Murder charge against Pak doctor who helped US track Osama bin Laden, US concerned

WASHINGTON: Expressing concern over the new murder charge brought against a doctor who helped the CIA to trace Osama bin Laden, the US has asked Pakistan to ensure that the jailed physician receives a fair trial for this new charge.

"We are concerned about the new charge brought today against Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani doctor who aided in the intelligence gathering effort that made possible the killing of the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden," the State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told yesterday.

"Afridi's assistance in confirming the location of bin Laden was a service to the entire world and indeed to Pakistanis who had lost loved ones and suffered at the hands of al-Qaida," Psaki said when asked about the fresh charges against Afridi, who currently is facing 30 years imprisonment.

"We call on the proper authorities to ensure that Afridi receives a fair trial for this new charge," said the state department spokesperson.

During his October meeting with the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, US President Barack Obama had raised the issue of "unjust" imprisonment of Afridi and had called for his release.

Meanwhile, an influential lawmaker warned that such a move coming from Islamabad would make it difficult for continuation of financial assistance from the US to Pakistan.

"The US makes a serious financial commitment to Pakistan. This commitment is in serious jeopardy. Delicate diplomacy hasn't worked," said Congressman Ed Royce Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"The fact that he has been jailed since he assisted in ridding the world of Osama bin Laden is outrageous. Let's hope that this situation is immediately resolved," he said, adding that the US ambassador in Islamabad is taking up this issue with the Pakistan government.

"I have made my displeasure known with the Pakistan Embassy in Washington today, and raised Afridi's case directly with Prime Minister Sharif last month. His government seems to be compounding the problem. I would like to hear secretary Kerry and US officials speak out," he said.

"It must be made clear that Afridi's fate is an issue of critical importance to the US government. It is a matter of justice for Afridi, and it is an essential litmus test of the relationship with the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," Royce said.

"This case has serious consequences for US counter terrorism efforts. If we cannot do a better job protecting brave people who cooperate with us, there will be fewer brave people who cooperate with us," he said.

"Unfortunately, Pakistan is becoming an increasingly radicalized country, as extremism and anti-Americanism spreads in some religious schools. The mistreatment of Afridi reflects that destructive trend," Royce alleged.

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Tamil Nadu CM slams UPA govt yet again on attacks against fishermen by Lankan navy

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday lambasted the UPA government yet again for what she termed "insensitive handling" of the repeated and increasingly frequent and brutal attacks on fishermen from Tamil Nadu.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, released to the media, Jayalalthaa said the fishermen were peacefully pursuing their livelihood in their traditional fishing waters. "The meek and pusillanimous response of the Indian government to these repeated instances of apprehension have emboldened the Lankan Navy to illegally arrest and detain more and more of our fishermen," she said.

The chief minister has written several such letters to the PM, seeking intervention on the issue.

In her latest letter to Manmohan Singh, Jayalalithaa was pointing to the recent detention of 20 fishermen from Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy. The fishermen set out for fishing on Wednesday from Jagadhapattinam and Kottaipattinam fishing bases of Pudukottai in five mechanized boats. While they were engaged in fishing in their traditional fishing waters, they were apprehended by the Lankan Navy on Thursday, which also happened to be 'World Fisheries Day.'

The chief minister criticized the UPA-led Congress government at the Centre for little or no action to convey India's strong protest or to use coercive diplomacy to put an end to the marauding attacks against fishermen of Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy. The incidents of abduction and detention of fishermen from Tamil Nadu for long periods in Sri Lankan prisons have multiplied. "The continued insensitive and ham-handed treatment of the Tamil Nadu fishermen issue in the Palk Bay, is fast alienating them."

The very serious livelihood problem of hundreds of thousands of our fishermen was being relegated to the backburner as something to be sorted out by the fishermen associations of both countries, she said.

Jayalalithaa wanted the Prime Minister to personally intervene and use the highest diplomatic channels to secure the safe release of 80 fishermen, including 60, who were apprehended earlier and continued to languish in Sri Lankan jails. Around 47 fishing boats of Indian fishermen are still in Lankan custody.

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PM favours institutional mechanisms for women's safety

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of rape and other crimes, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday favoured putting in place institutional mechanisms to ensure safety and security of women and children.

Addressing a conference of top police brass of the country, Singh said the tragic rape and murder of a young girl in Delhi last December not only brought into sharp focus the issue of women's safety but also the rising expectations of the people from the police in preventing such crimes.

"We have recently enacted several laws providing stringent punishment for such crimes and more sensitive treatment of victims during investigation and trial.

"We also need to put in place other institutional mechanisms to ensure the safety and security of women and children. I expect the DGPs of states to show leadership in this area," he said.

The Prime Minister, however, did not elaborate what the institutional mechanism would be.

The comments come in the midst of the raging controversy over the alleged sexual assault on a woman colleague by Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal.

After the December 16 incident, the government had amended various provisions of law and strengthened those related to crime against women and children.

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Karnataka loves chaat more than Delhi: Google survey

BANGALORE: The chaat culture seems to have engulfed Karnataka. Google Trend analytics done on Indian street food shows that the state topped the charts in terms of searches made for the word `chaat' followed by Delhi and Maharashtra during the September-November festival period.

Samosa remained the favourite of the nation and in fact saw a sharp rise in the searches between October 20 and November 2. And Pav Bhaji too, emerges as the most searched street food in India but searches on it from Karnataka were stable during this period.

Call it the influence of the north or the cosmopolitanism, the state has sought for searches on Google on several types of `chaat' items. Chaat is a concept from Uttar Pradesh, where snacks that were generally prepared from every day food items like puffed rice, fried dough of semolina stuffed with potato mash and chillies.

This was very popular as a culture in north India and even in Pakistan where such delicious snack items were made by road side hawkers and priced at reasonable rates.

Google, one of the most popularly used search engines on internet analyses trends on searches on particular topics or words. As per one of such analytics done over street food searches, Samosa is the most loved evening snack for Indians from round the world with searches emerging from countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

It also says the surge in searches for Chaat items in Karnataka was seen a week prior to Diwali. Kachori, another fried stuffed dough made by road side stalls was searched more than Pav Bhaji during August 22- September 28 but end up at ranked fourth in priority list on Indian street food.

Tikki (a patisserie of smashed boiled potato mixed with spices) lost the battle of Chaats. It remained the least searched delicacy during the duration of the analysis.

Farhana Afroz, nutritionist, said, "Culturally Bangalore is becoming open and Bangaloreans are looking at convenient food like the ready to eat products. Stress levels are so high that people love to indulge in tasty and delicious food that makes them feel delighted for some time. Garbbing a bite seems easier like holding a slice of pizza and working rather than eating a Thali of rice, chapathi and curries. Chaat or junk food has high amount of salt and the oil is reused and of bad quality. This of course affects metabolism at young age and thus the rising case of metabolic syndromes in Bangalore. Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and Dyslipidemia (abnormal amount of lipids like cholesterol, fat in the blood) are prevalent in good numbers in the city."

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Home ministry report debunks Andhra CM's claim on rise in Naxalism

HYDERABAD: While the chief minister has been claiming that left wing extremism (LWE) will become a major threat to development in both Telangana and Seemandhra regions if the state is bifurcated, the ground reality is quite contrary to his claims. As per a report prepared by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) on the LWE in Andhra Pradesh, Maoist activities are under effective check with only two of the 23 districts witnessing the maximum quantum of violence.

As per the report prepared by the Naxalite management division of the MHA in the backdrop of the proposed bifurcation, since 2008 out of the 23 districts in the state, Maoist violence was reported from Adilabad, Kadapa, East Godavari, Guntur, Karimnagar, Khammam, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Prakasam, Ranga Reddy, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Warangal. In all, 405 incidents were reported in these 15 districts and 216 people lost their lives.

However, since 2008 the state has witnessed a considerable decline in Naxal and the present state of LWE in Andhra Pradesh can be described as under effective check, the report said. Now,the Naxalite violence has been reported from only the two districts of Khammam and Visakhapatnam, the report said. Between January 1 and September 30 this year, 26 incidents of Maoist violence were reported in the state and all of them happened only in Khammam (7) and Visakhapatnam (19) districts where six persons lost their lives.

The percentage of LWE related violence and deaths in the state stand at mere 3.17 and 2.09 per cent of the countrywide LWE related violence data. The number of police stations in the state where Maoists are active has come down from 87 in 2011 to 58 in 2012. Telephone towers are the major economic targets of Maoists in the state in the recent years. Since 2008, Maoists targeted 11 telephone towers, followed by three railway properties, a school building, a Gramin Sadak Nirman Yojana property and an Essar companys property.

The CPI (Maoist) group is responsible for most of the incidents and other splinter groups like CPIML (Praja Prathighatana),CPIML (Prathighatana),CPI-ML (New Democracy) have nominal presence in some parts of Telangana.The CPI (Maoist) operates in Andhra Pradesh through AP State Committee (APSC), Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) and North Telangana Special Zonal Committee (NTSZC). According to the report, APSC which has 13 districts of the state under its jurisdiction including Hyderabad is almost dormant.The total strength of armed cadres of CPI (Maoist) in the state has come down to an all-time low and presently it is at 230.Out of the 230 guerillas,90 are operating in NTSZC and the remaining at AOBSZC areas.

While 15 districts are listed as Maoist-affected by the MHA,16 districts in AP are covered under the Union governments security related expenditure (SRE) scheme that caters to all the monetary needs related to tackling LWE including training and operational needs of the security forces and rehabilitation of surrendered Maoists.In addition to this,AP has the elite anti-naxal combat unit Greyhounds which other states are trying to emulate,the report said,and added that the state was also supported in anti-LWE activities by the Centre through the special infrastructure scheme (SIS),road requirement plan for LWE affected states and scheme of fortified police stations.

In addition to this, 26 companies of CRPF have been deployed in the state to tackle LWE and the MHA has also sanctioned seven India Reserve Battalions, out of which five have been raised,says the report.So,by looking at the data,even after the bifurcation,there appears to be a very little scope for Maoists to make a comeback in the region.

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Law graduate stood by her sexual harassment allegation

NEW DELHI: The law graduate who alleged sexual harassment by a recently-retired judge blogged that she stood by her earlier statements on this issue before the CJI appointed 3-judge fact-finding committee on November 18.

The girl said during the meeting with the committee "presented all the details of the case". The law graduate said she was confident that the "committee will follow all the different lines of enquiry, and will establish the truth of my statements."

She said the committee has assured her complete confidentiality.

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Law graduate stood by her sexual harassment allegation

NEW DELHI: The law graduate who alleged sexual harassment by a recently-retired judge blogged that she stood by her earlier statements on this issue before the CJI appointed 3-judge fact-finding committee on November 18.

The girl said during the meeting with the committee "presented all the details of the case". The law graduate said she was confident that the "committee will follow all the different lines of enquiry, and will establish the truth of my statements."

She said the committee has assured her complete confidentiality.

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DMK leader Baalu asks Speaker to return JPC report on 2G to chairman

NEW DELHI: Holding the JPC report on 2G scam as "incomplete", DMK leader and panel member T R Baalu has asked Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to return it to the chairman and direct him to re-submit it after including former telecom minister A Raja's written statement as part of his dissent note.

The DMK leader has also charged the JPC chairman with adopting a "partisan" role and said he has submitted a report that was "more political than parliamentarian in character".

Baalu, in a letter to the Speaker, has said the JPC on 2G was as per its Terms of Reference required "to examine irregularities and aberrations, if any, and the consequences thereof in the implementation of government decisions and policy prescriptions from 1998 to 2009".

"Consideration and discussion of the latter part of the terms of reference, i.e. the "consequences", is absent in the Report. The Report is thus incomplete and does not throw proper light on the matters it was supposed to deal with.

"Therefore, I humbly request you to return the report to the chairman and direct him to re-submit it after including the written statement of Mr Raja as part of my original note of dissent," Baalu said in his three-page letter to Speaker.

The DMK leader, who was part of the committee, rued that certain portions of his dissent note which was to be an integral part of the JPC report, were expunged by the Speaker.

Baalu also said that it is "disturbing" that apart from being excluded from the report, the written statement was not even properly put to discussion during any meeting of the JPC by the chairman.

"The result is that the facts that Raja has stated have not been properly considered by the JPC," he said.

He said despite such clear and unambiguous minutes of dissent, the chairman of the JPC has chosen to exclude the written statement of Raja, despite assurances that it would form a part of the final panel report.

"This assurance has clearly been breached. However, the chairman chose to exclude the written statement of Raja even in my note of dissent. This is improper and unfair, both to Raja and to me," he said.

"This is as good as saying that the truth will remain forever buried, rather than being made accessible to all," Baalu said on non-inclusion of Raja's statement in the final JPC report.

Baalu recalled that he had in his original note of dissent mentioned Raja's written statement should be considered as "part and parcel of my note" and that in the minute of dissent by the BJP MPs, the written statement had been repeatedly refererred to and relied upon.

Despite such clear and unambiguous minutes of dissent, the JPC chairman has chosen to exclude the written statement of Raja.

Chacko also chose to exclude the written statement of Raja even in his note of dissent which was "improper and unfair," to both DMK MPs, Baalu contended.

Apart from being excluded from the report, Raja's written statement was not properly put to discussion during any meeting of the JPC by the chairman, he contended.

The result is that the facts that Raja has stated have not been properly considered by the JPC, he said.

"It is also disturbing that the chairman, JPC has desired to expunge some of the portions from my note of dissent by getting wrongful shelter under the provisions contained in the Rule 303 (5) of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha with ulterior motive to defeat the real spirit of my dissent note based on the events and documents contemplated with entire issue," he said.

Further, while the terms of reference of the JPC required it "to examine irregularities and aberrations, if any, and the consequences thereof in the implementation of government decisions and policy prescriptions from 1998 to 2009," "consequences" is absent in the final report, he said.

"The Report is thus incomplete and does not throw proper light on the matters it was supposed to deal with. Therefore, I humbly request you to return the report to the chairman and direct him to re-submit it after including the written statement of Raja as part of my original note of dissent," he said.

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Patna blasts: Bihar Police lodges FIR against Indian Mujahideen

PATNA: An FIR was lodged against the Indian Mujahideen organisation and its suspected operatives on Thursday by the Bihar Police in connection with the serial bomb blasts in the state's capital, police said.

At a time when the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing into serial blasts in Patna on Oct 27, a first information report (FIR) was registered at the Gandhi Maidan police station.

Many of the Indian Mujahideen's (IM) top operatives, including Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu and Haider, have been booked, a district police official said.

According to police officials, the FIR will also give them a chance to seek custody of IM operatives, including jailed Yasin Bhatkal, who was arrested from Raxaul near Motihari in East Champaran district on Indo-Nepal border a few months back.

"This FIR is a move to inquire into the much-hyped Darbhanga and Madhubani module of IM and to interrogate Bhatkal," another police official said.

Last Sunday, the NIA released sketches and details of five people wanted for their involvement in the Oct 27 serial bomb blasts in Patna and the July 7 Bodh Gaya blasts in Bihar, and sought the help of the general public in nabbing them.

The NIA in a press release on its official website, said that the five absconding suspects — Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu, Haider Ali alias Abdullah, Numan Ansari, Taufeeq Ansari and Mojibullah — were wanted.

At least seven people, including a suspected bomber, were killed and nearly 100 injured in the blasts ahead of the Oct 27 rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime minister candidate Narendra Modi.

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Only Sonia and God know Congress’s CM candidate for Chhattisgarh: Ajit Jogi

RAIPUR: Former Chhattisgarh chief minister, Ajit Jogi, on Thursday placed AICC President, Sonia Gandhi, and 'God' on the same pedestal and said that no one except these two know who will be the chief minister candidate from the party.

Claiming that Congress would surely form the next government in the state with a "clear majority", Jogi refused to comment on whether he was in the race for the CM's post. "Only Soniaji and God know who the candidate would be", he said adding that whatever the decision is, it would be acceptable to him.

Without taking any names, Jogi, in an informal interaction with the media, equated himself to a "ghayal sher" and said, "a lion is more dangerous when it's injured". In an obvious reference to the on going war of attrition within the party, the former chief minister speaking in innuendo said, "jahan sher hota hai wahan cheeta ya doosre janwar nahin aatte" (when the lion is there, other animals, including the tiger, don't venture around".)

Responding to a question on the reasons for the BJP, including Narandra Modi, targeting him in the last leg of the campaigning, a smiling Jogi said, "perhaps they realise that it's only me who can harm their political interests". He said he was "thankful" to Modi for repeatedly targeting him in his rallies.

Claiming that the high polling was a clear indication of people wanting a change, Jogi said if Congress forms the government, it's priority would be to restore law and order in the state and remove insecurity from the minds of the people. He said Congress's agenda would be clearly aimed at social welfare and upliftment of the poor.

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Low-intensity bomb explodes in Madurai, none hurt

MADURAI: A low-intensity explosive device planted in a stationary car exploded in the East Veli Street near Nelpettai in Madurai on Wednesday, sparking panic in the locality.

Police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. They said no one was injured in the explosion and the car had not suffered much damage, indicating that the bomb was of a very low intensity.

Police recovered two batteries from the spot and collected the damaged parts from the Indica car for examination. The motive for the explosion and the culprits behind it were not known immediately.

The owner of the car, Akbar Ali, an advocate, had parked the vehicle on the road side and was in a nearby building. Ali said he had no animosity with anyomne. "I have no idea who planted the bomb."

"I had left the car along the road around 11.45am and went to my office in a adjacent building. About an hour later I heard a loud noise. I rushed out of the office and was shocked to see my car in flames. People were trying to put out the fire and I joined them," he said.

The explosive device was placed under the driver's seat. Since the bomb exploded when the car was empty, police were not sure whether it was an attempt on Ali's life or the intention of the culprits was just to intimidate him.

Deputy commissioner R Tamil Chandran inspected the spot and conducted inquiries.

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Port Blair-bound Go Air flight develops technical snag, passengers stranded

CHENNAI: More than 100 passengers were stranded at the Chennai airport as a Chennai-Port Blair Go Air flight returned after it developed a technical snag on Wednesday morning. Passengers were put to inconvenience as the airline had to cancel the flight and could not arrange another aircraft.

The flight took off at 8.15am as per schedule and returned at 9am after the pilot detected a snag on engine number two, a senior official at the airport said.

"As the aircraft was climbing, we heard a sound like that of a cracker burst and a light flashed from the side of a wing. The flight flew around for close to an hour and landed back in Chennai airport," said Jijith Rekh, a passenger.

Though passengers were moved to the terminal, the airline staff did not inform them about the alternate arrangement for continuing the flight. "We were told to come back tomorrow morning. But they have not issued the ticket and have told us to wait," said Indu K, a passenger who is travelling alone.

"My husband dropped me at the airport and boarded a flight to Delhi to attend to some work. I live in Port Blair and have come to Chennai for treatment," she added.

Many passengers from Port Blair picked up an argument with the airline's staff asking them to provide accommodation in the city.

"People from Port Blair come to Chennai for different purposes. As they are on their way back, they may not have enough money to check into a hotel room," said Jijith.

Being a low-cost carrier, the airline is hesitant to provide accommodation for stranded passengers. People from Chennai had cancelled their trip and returned home, an airport official said.

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Contempt proceedings: SC accepts Gen VK Singh's apology

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the apology tendered by former Army chief Gen VK Singh and dropped the contempt proceedings which it had initiated, taking suo motu cognizance of his interview to a news channel casting aspersion on the court in his date of birth matter.

"Once an apology is tendered from heart" and all that has been said by the general is withdrawn, "I don't think that matter should be pursued even for a minute", said Justice RM Lodha, heading the bench that initiated the contempt proceedings against the former Army chief.

The court also disallowed attempt by a lawyer to raise the issues about what the general had said on other occasions.

"This is a matter exclusively between the court and the contemenor (General Singh)" and "surely we don't want to enlarge the scope of the hearing", said Justice Lodha and Justice HL Gokhale.

The court took on record the statement by senior counsel representing General Singh wherein he said that all that has been said by the general in respect of the judiciary stands withdrawn.

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If Modi had to quit, he would've done it in 2002: Manish Tewari

PANAJI: Congress on Wednesday said it will not demand the resignation of Narendra Modi over the snooping row claiming that if the Gujarat chief minister really wanted to quit he would have done that after the 2002 Godhra riot.

"You people are asking me such question that you are pouring water off a duck's back. We should ask resignation from that person who has got some morality, shame and etiquette," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told mediapersons in Goa, where he has come to inaugurate 44th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Tewari was replying to a question by reporters on whether his party would seek Modi's resignation over the snooping row.

"If he had to submit his resignation he would have given it after the 2002 (Godhra) massacre. So, we should ask for resignation from that person who has a ray of morality in him," the Union information and broadcasting minister said.

Two investigative news portals, Cobrapost and Gulail, had claimed on November 15 that Modi's aide Amit Shah had ordered illegal surveillance of the woman at the behest of one "saheb".

They had released taped conversation between Shah and IPS officer G L Singhal to support their claim but said its authenticity could not be confirmed.

Tewari said the party respects the feeling of "that respected woman and her father."

"Nobody will want that their rights should be abused. No state or the government has the right to illegally abuse the human rights," he said.

The spokesman said that providing security and spying illegally are two different things.

"In this case if the telephones are tapped illegally, then it is completely wrong according to the Indian laws," Tewari said.

"It is a criminal offence. If the government is involved in all these offences then it is a constitutional right to take action against them," he added.

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Mamata announces six per cent dearness allowance, CPI-M raises questions

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced an additional dearness allowance instalment of six per cent for state government employees amidst protest by opposition CPI-M that she did not follow assembly rules while making the statement even as Congress staged a walkout.

Banerjee, who appeared in the House to give a statement on the price rise situation during the question hour, said that despite all the financial constraints the state was facing, the employees would get a six per cent increase in DA from January, 2014.

War of words broke out between the chief minister and Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) member Surya Kanta Mishra who contended that Banerjee was not following the assembly rules in making the statement as it also required a debate amongst all parties.

Mishra also said that the chief minister came to the House for a statement on the price rise, but announced DA rise for the state government employees. Banerjee contested it and said that the issues were related.

The chief minister said she should not be guided by the leader of the opposition on what is to be done and asked the speaker to allow Mishra to speak for some time.

Speaker Biman Banerjee interrupted and said that under the assembly rules, the chief minister can make a statement in the House on any important matter and no question should be asked while the statement was being made.

At this point TMC member Subrata Mukherjee intervened to say that Mishra's intention was clear and aimed at interrupting the Chief Minister, which is condemnable.

It was very much within the rules and conventions of the Assembly, he asserted.

While Banerjee was blaming the Centre for its wrong policies which was causing rise of prices of essential commodities, Congress members stood up shouting and asked the Speaker to allow them to speak, which was not entertained. They subsequently staged a walk-out.

Apparently annoyed, she said that neither the Congress, the CPI-M or the BJP would form the government at the Centre.

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SC orders NHRC probe into police brutality on AAP workers

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered an NHRC probe into alleged police brutality against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers who were protesting here against non-registration of an FIR in a rape case in June this year.

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi allowed the plea of an AAP activist who in a PIL had questioned the police investigation and had pleaded for an independent probe in the case.

During hearing on the PIL last month, the apex court had expressed concern over the rising crime against women and said they were not safe and were even subjected to molestation while travelling in buses.

The bench had also watched the video footage of the incident recorded on behalf of the Delhi police to gauge the situation on the ground.

It was, however, of the view that the recording was selective and did not contain the footage of lathi charge.

The apex court had earlier also asked the Delhi government to place before it information on the number of offences committed against women in the national capital every month.

The figures revealed that crime against women had doubled in last five years and showed a rise of 73 per cent this year.

The data of offences against women registered till October 15 and placed before the apex court showed that 1,330 cases of rape have been registered this year.

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SC notice to Centre, RBI, Sebi on PIL on regulating chitfunds

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre, RBI and Sebi seeking their response on a PIL for putting in place a proper mechanism to regulate functioning of chit funds in the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam asked the government and the institutions to file their response within four weeks on a plea filed by an NGO.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO 'Humanity Salt Lake', submitted that there has been inaction on the part of the government in regulating chit funds resulting in multiple scams across the country.

He submitted that chit fund companies were collecting money from the public in violation of laws and that needed to be checked.

The petitioner referred to various chit fund scams including the recent multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal and pleaded before the apex court for its intervention in the matter to prevent recurrence of such cases.

After hearing the submissions, the bench agreed to look into the matter.

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Philippines says typhoon rebuilding cost may be up to $5.8 billion

MANILA: The cost of rebuilding houses, schools, roads and bridges in typhoon-devastated central Philippines could reach 250 billion pesos ($5.8 billion), making it likely that the government will seek cheap loans from development agencies, a senior official said on Tuesday.

If the government is successful in deploying resources for post-typhoon reconstruction, the economy may even grow faster, said Arsenio Balisacan, economic planning secretary, adding the country's strong economic fundamentals remained intact.

"I would not be surprised if it can go as high as 250 billion," Balisacan told Reuters, commenting on the likely cost of reconstruction.

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Need law to bring back money stashed abroad, Modi says

ALWAR, RAJASTHAN: India needs a law to bring back black money stashed abroad, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, as he hit out at the Congress government in Rajasthan.

Saying the corrupt were depositing their ill-gotten wealth in foreign banks, Modi told an election rally here that the country must get to know details of bank accounts held abroad by Indians.

Questions should be asked from all Indians who hold foreign bank accounts as to where they got their money and how, he said.

Modi's ire was mainly directed at Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who will lead the Congress to assembly elections due on December 1.

Modi accused the Rajasthan government of sleeping "for almost 55 months" and waking up just before the elections.

"The state needs a government that works for all the 60 months," the Gujarat chief minister thundered.

He said even high court judges had made negative comments about the Gehlot government.

He said the Congress government in the state was to blame for the large number of atrocities on tribals and women.

A large number of people in Rajasthan were without potable water, and the condition of roads were among the worst in the country, he said.

"Your own governor has criticized the quality of roads...

"Over 40 communal riots have taken place in the state and some ministers of your government are behind bars on different allegations," he said.

Modi wondered why Gehlot kept comparing Rajasthan with Gujarat. It would be better if he focused on developing the state.

"We (Gujarat) have been praised by all and we do not need a certificate from Rajasthan's chief minister," he said. "God save the country from Ashok Gehlot's ways of governance."

Modi urged Rajasthan to vote for a change.

"Please remember that when you vote on Dec 1, you are not voting for a MLA or a government but you are voting for the future of Rajasthan.

"You will decide how Rajasthan will develop in times to come."

As for the Congress, he said it would not survive beyond the 2014 general election.

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Strong 6.3 quake strikes off eastern Indonesia, no reports of damage

JAKARTA: A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia on Tuesday, the USGS reported, but there were no immediate reports of damage and local officials ruled out any threat of a tsunami.

The quake struck 110 kilometres (68 miles) north-northeast of the town of Tobelo in the Maluku chain of islands around 1330 GMT at a depth of 63 kilometres, it said.

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Abdul Kalam hospitalized after a fall, condition stable

NEW DELHI: Admitted to a hospital after a fall at his home, former President APJ Abdul Kalam is stable and recuperating well, hospital sources said on Monday.

82-year-old Kalam was admitted to Army Research and Referral Hospital on Friday after he fell down at his Rajaji Marg residence. He suffered a forehead injury and a black eye and had fainted, they said.

"His condition is perfectly stable. It is a minor injury and he will be discharged in another day or two. A team of doctors is monitoring his condition constantly," the sources said.

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Prime Minister to address top brass of the armed forces on Friday

NEW DELHI: The situation along the borders with China and Pakistan and the counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir are expected to be reviewed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the combined commanders' conference here on Friday.

The Prime Minister will address the top brass of the armed forces on Friday during which a discussion is expected on the internal security situation besides taking stock of the immediate and future challenges to be faced by the country, defence ministry officials said.

The meeting is also likely to discuss the counter insurgency operations of the Army and the possibility of increase in the influx of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and other areas after the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in 2014, they said.

The meeting may also take up the issue of handling of Keran operations in Jammu and Kashmir where the Army claimed to have engaged a large group of terrorists but nobody was found there after 15 days.

The Prime Minister had expressed concern over the incident to the defence ministry top brass last month.

The meeting is also expected to take up the issue of spurt in ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in the last few months.

It is also likely to take up for discussion the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after the signing of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement with China to check flare ups between the two sides on the boundary. The issue of shortage of ammunition and weapon systems with the Army may also come up for discussion.

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​DMK seeks action against AIADMK men for allegedly erecting 'objectionable' banners

CHENNAI: DMK legal wing secretary RS Bharathi on Monday sought action against AIADMK functionaries who allegedly erected banners carrying 'objectionable, derogatory and defamatory' remarks against his party and its leader M Karunanidhi.

The banners flayed DMK's stand on Sri Lankan Tamil issue.

In his memorandum, which has been sent to various officials including the DGP, Chennai Corporation commissioner and Chennai district collector, he said, "Various banners and flex boards on the footpaths and on the roads in the city, particularly on Dr Radhakrishnan Salai and Kamarajar Salai, erected by the AIADMK party workers, carry highly objectionable, derogatory and defamatory remarks referring to our party and leader."

Bharathi claimed that though his party had made several representations to the concerned officials to get the illegal boards removed and to take action against the persons who erected the boards, no action had been taken.

"With the existing laws, the district collector is empowered to remove such objectionable banners forthwith even without any notice," the memorandum said.

"The banners/flex boards containing such defamatory and objectionable remarks will certainly provoke violence, and the general public is annoyed and agitated over such banners," the memorandum added.

The memorandum warned of initiating legal action against the officials for their 'failure' to act on the representations submitted by the party.

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Trinamool Congress to bring resolution on Aadhaar cards in assembly

KOLKATA: The ruling Trinamool Congress would table a resolution on linking of Aadhaar cards with direct benefit transfer in the West Bengal assembly during its winter session which began on Monday.

State parliamentary affairs and industry minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters after a meeting of the TMC legislature party, the resolution would seek the Centre reversed its decision on linking direct benefit transfer with Aadhar cards, as most people of the state were yet to get it.

"We will urge the Centre to reconsider its decision," Chatterjee said.

At the legislature party meet, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had urged the party MLAs to remain alert against rumours which were being floated by some vested interests, he said.

Regarding rise in prices of vegetables and other commodities, Chatterjee said the chief minister told the MLAs that it was taking place because of 'faulty' policies of the UPA government at the Centre.

He said during the current session, several Bills, including the New Town Kolkata Development Authority Amendment Bill 2013 would be introduced in the assembly.

Earlier, Speaker Biman Banerjee said President Pranab Mukherjee and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar would be attending the closing ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the West Bengal assembly.

He also said 56 staff and employees from legislative bodies of 23 countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Germany and Australia would also visit during at that time.

The assembly proceedings closed today after obituary references.

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NIA in Raipur, grills alleged SIMI members on Patna blasts

RAIPUR: A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday visited Raipur and questioned the suspected SIMI activists, who were arrested here recently, in connection with blasts in Patna at BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally.

According to the police, the arrested persons had helped the Patna blasts culprits to hide in the city after the blasts.

"NIA's team interrogated the eight suspected SIMI operatives," DGP Ramniwas told PTI.

NIA questioned them about whereabouts of the four absconding suspects, he said, not ruling out the possibility of NIA taking the custody of the arrested SIMI operatives.

Umer Sidhhiqui, Sheikh Ajijullah, Moinuddin Kureshi, Abdul Wahid, Sheikh Habib Ulla, Roshan Sheikh, Md Aziz and Hayat Khan were arrested from various parts of Raipur last week.

According to the DGP, Haider Ali alias Abdullah, prime accused of Patna blasts case, and other suspects were in contact with Umer Siddhiqui and Abdul Wahid, who helped Abdullah get a rented house in Sanjay Nagar area of Raipur.

Moinuddin rented his house in Sanjay Nagar area to Abdullah and his associates. But they had disappeared by the time the police raided the house.

Sheik Habib Ulla, Hayat Khan and Roshan had attended a meeting of SIMI - now banned - at Barnawapara forests, around 100km away from Raipur some years ago. They all have been booked under Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act, 1968.

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French engineer kidnapped in Nigeria in 2012 freed: Francois Hollande

PARIS: A French engineer taken hostage in Nigeria in December 2012, Francis Collomp, has been freed, President Francois Hollande said on Sunday.

In a statement, Hollande expressed thanks to Nigerian authorities for "decisive action" that led to Collomp's release, but provided no other details of how he was freed.

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France's Francois Hollande heads to Israel ahead of Iran talks

TEL AVIV: French President Francois Hollande heads to Israel on Sunday hoping to give a push to stalled peace talks with the Palestinians despite Israel's preoccupation with negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.

Hollande, who is flatlining in opinion polls at home, will also use his three-day visit to try to boost trade with the Jewish state, which stood at 2.3 billion euros ($3 billion) in 2011.

He is accompanied by the heads of Alstom, Arianespace and Vinci as well as French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, a key participant in talks on curbing Iran's nuclear programme which ended in deadlock last weekend.

On Sunday he will meet President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has described the French president as "a close friend of the state of Israel".

Netanyahu and Peres have both urged France, which took a tougher line than its Western partners in last weekend's negotiations with Iran, to maintain its firm stance at the next round of talks which open on November 20.

"We are convinced that if Iran manufactures its bomb, all the countries of the Middle East will want to follow suit," the Israeli president told French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche.

Israel and Western powers suspect the Islamic republic's uranium enrichment programme is part of a covert drive to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, an allegation Tehran vehemently denies.

The P5+1 group negotiating with Tehran is made up of the five permanent members of the UN security council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany.

Netanyahu will fly to Moscow on Wednesday to raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Hollande's office said although France's "tactical approach" on Iran was different from Israel's more bellicose stance, both seek to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Ovadia Sofer, a former Israeli ambassador to Paris, says France is not a disinterested observer in the Middle East, recalling it held the League of Nations mandate to rule Syria and Lebanon following World War I.

"France identifies with Israel on the issue of Iran. France sees itself as a Mediterranean power, as opposed to the United States which is a distant Atlantic power," he told public radio.

"France had the mandate for Syria and Lebanon, and to this day French policy is based on a basic and deep-rooted interest in those countries, and Iran jeopardises those interests."

Iran backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah fighting for him against opposition forces.

Sofer said France had close links with Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab counties, who are growing increasingly nervous at the prospect of a nuclear Shiite Iran on their doorstep.

"France has extensive interests in the Arabian Peninsula," Sofer said. "Technology, railways, construction."

On Monday Hollande goes to the West Bank city of Ramallah for discussions with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

French sources said he would encourage both sides to make the necessary compromises to overcome obstacles to US-brokered peace talks revived in July after a nearly three-year hiatus.

Hollande, accompanied by half a dozen of his ministers, will argue for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with security guarantees for Israel to exist alongside a viable Palestinian state.

He is expected to criticise Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and in annexed east Jerusalem, areas the Palestinians have demanded as part of their future state.

He will also visit the grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died in 2004 in a French hospital and who Swiss scientists recently said may have been poisoned with polonium.

The Islamist Hamas movement ruling Gaza condemned Hollande's visit, with senior official Salah al-Bardawil saying it "supports Israel and is likely to ignore Palestinian rights".

The French leader will also address Israel's parliament, the Knesset, on Monday.

On Tuesday he will visit the graves of four victims of Al-Qaeda-linked gunman Mohamed Merah, who went on a shooting spree in and around the southern French city of Toulouse in March 2012, killing seven people.

He will also lay a wreath at the grave of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism, and visit the resting place of slain prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.

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Kerry to visit Israel on Friday to discuss Iran deal, Netanyahu says

JERUSALEM: US secretary of state John Kerry will travel to Israel on Friday to discuss a proposed deal between world powers and Iran on the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Netanyahu has condemned a proposal, endorsed by Washington, to reduce sanctions on Iran if Tehran suspends parts of its nuclear work.

Netanyahu said he would discuss the issue with French President Francois Hollande, who arrives in Israel later on Sunday, and with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.

"We will discuss (Iran) at the head of the many issues on the agenda," Netanyahu said of Hollande's visit in public remarks at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting. "I will do the same with President Putin in my visit to Moscow on Wednesday and I will do the same with John Kerry, who is coming here on Friday."

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Malta chosen as host of 2015 Commonwealth summit

COLOMBO: Malta was on Sunday unanimously chosen as the host of the next Commonwealth summit in 2015 after Mauritius pulled out in protest against the decision to hold this year's gathering in Sri Lanka despite an international outcry over alleged rights violations and war crimes.

"The prime minister of Malta has invited the Commonwealth to hold CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) 2015, with Malta as the venue," Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma said at the end of the biennial summit in Colombo.

"It was received by all members with acclamation," he said.

The offer by the southern European country was accepted by the leaders at the retreat session of the CHOGM.

Malta will rise to the occasion after being selected to host the biennial event, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

Mauritius was to stage the biennial gathering in 2015 but Prime Minister Navin Chandra Ramgoolam said just ahead of the Colombo summit that it no longer wanted to host the event, citing Sri Lanka's human rights record.

Sri Lanka is facing mounting global pressure over alleged human rights abuses committed by the army against Tamils during the final phase of nearly three-decade long war against the LTTE that ended in 2009.

The Prime Ministers of India and Canada also stayed away from this year's summit over the issue.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the island nation needs time to address the concerns raised after the war.

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Libya deputy intelligence chief abducted: Security official

TRIPOLI: Libya's deputy intelligence chief Mustafa Nuh was abducted on Sunday in Tripoli, a security official told AFP, as tensions ran high in the capital following deadly violence over the weekend.

"The vice-president of intelligence was abducted shortly after his arrival in Tripoli from a trip abroad," said the official, who declined to be named.

Contacted by AFP, an intelligence source confirmed that Nuh had "disappeared" but did not elaborate.

Private channel Libya al-Ahrar reported he was abducted, but it did not cite any sources for its report.

There was no immediate claim for the abduction, which came as Tripoli began a three-day strike to mourn dozens of people killed in clashes at an anti-militia protest -- the deadliest violence in the capital since the 2011 uprising.

At least 43 people were killed and more than 450 wounded in the fighting, according to the health ministry.

The violence erupted on Friday when demonstrators protesting against unruly militias in Tripoli were fired upon from a base of ex-rebels in the capital and raged overnight and into Saturday.

The weak central government has struggled to rein in former rebel brigades that helped end Moamer Kadhafi's 40-year dictatorship but have since grown into increasingly menacing militias.

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was himself abducted for several hours by gunmen in October before being released unharmed.

A security chief claimed responsibility for the abduction and said he was "proud" of it.

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