Man held at Chennai airport for taking pictures of Chidambaram

CHENNAI: A 34-year-old man has been taken into custody for questioning after he was seen taking pictures of finance minister P Chidambaram at the airport here, airport sources said on Wednesday.

They said Amir was seen taking pictures of the minister, who left for New Delhi on Tuesday, using his camera. Amir had confirmed first-class tickets to Delhi and from there to Dubai.

Initial probe revealed that Amir was one among the two persons, detained last month by CISF personnel for reportedly giving contradicting replies at the airport.

Earlier, Amir along with Mansoor, hailing from Kerala, were detained after they wanted to get off the Dreamliner aircraft ahead of its flight to Delhi. The duo reportedly gave contradictory replies when CISF sought an explanation for cancelling their journey at the last minute.

An enquiry is underway as to why he opted for a long trip to Dubai when there are direct flights available from Thiruvanathapuram and Kochi respectively to Dubai, they said.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Uttar Pradesh government begins withdrawing cases against minister Azam Khan

RAMPUR/LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has started proceedings to withdraw four cases against senior cabinet minister Mohammad Azam Khan.

"The cases against Khan in 2007 appeared to be lodged with bad intentions. We have given applications in concerned courts to withdraw the cases", principal secretary, Home, R M Srivastava told.

The police has already filed chargesheet in these cases.

While a case was lodged against Khan for making objectionable remarks against former Chief Minister Mayawati at a meeting in Tanda in August 2007, another case was lodged against Khan for allegedly attacking the SDM while he was distributing sewing machines.

In June 2007, two cases were lodged against Khan for allegedly constructing a wall (of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University) and obstructing a public road and another for allegedly manhandling a local resident.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Street kids want to be doctors, cops, office workers; but they don't go to school

MUMBAI: TOI spoke to some of the street children in the city to know what they want to become when they grow up. While most kids remained suspicious and mum on being asked such a question, others opened up and said that want to become doctors, cops, office workers among others, though they have never been to school.

"I want to be a doctor when I grow up. I like the way they order everyone and make sick people okay,'' said a 10-year-old ragpicker boy, Sagar. He said that he was not aware that one has to go to school first to become a doctor.

A seven-year-old girl at Navi Mumbai, Anita, who earns over Rs 150 per day by begging, said that she wanted to become an office executive. She too had no idea that a basic education is needed to do so. "I can count from 1 to 10. In the night I watch TV and then go to sleep,'' she told TOI.

A barely four-year-old girl who sweeps in local trains with a tiny broom so as to coerce commuters to give her money, said that she "does not know'' what she wants to become when she grows up.

The most moving sight was that of a five-year-old beggar boy in Kharghar, with his right eye blinded and bandaged. His woman handler quickly fled with the boy as soon as a few local people started questioning how he got injured in the eye.

It is rather sad and cruel and many children are deliberately made handicapped in order to extract that feeling of 'pity' from citizens so that they can earn more through begging.

On Children's Day at least, the state must mull over these issues concerning the future citizens of India.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Global arts and culture conglomerate opens India chapter

NEW DELHI: As Indian artists increasingly gain recognition abroad and the country hosts art summits and festivals that sees worldwide participation, a global cultural media group has launched an India specific site catering to arts and culture, fashion, luxury, design, architecture and travel.

The Indian edition of ArtInfo, that has portals in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia and the UK was launched recently by Louise Blouin, chairman and CEO of the group Louise Blouin Media (LBM).

"India has a enormous amount of culture, centuries of historical beauty. It has so much to give to the world ranging from medicines to art," Louise Blouin, chairman and CEO of the group told PTI.

"As the leading culture and lifestyle portal in the world, we possess a long-term interest in building channels for engagement, exchange and access, to share India's dynamic and promising art scene," said Louise, who was in the country for the launch.

Louise says she is looking to explore collaborations with various government and non governmental organisations.

The new website marks the third expansion into Asia alongside Hong Kong and China of the group, which has publications such as Art+Auction, Modern Painters and Gallery Guide magazines as well as a news portal, Blouin News.

The group plans to set up operations in Bangalore hiring about 200 to 300 writers, art history experts and critics who would be working closely with museums, art galleries and artists to give updated information.

Louise has invested over USD 110 million in building Louise Blouin Media and LBM says it is pursuing what they see as "significant opportunities, in building expertise and capabilities in India."

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Two Congress MLAs to join Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress

KOLKATA: Two Congress MLAs are likely to soon join Trinamool Congress and may be inducted in Mamata Banerjee ministry in a cabinet reshuffle scheduled next week, setting the stage for fresh confrontation between the two former allies.

"Two MLAs Humayan Kabir and Krishnendu Chowdhury are expected to join TMC on November 20," Trinamool Congress all-India general secretary Mukul Roy told PTI here.

Reacting sharply to the development, WBPCC chief Pradip Bhattacharya said "This has made it clear that the sole agenda of Trinamool Congress is to break up the Congress in Bengal.

"But take it from me, the Congress will prove its organisational strength in Murshidabad by winning the Rejinagar seat," Bhattacharya said.

Mukul Roy, refused to comment on Bhattacherjee's charge, saying "I wont' say anything now. We will state whatever we have to say at an appropriate time."

In an apparent jolt before next year's panchayet election, Kabir, the Congress MLA from Rejinagar said he was assured a ministerial berth by the chief minister in a cabinet reshuffle expected to be held on November 21.

"During a meeting with Mamatadi she told me to inform her of my decision by November 16. She has assured me of a berth in the cabinet reshuffle," Kabir, the Murshidabad district Congress secretary RPT secretary, said.

"I will formally join TMC on November 20 after quitting all posts in the Congress," Kabir told PTI over phone from his Rejinagar home.

He said he would resign as Congress MLA and contest a fresh election on TMC ticket from Rejinagar.

The Trinamool Congress parted ways with Congress-led UPA government in September over big ticket reforms.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Suu Kyi arrives in India on first visit in four decades

NEW DELHI: Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrived here on Tuesday on a visit to India after a gap of nearly four decades as part of New Delhi's ongoing engagement with democratic and multi-party polity in that country.

Suu Kyi, who is visiting India at the invitation of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will deliver the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture here on Wednesday.

The pro-democracy leader was received at the airport here by foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.

"The visit of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would be part of our ongoing engagement with the democratic and multi-party polity in Myanmar. It would provide opportunity to exchange views on all matters of mutual interest with a view to building upon the positive momentum in India-Myanmar relations," according to the official spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs.

"It would be recalled Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had accepted the invitation from Sonia Gandhi in her capacity as Chairperson of Nehru Memorial Fund to deliver the Nehru Memorial Lecture when she met the Prime Minister during his visit to Myanmar in May 2012," the spokesperson said. Suu Kyi was also given the Jawaharlal Nehru award for international understanding in 1992.

During her nearly week-long stay, Suu Kyi will visit her alma mater, Lady Sri Ram College, where she will interact with the faculty and students.

Besides her engagements in Delhi, she will be travelling to Bangalore where she will visit the Indian Institute of Science and the Infosys Campus. She is also scheduled to tour rural areas in Andhra Pradesh to gain a first-hand impression of rural development and women's empowerment programmes being undertaken in India.

Suu Kyi spent several years in India during her early days when her mother Daw Khin Yi was Ambassador to India. She also spent some time as a Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study in Shimla in 1987.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Eight killed, 12 injured in fire-cracker explosion in Uttar Pradesh

AURAIYA (UP): Eight persons, including six members of a family, were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion on Tuesday in a house where fire-crackers were being manufactured illegally for the Diwali festival.

The explosion took place at the house in Yaqoobpur town in Bela police station area on Tuesday morning, deputy superintendent of police Ashok Kumar Singh said.

A loud explosion was heard after the fire-crackers caught fire, killing eight on the spot and injuring 12 others.

The critically injured have been referred to a hospital in Kanpur.

The fire crackers were being illegally manufactured in the house of Motilal and Ram Narain.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in India on a week's visit

NEW DELHI: Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrived here on Tuesday on a visit to India after a gap of nearly four decades as part of New Delhi's ongoing engagement with democratic and multi-party polity in that country.

Suu Kyi, who is visiting India at the invitation of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will deliver the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture here on Wednesday.

The pro-democracy leader was received at the airport here by foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.

"The visit of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would be part of our ongoing engagement with the democratic and multi-party polity in Myanmar. It would provide opportunity to exchange views on all matters of mutual interest with a view to building upon the positive momentum in India-Myanmar relations," according to the official spokesperson in the ministry of external affairs.

"It would be recalled Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had accepted the invitation from Sonia Gandhi in her capacity as Chairperson of Nehru Memorial Fund to deliver the Nehru Memorial Lecture when she met the Prime Minister during his visit to Myanmar in May 2012," the spokesperson said. Suu Kyi was also given the Jawaharlal Nehru award for international understanding in 1992.

During her nearly week-long stay, Suu Kyi will visit her alma mater, Lady Sri Ram College, where she will interact with the faculty and students.

Besides her engagements in Delhi, she will be travelling to Bangalore where she will visit the Indian Institute of Science and the Infosys Campus. She is also scheduled to tour rural areas in Andhra Pradesh to gain a first-hand impression of rural development and women's empowerment programmes being undertaken in India.

Suu Kyi spent several years in India during her early days when her mother Daw Khin Yi was Ambassador to India. She also spent some time as a Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study in Shimla in 1987.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Indian, Pakistani guards exchange Diwali sweets at Attari-Wagah post

AMRITSAR: Border Security Force (BSF) officials exchanged sweets with Pakistan Rangers at the India-Pakistan land border check post on Tuesday to mark Diwali.

BSF officials went up to the zero line and offered sweets to their counterparts in Pakistan Rangers. The border check post lies around 30 km from Amritsar.

The Pakistani side also offered sweets to the BSF. Officials from both sides shook hands and greeted each other.

"The BSF shared sweets with our Pakistan counterparts on the occasion of Diwali. They also greeted us," a BSF official said at Attari.

The Attari-Wagah post between both countries is the only official land route link between India and Pakistan in the Punjab sector.

It is popular for the daily evening Retreat ceremony by the BSF and Rangers to mark the lowering of Indian and Pakistani flags and closure of gates for the night.

In recent years, the check post has witnessed an increase in movement of people and trade cargo.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Aung San Suu Kyi cautions India against Myanmar over-optimism

NEW DELHI: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi urged India not to be over-optimistic about political changes in her homeland, as she began her first visit to New Delhi for a quarter of a century on Tuesday.

Suu Kyi, who was a student in the city where her mother served as an ambassador, spoke in a newspaper interview of her sadness at the Indian government's ties with Myanmar's former junta, which kept her under house arrest for 15 out of 22 years before her release in 2010.

Her invitation to India is an attempt by its government to rebuild the relationship with Suu Kyi. New Delhi was once one of her staunchest supporters, but changed tack and sought engagement with the junta in the mid-1990s.

Suu Kyi said she had been saddened by India's decision to engage with the junta which was treated as a pariah by the West, although not surprised.

"I think rather than disappointment, sad is the word I would use because I have a personal attachment to India... because of the closeness that existed between the countries," she told The Hindu.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited neighbouring Myanmar in May to try to strengthen trade links and counter the influence of regional rival China.

The two governments signed 12 agreements covering an array of issues including security, development of border areas, trade and transport links.

But Suu Kyi said India should not get carried away by recent developments in Myanmar, which is now run by a quasi-civilian regime and where elections are due in 2015.

"It's (got) to be able to take a good hard look at what is really happening," she said.

"Not to be over-optimistic, at the same time to be encouraging of what needs to be encouraged; because I think too much optimism doesn't help because then you ignore what is going wrong, and if you ignore what is not right, then from not right it becomes wrong."

Suu Kyi acknowledged that businesses were keen to tap the opportunities across India's eastern border in competition with Chinese counterparts but added that "investment has to be done in the right way".

"And also we have to keep in mind that we are just at the beginning of the road to democracy, and as I keep saying, it's a road we have to build for ourselves. It's not there ready and waiting," she said.

Suu Kyi arrived Tuesday afternoon. Her official programme begins Wednesday when she will meet Singh and deliver the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru memorial lecture.

On Friday she will visit the Lady Shri Ram college in New Delhi, from which she graduated with a degree in politics.

Suu Kyi last visited India in 1987 when she travelled to Simla to join her husband Michael Aris, who was pursuing Himalayan studies at an institute in the picturesque hill station.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More