice," he said. "CBI does not want to humiliate only my client (alone) but they want to humiliate the entire police brass of the Gujarat", he added.

"Why have they not proceeded against those officials who have more serious allegations against their name," Nanavati said referring to omission of names of Intelligence Bureau officials Rajinder Kumar and the then Ahmedabad police commissioner KR Kaushik in the chargesheet.

Contending that there was no material against Pandey, Nanavati said he was acting on IB inputs and if IB inputs were to be questioned, there may be a serious law and order problem in the country.

But CBI counsel Ejaz Khan pointed out that the investigation agency had taken over the Ishrat case only on the directions of the Gujarat high court.

"It is mischievous to term this as (result of) political rivalry. We have not come here as a political rival to any one. We are investigating the case on the directions of the Gujarat high court," Khan argued.

Khan said the act committed by some of the accused police officials was "beyond the imagination of a fiction writer".

Rubbishing the claim that the probe against Pandey had some ulterior motive, Khan said "he chose a wrong way which does not befit a senior police officer. He approached all forums for quashing FIR, staying his arrest, among other prayers. He should have come before a judicial officer and marked his presence."

Pandey was admitted to a city hospital last Sunday after he complained of chest pain and other medical problems.

Without custodial interrogation, the truth will not come out and anticipatory bail will adversely affect the investigation, the CBI lawyer said.

The 1982-batch IPS officer was joint commissioner of police (crime), Ahmedabad, when Mumbai-based Ishrat, her friend Javed Shaikh, alias Pranesh Pillai, and their associates Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were gunned down by crime branch sleuths on June 15, 2004 at the city's outskirts.

Crime Branch had then claimed that the four were terrorists and on a mission to kill Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

According to the CBI chargesheet, the encounter was fake in nature.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

34 students fall ill after drinking water in their school in Bihar

PATNA: Schoolchildren falling sick after drinking contaminated water from hand pumps continued for the third consecutive day today. At least 34 more students fell ill in different parts of Bihar.

At least 24 children complained of vomiting and stomach ache after drinking water from a hand pump located in the government middle school Biraul in Darbhanga district.

Besides the children, a teacher and the cook of midday meal in the same school also complained of vomiting and stomach ache, the in charge of midday meal Sardul Hassan said.

He said all of them were taken to Biraul primary health centre.

Hassan said the hand pump has been sealed for probe. A report from Jehanabad said that 10 students fell sick after drinking water from a hand pump in the premises of a primary school at Nonhi Mathia under Kako block of Jehanabad district.

Sub-divisional officer Manoranjan Kumar said the ailing children were taken to Jehanabad Sadar Hospital where all of them have been reported to be out of danger.

He said the hand pump has been sealed and its water sent for tests.

In Samastipur, five sulphas tablets were found from the hand pump installed in a government school in Pagra village in Dalsinsarai block.

Sub-divisional officer of Samastipur Varun Kumar Mishra said that on the complaint of the school principal he reached the school and on opening the hand pump, five sulphas tablets were found inside it.

Panic spread in a government middle school in Lalganj block of Vaishali after red coloured water came out of the hand pump installed in the school premises.

On hearing the news, the sub-divisional officer reached the school and after water sample was collected, the pump was sealed.

After the tragic death of 23 children at a Chhapra school after eating midday meal, there has been a spate of complaints of children falling sick after drinking water from hand pumps in their school across the state.

More than 55 children had fallen ill at Sitamarhi yesterday.

Expressing grave concern over the incidents, chief minister Nitish Kumar has asked the administration and locals "to keep an eye over elements indulging in such dastardly act of mixing poison in hand pumps".

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Subramanian Swamy visits Mumbai eatery targeted by Youth Congress workers

MUMBAI: Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Saturday visited Aditi Hotel in central Mumbai, which was forced to down its shutters by Youth Congress activists last month for carrying an anti-UPA government footnote on its cash bill.

"I have come here to express my solidarity with the hotel and the management, who bore the brunt of the attack by the Youth Congress workers," Swamy said.

"The bill footnote was a piece of satire and in no way should have provoked such a reaction," said the former Union minister, who also relished what he called "super vada sambar and super coffee" at the eatery in Parel.

Jagdish Shetty, national general secretary, Janata Party, said Swamy's visit was a symbolic one to express his solidarity with hotelier Srinivas Shetty.

The trenchant message on the cash bill in protest of the imposition of service tax on AC restaurants read: As per UPA government, eating money (2G, Coal, CWG scam) is a necessity and eating food in an AC restaurant is a luxury.

Though the UPA government was involved in one scam after another that involved billions of rupees, the common man was burdened with taxes, Shetty said.

This visit was to express the anger and resentment of the common man against corruption in the UPA government, he said.

A group of Congress workers had staged a protest outside Aditi restaurant near KEM Hospital at Parel on July 22 and forced it to shut down over the postscript.

The news of the closure of the restaurant had generated massive outrage both online and off it. Among those who condemned the Congress actions was Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who tweeted that the incident was the "height of intolerance".

The incident had also figured in the monsoon session of state legislature, which ended yesterday.

Swamy was elected to the Lok Sabha from Mumbai in 1977 and 1980 and represented Mumbai North East constituency comprising suburbs of Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kurla, Vikhroli, Bhandup and Mulund.

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Six fined over Malaysia 'exorcism' death, report says

KUALA LUMPUR: Six family members who suffocated a Malaysian toddler to death by piling on top of her for hours in a suspected exorcism ritual have been fined but avoided jail, a report said on Saturday.

Chua Wan Zuen, aged two, died after being pinned down under a blanket in August last year with eight people, including her parents, crushing her for several hours in an attempt to drive away evil spirits.

A district court in northern Penang state on Friday fined the girl's parents, uncle, aunt and grandmother 10,000 ringgit ($3,000) each after they pleaded guilty to causing Chua's death by negligence, The Star reported.

Her 21-year-old cousin was fined 5,000 ringgit, while another cousin, 16, was released on probation, it said.

All seven originally pleaded not guilty but in the course of the trial admitted to committing the offence at their home in the northern town of Bukit Mertajam.

An Indonesian maid, who police said had joined the seven others in the ritual, was not charged and testified against the ethnic Chinese family.

The parents were also fined an additional 5,000 ringgit each on a second charge of exposing their daughter to physical harm.

The offence is punishable by up to 10 years in jail, while negligently causing death carries a penalty of up to two years in prison.

If the family fail to pay the fines, they could be jailed for up to seven months in the parents' case or less for the others.

Court officials and lawyers could not be reached on Saturday for comment.

Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, but has large non-Muslim ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.

Seeking the advice of faith healers is common in Malaysia, but violent rituals are rare.

In 2008, a Malaysian couple were beaten to death by family members in a bizarre ritual to cure them of a smoking habit and illnesses.

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Aam Aadmi Party welcomes Telangana, says it will pave way for other 'smaller states'

MUMBAI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has issued a press release stating that it had always maintained that a new state of Telangana should be announced without further delay. It has also emphasized that the new state must belong to all people living in the present region of Telangana, without any discrimination. The state must effectively protect the rights of minorities, install a mechanism to guarantee the security of residents from Andhra and Rayalaseema and provide for equitable sharing of water with Seemandhra.

Aam Aadmi Party believes that the creation of the separate state of Telangana will help end the bitterness and perceptions that have grown over the years among the Telugu-speaking people and pave the way for addressing the real issues and everyday concerns of ordinary people in both Telangana and Andhra.

AAP on principle supports the formation of smaller states in India as a significant step towards bringing the locus of political power closer to the people. Demands for making governments responsive and accountable, need for redressing administrative inefficiency, and popular aspiration for a better life have set the stage for a new phase which entails the probable reorganization of states.

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Water in Sardar Sarovar dam touches highest 129.2 metre-mark

VADODARA: Water level in the Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadiya in Narmada district on Friday crossed the record 129.2 metre-mark and is expected to rise further owing to heavy rains in Narmada river catchment areas in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

According to N T Mathew, Executive Engineer of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNL), this is the first time that Narmada dam has started overflowing at this height. Until now, the highest water level at the dam was 129.06 metres in 2012 and 127 metres in 2007, he said.

The official said that the water level may breach the 129.8 metre mark anytime after this evening following release from Indirasagar dam, Omkareshwar dam and others in MP. Mathew told that the dam is overflowing because of heavy rains in catchment areas of MP following which about 12 lakh cusecs of water is being released from various dams. Due to overflowing, the submersible bridge located at Gora near SS dam site has gone under water and has been closed for vehicular traffic, disconnecting over 20 nearby villages.

Also, several villages of Tilakwada and Nandod Talukas located on the banks of Narmada, have been alerted, said MS Ranjan Bala, additional district collector, Narmada district.

In Bharuch, on the Golden bridge, Narmada was flowing only four feet short of the danger mark. In view of this, 39 villages in three talukas of Jhagadiya, Ankleshwar and Bharuch have been alerted, officials said.

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Congress' Telangana decision lacks conviction, BJP says

HYDERABAD: Alleging that Congress is always guided by political interests, BJP on Friday demanded that the party get the Bill for formation of separate Telangana approved by Union Cabinet in the next few days.

Talking to reporters here, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar demanded that the Centre expeditiously get the Bill on Telangana cleared by Union Cabinet in the next three-four days and then push for further necessary action.

"People have doubts about Congress actions, when they will actually do it. First Digvijay Singh (Congress AP in-charge) said four months, (Ghulam Nabi) Azad said five months, (home minister Sushil Kumar) Shinde said six months," he said.

"On December 9, 2009, they made an announcement that the process of formation of Telangana will be initiated. If they would have gone ahead with that plan, hundreds of lives (in Telangana) would have been saved. Let me also mention that Congress has not taken the decision with conviction. It has taken under political compulsion," he said.

Javadekar, who is also a member of Parliament, felt the Congress-led UPA government can bring the statehood Bill now if it has political will and that the law ministry would have a draft Bill.

"The government must declare how it would like to go ahead with building a new capital post-bifurcation and also announce a package for development of Rayalaseema region in view of its backwardness," Javadekar demanded.

Congress would have also assuaged the feelings of people of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema and addressed their concerns about various things, including Hyderabad, if the ruling party had conviction, he maintained.

BJP, a strong votary of smaller states, believed in peaceful co-existence of two states (in AP) with mutual respect for feelings of others, Javadekar added.

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Cabinet okays 10% IOC disinvestment; to fetch Rs 3,695 crore

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Aug 2, 2013, 08.11PM IST

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet has cleared the proposal for sale of 10 per cent government stake in Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which may fetch around Rs 3,695 crore to the exchequer at the current market price.

"The CCEA has approved the disinvestment of 10 per cent paid-up equity in the IOC. The disinvestment will be through Offer for Sale (OFS) method in the domestic market," an official statement said.

The IOC scrip closed at Rs 192.90, down 1.46 per cent on the BSE. At the current market price, the sale of the 19.16 crore shares would fetch Rs 3,695 crore to the exchequer.

Government holds a 78.92 per cent stake in IOC and following divestment the stake would come down to 68.92 per cent.

The disinvestment department has already selected five merchant bankers — Citibank, HSBC, UBS Securities, SBI Capital and JM Financial — to manage the stake sale of the oil major.

IOC, the nation's largest refiner, has a paid up equity capital of Rs 2,428 crore as on March 31, 2013. It posted a net profit of Rs 5,005 crore in 2012-13, up from Rs 3,954 crore in the previous year.

The company's profit peaked at Rs 10,221 crore in 2009-10. IOC sells fuel at below-market prices, for which it is partially compensated by the government.

It is primarily engaged in refining, transportation and marketing of petroleum products and petrochemicals with an installed refining capacity of 54.2 million metric tonnes.

The company is also now venturing into exploration and production of crude oil and distribution of natural gas.

The government's disinvestment target through PSU stake sales in the current financial year is Rs 40,000 crore.

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No merger with BJP, will strengthen own party: Yeddyurappa

MYSORE: KJP chief BS Yeddyurappa on Friday set to rest all the speculations on KJP merging with BJP or his joining BJP and said his goal is to build KJP in the state as a strong regional outfit and take on both Congress and BJP in the future elections.

But at the same time he said no party for him is "untouchable" in the elections and his option on KJP's alliance with other parties is open. "We have an open mind on alliance politics and KJP will take a decision which suits its interests best," he claimed, denying he has been approached by BJP leaders asking him to join the party. At present, as the KJP organizational set up is weak, it is talking about alliance politics; once KJP becomes strong it will chalk out its own action plan for elections, he said.

Yeddyurappa said he is seeking the support of various parties to win council by-polls and at an appropriate time he will disclose which party will support KJP. However, party has decided not to field its candidates in the by-poll to Lok sabha from Bangalore rural and Mandya constituencies. At an appropriate time he will decide to which party KJP should support in these two constituencies, Yeddyurappa added.

Later addressing a workers' meeting, BSY said country politics is at a crossroads and in all states regional outfits are strongly emerging on the political scene and people are also of the opinion that regional parties protect their interests better than national parties. "After 2014 general elections KJP will emerge on the national political scene," he disclosed, ruling out the merger of KJP with BJP. "My sincere appeal to workers is not get perturbed by reports of KJP-JP merger as all these are rumours," he reiterated.

Shoba Karandlaje ruled out KJP's merger with BJP. She said BJP cheated BSY and in the process people elected Congress. BSY never approached BJP with an application in his hand to join BJP.

"Yeddyurappa maybe indispensable for BJP and BJP is not indispensable for the former," she added.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shinde appeals for peace, says govt ready to listen to demands for states

NEW DELHI: As violence erupted in some parts of the country demanding separate states, the government on Thursday appealed for peace saying it was ready to listen "carefully" to everyone's grievances.

Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, however, ruled out formation of a Second States Reorganisation Commission to consider the demands for separate statehood and made it clear that no commitment has been given to any organisation for creating any Union Territory.

"I appeal to everyone who are demanding new states that they should not resort to violence. They can agitate but follow the democratic process, peaceful agitation. The government of India is ready to listen to everyone carefully," he told a press conference here.

Shinde said there have been demands for creation of five- six states in the northeast, four in Uttar Pradesh, one in West Bengal and two-three more in other parts in the country.

"They can agitate but should do peaceful demonstration. They should maintain peace. Through democratic ways, they should agitate," he said.

The Home Minister said the government was aware of the demands for creation of separate states in Cooch Behar (North Bengal), Bodoland, Gorkhaland and Karbi Anglong.

"It is not that the government is neglecting them. We are ready to listen to them. Wherever workable, the government will take a decision. We have done in the past in Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and in Chhattisgarh," he said.

Referring to violence in some parts of the northeast and in Darjeeling, Shinde said situation there was not going out of hand and hoped that the organisations would not do anything which was undemocratic.

"Situation in the northeast is calm, peaceful," he said.

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Ishrat Jahan case: Accused cops demand more documents from CBI

AHMEDABAD: Two accused police officers, charged by CBI in the 2004 Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case, on Thursday sought copies of all previous statements of witnesses as recorded by the earlier probing agencies.

The accused police officers, GL Singhal and Tarun Barot, filed an application through their advocate Brijrajsinh Jhala, before the court of additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) HS Khutwad, who fixed the hearing on August 5.

Six accused policemen in the case, out of seven who were named in the chargesheet filed by CBI on July 4, have been provided copies of various documents along with the chargesheet by the central investigating agency.

However, Singhal and Barot claimed in their application that copies of the previous statements, recorded under section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code(CrPC) of various witnesses by the earlier probing agencies like DCB Crime Branch, Ahmedabad and SIT (which had earlier investigated the case under High Court order), have not been provided to them.

Citing 21 such witnesses whose statements were recorded both by CBI and earlier investigating agencies, the two accused have sought direction from the court to CBI to provide those statements to them.

Mumbai girl Ishrat, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were gunned down on June 15, 2004 on the city's outskirts.

Crime Branch had then claimed the four were terrorists on a mission to kill Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

The CBI, which probed the case, in its chargesheet termed the encounter as "fake" and a joint operation between Gujarat police and IB.

The agency named seven senior Gujarat police officials as accused and charged them with murder and criminal conspiracy.

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Lawmkunga takes over as Manipur chief secretary

IMPHAL, P.C. Lawmkunga Thursday took over as the new chief secretary of Manipur, officials said here.

He was earlier serving as the additional chief secretary (forests and environment).

Lawmkunga, 58, an Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1979 batch from the Manipur-Tripura cadre, hails from Mizoram. He started his administrative career in Manipur in 1981 as sub-divisional officer of Kangpokpi in Chandel Sub-Division in southern Manipur.

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Sri Lanka sets election date for former war zone

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's election chief said on Thursday that the first postwar provincial elections in the country's war-torn northern province will be held Sept. 21, more than four years after the end of the island nation's quarter century civil war.

The announcement by the commissioner of elections, Mahinda Deshapriya, follows intense international pressure on the government to share power with national ethnic minority Tamils, who make up the majority in the province.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had announced last year that council elections would be held in Northern Province, but the date was not set until Thursday.

The provincial councils were set up as a result of an agreement between Sri Lanka and its powerful neighbor India in 1987 in an effort to end Tamil militancy. However, the Tamil rebels rejected the deal, saying the councils' powers were inadequate. The rebels continued their fight until they were crushed by government troops in May 2009, ending the civil war.

The Tamil Tigers, who were designated by many countries as a terrorist organization, fought to create a separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka's northern and eastern provinces. According to a United Nations report, about 40,000 civilians might have been killed in the last five months of the fighting alone.

After the war, Rajapaksa promised to allow a greater degree of autonomy in Tamil-majority regions in the north. However, he has been criticized by foreign countries and rights groups for failing to deliver on his promises.

The government announced recently that it would scrap land and police powers given to the provincial councils, drawing criticism from opposition political parties and Indian leaders.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed "dismay" at Sri Lanka's plan when he met with a group of opposition Tamil lawmakers from Sri Lanka last month.

India has a major interest in the dispute because southern India is home to 60 million Tamils.

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Rashtrapati Bhavan to introduce entry fee for visitors from September

NEW DELHI: Visitors to the Rashtrapati Bhavan will have to pay a fee from September 1 to enjoy the tour.

The President's office has introduced a "registration charge" of Rs 25 per person per visit for individuals and groups of people below 30. A group of 30 visitors will be charged Rs 600 while more than 30 people will be charged Rs 600 and an additional Rs 25 for every extra person.

Children below the age of 12 years are exempt from charges.

The charges, according to a statement from the President's office, can be made through an e-payment gateway that was launched on Thursday by secretary to the President Omita Paul.

An online booking system for tours of Rashtrapati Bhavan was started on January 1, 2013. Since then, over 47,000 persons have visited Rashtrapati Bhavan using the system.

Bookings for tours are opened one month in advance and have met with an enthusiastic public response. The charges are expected to enable Rashtrapati Bhavan maintain and improve services to public.

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Rift in Anna Hazare's camp becomes visible during Jantantra Yatra in Varanasi

VARANASI: It was really shocking for the followers of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare to see a rift in the anti-graft movement during Jantantra Yatra in the holy city of Varanasi. Some believe that Anna is being misguided by his coterie, while others see it as an attempt of sabotaging the Anna movement by vested interests. The local organizers of Anna's Jantantra Yatra distanced themselves from his movement.

The rift surfaced and deepened further when Anna questioned the credentials of the local organizers of Jantantra Yatra. While Anna accused the local organizers of deceiving him and collecting chanda (donations) in his name without taking any permission, the organizers on the other hand also demanded hisab' (details of expenses) from Anna.

Slogans like Hisab do, hisab lo' and Inqlab Zindabad' were raised by a group of furious organizers and supporters, when Anna along with the retired army chief general VK Singh was leaving for Azamgarh from Paradkar Bhawan after attending the press programme on Wednesday. They also wanted an apology from Anna for his remarks.

The row began on Tuesday evening when Anna in his concluding remarks at a public meeting organized in Bharat Mata Mandir premises said, "I am sad to know that some people are collecting donation on my behalf. Do not collect money in the name of Anna." Anna did not use the stage, but he addressed the gathering from the roof of a van. He, however, used the sound system arranged by local organizers. Being hurt by Anna's remarks, the organizers went to meet him at the circuit house on Tuesday night. Again on Wednesday they went to meet Anna to clarify their stand and give details of expenses.

"But Anna was not ready to listen to anything," said Ramdheeraj Bhai, one of the organizers. He, along with the other members of the organizing committee and supporters also went to Paradkar Bhawan where Anna was invited for the press programme on Wednesday. But, they failed to put their points and clarifications before him. "In such a situation we cannot be part of Anna's movement. Some people around him are misguiding Anna," said Ramdheeraj.

When asked about the row during the press programme, Anna said that the organizers should take permission before collecting donations and also before using his photograph on the receipt. "This is the corrupt practice against which we are fighting, and I never associate myself with such people," he said, adding that the address of the office (Sarva Sewa Sangh, Rajghat) mentioned in the receipt and the websites (www.joinannahazare.org.in, and www.jantantramorcha.org) mentioned in press note were wrong. Replying a query regarding a split in his team, he said, "It is true that the team got fractured, but at the same time the response from common people has been increasing."

"How can Anna say that he does not know Sarva Sewa Sangh where he made visits on several occasions," asked Ramdheeraj, who looks after the sangh. "The local organizers have not done anything wrong by collecting donation, and everything is in black and white," he said, and distributed the copies of income and expenditure of the Jantantra Yatra programme among mediapersons. According to the details, they collected a fund of Rs 29,500 through donations while the expenditure was Rs 94,252.

"If we were wrong why Anna attended the programme organized by us," he questioned, adding that Anna should also make his expenses of yatra and source of income public.

There is no way but to collect donation for holding public meetings and meeting other related expenses, said the convener Satya Prakash. One of the staunch followers of Anna on the condition of anonymity said, "Anna is innocent, but he is being misinformed and misguided by some people. It is really unfortunate."

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Resentment in Odisha over compensation for Posco project

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Jul 31, 2013, 05.49PM IST

PARADIP (Odisha): Though 2,700 acres were acquired for the proposed mega steel plant by Posco near here, resentment seems to be brewing among locals who felt the administration had adopted a dilly-dally approach on issues of compensation, rehabilitation and peripheral development.

Alleging neglect by the district administration of Jagatsinghpur, irate people had damaged a machine meant for preliminary construction work and detained one person recently. A case has been registered in local Bijayachandrapur police station, police said on Wednesday.

Jagatsinghpur district collector SK Mallick had recently announced that land acquisition had been completed with government taking possession of 2,700 acres. Altogether 1,116 betel vines were dismantled and Rs 16 crore paid as compensation for betel vines, Rs 1.15 crore for farm land, Rs 1.10 crore and Rs 3.50 crore for tree felling respectively.

Denying any use of force during the exercise, the district collector said today, "we have acquired land from the people who were willing." Besides, it was assured that those who lost their betel vines and labourers working there would be paid Rs 4,500 and Rs 2,250 per month respectively till permanent solution for their rehabilitation was made.

However, after land acquisition there is no sight of any senior district official in the area nor any concrete effort to address the problems facing people, project protagonist Jeebanlal Behera of Gadakujanga alleged.

A general perception now pervades the area that the people were taken for a ride by the administration. Even several project supporters appeared to have toughened their stand on issues relating to compensation, re-settlement and rehabilitation as well as peripheral development.

Groups of people are often seen holding meetings and discussions as to how to face the situation in the aftermath of land acquisition.

Project supporters, opponents and fence-sitters appear to be upset preparing to resist ancillary works being undertaken by state-owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha (IDCO) before land formally handed over to Posco.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

American tourist killed in Thailand for refusing to stop singing

BANGKOK: An American tourist was allegedly stabbed to death by three Thai musicians after he refused to stop singing at a bar in a popular tourist resort, police said on Wednesday.

Bobby Ray Carter, 51, died after he was stabbed twice in the chest while his son Adam, 27, suffered a stab wound to his arm, during a fight with members of the house band from the Longhorn Saloon early Wednesday at Ao Nang beach in Krabi.

Police said the three musicians were arrested at the scene and confessed to stabbing the Americans.

Carter had joined the musicians on stage for a singalong, but a row broke out when he refused to stop singing as the band took a break.

On its website the Longhorn Saloon advertises "jam with the band" as one of its attractions, along with "good music, funfunfun and friendly staff".

"He and his son quarrelled with all three musicians because he wouldn't stop singing despite the musicians taking a break," said Lieutenant Colonel Attapong Seanjaiwuth of Krabi tourist police.

"He then demanded the money he had already given as a tip back. But the real fight broke out outside of that pub. He was stabbed twice and died while on the way to local hospital."

Thailand has come under scrutiny in recent months over its treatment of foreign tourists, who are a mainstay of the economy.

Tourists have registered a series of complaints with authorities over their treatment ranging from jet ski scams, drink spiking, robbery, assault and even police extortion.

A dozen European ambassadors recently raised the issue with local authorities on a visit to the resort island of Phuket -- where a 59-year-old Australian woman was killed in June 2012 in a robbery.

Earlier in July an American man was slashed to death by a taxi driver in Bangkok after an apparent argument over the fare.

A record 22 million foreigners visited Thailand last year. Although most did not encounter any serious problems, diplomats say tougher action is needed to ensure their protection.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Anna Hazare to fast again on Jan Lokpal issue

VARANASI: Anna Hazare is going to begin his fast for Jan Lokpal at RamlilaMaidan in national capital on the very first day of the winter session of Parliament.

"After a long wait, today I announce here in Varanasi that I will sit on atmaclaish' (fast) again at Ramlila Maidan on the first day of winter session of Parliament. Despite the resolution passed in the parliament the central government did not bring Jan Lokpal in last two years," said Anna while addressing reporters here at meet the press programme organised by Kashi Patrakar Sangh on Wednesday.

Anna accused the central government of deceiving the country on Lokpal issue and said that the ongoing Jantantra Yatra aims at educating people and creating awareness among them for bringing democracy in real term. Advocating for the election of honest and morally high people, he said that he did not believe in party system. Replying a query he said that he never voted in favour of candidate belonging to any political party.

Replying a query Anna said that he never described Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as a secular man. "My statement was twisted. How Modi could be called secular when he is linked with the communal party BJP," explained Anna.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Indian, Chinese armies to hold counterterror exercise in October-November

NEW DELHI: Shrugging aside recent troop incursions and face-offs along the Line of Actual Control, India and China are getting all set to resume their joint "Hand-in-Hand" (HiH) counterterrorism exercise towards end-2013 after a five-year hiatus.

Sources on Wednesday said a high-level delegation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will be visiting the Eastern Army Command at Kolkatta in end-August to "plan and discuss" the third edition of the HiH exercise in China in October-November this year.

The HiH exercises, the first two editions of which were held at Kunming (China) in 2007 and Belgaum in 2008, were frozen after diplomatic spats over visa and other issues in 2009-2010. Though largely symbolic with just around 100 to 150 soldiers from each side undertaking counter-terror drills, the exercise is seen as a major confidence-building measure between the world's largest and second-largest armies ranged against each other along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The decision to hold the third round of the HiH exercise was firmed up during the visit of Antony, accompanied by a high-level delegation, to China earlier this month. India is keen to progressively enhance military ties with China, keep "communication channels open" and "eliminate potential" for Depsang-like incidents to reoccur.

Anotny recently described the 21-day face-off in April-May - the two rival armies had pitched tents and carried out banner drills after PLA troops intruded 19 km into Depsang valley in the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in Ladakh - as "an unusual" incident. The two sides will soon hold another round of the joint working group in Beijing to find a solution to prevent such "unpleasant incidents" and "embarrassing" face-offs, he said.

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to conduct tests on midday meals

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the midday meal tragedy in Bihar, Centre has engaged the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to randomly test samples of food served as part of the scheme for quality and their protein and calorie content.

In fact, the measure has already been implemented in Delhi and Andhra Pradesh and results are awaited of the first samples collected in the two states.

Scientists from CSIR would be involved in the exercise which will be undertaken across the country, HRD ministry officials said.

The outcome of the reports from the tests would have a bearing on the funds released to the states, they said.

"Schools would be randomly selected for sample collection. Apart from the kitchen where the food is cooked, samples would also be collected from the food which is finally served to the students," they said.

The recent midday meal tragedy in Bihar claimed the lives of 23 students after they consumed food served in their school.

The latest development follows strong instructions from HRD ministry to the states to strictly adhere to the guidelines drawn up to ensure safety of the food served as part of the scheme.

Among the HRD ministry directions is one calling for teachers and a member of the school management committee to taste the food before it is served to the children.

States have also been asked to ensure that items used in preparing the food, including the oil, were of standard quality and packaged in sealed containers.

Reports suggest that the ministry has received over 100 complaints over the last two years about mismanagement in the midday meal scheme and misappropriation of funds, notably in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nitish meets Singapore foreign minister over Nalanda University

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday held a meeting with Singapore foreign minister K Shanmugam and discussed issues related to building of Nalanda International University and ways to promote tourism.

They discussed issues related to development of Buddhist circuit and tourism in addition to changes taking place in Bihar, an official statement said.

On Singapore minister's suggestion that Bihar should have a world class museum to showcase its rich history, Kumar informed him an iInternational museum is being built in Patna, work for which has already started.

Shanmugam told Kumar that Singapore government has all the support for building Nalanda university. He said the university would be of immense political importance for North-East Asia and Buddhist countries.

The Singapore minister paid a visit to ruins of old Nalanda university and the site of the new international university.

Singapore acting high commissioner in India Jonathan Tow and Indian ambassador in Singapore Gopinath Pillai were present.

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Lizard in midday meal in Rajasthan, 76 children fall ill

JAIPUR: 76 students of a government school in Rajasthan'sBhilwara district on Tuesday fell ill after consuming their midday meal in which a dead lizard was found.

The children of the higher primary school in Baneda complained of nausea after having the meal, district collector Onkar Singh said.

The collector said he ordered examination of the meal, after which the school staff found a dead lizard in it.

"The children were rushed to hospitals and given treatment. Their condition is normal and they are likely to be discharged soon," he said.

The headmaster of the school, Kailash Garg, and midday meal in charge, Dinesh, were suspended, he said, adding that additional block education officer Ladu was removed from his post and put under APO (Awaiting Posting Order) status.

Three cooks, who prepared the food, were also removed, he said.

Several incidents have recently been reported of students of government schools falling ill after consuming contaminated mid-day meals in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and some other states.

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Massive explosions rock central Florida gas plant

TAVARES (Florida): A series of explosions rocked a central Florida propane gas plant and sent "boom after boom after boom" through the neighborhood around it. Eight people were injured, with at least three in critical condition.

John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said early on Tuesday there were no fatalities despite massive blasts that ripped through the Blue Rhino propane plant late Monday night. Officials initially scrambled to find more than a dozen employees after the explosions.

"Management is comfortable saying all of those they knew were there tonight have been accounted for," he said.

Fire chief Richard Keith said possible causes of the explosion may be either equipment malfunction or possibly human error. Sabotage was not suspected.

One person injured in the explosion was listed in critical condition at University of Florida Health Shands Hospital and three others were listed in critical condition at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Herrell said some others drove themselves to area hospitals.

The Blue Rhino plant, which is northwest of Orlando, refilled propane tanks typically used for barbecues and other uses. There were some 53,000 20-gallon (76-liter) tanks at the plant on Monday.

Herrell said a crew of 24 to 26 people was working the overnight shift when the explosions occurred around 10:30 p.m. Monday.

Tuesday morning, smoke still billowed from a storage container on the property, which consists of a couple of warehouses next to each other. The parking lot was littered with thousands of blackened 20-gallon (76-liter) propane containers. Nearby, three 30,000-gallon (114,000-liter) tanks of propane sat untouched. Officials said hoses designed to spray water on the large tanks in case of fire, didn't go off as planned.

Firefighters had to wait about four hours before they could go near the fire because the conditions were so dangerous.

Video footage on WESH-TV in Orlando showed fires burning through trucks used to transport propane tanks, which were parked at the plant. The fire sent plumes of smoke into the air hours after the blast.

According to the Leesburg Daily Commercial, the plant was built in 2004 and employs fewer than 50 people.

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MDMK to hold demonstration when PM visits Tamil Nadu on August 2

CHENNAI: The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) on Tuesday announced that it would hold a black flag demonstration when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits the state on August 2.

In a statement, MDMK general secretary Vaiko said he and his party men would hold the peaceful protest in front of the Trichy airport to condemn the UPA government's alleged support to the Sri Lankan government to convene the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

"To show our opposition and condemn the betrayal of Centre on Tamil issues, we are holding this agitation," Vaiko said in his statement.

He said that the UPA government at the Centre failed in its duty to safeguard the Indian fishermen from the attacks of the Sri Lankan navy. He appealed to the students' community and pro-Tamil groups to join the demonstration.

The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited's power plant piping unit at Thirumayam in Pudukottai district on August 2.

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha demands Gorkhaland if Centre concedes Telengana

DARJEELING (WB): With a three-day bandh beginning in Darjeeling, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said if the Centre announced a Telengana state then it should also declare one for Gorkhaland.

"Our demand for Gorkhaland is older than the demand for Telengana. If the Centre announces a Telengana state then it should also declare a Gorkhaland state," Gurung told a press conference.

The GJM president said that the bandh would be extended indefinitely till the Centre acceded to the demand.

He also said that he would resign as chief executive of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), which runs the administration in the hills.

"I have some pending work. After I finish it, I will resign as chief executive of the GTA in two or three days," Gurung said.

He alleged that the West Bengal government did not cooperate with him and GTA members for its smooth running.

Gurung asked the people of Darjeeling to be prepared for a long agitation till Gorkhaland was achieved.

"This 72-hour bandh is just a beginning of a long agitation. Be prepared for more such bandhs," he said.

Meanwhile, ten GJM supporters were arrested for allegedly burning a motorcycle and a car at Rambi on the National Highway 31, which connects Sikkim with West Bengal, police said.

There is a Supreme Court directive that the highway has to be kept free during bandhs and blockades in the hills.

Darjeeling town wore a deserted look with traffic off the roads and markets and offices closed.

Around thousand GJM supporters were picketing at Chowkbazar with party flags, while large gatherings of party activists were also reported from Jorbungalow, Mirik, Sukhiapokhri, 9th Mile and 26th mile.

Roads were barricaded by the GJM supporters in the Kalimpong and Kurseong subdivisions.

Some foreign tourists still remained in the hills, while around 2,000 domestic ones left yesterday, police said.

Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said that stringent action would be taken for destruction of government property and that the police would ensure that the NH 31 remained opened.

District magistrate Soumitra Mohan also said that strong steps would be taken in case of breakdown of law and order.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha demands Gorkhaland if Centre concedes Telengana

DARJEELING (WB): With a three-day bandh beginning in Darjeeling, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said if the Centre announced a Telengana state then it should also declare one for Gorkhaland.

"Our demand for Gorkhaland is older than the demand for Telengana. If the Centre announces a Telengana state then it should also declare a Gorkhaland state," Gurung told a press conference.

The GJM president said that the bandh would be extended indefinitely till the Centre acceded to the demand.

He also said that he would resign as chief executive of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), which runs the administration in the hills.

"I have some pending work. After I finish it, I will resign as chief executive of the GTA in two or three days," Gurung said.

He alleged that the West Bengal government did not cooperate with him and GTA members for its smooth running.

Gurung asked the people of Darjeeling to be prepared for a long agitation till Gorkhaland was achieved.

"This 72-hour bandh is just a beginning of a long agitation. Be prepared for more such bandhs," he said.

Meanwhile, ten GJM supporters were arrested for allegedly burning a motorcycle and a car at Rambi on the National Highway 31, which connects Sikkim with West Bengal, police said.

There is a Supreme Court directive that the highway has to be kept free during bandhs and blockades in the hills.

Darjeeling town wore a deserted look with traffic off the roads and markets and offices closed.

Around thousand GJM supporters were picketing at Chowkbazar with party flags, while large gatherings of party activists were also reported from Jorbungalow, Mirik, Sukhiapokhri, 9th Mile and 26th mile.

Roads were barricaded by the GJM supporters in the Kalimpong and Kurseong subdivisions.

Some foreign tourists still remained in the hills, while around 2,000 domestic ones left yesterday, police said.

Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said that stringent action would be taken for destruction of government property and that the police would ensure that the NH 31 remained opened.

District magistrate Soumitra Mohan also said that strong steps would be taken in case of breakdown of law and order.

08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air India Express flight to Male delayed after tyre burst

CHENNAI: An Air India Express flight was delayed by four hours after the aircraft's tyre burst when it was taxiing at Chennai airport on Monday morning.

The Chennai-Bangalore-Trivandrum-Male flight had 85 passengers.

An Air India official said that the A320 aircraft was towed back to the parking bay and the passengers were taken to the terminal.

"Passengers who had booked to Trivandrum and Male left on another aircraft at 10.45am," said an official.

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Indian prisoner's body arrives 21 days after his death in Pakistan jail

MUMBAI: The remains of Indian prisoner Dadubhai Makwana, who died in Karachi jail July 4, were flown to Mumbai last Thursday, a full 21 days after his death. A special ambulance despatched by the Gujarat fisheries department transported the body to his native village for the last rites.

Dadubhai, a 41-year-old fisherman from Ghatwad village near Kodinar, was arrested by the Pakistani Coast Guard as he unwittingly trespassed into their territory during a fishing trip last year.

"Since then we have been trying to secure his freedom even as we helped his family with a subsistence allowance of Rs 150 per day. However, we learnt that Dadubhai died in Karachi prison July 4, allegedly of a heart attack," said Gujarat fisheries official J K Rathod.

Rathod and his assistant K K Masani took possession of the corpse at Sahar police station before beginning the 17-hour journey home. "Dadubhai's wife and four children back home in Kodinar are doubly distressed by his sudden death as well as the delay in repatriating his remains," they said.

Indo-Pak peace activist Jatin Desai lamented the delay and said the governments of India and Pakistan should expedite the procedure. "Earlier, the body of Indian fisherman Ramjibhai Vala took 45 days to be returned while that of Pakistani fisherman Nawaz Ali was sent home after 25 days," he said.

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Cauvery water to be released from Mettur dam on August 2

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has ordered the public works department to open the shutters of Mettur dam on August 2, instead of the earlier scheduled date of August 12, since the reservoir is expected to reach the full storage level of 120 feet by August 3.

The inflow into Mettur has increased by 14tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) thanks to the heavy rains lashing the catchment areas of the Cauvery river in Karnataka. Karnataka has released the surplus water of about 90,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) in the last two days.

Jayalalithaa ordered the release of 4,000 cusecs of water in addition to the 6,000 cusecs of water being released for drinking water schemes and Aadi Perukku, a religious festival celebrated on the banks of the Cauvery. "Keeping in mind the preparatory works for samba crop in the delta districts, Mettur reservoir will be opened from August 2," she said.

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Publicis, Omnicom merge to form world's No.1 advertising group

The author has posted comments on this articleAFP | Jul 28, 2013, 06.28PM IST

PARIS: French advertising group Publicis and its US rival Omnicom will merge, bringing together the third and second largest firms in the sector to form the world's advertising leader, the two companies announced on Sunday.

The new company, dubbed the Publicis Omnicom Group, whose capital will be split 50-50 between the shareholders of the two firms, will be co-directed by the current bosses, Maurice Levy of Publicis and John Wren of Omnicom, a joint statement said.

"For many years, we have had great respect for one another as well as for the companies we each lead," Levy and Wren said in the statement. "This respect has grown in the past few months as we have worked to make this combination a reality."

The merger, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, will bring together more than 130,000 employees.

It will also bring together such iconic ad agency brands as Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, Razorfish, Ketchum, ZenithOptimedia, to name a few.

Based on closing prices on July 26, the new group will have a combined market capitalisation of about $35.1 billion (26.5 billion euros).

It is expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Euronext Paris, and included in the S&P 500 and CAC 40.

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BSNL employees threaten to go on indefinite strike from Monday

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Jul 28, 2013, 07.03PM IST

NEW DELHI: Graduate engineers and junior telcom officers of state-run BSNL will go on indefinite strike from Monday if their demands were not met, an employees' association of the PSU said.

"All graduates that were recruited directly by BSNL after its formation in 2000 will stage protest and go for indefinite strike from Monday unless our demands are met. We have been facing discrimination and denial of basic rights," AIGETOA general secretary RP Sahu said.

Sahu claims that the association has around 12,000 members which include telecom engineers and account officers.

All India Graduate Engineers and Telecom officers Association (AIGETOA) has placed six demands before the management related to basic pay, retirement benefits, promotion, discrimination in transfer, discrimination in promotion policies and formal platform for the association.

BSNL chairman and MD R K Upadhyay said that action on all genuine demands of employees is in progress.

"It has been reiterated to them that BSNL management is taking all possible means to foster industrial peace and harmony in the company which is operating in a hyper competitive environment. We have already appealed them to desist from illegal strike which is harmful to BSNL and at the same will adversely affect the striking employees," he said.

Upadhyay added that after years BSNL has started expansion of company's network to retain top slot in the market and employees should help in this growth story.

AIGETOA claimed that the strike is likely to impact BSNL's mobile and billing services as around 90 per cent of protesting employees look after these services.

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Many families shifted amid fears of landslides as rains hit Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Several families from a village in Ukhimath were on Sunday moved to safety amid fears of landslides because of rainfall in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand where the sky remained overcast.

Despite the showers, relief work in the state continued unhindered with mules being used to reach supplies to villages cut off as a result of last month's disaster, officials said.

Around 12 families in Gainthi village in the Ukhimath area of Rudraprayag district were moved to safety in view of the threat of landslides triggered by the rainfall which was scattered, state disaster management and mitigation officials said.

Intermittent showers hit Dehradun, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag districts in Garhwal region and Nainital in Kumaon since this morning while conditions remained overcast throughout Uttarakhand.

Officials said arrangements were being made to provide tents for 10 families in the Gharpunga and Balsori villages in the Akhrori area after their houses were recently damaged in landslides.

State Disaster Relief Commissioner VVRC Purushottam said that he would be accompanying a team of officials tomorrow for a survey to identify an alternative route from Gaurikund to the worst-hit Kedarnath Valley.

He said that he had held a meeting in Kedarnath Valley with 30 village pradhans who have demanded that the entire zone be declared a backward area.

The pradhans have also made a request for solar lanterns in view of the poor power supply situation in the region, Purushottam added.

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Pakistani troops target civilian areas along border, one injured

JAMMU: One person was injured when Pakistani troops opened fire on civilian population in Kathua district along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani Rangers had targeted civilian areas in Manyari village late last night, injuring a villager, BSF officials said.

Earlier, BSF head constable Baljeet Singh was also injured in the firing, which began yesterday morning and lasted for about 15 hours in Poonch and Kathua districts.

A villager, Sohan, suffered injuries in the 82-mm mortars firing and was hospitalised in district hospital of Kathua, they said. His condition is stated to stable.

There were two ceasefire violations in Poonch and Kathua districts on Saturday.

However, there was an uneasy calm in the area on Sunday as there was no firing from the other side of the border.

The Pakistani Rangers had opened unprovoked small arms firing on forward Indian posts including Kotay and Chandwan in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district.

Heavy firing had raged on throughout the day along the Line of Control (LoC) at Doda battalions forward in Kirni Shahpur and Mandi sub sectors in Poonch district .

"It was heavy arms firing with Pakistan using Rocket Projectile Guns (RPGs), Mortars, Medium Machine Guns (MMGs) and Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs) prompting the Indian Army to retaliate," official sources said.

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Anthony Weiner's campaign manager in NY mayoral race quits

NEW YORK: Anthony Weiner's campaign manager has quit after the New York City mayoral candidate admitted to additional raunchy online correspondence with women.

Weiner spokeswoman Barbara Morgan confirmed a report on Saturday that campaign manager Danny Kedem has resigned. She had no further comment.

The New York Times reported that Kedem told Weiner he did not want to oversee the campaign after Weiner acknowledged that he continued to send lewd photos to women after resigning from Congress in 2011 for similar behaviour.

Weiner was forced to discuss his online behaviour after a gossip website printed excerpts of conversations Weiner had with an Indiana college student last summer.

Weiner apologized and promised that the "behaviour is behind me.''

He later admitted that he traded racy messages with at least three women since leaving office.

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