Shiv Khori shrine in J&K attracts large number of devotees

JAMMU: The Shiv Khori shrine situated in the serene Reasi district of Jammu division has attracted over 11 lakh pilgrims from across the country since the beginning of this year.
About 5,000 to 6,000 pilgrims have been visiting the holy shrine everyday and over 11 lake pilgrims have visited it so far in 2014, Reasi District Development Commissioner Shahid Iqbal said on Saturday.
He said the rise in the number of visitors to the shine was due to availability of facilities in the area. Many of the Vaishno Devi pilgrims are also visiting the Shiv Khori shrine now, he added.
The shrine witnessed a huge footfall of devotees during the Maha Shivratri and the trend resumed with the beginning of the Amarnath Yatra, he said.
Over the years, Reasi has emerged as one of the major tourist destinations of the Jammu division with the Vaishno Devi shrine attracting over one crore and the Shiv Khori shrine 20 lakh devotees annually, Iqbal said.
Although there were a number of other religious destinations in Reasi district like Aghar Jitto, Noaun Pandian, Baba Dhansar and Deera Baba Banda Bahudur, Shiv Khori was fast emerging as the second largest pilgrim destination after Mata Vaishnodevi temple, Iqbal said.
Keeping in view the natural beauty, topography and significance of the area, the Shiv Khori Board was also making all-out efforts to develop the place as a popular tourist destination with world class infrastructure, he said.

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08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

UPSC aspirants, protesting near PM's residence, detained

NEW DELHI: Over 200 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants staging a protest near prime minister's house against the changes made in their examination pattern were detained by police early Saturday.

These people were protesting here since Friday morning and wanted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of their concerns.

"We will keep protesting till our demands are met,"Gurjinder Kaur, who came from G.T.B Nagar, north Delhi, told IANS. "We were earlier assured by BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu of paying attention to our demands and concerns. But nothing happened which forced us to come here and sit on protest."

On Saturday, at around 4.30am, the police suddenly boarded them into buses and took them to the parliament street police station.

Women protesters accused police of brutality while pushing them into buses and taking to police station.

Police said that the protesters were asked to leave the area as it is a high security zone and near prime minister's residence 7, Race Course Road. The action was taken after several reminders to vacate the place.

On Friday, four metro stations, falling in central Delhi, had been closed for few hours due to the protests. Also, the intersection of Aurangzeb road and Tuglak road was closed since last evening due to the protest.

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08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bobby Womack, singer with brave 2nd act, dies at the age of 70

Bobby Womack, a colorful and highly influential R&B singer-songwriter who influenced artists from the Rolling Stones to Damon Albarn, has died. He was 70.

On Friday, Womack's publicist Sonya Kolowrat said that the singer had died, but she could provide no other details.

Womack was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease two years ago and overcame addiction and multiple health issues, including prostate cancer, to pull off a second act in his career.

Womack performed recently at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and seemed in good health and spirits. He had been scheduled to perform at multiple events across Europe in July and August.

He told the BBC in 2013 that the Alzheimer's diagnosis came after he began having difficulty remembering his songs and the names of people he had worked with.

And there have been many.

The soul singer cut a wide path through the music business as a performer and songwriter in a career that spanned seven decades. Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, long after he'd lost his fortune and his career to addiction.

He spoke of kicking his substance abuse problems in a 2012 interview with The Associated Press and all the friends he'd lost to drugs over the years.

"I think the biggest move for me was to get away from the drug scene," Womack said. "It wasn't easy. It was hard because everybody I knew did drugs. ... They didn't know when to turn it off. So for me looking at Wilson Pickett, close friends of mine, Sly Stone, Jim Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and I can go on and on and on, and I say all of them died because of drugs."

According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website, Womack was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and sang gospel music at a young age, performing with his brothers in The Womack Brothers. Under the influence of gospel and R&B legend Sam Cooke, who signed the group to his personal label, Womack moved into secular music. In the early 1960s his group recorded "It's All Over Now," which was covered and by the Stones and became the band's first number-one hit.

His songs have been recorded by multiple artists, and he played as a session musician in Memphis in the 1960s.

Albarn and XL Recordings president Richard Russell helped Womack regain his career with 2012 comeback album "The Bravest Man in the Universe." The album was a departure for Womack, full of electronic music and beats. But it was lauded by critics for a simple reason: That distinctive voice of his still brought chills.

"I don't think he ever really thought that he would do anything again," Albarn said of Womack in March. ``Watching his rehabilitation and watching his ability to confront new material and new challenges was nothing short of miraculous at the time, and he still today continues to battle his demons and his illness. But he's a beautiful person and when he opens his mouth and that voice comes out, it is something that is somehow touched by God.''

Gospel singer Candi Staton knew Womack since they were children and she toured with him.

"He had a style that nobody else could ever capture," she said in a statement. "I loved him and I will miss him so, so very much."

08.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

GAIL pipeline fire death toll rises to 16, six in critical condition

HYDERABAD: The death toll in the GAIL pipeline fire tragedy in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh rose to 16 with an injured succumbing on Saturday, while six people were battling for life with severe burns, police said.

At least 15 people were killed and nearly two dozen others injured when a leaking gas pipeline of GAIL caught fire and triggered a blast in Nagaram village in the coastal district, about 560km from Hyderabad.

"A baby girl, who was undergoing treatment for severe burns, died today (Saturday) at a private hospital in Kakinada. With this the toll in the incident rose to 16," East Godavari district superintendent of police G Vijay Kumar told PTI over phone.

The SP said that 20 others who suffered burn injuries were undergoing treatment at different hospitals. The condition of at least six of them remains critical as they have suffered around 80% burns.

The leaping flames from the pipeline passing through the village in Mamidikuduru mandal quickly swept through nearby houses and coconut plantations, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Leaking gas had enveloped some areas of the village and the tragedy occurred when a tea shop vendor lit up a stove, setting off a blast, police had earlier said.

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Monsoon likely in north India in 1st week of July: IMD

NEW DELHI: A western disturbance is likely to help advance the monsoon in the hilly parts of north India in the first week of July, according to the MET department.

"A fresh western disturbance would affect northwest India in the beginning of July. We are expecting mild interaction of monsoon and western disturbance and this will help in advancement of monsoon in northern Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu division," said B P Yadav, Director, Indian Meteorological Department.

According to Skyment, a private weather forecasting agency, there could be some respite in the first week of July for the national capital reeling under searing heat.

"With fresh monsoon over the west coast and the cyclonic circulation over north Bay of Bengal, the cumulative deficit might get narrowed down by a significant margin."

"Monsoon will cover Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh by the first week of July and continuous rain is likely in the national capital and northwest plains, commencing around July 5," the private agency said.

"West coast is also likely to experience above normal rainfall activity from the beginning of July onwards," the IMD said.

However, rainfall may remain below normal over western parts of the country during the above period.

"The monsoon season rainfall for the country as a whole between June and September is likely to be below normal at 93 per cent of the long period average with a model error of plus/minus four per cent," Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh had said earlier this month.

In April, the Met Department had predicted a below normal monsoon at 95 per cent. The less rainfall is being attributed to El Nino condition whose chances of occurrence are as high.

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Sushma Swaraj concludes Bangladesh visit, offers prayers for better ties

DHAKA: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj concluded her three-day-vist to Bangladesh on Friday after offering prayers at the historic Dhakeshwari Mandir here for better ties between the two countries.

"I came to Bangladesh with an open mind. Good relations exist between India and Bangladesh and the relationship will get better. I am trying to resolve all the issues coming in the way of our ties," Prothom Alo newspaper quoted Sushma Swaraj as saying while interacting with devotees at the temple.

Dhakeshwari is considered the presiding deity of this capital city of Bangladesh.

Following her visit to the temple, Sushma Swaraj met the two advisors to the prime minister, Gowher Rizvi and Masihur Rehman.

She also met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia at Dhaka's Hotel Sonargaon, bdnews24.com reported.

During the 40-minute meeting, Zia reportedly "complained" about the state of democracy in Bangladesh.

Swaraj told Khaleda that the new Indian government wanted to emphasise on a relationship without favouring any particular political party or a government in Bangladesh.

BNP's standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan and vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury termed the meeting "successful".

"The issue of lack of democracy in the country came up in the meeting. This so-called parliament does not reflect the people's will," Moyeen Khan said.

Susham Swaraj also met leader of the opposition Raushan Ershad.

"The external affairs minister is shortly departing from Dhaka after what we feel has been a fruitful and successful visit," Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said.

Bdnews24.com quoted Akbaruddin as saying during a pre-departure interaction with journalists that the Indian government would work with the Bangladesh government, leaving the country's internal issues to its people to resolve.

"Governments work with governments. The Indian government will work with the government of Bangladesh. All other issues internal to Bangladesh will need to be addressed and resolved by the people of Bangladesh."

During her 38-hour-long visit, Sushma Swaraj sent out a strong message that her government would build upon the momentum of the relations between the two countries.

She left for New Delhi on a special Air India flight around 1.30pm from Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport after being seen off by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque.

She was accompanied by foreign secretary Sujatha Singh.

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08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine signs trade agreement with EU, draws Russian threat

BRUSSELS: Ukraine signed a free-trade and political cooperation agreement with the European Union on Friday that has been at the heart of the country's political crisis, drawing an immediate threat of "grave consequences" from Russia.

Georgia and Moldova signed similar deals, holding out the prospect of deep economic integration and unfettered access to the EU's 500 million citizens.

"Over the last months, Ukraine paid the highest possible price to make her European dreams come true," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told EU leaders at a signing ceremony in Brussels.

Russia immediately said "grave consequences" would follow.

Ukraine's former pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovich turned his back on signing the EU agreement last November in favour of closer ties with Moscow, prompting months of street protests that eventually led to his fleeing the country. Soon afterwards, Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region, drawing outrage and sanctions from the United States and EU.

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08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

First batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims flagged off in Jammu

JAMMU: The first batch of Amarnath Yatra was flagged off by Jammu & Kashmir tourism minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Friday from Jammu.

He said that due to heavy snowfall at Pahalgam-Chandanwari route, the yatra will start from Baltal route on Saturday and further review of the traditional Pahalgam route will be taken on June 30.

According to Mir, the first batch of 900 pilgrims left the Jammu base camp.

A pilgrim, Puja Sharma, said that, "We have been told that due to heavy snowfall on the Pahalgam route, the yatra will be diverted towards the Baltal route. There are no arrangements here for pilgrims like us. We are just being asked to fill forms."

Every year, nearly six lakh pilgrims take this difficult yatra to see the snow shivlingam situated at Amarnath. This year, the yatra may prove to be bit more treacherous as the traditional route Pahalgam-Chandanwari has witnessed heavy snowfall.

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08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine 'split' in two, Putin says after Kiev signs EU deal

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that Ukrainian society is split after being forced to choose between Europe and Russia, speaking shortly after Kiev inked the EU association accord.

"The anti-constitutional coup in Kiev, the attempts to impose an artificial choice between Europe and Russia have pushed society to a split, to a painful internal confrontation," Putin said in Moscow.

"Ukraine must return to a path towards peace, dialogue and agreement," he said as he received foreign ambassadors in the Kremlin.

"The main thing is to ensure a long-term ceasefire as a necessary condition for holding thorough negotiations between Kiev authorities and representatives of the southeast regions."

"We are sincerely trying to assist in the peace process," Putin added.

Western leaders this week pressured Putin to help Kiev authorities end the conflict in the separatist east, where the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk have declared independence and are battling against government troops.

Moscow has denied direct involvement in the conflict, although some of the militants are believed to be Russians.

Putin has urged Kiev to grant more autonomy to the Russian-speaking regions and extend Kiev's one-week ceasefire which was announced last Friday and is set to expire later in the day.

The Kremlin strongman has repeatedly stated that Ukraine cannot pursue closer EU integration and at the same time expect preferential treatment from Russia.

His spokesman Dmitry Peskov today reiterated that Moscow will introduce necessary measures to protect itself.

Deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin warned for his part that the EU pact Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed off on in Brussels will have "serious consequences."

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Naidu, oil minister inspect site of GAIL fire tragedy

RAJAHMUNDRY (AP): Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday visited the site of the pipeline fire tragedy in East Godavari district in which 15 people perished.

Naidu, who cut short his visit to Delhi, arrived at the site of the accident at Nagaram village, where a GAIL-owned gas pipeline caught fire after a blast early this morning, accompanied by Pradhan and officials of the PSU and East Godavari district.

They inspected the site and spoke to the officials and local residents on the accident which also left 18 people injured when a massive blaze raged through parts of the village following a blast in an apparently leaking gas pipeline.

Naidu later left to visit the injured, who are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the coastal district, about 560km from Hyderabad.

The leaping flames from the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) pipeline quickly swept through nearby houses in Nagaram and coconut plantations, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

A large number of burnt coconut plantations bore testimony to the fire.

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08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gunmen kill three Iran police near Iraq frontier

TEHRAN: Unidentified gunmen have killed three Iranian police on patrol in the northwest of the country near the border with Iraq, the Mehr news agency reported on Wednesday.

Tuesday night's attack comes after the authorities in Shia-ruled Iran beefed up security along the frontier in response to a Sunni militant offensive that has captured swathes of Iraqi territory.

The police were killed near the village of Taze-Abad, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the border with Iraq, said Mehr.

An official familiar with the attack denied the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) carried out the attack, or that the jihadist group leading the offensive in Iraq had entered Iran.

The attack comes just days after the Iranian army clashed in the same region with suspected forces of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK).

The clash, which took place on Saturday, killed at least one member from the ranks of the PJAK, the main Kurdish armed movement opposed to Tehran based in northeastern Iraq, media reports said.

Iran supports the Iraqi government of Shia Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in its fight with the Sunni militants who have seized control of vast stretches Iraqi territory since June 9, including second city Mosul.

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Mamata formally declares Alipurduar as 20th district of West Bengal

ALIPURDUAR: The Jalpaiguri district in North Bengal's Dooars region was bifurcated today to create Alipurduar district — the 20th in West Bengal.

Turning the Alipurduar sub-division into a district was a long standing demand of the people and they would immensely benefit from the move, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at a function here.

She said since the district headquarters of Jalpaiguri was far away, the people of Alipurduar sub-division faced hardships in availing government services and had to spend long hours travelling to and from the district headquarters which was over a 100km away.

Alipurduar has a large concentration of Adivasi people and has around 70 tea gardens, the chief minister said adding the state government would lay emphasis on tea tourism, besides improving small scale industries there.

Banerjee warned against any divisive politics which might threaten the peace in the hills and plains and reiterated her stand against any division of Bengal.

Without naming the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which wanted a separate Gorkhaland, she said "Let the people living in the plains and the hills remain happy. Darjeeling hills are smiling and Tarai and Dooars are also smiling."

The Mamata Banerjee-government had decided to create a number of new districts and Alipurduar was one of them.

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4 bombs in Cairo metro stations, at least 2 hurt: Police

CAIRO: Four makeshift bombs exploded within minutes of each other at three Cairo metro stations during morning rush hour on Wednesday, wounding at least two people, police said.

The explosive devices were "very primary" and of "low intensity", a police official told AFP.

Militants have stepped up attacks in Egypt, mostly against security forces, since the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and the authorities launched a deadly crackdown on his supporters.

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Nearly 50 killed in Central Africa since Monday: Peacekeepers

BANGUI, Central African Republic: Nearly 50 people have been killed in three days in a fresh surge of sectarian violence in the Central African Republic triggered by a massacre of Muslims by a Christian militia, a peacekeeping officer said.

"Most of the victims were shot or stabbed to death," the officer from the African Union force MISCA told AFP, adding the killings had taken place in the central Bambari region since Monday.

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Beas tragedy: Himachal high court orders Rs 5 lakh compensation

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh high court ordered a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the parents of 24 Hyderabad engineering college students who were washed away in Beas river at Thalot in Mandi district on June 8.

A division bench comprising chief justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan directed that the Larji Project authorities and management of VNR Vignana Jyothi College would bear the cost of compensation in 50:50 ratio (Rs 2.5 lakh each for each student).

The court ordered that the officials on duty at the Larji project dam on June 8 be arrayed as respondents and impleaded Himachal State Load Discharge Centre (SLDC) and Northern Region Load Discharge Centre (NRLDC) as party.

The bench further said that "till the investigation is taken to its logical end by the investigating officer and the petition is disposed off, we deem it proper to exercise inherent powers to grant interim relief to the unfortunate parents, who are hapless, helpless, broken and shaken".

"We are conscious that money is not a substitute, but may be just to ameliorate their pains and sufferings," it said.

The court also said that the "respondents managing director, superintendent engineer and resident engineer of the project and officials/officers of the college have performed their duties negligently and because of their utter carelessness, callousness and negligence, 24 budding engineers have lost their lives".

The court fixed the next hearing for July 9 and directed the respondents to file reply/rejoinder before the next hearing.

Twenty four students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, and a tour operator were washed away in Beas river near Thalot on June 8 after discharge of water from Larji Hydel Power Project.

The high court had taken suo motu cognisance of the tragedy and asked the government to submit a status report.

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Bangladesh war crimes: Verdict on Jamaat chief deferred

DHAKA: A Bangladesh tribunal on Tuesday deferred the verdict on the chief of the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, accused of war crimes during the country's liberation war against Pakistan in 1971, at the last minute after authorities said he was sick and could not be moved from jail.

Motiur Rahman Nizami, 69, is charged with 16 counts of war crimes including murder, rape, looting, abatement and the massacre of Bengali intellectuals during the liberation war and could face the death penalty.

"Reviewing all aspects, we have come to the conclusion that it will not be logical to deliver the verdict today... the judgment is kept on CAV (Curia Advisari Vult or reserving of judgement)," said Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the three-member panel of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal.

The special court was set to pronounce the judgment on Tuesday.

Legal experts said the legal term, CAV, meant that the judges would like to take time to deliver the verdict.

Ahead of the deferring of the judgement, the tribunal sought opinions of both the prosecution and defence lawyers, referring a letter to them from the prison authorities informing the court about Nizami's illness.

Both the sides said under the law, the accused, if detained in jail, must appear before the court when the verdict is delivered, unless one deliberately refuses to appear, suffers from prolonged illness or is set free on bail.

"His (Nizami) blood pressure rose and he was given medication," senior jail superintendent Farman Ali told reporters.

They are planning to send him to a specialised state-run facility to be treated for his sickness, he said.

The charges against Nizami include the murder of 70 people and torching of 72 houses in December, 1971, in Pabna's Bera Upazila, murdering 450 people in Demra and Baushia villages and killing many more in front of a Hindu temple in Santhiya Upazila.

About three million people were killed by the Pakistani army and their Bengali-speaking collaborators during the liberation war, according to official estimates.

Nizami, the then head of the East-Pakistan unit of Jamaat's student affiliate — Islami Chhatra Shangha — is one of the last high-profile accused in the case.

Almost the entire leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami stands accused of war crimes.

Eight people have been so far handed down death sentences and two others were sentenced to life term since the trial of war crimes began in 2011 by two tribunals set up by the Awami League government.

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UP govt to sign agreement for metro project with DMRC

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh government will soon sign an agreement with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for a metro rail project in Noida.

"An agreement will be made between Noida and DMRC for a metro rail project between Kalindi Kunj and Botanical garden. The CEO Noida has been authorised to sign it," a spokesman said.

The decision in this regard was taken on Tuesday at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. However, no date for the signing of the agreement has not been finalised yet.

"The distance between these two stations will be 3.962 kilometers. The entire cost of the project will be 845 crores. 80 per cent of the total expenditure will be borne by the UP government and the 20 per cent by the Centre," he added.

The cabinet also approved new tehsils — Kaptanganj and Khadda — in Kushinagar district and Bangarmau in Unnao district.

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Ukraine government reports rebel attacks despite ceasefire

KIEV: Ukrainian government forces accused pro-Russian separatists of firing on Ukrainian military checkpoints in several parts of the east on Monday night despite a ceasefire declared by the rebels.

No sustained fighting were reported in the incidents, nor any casualties on the Ukrainian side which is also observing a week-long ceasefire until June 27.

"(Separatist) fighters are not ceasing to shoot at the positions of Ukrainian forces," Vladyslav Seleznyov, a spokesman for the Kiev government's "anti-terrorist" operation, said on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

Rebel militia, using grenade-launchers and mortar, carried out attacks on a government military post near the rebel-controlled town of Slaviansk and used small arms in an assault on another post further east towards the border with Russia, Selznyov said.

He said Ukrainian government forces had not been involved in any military action in line with a ceasefire announced by President Petro Poroshenko last Friday.

"I can not say whether the separatists have violated or not violated (the ceasefire), but the facts speak for themselves - yesterday during the day and in the evening they fired on our positions," Seleznyov told Reuters separately.

Separatist leaders in two main areas of Ukraine's east on Monday night agreed also to a truce until the morning of June 27, raising the first real prospect of an end to hostilities since separatist rebellions erupted in the east in April.

The rebels, who have declared "people's republics" and have said they want to join Russia, declared their ceasefire after talks involving a former Ukrainian president, Moscow's envoy to Kiev and a high-ranking representative of the OSCE security and rights watchdog.

Poroshenko's ceasefire is part of his peace plan to end a pro-Russia insurgency in areas near the border with Russia which threatens dismemberment of the ex-Soviet republic.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula earlier this year after street protests in Kiev ousted the Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovich from power.

Poroshenko's plan, which offers a safety "corridor" back to Russia for pro-Russian fighters who lay down their arms, has secured the backing of Western governments and qualified support from Russian President Vladimir Putin who has urged Kiev to hold talks with the separatist leaders.

The next step in contacts between the two sides is not clear, though it seems likely the rebels may use the break in hostilities to press demands for "federalisation" of Ukraine - something which Kiev refuses because it sees it as likely to lead to the country breaking up.

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Andhra Pradesh court issues arrest warrant against MS Dhoni

HYDERABAD: A court in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

A local court in Anantapur issued the arrest warrant as Dhoni did not appear in the court despite three summons served in the past. It directed police to present Dhoni in the court on July 16.

The case relates to a picture on the cover of a magazine.

Business Today in its April 2013 edition had carried the picture. Dhoni was portrayed as Hindu god Vishnu with a subtitle "God of Big Deals" and holding products of several companies including a shoe in his hand.

Y Shyam Sunder, a local leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), had filed a petition in the court in February this year alleging that the cricketer hurt the sentiments of Hindus by denigrating a Hindu god.

The summons issued by the court to Dhoni on three occasions were returned. The court, which took up the hearing Tuesday, issued the arrest warrant.

Similar petitions against Dhoni were filed in Delhi, Pune and other cities.

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Stop grass cutting in Gir, HC directs chief conservator

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Monday directed the chief conservator of forest to redress the issues of people residing near the Gir wildlife sanctuary.

In response to a PIL filed by Amreli-resident Nuruddin Chavda, the court has given four-week time to the foresters to deal with the issues like cutting of grass in the protected areas, which forces lions' prey base and subsequently big cats to move out of the sanctuary.

The petitioner raised several problems. Besides removal of grass, he also raised the issue of corruption, laxity on part of the forest department's staff and illegal encroachment in Karamdadi forest area of Dhari range.

Chavda submitted before the HC that the illegal cutting of grass from reserve forest area results in migration of animals that are prey base of lions. The forest officials do not stop this activity despite the knowledge that scarcity of grass forces other animals and resultantly the lions to come out of the protected area.

The petitioner has alleged corruption in construction of boundary wall. He claimed that there is deviation in implementation of the Sanctuary Park project due to the poor quality of construction of boundary walls.

The petitioner also highlighted a case of suspicious death of a lioness in forest area. The carcass was not disposed of for nearly three weeks. Despite complaints, no FSL reports were obtained by the forest department to ascertain reasons for the death.

Chavda has complained that the forest officials do not part with information even if it is repeatedly sought under the RTI Act. As they managed to keep their affairs secret from public knowledge, huge public money spent over this sanctuary goes to waste.

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UK authorities warn of fighters returning from Syria

LONDON: A former British intelligence chief said that security agencies will not be able to keep track of the hundreds of young Britons returning to the country after fighting with militants in Syria and Iraq.

Richard Barrett, a former head of counterterrorism at the MI6 intelligence agency, told the BBC that keeping track of all those who returned would be impossible.

British officials have estimated that between 400 and 500 Britons have travelled to Syria to fight, and some may have crossed into Iraq.

A video released online last week showed three men identified as British exhorting compatriots to join the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.

Police counterterrorism official Peter Fahy warned that slick ISIL recruiting videos made violent jihad look like a glamorous adventure.

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8 HuJI militants sentenced to death in Bangladesh for 2001 attack

DHAKA: Eight HuJI militants, including its chief, were on Monday sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi court for a 2001 bomb attack targeting Bengali new year celebrations that claimed 10 lives.

"They shall be hanged by the neck till they are dead," additional metropolitan judge Ruhul Amin pronounced in a crowded courtroom as detained Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) chief Mufty Abdul Hannan and seven others appeared in the dock under heavy security vigil.

"The attack was carried out to destabilise the country and create panic," Amin said.

The court also handed down life imprisonment to six others, three of them still on the run. Hannan along with seven others faced the trial in person after arrest.

A prison van escorted by several police cars brought the detained militants to the court complex here.

Armed police contingents and security officials in plain clothes kept a sharp vigil, allowing people inside the court only after thorough security checks.

The HuJI operatives carried out the bomb attack in 2001 in Ramna Batmul here as people were celebrating the Bengali New Year 'Pahela Baishakh' which the militants claimed was "anti-Islamic".

The court indicted the outlawed HuJI chief and 13 others for the blasts on April 16, 2009, and subsequently recorded statements of 61 prosecution witnesses.

The United States has designated HuJI as a foreign terrorist organisation.

The 2001 bombing case was the second major charge that brought HuJI men in dock after police in June 2008 formally pressed charges against 21 HuJI operatives and an ex-junior minister of the then BNP government for a grenade attack on Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004.

Hasina narrowly escaped the attack but a total of 24 people were killed.

The banned outfit is also believed to have carried out several other blasts including an attack on a Communist Party rally in 2005 in which five people were killed.

Bangladesh-born former British envoy in Dhaka Anwar Chowdhury had escaped that attack sustaining minor injuries.

HuJI announced its emergence on April 30, 1992, in Bangladesh when its operatives wearing sleeveless olive combat jackets over 'shelwar-kameez' held a news conference and described how they had fought in the previous Afghan war.

They had demanded that Bangladesh be turned into an Islamic state of their brand.

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Bodies of three AP students brought back from Himachal Pradesh

HYDERABAD: Bodies of three students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology here, who were among the 25 victims washed away in the Beas river in Himachal Pradesh on June 8, were brought to the city on Monday.

On Sunday, rescue teams recovered these bodies which surfaced in Pandoh Dam, and the three were identified as Bairinene Ritwik, C H Parmeshwar and Muppidi Kiran Kumar.

After postmortem, the three bodies were flown to Hyderabad.

"Bodies of three students arrived at the RGIA airport here by an Air India flight this afternoon (Monday afternoon) and they are being taken to their respective places," an airport official said.

So far, 16 bodies have been recovered, while nine more victims, including three girls and a male tour leader are yet to be found.

Massive search operations were launched to locate the 24 BTech students and a tour leader, who were washed away in the Beas river on June 8 after a sudden release of water from the reservoir of the Larji hydropower project near Thalot in Himachal Pradesh.

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PIL filed against rail fare hikes; HC to hear it on Tuesday

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court will hear a couple of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Tuesday against the new hiked rail fares.

Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a consumer interest group, filed a PIL on Monday. Shirish Deshpande of MGP said the PIL focuses on an urgent interim relief against the huge hike in season tickets for suburban commuters. There will be a demand for interim protection or a stay against such a steep hike which is pegged at over 180 percent of the present fare.

The other PIL is by Ketan Tirodkar a former journalist who has sought a roll back on the hike. "The suburban trains are the lifeline for nearly 20 million people in Mumbai and near by areas. The three lines--Western, Central and Harbour ferry over 70 lakh people daily,'' Tirodkar's PIL said adding that the revised fares, effective June 25 would make a second class monthly season costing Rs 85, now cost Rs 150. The new rates are potentially financially crippling for the common people, he said. A first class monthly season pass worth Rs 795 would soon cost Rs 1930.

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BSF seizes gold worth Rs 54 lakh

KOLKATA: Early on Monday, troops of the 152 Bn of the Border Security Force (BSF) seized gold weighing 1.985 kg near the Amudia BOP in Swarupnagar, North 24-Parganas. Sandeep Biswas, an Indian national was apprehended and charged with smuggling in the gold. He has been handed over to the Swarupnagar police station.

"On Monday, our troops at Amudia acted on specific intelligence and stopped Biswas around 7.25am when he was near the international border. A thorough search led to the seizure of 17 gold biscuits. The haul is valued at nearly Rs 54 lakh. The South Bengal Frontier of the BSF has seized more than 53 kg of gold and apprehended 30 smugglers this year," a senior official said.

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Hundreds of thousands vote in Hong Kong democracy 'poll' in defiance of Beijing

ONG KONG: Nearly 600,000 votes have been cast in three days of an unofficial referendum on democratic reforms in Hong Kong, part of a civil campaign that has been branded illegal by the former British colony and by Communist Party authorities in Beijing.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with wide-ranging autonomy under the formula of "one country, two systems", along with an undated promise of universal suffrage.

But social tensions have risen steadily, with many residents concerned that civil liberties are being eroded and with pro-democracy activists threatening to blockade part of the city's financial district if China doesn't stick to its promise.

Polling in the unofficical referendum was extended from June 22 until June 29 after the voting website received billions of hits in an apparent cyberattack last week that prompted organisers to open 15 polling booths across the city on Sunday. Residents have so far voted online and via smartphones.

While Beijing says Hong Kong can go ahead with a vote in 2017 for the city's top leader, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, specifies that only a nominating committee can pick leadership candidates. Pro-democracy activists say this should be changed to allow public nominations.

"What is the point of one man, one vote if at the end of the day we have to vote from three puppets or four puppets anointed by Beijing?" Anson Chan, Hong Kong's former top civil servant and a key supporter of the vote, said on Sunday.

The unofficial referendum comes a week after Beijing released a white paper in which it reasserted its authority over Hong Kong, a move that unnerved and enraged many in the city, raising fears of direct intervention.

At one polling station, about 20 people from pro-Beijing group Caring Hong Kong Power shouted at voters who braved the rain, urging them not to cast ballots.

"You are sending your children to the battlefield," one shouted at a voter.

The referendum, organized by the Occupy Central protest group, offers voters three options, which all include a popular vote. There is also an option to abstain, but no breakdown of the results has been provided.

More than 590,000 votes had been cast by midday on Sunday, according to organisers, or nearly 10 percent of Hong Kong's population of seven million.

Occupy Central had said it hoped the referendum would draw up to 300,000 people and it aims to mobilize thousands on to the streets of the city's financial district as part of its campaign to demand full democracy.

It's been a busy few weeks for pro- and anti-establishment groups. Pro-Beijing group Silent Majority released a video last week warning of possible deaths and general mayhem if the Occupy Central protests proceed. In one scene, a dagger pierces a throbbing heart that symbolizes the central business district.

At a sing-along rally in support of the referendum on Friday, more than 100 people gathered in Central to sing "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from the musical Les Miserables.

Pro-Beijing newspapers, Chinese officials and Hong Kong business tycoons have strongly criticized the Occupy Central campaign, saying it will harm Hong Kong.

Activists say it is a peaceful movement demanding a "genuine choice" for Hong Kong voters.

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Adani brothers discharged in cheating case by Maharashtra court

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Jun 22, 2014, 01.10PM IST

MUMBAI: In a major relief to Gautam and Rajesh Adani, a local court has discharged the industrialists in a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy related to purchase and sale of shares.

The Serious Fraud Investigating Office (SFIO) had, in 2012, filed a chargesheet against twelve accused including the Adani brothers, Adani Exports Limited and Adani Agro Private Limited.

According to SFIO, Adani Agro allegedly provided funds and shares to Ketan Parekh entities for running illegal activities in the capital.

The agency also alleged that the promoters off-loaded their share holding when share price was at peak and started purchasing it when the prices went down, to maintain their share holding in the company and earn profit.

"Mere allegation that the Adanis have purchased the shares when the prices were low and sold it when the prices were high does not constitute an offence of cheating," observed Additional chief metropolitan magistrate R M Khan in the order recently.

Though the Adanis were discharged on May 9, the copy of the detailed order was given last week only.

The court observed that "deception" is the necessary ingredient for the offence of cheating under the section.

"The complainant (SFIO) is therefore necessarily bound to prove that the inducement has been caused by the deception exercised by the accused," the court said.

It also observed that the case of conspiracy was also not made out.

"In order to bring home the charge of conspiracy, it is necessary to establish that there was an agreement between the parties for doing an unlawful act by illegal means," the court noted.

"There is no averment in complaint sufficient to show that the Adanis have committed an act of criminal conspiracy or cheating," it said.

The judge also observed that there was no "report" by any member of the public against the Adanis that they have been cheated.

Adani's counsel had argued that there is no material which prima facie constitutes any offence. However, the SFIO had argued in the court that there are specific allegations against the Adanis mentioned in the charge sheet.

Meanwhile, department sources told PTI that they would study the order in detail and then decide in due course of time whether to challenge it in a higher court.

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BJP ready for Delhi assembly polls, will come to power: Ramesh Bidhuri

NEW DELHI: Amid continuing uncertainty over government formation in the national capital, senior Delhi BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri said the party was ready for fresh election in the city, where it had come first in 60 of the 70 assembly segments in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The South Delhi MP, who is also general secretary of Delhi unit of the party, said elections appeared to be the only option as BJP, which is the largest party in the 70-member House, did not have the numbers to form a government.

"BJP is ready for assembly election in Delhi and I am confident that this time we will come to power with a thumping majority as we were ahead in 60 Assembly segments in the Lok Sabha polls," Bidhuri told PTI.

The BJP had secured 33.07% vote share in the assembly polls which increased to 46.1% in the Lok Sabha polls.

The AAP's vote share also increased to 32.9% from 29.49% in the assembly polls. In the assembly polls, Congress had secured a vote share of 24.55 which came down to 15.1% in the Lok Sabha election.

Asked whether the BJP would prefer going to polls, Bidhuri said party leadership will take a final decision on the issue soon. "The top leadership of the party will take a final call on the issue soon."

He said the AAP, which had made a dream debut in the assembly polls, will not be a major factor as people have realized their "inefficiencies" during their 49-day rule.

A number of senior leaders from BJP, Congress and AAP have admitted that their MLAs were reluctant to face the elections anytime soon but said there appears no option but to go for fresh polls.

A sizeable number of party MLAs has apprised the leadership about their unwillingness to go to polls again but they have been told to get ready for elections.

Sources said a section in Delhi BJP had made some efforts to form a government but senior leaders in the party did not support the move.

President's rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17 and LG Najeeb Jung is likely to send a report to the Centre in a month or two on the political situation.

The Union Cabinet is likely to take a decision on whether to extend President's rule by another six months or go for fresh polls based on LG's report.

The BJP had won 31 seats in the assembly polls in December but its number came down to 28 after three of its legislators Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma were elected to Lok Sabha.

After expulsion of rebel MLA Vinod Kumar Binny from the party, the number of AAP MLAs has also come down to 27 from 28. Congress has eight MLAs while BJP ally Akali Dal has one MLA.

Following its drubbing in Lok Sabha polls, AAP had expressed willingness to form the government but Congress made it clear that it will not support the party again.

The Congress has already held a number of agitational programme in the city demanding better power and water supply, in an effort to connect with the masses.

After Congress' refusal to support it, AAP announced that it was ready for election. The party has launched 'Mohallah Sabha' programmes in the city to touch base and extend its support.

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Biggest seizure of arms, explosives this year by Army in J&K

JAMMU: In a major breakthrough, Army busted a militant hideout ton Sunday and seized a war-like cache of arms and explosives, including 60kg of RDX and 104 explosive devices, in Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir.

Troops of Rastriya Rifles, on specific information, launched a massive search operation in Keshwan forest belt of Kishtwar district, ministry of defence spokesperson M Mehta said.

"This is the biggest recovery made by the troops this year in Jammu region and perhaps the largest one in the past few years in Kishtwar," he said.

A big haul of arms, ammunition and explosives, including 60kg of RDX, one kg of Russian Marking explosive, 2kg unidentified explosives, one AK series rifle, one plain rifle, three 12-bore rifles, two pistols were recovered from the hideout, he said.

Besides this, the troops also recovered 104 explosive devices, including 43 hand grenades, 3 Rocket Projectile Grenades (RPGs), 40 detonators and 19 UBGL grenades, he said.

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Punjab government gives drug de-addiction medicines for free

CHANDIGARH: Free medicines are being provided to drug addicts in Punjab as part of a special de-addiction campaign being organized in the state.

Patients attending the Out Patients Departments (OPDs) of all community health centres, sub-district hospitals and district hospitals for de-addiction treatment are being provided free medicines, a spokesman said here today.

"No money is being charged for medicines for the treatment of drug addicts," the spokesman said.

The list of medicines being provided free of cost is as per the guidelines and recommendations of the PGIMER, Chandigarh, he added.

The indoor patient fee at the drug de-addiction centers is for food and other facilities and all medicines are for free, he said.

The state government last week launched a de-addiction campaign.

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