Taliban launch major attack on Pakistani prison, free 300 inmates

Omer Farooq Khan, TNN Jul 30, 2013, 07.28AM IST

(While accepting responsibility…)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Taliban disguised as policemen attacked a prison in the country's northwestern town of Dera Ismail Khan, freeing more than 300 prisoners late on Monday.

The jail officials said that several of the prisoners, four security personnel and two assailants were killed in the attack. The prison was housing at least 5000 prisoners, 250 of them hardcore militants.

Malik Qasim Khattak, advisor to the ministry of prisons, said that around 50 to 60 gunmen attacked the jail with bombs and guns before entering into the detention facility. "They detonated about 60 bombs inside the facility which caused the collapse of prison wall. The assailants succeeded in freeing more than 300 prisoners," Khattak said, adding that the militants blew up two electricity transformers which created complete darkness.

While accepting responsibility for the attack, the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed that their attackers had freed around 300 inmates.

"We had sent around 150 fighters including a squad of suicide bombers. The aim was to free the inmates and it was a successful action as Taliban managed to free at least 300 prisoners," said Shahidullah Shahid, the newly appointed spokesperson of TTP.

The bombings inside the prison triggered a gunfight between the militants and policemen which continued for hours. As the police personnel could not control the situation, the local administration had called the military. "The attack was so severe and abrupt that we had to call the army to overpower the fighters. As many as 5,000 prisoners including 250 belonging to banned outfits were held in the jail," said Khalid Abbas, deputy inspector general of prisons of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.

The law enforcement agencies with the help of army had cordoned off the prison and surrounding area before launching an operation.

The militants also destroyed all the police vehicles with hand grenades, jail officials said.

"The biggest problem for the security forces was to identify the militants as they too were wearing police uniforms. There was complete blackout and it was very much difficult on whom to open fire", Abbas said. He said that prison authorities had recently received a letter from the intelligence agencies informing about a possible attack on prison. The D I Khan prison is the third biggest detention facility in KP.

Dera Ismail Khan is on the edge of Pakistan's tribal region of South Waziristan. Pakistan army had launched a military operation against the militants of South Waziristan and flushed them out of the region.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on the hit list of the militants. About 57 people were killed in twin suicide blasts on Friday in Kurram tribal region. Shaukat Yousafzai, KP's information minister, said that the incident might be a continuation of the current wave of terrorism in the province.

In April 2012, more than hundred heavily armed militants, affiliated with Pakistani Taliban broke a prison in Bannu town next to North Waziristan tribal region, freeing nearly 400 prisoners. One of the militants freed in that attack was Adnan Rasheed, an ex-official of Pakistan air force, who was involved in attack on president Pervez Musharraf in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Rasheed recently drew media attention by writing a long letter to teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban last year in an attempt to kill her.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Telangana: At 66, Mother India gets ready for her 29th baby

NEW DELHI: The Congress leadership bit the Telangana bullet on Tuesday. It decided to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh to create a separate state of Telangana — a move that will be a loss to the politically muscular state but will be a gain for the Congress as it's expected to revive the party's fortunes in the state ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

As reported by TOI on July 29, Hyderabad will remain the common capital of the splintered states for 10 years — a balancing act that recognizes Telangana's claim on the city but seeks to soften the blow to the opponents who were also concerned about the investments of coastal Andhra businesses in the capital. The Centre will help AP build a new capital.

There are indications that a mechanism will be created to vest the governor with oversight of law and order in the city: an arrangement that falls short of turning the city into a Union Territory but reassures those worried about a sudden change in its character.

The call on whether to include two districts of Rayalseema region, Ananthpur and Kurnool, will be taken later. The Congress leadership favours the idea but is wary of committing itself before fully assessing the fallout.

The desire to do well in the Telangana region appears to be the main driver behind Tuesday's decision. While announcing the CWC's decision, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh triggered speculation of a merger of TRS with the Congress. Singh recalled TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao's declaration that he would merge his party with the Congress if the latter created Telangana.

Pieces of the puzzle were fast falling in place when TRS chief Chandrashekhar Rao said that he was a man of his word.

Political circles estimate that the Congress calculation is to sweep the Telangana region, which has 17 Lok Sabha seats, in alliance with the TRS. The numbers of Lok Sabha seats which the party can hope to win will swell to 21 if the districts of Ananthpur and Kurnool are clubbed with Telangana: a huge improvement for the party which had appeared to be a washout in the state.

Giving its nod to the division of AP after consultations with UPA partners, the CWC said that the Centre should take steps to form a separate state of Telangana. It further said that the Centre should institute a mechanism "to address the concerns of Andhra and Rayalseema on sharing of river waters, power and security of citizens". The CWC also said that the Polavaram Irrigation Project should be declared a national project.

The Congress is expected to act expeditiously in order to reap the goodwill in the Telangana region. There are indications that the Union Cabinet may decide on Thursday to request the President to ask the Andhra Pradesh legislature to adopt a resolution spelling out where it stands on the issue of bifurcation.

The resolution of the state assembly will not be binding. Under the Constitution, the power to create new states and alter the boundaries of existing ones rests solely with Parliament. With the Congress firm on the creation of Telangana, the fate of the resolution may have little bearing on the outcome.

The Congress's anxiety to clinch the issue swiftly was evident from the way AICC general secretaries Digvijay Singh and Ajay Maken sought to showcase steps taken by their party for the creation of Telangana. These included, the announcement of December 9, 2009, something which the party had virtually dumped in the face of resentment from the anti-Telangana camp.

Although Congress leaders concede that the breakaway faction led by Jagan Mohan will remain the dominant formation in coastal and Rayalseema regions, they are banking on his professed desire to keep a distance from the BJP as well as legal troubles to hope that the Reddy Jr will not be averse to doing business post-poll.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Narendra Modi eyes Obama in battle for cyber world

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi seems out to prove he is more popular than US President Barack Obama — at least on social networking sites.

Having faced a defeat at the hand of the US president in November 2011 when Modi lost following a last-minute spurt in negative votes in the fifth annual Mashable awards in the category of 'Must-Follow Politician On Social Media', the Gujarat CM now wants to get back.

By January, Modi's cyber-army is scripting an architecture that would ensure that his likes on Facebook and followers on Twitter cross Obama's score — 3.64 crore 'likes' on Facebook and 3.45 crore followers on Twitter.
A fortnight ago, the close-knit IT cell of the BJP had sent special online forms to all Modi fan pages on Facebook asking them to 'merge' into the main parent fan page. This would mean all the 'likes' on various individual pages run by Modi fans would get converted into 'likes' on the Gujarat CM's FB page.

The BJP team had held meetings with administrators of various Facebook fan pages in Delhi recently and have sought their approval — a move to ensure that the 'likes' increase on Modi's fan page.

Today the official fan page 'Narendra Modi' on Facebook has garnered 26.05 lakh 'likes'. Sponsored Facebook page 'Narendra Modi for PM' has 12.45 lakh 'likes' with 13,000 'likes' adding every week.

This site also has 4.71 lakh fans talking about 'Narendra Modi for PM', much more than the official site. Another site sponsored on Facebook is 'Namo India' which too has garnered 2.4 lakh 'likes' in a short time.

"We have a team in Hyderabad which has been paid for the job. 'Narendra Modi for PM' will merge into the official campaign fan page once Modi's name is officially declared by the BJP. Besides this, Every MLA in Gujarat and outside the state has been asked to manage their Facebook pages and garner 'likes'. Some MLAs have been given the target of almost 1 lakh likes on Modi's parent page," says a senior BJP functionary.

This experiment will be replicated on Twitter as well. "If you click the lakhs of followers on Modi's fan page on Twitter you will notice that many of the accounts have not even tweeted once. There are close to 4.13 lakh such accounts on Twitter. These were created by the BJP's IT cell and some techies who used special software to create these accounts," says a member of BJP's IT cell.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sonia meets PM as UPA inches closer to final decision on Telangana

NEW DELHI: In the midst of mounting pressure from both pro and anti-Telangana leaders, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday ahead of the crucial UPA and CWC meetings to take a final decision on the separate statehood issue.

The meeting came as leaders from both groups continued with their pressure tactics even as the leadership was veering towards a decision for creation of a separate state.

MPs and union ministers from the Andhra region including HRD minister MM Pallam Raju, JD Seelam, D Purandeshwari and Panabaka Laxmi met AICC general secretary in charge for Andhra Pradesh Digvijaya Singh to register their protest over creation of Telangana.

"I think the core committee has discussed the matter at length. And they are all worried about it that whatever decision that they may take is going to have a long-term implication on Andhra Pradesh. And that is exactly what we come to express our apprehension about with the general secretary," Raju, who hails from Seemandhra region, said after the meeting.

Seelam said whatever information has come about the creation of Telangana is in the media and a decision is yet to be announced officially and hence they have expressed their concerns to the general secretary in charge about it.

At the same time, he said there was no question of leaving the Congress and "we will abide by the decision."

In another development, 10 Congress ministers from the state belonging to Telangana region have landed in Delhi and are expected to meet a number of party leaders.

The have also sought an appointment with the Congress president to press for their demand.

Asked about Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's opposition to the bifurcation of the state, state information minister DK Aruna, who hails from Telangana region said, Reddy is taking the decisions.

"This is a UPA government and Sonia Gandhi will take a final decision," she said, expressing hope that the 50 year struggle will bear fruit.

Union ministers Sushilkumar Shinde, P Chidambaram amd Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the earlier AICC general secretary in charge for Andhra Pradesh, and party leaders Digvijaya Singh and Ahmed Patel had a meeting with the Congress president at her residence after Gandhi's meeting with the Prime Minister.

Situation in Andhra Pradesh fine: Home minister

With a decision on the Telangana issue imminent, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Tuesday the situation in Andhra Pradesh is peaceful.

"Law and order situation in Andhra Pradesh is absolutely fine," he told reporters here after a meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders and Union ministers.

The meeting is understood to have discussed the Telangana issue.

Yesterday, the Centre had rushed additional 1,000 paramilitary personnel to Andhra Pradesh to deal with any situation arising out of a decision on Telangana.

The additional forces, along with the existing 1,200 paramilitary personnel, are expected to be deployed in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, where protests may erupt if the Centre takes a decision in favour of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh for creation of Telangana state.

Sources said apart from the central forces, 200 personnel of Karnataka Armed Police and 100 personnel of Tamil Nadu Armed Police are stationed in Hyderabad and its adjoining areas to assist the state police in maintaining the law and order.

Home ministry officials are in regular touch with state government officials and have asked them to ensure peace in the state as the Centre is inching closer to a decision on Telangana.

Last week, Andhra Pradesh chief secretary P K Mohanty and director general of police V Dinesh Reddy were summoned to the capital where Shinde and home secretary Anil Goswami held an hour-long closed door meeting with them and reviewed the situation there.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Local police nail Akhilesh’s lie on IAS officer Durga Shakti’s suspension

LUCKNOW: A day after chief minister Akhilesh Yadav justified the suspension of IAS Durga Shakti Nagpal saying her orders had triggered communal tension in Rabupura, the local police in Gautum Budh Nagar on Monday deflated the CM's contention by stating that there was no communal flare-up in the area.

Adding credibility to the police claims is the fact that the government had not received any field report regarding communal tension in GB Nagar on Saturday. Sources in the state home department said such serious action is initiated against an officer only on the basis of a field report which outlines the need for urgency in such actions.

The government claimed Nagpal was suspended for demolishing an under-construction boundary wall of a mosque in Qadalpura village under Rabupura police circle on Saturday afternoon. Station Officer of Rabupura police station, senior sub inspector (SSI) Ajay Kumar, told TOI on Monday that all was well in the area.

'No communal tension in the area'

"There was no tension at all. You can verify it from mediapersons who were present here in GB Nagar. I have reasons to believe that not one of them was even aware of the demolition till Sunday night," Ajay Kumar said. Asked if there had been police deployment at the demolition site and if any criminal case had been lodged against mischief-mongers trying to fuel communal passions, the officer replied: "Jab kuchh hua hi nahi to case kis liye (Why would we lodge a case when nothing of this sort happened),"

Nagpal is widely perceived to have been suspended because she had gone after the sand mafia in GB Nagar in the last few months. During her drive against illegal mining, Nagpal had got 15 people arrested and arrest warrants issued against 22 others who went missing after raids. As many as 297 trucks and tractor-trolleys were found carrying loads from illegal mining. Rs 82.43 lakh had been collected as fine and challans.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday had described Nagpal's suspension as an "administrative compulsion to ease communal tension" in Rabupura.

Sources at Rabupura police station said the demolition of the wall in question was so quiet an affair that the local police decided not even to mention it in the general diary (GD) of the police station — till Sunday afternoon at least. The GD happens to be one official document that records the minute-to-minute happenings within a police circle.

Meanwhile, sources in Lucknow said the suspension orders were issued at the instance of a senior Samajwadi Party leader. The politician got two secretaries to the chief minister to get the department of appointments opened around midnight on Saturday and issue suspension orders on their verbal directions. The CM, said sources, was also informed about the action being initiated against the IAS.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Saif can't be a vegetarian ever: Kareena Kapoor

Actor Saif Ali Khan loves non-vegetarian food and his actress-wife Kareena Kapoor says he just can't do without eating meat.

"Saif can't be vegetarian, he says he can be vegetarian only for one meal and what that means, I don't understand. He is like, 'I can't not eat meat at night'," the 32-year-old said at a launch event.

Saif has found new love in kachoris now.

"But now Saif has found new love in kachoris and samosas and he gorged on them in Lucknow," said Kareena, who has turned vegetarian.

Kareena is currently busy promoting Prakash Jha's Satyagraha. She is also shooting for Punit Malhotra's Gori Tere Pyaar Mein with Imran Khan.

Saif and Kareena got married in October 2012.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

‘Why was he shot? He was no terrorist’

NEW DELHI: Karan Pandey was just like any other teenager: he loved computers , he went to a gym and he liked motorbikes. He had carved out a small world for himself in his room where there was a laptop, books strewn all over the place, and lots of graffiti . He had spray-painted the line 'punk is not dead' on the cupboard. His mother, ManjuPandey, can't believe that he is dead. He had turned 19 just last month.

Manju had been living with her only son in a two-bedroom flat in Khirki Extension, Malviya Nagar ever since she separated from her husband nine years ago. She didn't know that Karan had sneaked out of home on Saturday night to go on a motorcycle ride with his friends until a police team came calling at 6.30am on Sunday. She confidently told the policemen at her door that her son was sleeping in his room.

She was inconsolable and demanded death for her son's killers. "He was not a terrorist, why did the police shoot him then? They could have hit him with a lathi, put him in jail but his killing cannot be justified . He was my support pillar. Who will I live for now?" she said amid sobs.

The family received Rs 18,000 as rent from another house in Uttam Nagar and was living off that money. Karan was taken off regular schooling in Class XI last year and had enrolled in open school.

Puneet, his friend who is now out of danger, said both he and Karan were not part of any biker gang. He told his parents that all he remembered were bikes passing by and his friend falling down from the bike, screaming in pain. His parents, too, blamed police and termed it a case of mistaken identity. Puneet has passed his Class XII and works at a factory on a part-time basis. His parents own a business.

Police say Puneet is being treated for alcohol and drug addition and was riding drunk at the time of the incident; his family denied it. Karan's medical report is awaited.

Puneet was riding a modified Pulsar bike in the early hours of Sunday which had stickers like 'Killer' and 'Racer' pasted on them. The bike, which is registered in the name of Puneet's father H P Sharma, also has an exhaust silencer attached to its engine in stead of the normal silencer.

"He had a valid licence; they were wearing helmets. Who gave the police the licence to shoot at them? They could have arrested them if they were doing any stunts. We want the strictest punishment for the errant cops," his father said.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rishi, Neetu Kapoor furious over Ranbir-Katrina’s intimate holiday pics

While Ranbir Kapoor was having a blast holidaying with his lady love Katrina Kaif in Spain, his parents were very upset. Insiders reveal that Rishi and Neetu Kapoor are very furious about the fact that there has been sudden surge of photographs of their son romancing with Katrina, and the buzz that followed. They are upset about their son's personal life being splashed across newspapers, tabloids and Internet.

It is revealed that Ranbir's mom Neetu, who is otherwise fond of Katrina, is especially furious with intimate photographs of Ranbir and Katrina on their recent holiday in Spain. She believes that these photos can have a negative impact on Ranbir's career.

Ranbir's parents are known to be protective of him and were said to be responsible for his breakup with former girlfriend Deepika Padukone. Though Ranbir has cleared the air several times that they were not behind his breakup, there are many who think otherwise. Even a while ago Ranbir's alleged romance with aspiring actress Angela Jonsson had infuriated his mother.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Britain confirms £3,000 cash bond for visas for visitors from India, 5 other countries

LAGOS, NIGERIA: The British Home Office confirms it will demand a £3,000 ($4,350) refundable bond for visas for "high-risk" visitors from six former colonies in Africa and Asia.

A statement on Monday says Britain will go ahead with the pilot scheme which has caused outrage, charges of discrimination and warnings of retaliation and that the move will hurt trade.

The statement sent by email did not say when the pilot would start. It said if the scheme is successful Britain would like to apply the bond "on an intelligence-led basis on any visa route and any country."

The countries affected are Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Britain's Home Office said it hopes the bond system deters overstaying of visas and recovers costs of foreign nationals using public services.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

First look: Google's new tablet Nexus 7

NEW YORK: When it comes to technology, we've been trained to expect more for less. Devices get more powerful each year, as prices stay the same or drop. With the new Nexus 7 tablet, Google hopes we're willing to pay more for more.

The new tablet comes with a $30 price increase over last year's model. At $229 for the base model, it is still a bargain - and 30 per cent cheaper than Apple's $329 iPad Mini. The display is sharper and the sound is richer than the old model. There's now a rear camera for taking snapshots. The new Nexus 7 is the first device to ship with Android 4.3, which lets you create profiles to limit what your curious and nosy kids can do on your tablet when you're not around.

Amazon.com's $199 Kindle Fire HD is cheaper, but it doesn't give you full access to the growing library of Android apps for playing games, checking the weather, tracking flights, reading the news, getting coupons from your favorite stores and more. The Nexus 7 does.

It's a fine complement to your smartphone if it's running Google's Android, the dominant operating system on phones these days - even as Apple commands the market for tablet computers with its full-size iPad and iPad Mini. Unless you tell it not to, apps you use on the phone will automatically appear on the Nexus 7, so you can switch from device to device seamlessly. When you are signed in, bookmarks will also transfer over Google's Chrome Web browser, as will favorite places on Google Maps.

If you were already eyeing last year's Nexus 7 model, then go ahead and pay $30 more for the latest.

Although screen dimensions are identical, the new Nexus 7 has a higher pixel density, at 323 pixels per inch compared with 216 on the old model. Trees and other objects in the movie "Life of Pi" look sharper, as do the movie title and credits on the screen.

Sound is much better with speakers on the left and the right side of the tablet, held horizontally. Although they are technically back facing, the speakers are placed along a curved edge in such a way that sound seems to project outward and not away from you. On the old Nexus 7, I can't even tell where the speakers are.

The new Nexus 7 also feels more comfortable in my hands. It's 17 per cent thinner and 5 per cent narrower when held like a portrait. The old model was a tad too wide to grip comfortably in the palm of my hands. The new device is also 15 per cent lighter, at 10.2 ounces. And the rubbery back feels smoother on the new tablet.

The new Nexus ships with a camera app, something last year's model didn't really need because it had only a front-facing camera, for videoconferencing. With the new rear, 5-megapixel camera, you can take photos and video of what's in front of you. Expect to be ridiculed, though, if I see you doing that. Still, it's not as bad as blocking someone's view with a full-size tablet.

As for the restricted profiles that come with Android 4.3, it's a good idea, though it still has kinks. When you set up a profile for your kid, you pick which apps to enable. Don't want your kid to be surfing the Web unrestricted? Then keep the Chrome browser disabled. Don't want him or her on Facebook? Keep that app disabled, too. The app store is also disabled, so Junior can't go on a download spree. If you do allow access to a particular app, though, then it's full access. There's no filtering to block porn and other questionable material, for instance.

I found that some apps won't work with restricted profiles at all, including those for Gmail and other email accounts. If you want your kids to have access to email, then you have to give them full access or enable the browser to check email over the Web. You can't turn on just the email app.

And although the new tablet is the first to ship with Android 4.3, it's available to download on other devices, including last year's Nexus 7.

What the new tablet does offer is the promise of a longer battery life - up to 10 hours for Web surfing and nine hours for video streaming. Last year's model was rated at eight hours.

There's no question the new model is better and worth the price increase.

Choosing between the new Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini is tougher.

If you already have an iPhone, the iPad Mini will be a nice complement. You won't have to buy music, video and apps twice, for instance. You might want to wait until this fall, though, to see whether Apple comes out with a new model.

It's a tougher call if you have an Android phone.

By volume, the two systems have a comparable number of apps. But I've found that many larger app developers have made versions only for the iPhone and the iPad. The American Museum of Natural History in New York has six that work on iPads but only one on Android devices. An app to watch full episodes of CBS television shows is for Apple and Windows devices only, not Android. Meanwhile, the iDonatedIt app for tracking tax deductions has more features for Apple devices, while features that are supposed to work on Android often don't.

Android is good in that many apps designed for a phone's smaller screen are automatically adapted to take advantage of a tablet's larger screen. On the iPad, apps that aren't optimized for it are squeezed into a smaller window the size of an iPhone. Blow it up to full screen, and it looks distorted. But that's not as glaring on the Mini as it is on the full-size iPad. And having apps automatically change their layout isn't the same as designing them for the tablet from scratch, as is the case with the hundreds of thousands of apps optimized for the iPad.

The Nexus 7's screen is much sharper than that on the iPad Mini, which has the non-HD display technology of the iPad 2 from 2011 - ancient in the world of mobile gadgets. The Nexus 7 is also a tad lighter, by 6 per cent.

That said, the iPad Mini has a larger screen, measuring 7.9 inches diagonally compared with 7 inches on the Nexus. And the iPad Mini has had a rear camera from the start. The iPad Mini also has Siri, a voice assistant that is feistier than Google Now on the Nexus. If you prefer Google Now for its ability to give you information you need to know without even asking, you can download it on the Mini. You can't get Siri on the Nexus.

If you do get the Nexus 7, it supports wireless charging, so you can get rid of the messy wiring. The device comes only with a standard microUSB charger to plug in, so you'll have to buy a Qi-compatible wireless charger yourself.

The $229 base model comes with 16 gigabytes of storage. For $40 more, or $269, you get twice the storage. Both will go on sale in the US next Tuesday. A 32-gigabyte model with 4G cellular capability will cost $349. By contrast, the iPad Mini starts at $329. A 32-gigabyte version with 4G costs $559.

Even with the price increase, Google has Apple beaten on price. The Nexus 7 may lack the cachet and many of the apps that the iPad Mini has, but you'll be able to do a lot with it. I hope technology companies won't make price hikes a habit, but this one is made palatable by the device's richer display, sound and camera.

-- Anick Jesdanun

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Biker killed, another injured in firing by Delhi cops

NEW DELHI: One young biker was killed while another was injured in police firing in the wee hours here on Sunday, police sources said.

The incident occurred between 2am and 2.15am at Windsor Place of New Delhi when a group of bikers were involved in a confrontation with police officials trying to stop them from performing dangerous stunts on the roads.

Karan Pandey was killed when a bullet fired by the police in an attempt to puncture the tyre of the bike he was riding, hit him on his back, police officials said.

Pandey was riding pillion on Punit Sharma's bike, who was injured in the incident. Both of them were rushed to Ram Manohar Lohiya hospital, where Pandey was declared dead. Sharma was found to be drunk when tests were carried out at the hospital.

A police patrolling van reached Windsor Place after there were reports that some 30 young bikers were performing dangerous stunts. When the policemen instructed them to stop, the bikers started pelting stones at them, which damaged the police vehicle.

Some warning shots were fired in the air to disperse the bikers. But when the group still continued their stunts a police official tried to puncture the tyre of one of the bikes, which accidentally hit Pandey on his back.

Some policemen were also injured in the incident.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Creation of Telangana: Details emerge, Hyderabad to be a Union territory

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad is likely to be a Union territory for five years and will act as joint capital of the two states to be created out of the bifurcation of the present Andhra Pradesh.

The Union territory will be administered by a lieutenant governor. The governor of the Telangana state will be the ex-officio lieutenant governor of Hyderabad in these five years. A proposal to this effect is going to be put up to the Union cabinet before August 5.

The cabinet will meet after the Congress working committee and the UPA steering group approves a proposal to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Highly placed sources privy to the proposals told TOI that the cabinet will also take a final call on whether to create Telangana or a Rayala-Telangana state. The former will consist of the ten districts of Telangana and the latter proposal envisages the addition of two Rayalaseema districts — Anantapur and Kurnool to the proposed Telangana state. Interestingly, the Andhra part of the bifurcated state will be called Andhra Pradesh.

Sources told TOI that Congress party bosses are hopeful of completing this process within a week because Parliament convenes for the monsoon session on August 6. A bill might be presented in this session itself. Meanwhile, with Kiran Kumar Reddy having already resigned, a new chief minister for integrated Andhra Pradesh to oversee the process of bifurcation will be appointed. In all likelihood the new incumbent will belong to Telangana. However with intelligence reports suggesting that there will be major trouble in the Seemandhra region in the wake of the announcement, it seems inevitable that President's rule will be clamped in the state till the process of bifurcation is complete. Much of the trouble is expected to be fomented by interested parties although spontaneous outpourings are not unexpected.

Highly placed sources told TOI that when Kiran Kumar Reddy called on Sonia Gandhi on Friday evening and told her that he could not preside over the process of bifurcation, the latter was very angry. She is believed to have asked him why he had kept quiet for such a long time giving the impression that he would go along with the high command. Kiran's resignation came at this meeting.

Sources told TOI that after meeting Sonia, Kiran flew back to Hyderabad and he has been 'extremely depressed' after that.

Seemandhra ministers including Union ministers who met Prime Minister on Saturday to convey their opposition to the bifurcation seemed crestfallen with Manmohan Singh hearing them out and promising nothing. However, the Seemandhra lobby has not lost heart because the last time round in 2009 it was Manmohan was instrumental in the government going back on its promise of creating a Telangana state after publically announcing the intent for doing so. They are expected to move the Prime Minister once again. The Seemandhra lobby is also hoping that with the Gorkhaland issue coming upfront some sections of UPA may help to stall the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

However, it seems doubtful if the upcoming session of Lok Sabha will be able to clear the Telangana bill. This is because the BJP which has already committed to Telangana may disrupt the proceedings of the house. One of the reasons is that the passage of the bill (which the BJP will be forced to support) will politically benefit the Congress.

The Congress thinking is that the bifurcation will put it in a vantage position in Telangana that has 17 Lok Sabha seats. With the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's unofficial nominees not performing well in the ongoing party less panchayat polls and the Congress's unofficial candidates doing well, has given hopes to the party.

Meanwhile more details about the meeting that Kiran Kumar had on Friday with Digvijaya Singh and Ghulam Nabi Azad are emerging. Sources say that Kiran and Azad had a virtual slanging match with the former accusing Ghulam of coming up with the proposal of Rayala Telangana. Kiran found the proposal to be highly objectionable.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

South Africa's Robin Peterson concedes 35 runs in an over

PALLEKELE: South African spinner Robin Peterson bowled the second most expensive over in one-day cricket when he conceded 35 runs against Sri Lanka on Friday.

Left-hander Thisara Perera hit five sixes and a boundary in the 33rd over sent down by Peterson in the third one-day international in Pallekele.

With the second ball declared a wide, the 35 runs taken in the over fell just one run short of the world record of six sixes hit by South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs off Dutch bowler D. van Bunge during the 2007 World Cup.

Perera's run sequence in the over was six, a wide, six, six, six, four and a six.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

How mobile push affects Google, Apple, Facebook

WASHINGTON: With the shift to mobile internet gaining pace, some of the big tech firms are adapting and others are not.

The latest earnings from the sector show that mobile is hitting the bottom line, either in positive or negative ways, at giants like Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Apple.

Facebook's quarterly report this week showed how the world's biggest social network profited from that shift, as it delivered earnings of $331 million and drew 41% of its ad revenues from mobile.

Shares jumped 30% after the earnings, helping Facebook approach its price after its public offering in May 2012.

Analyst Jordan Rohan at Stifel Nicolaus said that based on Facebook's ability to leverage mobile users, "this is the type of quarter that makes an investor step back to re-evaluate his or her opinion of a company."

For Microsoft, it was a different story, as the shift to mobile devices hurt its core Windows franchise, and the Surface tablet hit the market with a thud, forcing an "inventory adjustment" writedown of $900 million, limiting profits to $4.97 billion.

Microsoft shares slid more than 11% after the news, which fueled concerns about its future in a post-PC world, despite its Windows 8 operating system designed for a range of devices.

The research firm Trefis said Microsoft "faces headwinds" in the tablet market, which is growing rapidly while PC sales are slipping.

"Since the competitive tablet industry has already established products such as Apple's iPad and Google's Android tablets, Windows 8 faces strong headwinds as it tries to increase market penetration," the firm said in a note.

Gerry Purdy, analyst with the research firm MobileTrax, said companies need to start thinking about mobile first, and that Facebook successfully did so.

"Mobile is becoming the center of the information technology world," he said.

"Many companies launch with mobile and then figure out web and desktop. Mobile is a lead rather than a follower."

He added that Microsoft has not produced the best user experience in its tablets or in Windows-power phones.

"Microsoft has a long way to go to be a successful player in the pure mobile sector," Purdy said.

Google delivered mixed results for the past quarter, taking a loss from the Motorola handset unit it acquired last year and seeing slower growth from its mobile ads.

"We currently estimate that mobile search ads contribute approximately 32% to the firm's value," Trefis said.

But Google -- which saw its profits rise modestly to $3.23 billion -- gets less on a "cost-per-click" basis, according to analysts.

Google shares took a modest hit as analysts questioned whether it can maintain growth.

"Google remains among the most innovative tech concerns, and the best digital advertising tool in our view, however Google's earnings have yet to materially expand beyond search," said Daniel Ernst at Hudson Square Research.

Amazon's shares recovered from initial weakness after the online retail giant reported a surprise loss of $7 million, when most observers were expecting a modest profit.

The results showed Amazon investing heavily in marketing, technology and content as it seeks to expand its footprint and digital content offerings while promoting its Kindle line of tablets.

Daniel Kurnos, analyst at the research firm Benchmark, said Amazon's big investments are cutting into short-term profits but positioning the company for global growth with more digital content like ebooks and television shows.

"Amazon is still in the very early stages of international development," he said.

The results "highlighted what we view as the inherent leverage in the model as the sales mix also shifts away from physical and into digital content," he said.

"Amazon has also been quietly building out its digital library of ebooks, TV shows and movies, and boasts content agreements with all of the major networks and studios across its three distribution platforms.

"The launch of a refreshed Kindle lineup internationally should also help leverage the mobile app platform."

Meanwhile Apple, which is the pre-eminent mobile company with its iPhones, iPads and iTunes, managed to beat Wall Street estimates with a profit of $6.9 billion thanks to strong smartphone sales.

But many analysts look to the future and wonder whether its pace of innovation will keep it ahead of rising competitors.

The California giant has been losing market share in smartphones and tablets, which threatens its ecosystem.

Nicholas Landell-Mills at Indigo Equity Research said he remains pessimistic about Apple.

"Its products are no longer cutting edge," he said. "It has failed to introduce sufficiently innovative product updates and services frequently enough (or) expand its limited product range."

He added that the "competition has caught up and product fatigue is setting, pressuring growth and margins.

"Apple is making similar errors to those previously made by Nokia and Motorola, including hubris."

But Ramon Llamas at the research firm IDC said he is "pretty patient" about Apple, and is waiting to see the "amazing new products" promised by chief Tim Cook, which could include wearable electronic devices.

"Maybe they will come out with a new product category, and raise profitability," he said.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Indians fear 'cheap' tag, tip liberally in foreign countries

MUMBAI: Indians believe that as compared to other nationalities they do not tip generously. They also have the perception that the tipping culture is stronger abroad. So, when in a foreign country they take care to tip well, lest they are seen as cheap travellers, said a survey done by an Indian online travel portal.

What's more, those who are reluctant to loosen their purse strings often get a strong message from the servers. "From their tipping experiences, 71% respondents said they have had a service provider hint indirectly for a tip whereas 41% have been asked directly or specifically to part with a tip," said the survey, adding that 10% even recalled a situation where the service provider returned their tip indicating it was too low.

While 47% respondents said they tip if the staff have met basic expectations, 40% said they only tip if they have gone that extra mile in their service. "It also seems that people feel obliged to tip as a social norm or courtesy as 35% respondents agreed they tipped simply because they think it's expected," said the TripAdvisor India Tipping Survey released on Friday. The survey was conducted among 1,400 respondents, all Indians.

'American's spend'

"Indians feel the most pressure to tip when travelling within Asia (32%) followed by North America (28%)," the survey said. Based on travel experience and common perception, Indians consider Americans (56%), and then the English (31%) to be the most generous travellers when it comes to tips. Indians were voted as the least generous (35%) followed by the Chinese (28%).

Nikhil Ganju, country manager, TripAdvisor India said: "While the survey clearly indicates that the practice of tipping is heavily prevalent among Indian travellers, it is strange to note that our perception of Indians as a community of generous tippers is very low, with only 15% respondents indicating Indians are generous tippers."

TOI found that the Indian perception that tips are more generous abroad holds true only in case of the US.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Now, Farooq Abdullah says you can fill your stomach for 1 rupee

NEW DELHI: After Congress spokesperson Raj Babbar and Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood's claim of 'super cheap' food available on the streets of India, another minister is of the view that one can have a filling meal for just Re 1.

Union minister of new and renewable energy and National Conference party leader Farooq Abdullah said that one can fill his stomach for just Re 1.

"If you want, you can fill your stomach for Re 1 or Rs 100, depending on what you want to eat. We are working to change the life of the poor so they can eat well be healthy and India can progress," Abdullah, whose party is an ally of the UPA government, said.

Earlier this week, Congress spokesman Raj Babbar had said one can have a full meal for Rs 12 in Mumbai. Later, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood went a step further, claiming, "You can eat well for Rs 5 in the Jama Masjid area of Delhi".

"The MP still seems to be living in a bygone era. Maybe he should visit the area again," scoffed a local tea stall owner in Jama Masjid area who has been living in there for the past four decades.

"In the late 1980s, one could have still be expected to have a meal for Rs 5 when the roti used to cost less than a rupee and gravy dishes could be had for Rs 2," he said.

The minimum price of a roti now is Rs 3 even at the most basic of food outlets. A gravy dish costs a minimum of Rs 20.

The only affordable meal (if it can be termed as such) was a small portion of rice and modest sprinkling of daal (pulses), but that too costs about Rs 15.

A 'decent' meal — consisting of a non-vegetarian gravy and two rotis — at the cheapest eatery will cost not less than Rs 20-25. If you want to add a phirni (sweet dish), it will set you back another Rs 10. That doesn't really square with Masood's numbers.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ind vs Zim: Zimbabwe crumble in chase of 295

NEW DELHI: Riding high on a brilliant century by Shikhar Dhawan and disciplined show by the bowlers, India thrashed Zimbabwe by 58 runs in the second ODI to take 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series at Harare on Friday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

After posting a massive 294/8, India restricted the hosts for 236/9 to register their second consecutive win in the tournament.

Jaydev Unadkat claimed four wickets while Amit Mishra dismissed two Zimbabwe batsmen.

Chasing a massive 295, Zimbabwe got off to a steady start before Jaydev Unadkat struck in the 11th over to inflict first jolt to them at the score of 45 by removing Sikandar Raza.

Indian bowlers then toiled hard against Sibanda, who notched up 57-ball fifty to lead Zimbabwe chase. He smashed seven fours and two sixes in his 19th ODI fifty.

However, in the 21st over, Unadkat struck again to end Sibanda's (55) challenge. Zimbabwe suffered another jolt in the same over when Brendan Taylor got run-out for nought.

Ravindra Jadeja then struck on the first delivery of the 27th over to trap Sean Williams (5) leg before, giving Zimbabwe fourth blow at the score of 127.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra ended Hamilton Masakadza's fight and then dismissed Malcom Waller in quick succession to leave Zimbabwe six down for just 130.

Elton Chigumbura (46) and Prosper Utseya (52*) then shared 88-run partnership for the seventh wicket. However after the wicket of Chigumbura, Zimbabwe lost two more wickets in quick succession, making road to victory easy for India.

Earlier, opener Shikhar Dhawan capitalised on sloppy bowling and fielding by the Zimbabweans to hit his third ODI century as India recovered from early jolts to post a daunting 294 for eight.

Dhawan, who got at least three lives, struck 116 from 127 balls and shared 167 runs with Dinesh Karthik (69) for the fifth wicket to take India to a big total after they were reduced to 65 for four in the 17th over at the Harare Sports Club.

The Zimbabweans, who put the visitors in, spilled regulation catches and their wayward bowlers conceded 28 extras. Dhawan was dropped twice when on 14 and 70 and the Indian also benefited from a no-ball by Kyle Jarvis in the fifth over when he had added just three runs to his name.

The 27-year-old Indian, however, hung on and hit his third ODI ton in his 17th match to save the Indians the blushes. He hit 11 fours and two sixes.

Karthik played his part with a composed 74-ball innings which was studded with six fours as the duo denied the Zimbabweans any success for 25.4 overs.

India ended their innings in style with tail-enders Vinay Kumar (27 not out) and Mohammed Shami (6 not out) scoring 23 from the last over with the help of three sixes and a four.

Captain Virat Kohli, who hit a match-winning hundred in the first match two days ago, could only score 14 runs while the other opener Rohit Sharma (1), Ambati Rayudu (5), Suresh Raina (4) and Ravindra Jadeja (15) were also out cheaply.

The Indian innings was marred by Kohli's face-off with on-field umpires after he was given out to a controversial catch in the seventh over. He stood his ground even as Zimbabwe sought a review as the fielder -- Malcolm Waller -- was not sure whether he had caught the ball cleanly or not.

Kohli refused to leave even after the third umpire adjudged him out. He argued his case once again with the umpires who confirmed the decision. Eventually, a visibly upset Kohli reluctantly walked back to the pavilion.

All Zimbabwean bowlers were expensive except for Brian Vitori who had figures of 2/27 from eight overs.

India suffered an early jolt with opener Rohit being dismissed in the second over as pacer Brian Vitori got his scalp in his first ball. Rohit went for a drive to a delivery just outside the off-stump only to find an edge for Vusi Sibanda to take the catch.

Dhawan was out when on three in the fifth over but survived as it turned out that Jarvis had bowled a no-ball. Then he was dropped on 14 in the ninth over with captain Brendan Taylor spilling a regulation catch, the unfortunate bowler being Jarvis. India were 38 for two then.

Rayudu, who came in at the fall of Kohli, was also dropped in the 10th over when the batsman was on three as Vitori spilled a caught and bowled chance.

India lost two quick wickets as Rayudu and Suresh Raina were out in the 14th and 17th overs respectively. Rayudu ended his struggle as he went for a drive without moving his feet while Raina also continued with his poor run in form as he was caught behind by Taylor. Rayudu consumed 25 balls for his five runs while Raina made just four from 11 balls.

Dhawan and Karthik then played the rescue act with a solid stand. They kept the scoreboard ticking by taking singles and rotating strike in the middle overs.

India took the batting powerplay in the 33rd over and scored 85 runs from the 10 overs to go past 200 in the 40th over.

Karthik and Dhawan were in full flow at that stage though the former survived a dropped catch. The duo took 13 runs each from the 40th and 42nd overs bowled by Prosper Utseya and Vitori respectively.

After Karthik and Dhawan were out in quick succession in the 43rd and 44th overs respectively, the lower order ensured that India go near the 300-run mark.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Digvijaya calls Congress MP 'tunch maal', BJP says he's 'mental'

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday hit back at Digvijaya Singh, who stirred up a new controversy after calling fellow party leader Meenakshi Natarajan 'a 100 percent tunch maal', saying that the Congress general secretary is not in a stable state of mind and needs to be admitted to a hospital urgently.

"Though it is an internal matter of the Congress party I maintain that Digvijaya Singh is not in a stable state of mind. He has become a mental case. He urgently needs to be admitted to a hospital where he can be cured immediately," said BJP leader Vinay Katiyar.

"If the Congress cannot send him to a mental hospital, we urge them to tell us and we will fund his expenses. But he needs to be admitted immediately", he added.

BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi echoing similar sentiments said everybody in this country has now stopped taking Digvijaya Singh seriously.

"Since yesterday, one has been watching a competition to mock and making ridiculous statements between the Congress spokespersons and various leaders. In this context, the copyright of Digvijaya Singh has been lost and he is very upset about it and is continuing in this process of making silly statements," she added.

Digvijaya Singh, who was speaking at a rally in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, earlier in the day praised Natarajan by first pointing out that she was hard-working, a social worker, Gandhian, honest and ended by calling her 100 percent 'tunch maal'.

Singh also said that he knew this because he was an experienced person.

"Main purana johari hoon' (I am an experienced jeweler)," he said amid thumping applause from the audience.

The sexist remark on Meenakshi Natarajan, who is a senior Congress leader and also the AICC secretary, when translated from Bhojpuri to English reads: "100 percent sexy woman."

Natarajan, however, took no offence to Digvijaya Singh's remark and attempted to downplay the fresh controversy.

"His statement has to be looked at in complete perspective. He has appreciated my work. I am not offended with Digvijaya Singh's statement", Natarajan said.

Digvijaya Singh had earlier on Thursday sparked off a controversy by sticking to his comments that the Batla House encounter was fake, despite a Delhi court convicting one person for the murder of Delhi Police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Salman Khan charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, pleads not guilty

MUMBAI: A Mumbai court on Wednesday framed charges against actor Salman Khan for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the hit-and-run case for which he may face a jail term upto 10 years, setting the stage for trial.

Apart from section 304(2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), the Bollywood superstar was also charged under sections 279 (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by an act), 338 (causing grievous hurt), 427 (causing damage or mischief to property) of IPC, and provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and Bombay Prohibition Act.

The actor, however, pleaded not guilty to all these charges.

Clad in a grey shirt and black trousers, Salman appeared before sessions Judge U B Hejib, who had on July 19 summoned him on Wednesday for framing of charges for starting afresh the trial in the 11-year-old case.

The actor moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance during the trial which was granted.

He was, however, directed to be present before the court whenever required.

At the beginning of the proceedings, the judge expressed his inability to take up the case for framing the charges as he has been transferred.

However, prosecutor Shankar Erande pleaded that charges should be framed today itself as the actor was going abroad for two months which could further delay the trial.

At his request, the judge read out the charges to Salman, who pleaded not guilty to all.

One person was killed and four others were injured when the Land Cruiser, allegedly driven by Salman Khan, crushed a group of people sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.

Salman's lawyer Srikant Shivade urged the court to direct the media to observe restraint as too much publicity was being given to the case and also the proceedings were not correctly reported.

The judge asked the media to observe restraint in coverage and report correctly the proceedings of the case.

The sessions Court had on June 24 upheld a magistrate's order that the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was made out against the 47-year-old superstar and dismissed his appeal against the verdict.

The actor had earlier been tried by a metropolitan magistrate for a lesser offence of causing death by negligence (Section 304 A of IPC), which provides for a maximum sentence of two years.

He will now stand trial under a law pertaining to culpable homicide that could attract a jail term up to ten years.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Heavy rain lashes Mumbai, people advised to stay home

MUMBAI: Heavy rain on Wednesday lashed Mumbai, Konkan and other areas of Maharashtra, prompting the civic agency in the financial capital to advise people to stay at home and schools to shut as a precautionary measure.

Rail and road traffic was also disrupted due to heavy rain, which has disrupted normal life in the metropolis.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday advised people not to undertake travel in the city unless essential. The civic body has also asked schools to shut following heavy rain as a precautionary measure.

The Met department has predicted more heavy rain in Mumbai and other areas in the next 48 hours.

The BMC said that in Mumbai, a high tide is expected this afternoon with forecast of 4.9 metre high waves.

Several low-lying areas in the city were inundated after the incessant heavy rain. Many private schools were shut and the authorities of some schools have also asked parents to collect those children, who had already left home for school.

Trains on Western, Central and Harbour lines were running late.

Till 8am (since Tuesday), Colaba recorded a rainfall of 158.6mm and Santacruz 168mm.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sleepless Shah Rukh worries doctors

Two newborn babies can be more than a handful. And Shah Rukh Khan, who is juggling fatherhood and 'Chennai Express' is pushing the envelope, defying his medical team's warnings. To start with, he had been advised at least 10 hours of sleep to help his weak shoulder recuperate faster.

But a source told TOI, "Last week, SRK shot a tough song with Deepika for 18 hours a day over two days. Later, he shot an ad for the entire day. Also, he is dubbing for Chennai Express till at least 3 in the morning. He reaches Mannat by 4 am and is up by 8am. Post which he moves on to his important meetings for the day. He hardly sleeps."

Besides, he had also been advised to avoid crowded public places but he seems unmindful. Adds the source, "He is planning to cover two cities every day on his promotional tour. Also, a video game based on the film is being launched and he plans to perform live stunts to launch the same. His team is worried with his plans and concerned about his health." But knowing the star's seemingly boundless energy, why are we not surprised!

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Amartya Sen: As an Indian citizen, I don't want Modi as my PM

NEW DELHI: Coming out strongly against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Monday said he does not want him to become India's Prime Minister as he does not have secular credentials. The prominent economist also criticised Modi's model of governance saying he did not approve of it.

"Yes, I don't want him," Sen told CNN-IBN in reply to a question on whether he wanted him as his Prime Minister.

"As an Indian citizen I don't want Modi as my PM ... He has not done enough to make minorities feel safe," he said.

On being asked why he did not want so, Sen said, "He could have first of all been more secular and he could have made the minority community feel more secure."

"No, I don't approve of it ... I don't think the record is very good. I think I don't have to be a member of the minority in order to feel insecure ... We Indians don't want a situation where the minority feel insecure and could legitimately think that there was an organised violence against them in 2002. I think that is a terrible record and I don't think Indian Prime Minister as an Indian citizen ... Of who has that kind of record. No, I do not."

Sen said physical infrastructure in Gujarat may be good but Modi has not done enough for minorities or for the majority. He also said that the Gujarat model needs to do much more on the health and education sectors and bring equity.

He said Modi could have made the majority community feel that they are not maltreating the minority and going against the long Indian tradition of being tolerant.

"He could have also taken both of the facts that Gujarat record in education and healthcare is pretty bad and he has to concentrate on that ... as much as he is concentrating quietly as it has happened on physical infrastructure," the Nobel laureate said.

BJP recently anointed Modi as chairman of its election campaign committee.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shakeel Ahmed's remark: Rahul warns party men; Jaitley says Congress painting IM as riot victim

NEW DELHI: In a signal that out-of-turn remarks will not be tolerated, Rahul Gandhi on Monday warned that those who go beyond the party line will face action.

"Spokespersons and panelists may have their individual views, but as party spokespersons and panelists you have to be within party line. We cannot go beyond party ideology. Those who go beyond will be noticed and action will be taken," Gandhi said.

Former Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that the party vice-president made these remarks while inaugurating a meeting of party spokesmen and panelists at a time when Lok Sabha elections are less than a year away.

Gandhi's warning came on a day when the party disapproved of the remarks of party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed and party MP Rashid Masood that the 2002 Gujarat riots had led to the formation of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM).

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, Union ministers Beni Prasad Verma and Jairam Ramesh have at several times been ticked off by the party leadership for their controversial remarks on various issues.

Gandhi also wanted partymen to be "very decent" in the language at a time when the trend of indecent language was catching on on the social media.

"We cannot do that. We are party of Mahatma Gandhi," the Congress vice-president is reported to have told the meeting.

Madhya Pradesh police have registered a case against Digvijay Singh for his alleged "insensitive" tweet on children posted while the sodomy charges against former finance minister Raghavji came to light recently.

The complainant had underlined that the tweet of Singh in which he allegedly wrote "Baccha Baccha Ram Ka Raghavji Ke Kaam Ka" has hurt the majority community.

When party leaders from Gujarat noted how Narendra Modi's government dissiminates wrong information, Gandhi said that people may be spreading lies, but we will rely on truth. "We have to seek the truth," he said.

The meeting addressed by Gandhi is being attended by 200 young and experienced party workers including five from each state, 16 from NSUI and youth Congress besides AICC national spokesmen and media panelists.

It is to showcase the achievements of the party to the people and take Congress view point to them on various issues.

The two-day media conclave of Congress is aimed at toning up its communication strategy in states in the run up to the assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

At the meeting, the party will also unveil its social platform "Khidki" for spokespersons from across the country encouraging them to use it as a window of opportunity besides giving them lessons on the dos and don'ts of electronic media.

The programme also features round-table discussions in ten groups organised for spokespersons from states and NSUI and Youth Congress representatives on a host of current topics.

Jaitley slams Congress

Meanwhile, charging Congress with trying to communalize the 2014 elections, BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Monday said the ruling party "is doing so to deflect the agenda as it is faced with both the crisis of governance and lack of leadership".

The leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha also hit out at Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed for seeking to "rewrite" history by his "desperate attempt to communalize the issue of national security" on his remarks on the birth of banned terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen and linking it to the 2002 Gujarat riots.

"Faced with both the crisis of governance and a lack of leadership, UPA's desperate strategy appears to be to deflect the agenda. Under no circumstances must the destruction of 'The India's story' by UPA be allowed to occupy the centre stage of the electoral agenda.

"UPA has, therefore, only one option left. Communalize the polity in the country and change the electoral agenda. All those who want to throw UPA out of office must understand that their focus must remain on the issues of governance which UPA will try to duck," Jaitley said in an article.

On Ahmed's remarks on IM, the BJP leader said "the Congress Party's spokesman has sought to re-write history. His effort is to somehow paint Indian Mujahideen as an organization of the aggrieved who are victims of riots in Gujarat. He ignores the international context and Pakistan's strategy behind the creation of Indian Mujahideen. This is yet another desperate attempt to communalize an issue of national security."

Jaitley said Congress's conventional strategy has been that whenever they "fail" at governance it goes back to the last resort — the alleged charisma of Congress Party's first family, which "appears inadequate".

"The outgoing leadership of UPA is perceived to be ineffective; the incoming are perceived to be non-leaders," he said.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miss Universe Canada gets set for Bollywood

It's almost a tradition for Miss Indias to transition into Bollywood, and international beauty queens, too, are now following the same path. After Miss Sri Lanka Jacqueline Fernandez, it's Miss Universe Canada 2012 Sahar Biniaz, who is preparing to make Bollywood her home. She had turned quite a few heads among industry folks during TOIFA in Vancouver this year.

But, Sahar isn't just a pretty face. She has a full scholarship to the New York Film Academy and an honouree award for her humanitarian work with Operation Smile. She has done acting assignments in the West, including guest star roles on TV shows Sanctuary and Smallville. She was also the lead in the international film Ambrosia.
But, India, her birthplace, is where she always saw herself. She says, "I've watched Bollywood films and always felt that part of my soul belonged here." She is now preparing to enter the industry armed with her exotic looks and charm. Adds Sahar, "I've been offered a few projects, but I'm very selective. I want to choose a character that can affect the audience."

She speaks English, Spanish and Farsi and is learning Hindi. She is also practising Bollywood dance and counts Madhuri Dixit among her inspirations. "I'm blown away by Indian women, especially those from the industry, like Ekta Kapoor and Pooja Bhatt," she says.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Principal forced kids to eat midday meal cooked in insecticide

NEW DELHI: HRD ministry's senior official's spot report on the MDM tragedy in Gandamal village of Masrakh block in Saran district has blamed the school principal for the death of more than 20 children and pointed out systemic failure of the state government in monitoring the flagship programme.

The report — prepared after talking to parents and students — has also said there were serious problems with the storage of grains and other food items.

Ministry sources said it is likely that the cooking medium used for soyabean subzi was predominantly pesticide. "Earlier it was thought oil was put in a pesticide container. But it seems that the lady cook used pesticide," a source said. According to him, the subzi looked black and even smelt differently. "But the school principal insisted the cooking medium cannot be bad since it had come from her husband's shop. When students refused to eat, the principal scolded and forced them to eat," the source said. Worse, he said, when children started falling sick, the principal instead of reaching out for help, panicked and fled. "Crucial one and half to two hours were lost. Had these children been rushed to hospital immediately few lives could have been saved," he said, adding that the forensic report released on Saturday confirms unusually high level of pesticide content.

"It was the clear case of bad storage of food and cooking material. The kitchen itself is in a pitiable condition," he said.

The report also points out that the MDM apparatus in Bihar — especially the monitoring mechanism — does not follow the elaborate guidelines. School secretary R Bhattacharya told TOI, "Final view on the report has not been taken. We would send our comments to the state government very soon."

Meanwhile, HRD minister MM Pallam Raju said "collective responsibility" should be taken for the tragedy rather than indulge in blame game. He said the new committee to be headed by him would meet shortly and work towards strengthening the quality aspect of the MDM. "It is certain that we will be strengthening the mechanism towards implementing the scheme," he said. However, he said reports of the monitoring mechanism should be taken seriously by the state governments and immediate action be taken to rectify the problems. In case of Bihar he said the state government was aware that Saran was among the 12 poor performing districts.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

People I had arrested funded campaign against me, police commissioner Neeraj Kumar says

Neeraj Chauhan, TNN Jul 20, 2013, 05.07AM IST

(Neeraj Kumar said he was…)

NEW DELHI: Expressing his anguish over what he described as denial of credit to the police for their good work, police commissioner Neeraj Kumar told TOI that he was personally targeted during his tenure. In a freewheeling interview, Kumar said that just as he had solved many important cases, he had also solved the mystery of the "tirade" against him - he said some people whom he had arrested when he was in CBI had hatched a conspiracy against him. He refused to reveal names, saying he will speak in detail after he retires.

Kumar said he was intrigued by the fact that the "tirade" was against him and not against the police force. "To put it very simply, certain people I had arrested when I was in CBI went after me. They bankrolled the whole thing," he alleged. "And how I have come to know about it and how I have solved the mystery is that a member of that team broke ranks with them. Why? Because there was a sting operation on him and some of his conversations were recorded. And he realised that he was helping high-class crooks. And then he called me up and said he wanted to meet me and apologise. He came and gave me the entire story, not only this story but every story...even how this case in high court was filed challenging my appointment and so on. It was part of the same tirade. And he also explained why it started from a certain quarter and then gathered steam."

Asked about his state of mind during the Nirbhaya protests at India Gate, Kumar said: "In all fairness, the Government of India and the lieutenant-governor were solidly behind us and believed me. Not for a minute did I face any kind of worry or was shaken because I knew that we had done everything right."

The police chief, who is due to retire by the end of this month, said people don't know that it was his insistence with the government that was behind the setting up of a commission of inquiry after the Nirbhaya protests. "It was I who requested that there should be a commission of inquiry. It was I who suggested to the government that there should be a high-level committee, headed by an eminent judge, to go into the rape laws. The reaction of the government was - 'Why a commission of inquiry, our police has done no wrong?'. But I said 'maybe that will defuse the situation....people will be satisfied and they will disperse'." He added that it took some amount of persuasion to convince the government.

He pointed out that by doing so he was sticking out his own neck and that of his officers too. "These poor people (officers against whom inquiry is on) are unnecessarily being hounded....a special CP, a joint CP, an additional CP, two DCPs - they are all facing disciplinary action for no fault of theirs," he said.

Kumar questioned the basis of the inquiry that was ordered to examine alleged police lapses - it was an interview of Nirbhaya's friend to a TV channel. "What he said in that TV interview is totally in contradiction to what he said before the courts - the main court in Saket and the juvenile court. He stuck to his original statement (given in court), but in the TV interview, he said things like the PCR did not come and that there was fighting over jurisdiction. On the basis of that interview was an inquiry ordered," he recalled.

Kumar reiterated that the police is not given its due for all the hard work that it does. "We faced so much criticism in the (Nirbhaya) rape case...has any newspaper highlighted that the case was cracked within 72 hours and the accused arrested from the interiors of a Naxalite-infested area where the local police was scared to go? Our people without any help from the local police went and caught them and brought them here. Within 10 days - it is a record in this country - the case was chargesheeted and within record time the prosecution evidence is over."

(Full text of interview on Sunday)

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Arjun Rampal's producers want to increase his security because of 'D-Day'

The reactions to D-Day have reaffirmed Arjun Rampal's faith in the idea of taking risks. Directed by Nikhil Advani, this first-of-its-kind espionage thriller is being appreciated for its gripping narrative. Late on Friday, after the movie's release, Arjun chatted with us about his reasons for playing a RAW agent, his new action-hero persona and why he is no longer interested in pleasing everyone.

Nikhil approached Arjun with the script the day Osama Bin Laden was killed and told him that he wanted to make a realistic movie with an operation of that magnitude and impact. Says Arjun, "I give him a 100/100 for giving Indians the film their way — with romance, emotions, drama and a message. This movie shows what RAW agents go through to save people's lives. Their pictures never make it to the papers. If they fail, it's their responsibility. But, they still go out there. D-Day is a story of these real heroes."

Rudra Pratap Singh, Arjun's character, marks a beginning for him as an unconventional action hero. He says, "Tom Struthers, who's done action for Inception, the Batman series, Bourne Ultimatum, etc, worked with us on the film. We underwent rigorous training to fight like real agents. We learnt the make of weapons, how to dismantle those, etc. But Tom also said that Irrfan and I were wrong for the part and that RAW agents are not so good looking!"

The movie is a departure from Arjun's usual repertoire, but he says it was time to do something different.

Reactions are pouring in for the actor from the industry as well as the audience in the theatres, and he is obviously feeling on top of the world. "I feel all my efforts have paid off. My producers call every day, wanting to increase my security cover because of this film. I know I am at risk, but I wanted to do this film. People want a hero, and I tell them, you take this hero. Every Indian should see this movie as proof that you can do what you want to do. And you don't need to please anybody. Mr Bachchan said he wishes he was born now, when such cinema is being made. It was the best compliment ever."

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dombivli tutor held captive for two hours, raped 5 times

KALYAN: A computer class teacher (18) was allegedly kept captive for two hours and raped five times in Piswali village, Dombivli (east). The incident took place around 9.30pm on Thursday when the victim was passing by an isolated stretch while returning from the private institute where she taught basic computer course.

The victim is a college student and works part-time. In her complaint the victim has alleged that the accused was standing by the bushes and dragged her behind them. She has said he kept her there forcibly and raped her repeatedly for two hours. He let her go at 11.30pm after threatening to kill her if she would speak about the incident to anyone.

After reaching home, the victim narrated the incident to her parents, who lodged a rape case. Cops suspect the accused might be from the same area and may have kept a watch on her movements and the route she took to reach home.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Immigration officer plays moral police, asks woman why she was travelling alone

MUMBAI: An immigration officer at Mumbai airport played Taliban-style moral police recently, questioning a woman on why she was travelling alone. Worse, he held that if she had been allowed to go backpacking alone, her family background was questionable.

Two months ago, a 21-year old Indian woman planning to backpack across Europe had the misfortune of walking up to this officer's desk and facing a barrage of uncomfortable questions to clear immigration. She was due to board a flight to Abu Dhabi from where she had to take a connecting flight to Paris.

"I was not only treated rudely, but also insulted and humiliated. In the end, before stamping my passport, he said that I should not go crying to the Indian embassy if something untoward happened to me," said Aditi Prakash (name changed on request).

Harassed woman flyer files complaint, probe underway

The immigration officer, who asked 21-year-old Aditi Prakash (name changed) uncomfortable questions about why she was travelling alone, couldn't be identified as he was not wearing a badge.

"When I have cleared the rigorous process of obtaining a Schengen visa, how are these questions relevant to clearing my passport?" she asked.

On her return to India on June 10, Aditi sent a complaint to the immigration authorities. An investigation is on into the incident that took place in the wee hours of May 17.

Recounting her ordeal Aditi said, "He asked me why I was travelling alone and when Ireplied that I am a 21-year-old adult and I can travel alone, he said women should not. He said he would have posed this question to even a 50-year-old woman if she were travelling alone." She added, "When I asked him why he didn't question the male passengers, he said that my job was to answer questions and not to ask them."

The officer then went on to interrogate her about her backpacking trip. He wanted to know how her parents could let her travel alone. He inquired about their profession. The girl had lost her father and her mother is a teacher. He asked how her family got the money for the trip. Her motives for the trip were questioned . He also wondered whether her parents were "respectable people" as they had allowed her to travel alone.

In their response to the complaint sent on June 22, the immigration authorities have asked for more details to trace the officer. In her reply, Aswati Dorje, deputy commissioner of police, said, "This office shall seek the explanation from the concerned officer as to under what circumstances did he question you vis a vis your purpose of journey etc." Dorje added that officers have been instructed to be very professional and specific in questioning Sandhya from Forum against Oppression of Women said, "The immigration officer should have behaved just the opposite. He should have offered her numbers of embassies and Indian authorities she could get in touch with in case she encountered any trouble during her trip."

An immigration official said, "After we received the girl's complaint, the entire batch was put through a behavioural training session. We regularly carry out such sessions at the end of peak travel season to sensitize officers. But one poor example set by one person is enough to give a bad image to the entire department." During peak travel season, around 30,000 passengers clear immigration at Mumbai airport per night and an immigration officer stamps about 500 visas per shift.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT IMMIGRATION?

Some of the questions a traveller can be asked

An immigration officer looks for visa mismatch, that is, whether the real purpose of the visit is different from that stated while obtaining a visa. Instances of people obtaining a tourist visa to go to a country to work are common. So an immigration officer can ask questions that may seem out of place. For instance, what is the capital of the country you plan to visit? Which places do you plan to visit during your holiday and soon. Queries depend on the passenger's profile.

Why the questions?

An immigration officer has the job of finding out whether people are being trafficked, whether people of other nationalities who have similar ethinicities have procured an Indian passport and are using it illegally and so on. So, the line of questioning depends on a passenger's profile, the travel experience shown in the passport, the country they are flying to and so on. In recent past, following a round of questioning, an immigration officer found that two women with a man (who claimed to be their relative) were actually being trafficked.

Can one lodge a complaint against an immigration officer?

One can lodge a complaint with the shift-in-charge who is a senior immigration official. His or her office is close to the place where immigration checks are done and a passenger can walk in and lodge a complaint.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Husband will leak 'inappropriate' videos, says Yukta Mookhey

The Yukta Mookhey-Prince Tuli spat gets uglier by the minute. On Friday, Mookhey's lawyer told the court that Tuli has some "inappropriate" videos of the former beauty queen, which need to be seized, as he was threatening to leak them. Advocate Taubon Irani was opposing the anticipatory bail application filed by Tuli's lawyers, Avinash Gupta and Filji Frederick.

Tuli applied for anticipatory bail after Mookhey filed a case against him and her in-laws at Amboli police station under sections 498 A (cruelty), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 377 (unnatural sex) on July 3.

In the bail application, Tuli's lawyers have contested that the case was one year too late. "Right after leaving her home, she filed a domestic violence case in a family court. Then why did it take her an entire year to file an FIR? She had been living separately for a year."

The other grounds for seeking bail were that though Mookhey had accused Tuli of sodomy, there was no evidence to prove that, and that Tuli had been cooperating with the cops. They also said that Mookhey had taken all that was hers when she left.

Tuli had earlier alleged that Mookhey had left with Rs 35 lakh in cash. Her lawyer Irani, however said, "Who keeps that kind of cash at home?" Mookhey then said Tuli should be taken into custody immediately, as he had threatened to leak her video. "It can outrage a woman's modesty," she told the court.

She also alleged that though she took most of her belongings, she got only Rs 2 lakh out of the Rs 2 crore that she had brought as "stree dhan". She also referred to a special court's order, restraining Tuli from meeting his son. "He has flouted the court's order in the past. He is capable of doing it again. His psychological evaluation is pending in that court," Irani told the court.

The public prosecutor asked for Tuli's custody, saying he managed relief from the court on July 14 without anyone's knowledge and even though he has been attending the police station ever since, he needs to be taken into custody considering the gravity of the charges against him.

Yukta Mookhey's lawyer has asked for the arrest of Prince Tuli.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

3G tariff war in offing as Reliance Communications halves rates

NEW DELHI: Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (RCom) unleashed a tariff war in the 3G data segment on Thursday as the company slashed monthly tariff by 50%, offering high-speed mobile internet at half the price of competitors like BhartiAirtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular. The move by the country's third-biggest mobile operator comes a few weeks after its rivals lowered 2G and 3G rates, but only for data usage beyond standard package limits.

Data adoption in India has been slow, but is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years as sales of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets boom with users consuming more online content.

RCom has reduced the monthly tariff for 1GB data on 3G to Rs 123 from Rs 250. This is even cheaper than the company's 2G monthly tariff that of Rs 125. "We want a data tsunami and want to liberate customers from high prices and slow speed," RCom president and CEO (wireless) Gurdeep Singh said.

When contacted, most of the other companies refused to comment. However, industry analysts say that a price cut may not be far away as companies are scouting for heavy data users.

3G adoption in India has been slow as high prices and not-so-efficient services have kept users away. Only about 5% of the country's 850 million mobile users have subscribed to 3G services, which are estimated to account for 3% of mobile revenue of telecom carriers. Companies are also fighting hard in the data space as voice tariffs - one of the lowest in the world - have remained more-or-less muted over the last many months and operators have rather done away with freebies and discounts here to shore up revenues.

Airtel, Vodafone and Idea had last month cut the prices of their internet data plans, but the lower rates were valid only beyond the stipulated standard package prices. Currently, Vodafone charges Rs 250 monthly for 1GB data package of 3G and Idea and Bharti also offer a near-similar plan. Their reductions had come for data usage beyond the 1GB limit.

Jaideep Ghosh, who tracks the telecom sector at KPMG, said operators will increasingly offer lucrative data plans to latch on to the rapidly-increasing users of smart phones and tablets.

HDFC Securities said "a fresh war" in data tariffs after RCom's reduction could be negative for the sector, as it may depress margins. However, it doubted the success of RCom even with lower tariffs, saying that the operator's "poor perception of brand and service" as well as "inferior 3G network presence" may hamper its progress.

RCom has 3G services in 13 circles that include Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and North East. The lower tariffs are for all kind of connections - pre-paid, post-paid, new and old. RCom has also reduced prices for 2GB and 4GB pack on 3G network.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

400 Air India airhostesses declared absconders

NEW DELHI: This is a telling comment on the decline of Air India from a glamorous airline where dreamy eyed girls dreamt of getting a job in the heydays of JRD Tata's stewardship, to a sarkari organization now fraught by uncertainty following years of government mismanagement. The Maharaja has discovered that almost 400 airhostesses of its cabin crew strength of 3,600 who had taken a two-year leave without pay as per company policy have simply not returned to work although their leave got over a long time back.

AI has now declared them absconders and is beginning a process to sack all those who fail to give a convincing reason for their continued absence from work. Almost 300 of the 400 absconding airhostesses are learnt to be from Delhi alone.

"They must have left at a time when the airline faced uncertainty (which it still does); salary payment was irregular and must have taken up job elsewhere. Once they got jobs elsewhere, they should have resigned from here and not remained on the rolls. However, we officially have no information on them. The probe of the first tranche of 44 absconders will soon be over and we may sack many of them," said a senior official.

The government's questionable decision to buy 111 new planes for over Rs 50,000 crore and drowning the airline in debt has led to a state of complete penury in AI, forcing it to survive on taxpayers' bailouts. "Salary payments remain uncertain and the airline's survival looks bleak. In this atmosphere, a number of people are eying jobs elsewhere," said a senior employee.

The airline stumbled on the absconders while asking all of its cabin crew to appear for medical test from January. After much reservation from the mostly unfit and overweight AI cabin crew, a majority of whom are airhostesses, the airline conducted fitness tests on 3,200 employees from January to March while having a total strength of 3,600.

"Almost 40% of the 3,200 cabin crew was found to be unfit, with 557 of them being 'morbidly obese'. These personnel face the risk of being put on ground duties unless they get back in shape within a deadline of six months. The second round of tests is going to begin now for those who gave the medicals in January. A majority of the airhostesses found really overweight are from erstwhile AI," said the official.

The management's move is being backed by the parent aviation ministry with the latter now toying with an idea which is a norm for all private carriers but not heard of in AI — fixing a lower maximum age to remain an airhostess. The retirement age for AI employees is 58 and an airhostess can fly till the day she retires.

Many years ago (in its heady days) the age limit was 45 to have a mix of youth and experience. "The ministry is now planning to have a lower age ceiling for AI airhostesses after which they will transferred to ground duties where they will remain till the age of 58," said an official.Outgoing CJI's bid to appoint SC judge nipped

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

D-Day

Story: Four Indian agents plan to bring India's most wanted criminal home from Pakistan - do they succeed?

Review: Straight up, D-Day is explosive at three levels. The plot crackles. The acting sears. And the music flares with passion. Four Indian agents, angry and RAW, enter Pakistan to bring Iqbal Seth (Rishi Kapoor), a Dawood-like don, hated for his terrorism, home. Wali Khan (Irrfan) has married a local woman and fathered a child, but longs to find freedom from the truth and lies he lives. Irrfan amazes, switching from tender to treacherous in a flash, authentic as he calls out "Rudar!" to Rudra Pratap Singh (Arjun), a man of molten mysteries, introduced with a Lawrence of Arabia-like flair.

Arjun looks smashing and pulls off a competent act while Zoya (Huma) does well as a cutie-pie who can squeeze a knife real bad. Aslam (Aakash Dahiya), a gangster-turned-agent, forms the fourth wheel, but Rishi Kapoor stands out as Iqbal Seth, with his polyester-like silky malevolence, his mocking manipulations, his eyes behind red goggles, both frightened and frightening.

That mirrors the plot which flips rapidly, hunters becoming the hunted, then vice-versa. Nasser, as RAW director Ashwini Rao, is convincing as an official straining at the leash while Iqbal's bhanja (Chandan Sanyal) is splendid with his simply asinine evil. A beautifully fragile Shruti Haasan plays a prostitute sheltering Rudra. Their track is short but sensual, a little lily-pool of beauty in an otherwise relentlessly harsh cinematography, where Karachi's grey, gritty and gunpowder-laced.

But this being Bollywood, the plot can't escape emotional excursions. Some - Rudra's love-life, Zoya's break-up - adds a halwa-like heaviness to this Karachi. But the second half refreshes your palate, sizzling sequences between Wali, Rudra and Iqbal Seth leaving you open-mouthed, the 'c' in this climax clearly for controversy.

Catch it - this 'D' company denotes both debate and desh-prem.

Note: You may not like this movie if you don't enjoy violent thrillers where things go off with a bang.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Delhi BJP VP Aamir Raza quits post over Modi's 'puppy' and 'burqa' remarks

NEW DELHI: In the first fallout within the party of Narendra Modi's "puppy" remark, Delhi BJP vice-president and well-known theatre personality Aamir Raza Husain tendered his resignation on Tuesday, a day after he had made anti-Modi remarks on national television.

The Padma Shri awardee, who had been appointed to the post just two months ago, had told a news channel on Monday that "Modi's statements (on puppy and burqa) are despicable, divisive and can never draw support from Muslims."

Husain had added, "Modi is a BJP leader, not my leader". His resignation was immediately accepted.

Speaking to TOI, Husain said he was unapologetic about his remarks and was right to resign from the party. "A lot of people like me who live in a liberal as well as minority universe want an anti-Congress option which an Atal Bihari Vajpayee or an L K Advani-led BJP provides for. By promoting Modi, BJP has closed that option for us," said Husain, who is known to have shared a rapport with former PM Vajpayee and late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan.

Within minutes of Husain's remarks on television, several senior BJP leaders took up the issue with both the state as well as national party presidents, demanding action. A written complaint was also filed against Husain to the state disciplinary committee.

"We should deal sternly and quickly with all such cases. Failing which BJP shall be further ridiculed and become a laughing stock in the eyes of the public," read the complaint filed by party national executive member Vijay Jolly. Jolly reportedly met Rajnath Singh in the day to demand quick action. However, by noon, Husain himself offered his resignation.

Later, an official statement from BJP claimed that Husain had accepted that while holding an important post in the party he should not have made comments which could hurt a senior leader. His intention was not to cause anguish to any leader, it added.

Delhi state president Vijay Goel, the man who had inducted Husain into the party early this year, refused to comment on the theatre director's comment. "He has put up the resignation on his own and is free to make a choice. He is a great friend and has supported me in all my elections," said Goel.

Husain too maintained that he would continue to support the BJP in the state polls but would not be able to back in the party in the general elections if Modi continued to lead the campaign.

Party sources admitted that Modi's remarks had caused discomfiture to BJP's Muslim supporters in the capital.

In the context of the killings during the 2002 Gujarat riots, Modi recently said in an interview, "Another thing... someone else is driving a car and we're sitting behind, even then if a puppy comes under the wheel, will be painful or not? Of course, it is."

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ricky Ponting rates Brian Lara ahead of Sachin Tendulkar

LONDON: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has rated Brian Lara ahead of Sachin Tendulkar as he feels the West Indian batsman enabled his team win more matches.

Profiles: Brian Lara | Sachin Tendulkar

"Sachin and Lara were the two stand-out batsmen for me. Lara won more games for his team than Sachin probably has. I'd lose more sleep as captain knowing Lara was coming in to bat next day than I would with Sachin," said Ponting.

"You always found a way to restrict Sachin if you needed to. Lara could turn it on in half an hour and take a game away from you. For me, it has never been about making hundreds, it is about winning games and series," Ponting was quoted as saying by the 'Evening Standard'.

Australia may have suffered an agonising defeat in the first Test against England but Ponting believes that the Aussies will win the series 2-1.

"I said 2-1 to Australia at the start and nothing has changed for me, no," he insisted.

"We've got a lot of hard work to do but it seems like things are on the right track. It is a Test match lost but for the Aussies it will reinforce them to think just how close they are and may be there's not that big a gulf between the teams.

"If they can take that away from the first Test it will do them good at Lord's this week. We have some very good young players. They are just starting to find their way and Ashes series tend to bring out the best in some," he added.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Apple iPhone sales see sharp fall in India

BANGALORE: Smartphone maker Apple has seen a sharp fall in its India sales during the first three months of 2013, a trend that analysts say might persist as the California-based company looks to make deeper inroads into world's third-largest smartphone market.

Sales in India had soared soon after the November launch of iPhone 5, the latest iteration of Apple's smartphone. In an uncharacteristic move, Apple followed up with a sustained marketing campaign, advertising discounts schemes and monthly instalment options for customers in India, where its phones are seen as too expensive.

"The October-December quarter was an exceptional one for iPhone, but that hasn't been the case since then," said Manasi Yadav, who tracks India's smartphone market for researcher IDC. According to IDC data, iPhone sales have been on a downward trend after the robust sales in response to the marketing campaign and financing schemes.

Between January and March, Apple sold some 120,000 iPhones in India, down from the 230,000 in the October-December quarter of last year, according to IDC. That translated into its share falling from 4.7% to 2.1%. In India, Apple faces competition from South Korean rival Samsung as well as local brands such as Micromax and Karbonn, all of which are among the top three in terms of market share.

Apple did not reply to emailed queries seeking its views. Marketing blitz, discounts fail to sustain Apple iPhone sales in India "The initial buzz around Apple is over," said Faisal Kawoosa, analyst at market researcher CyberMedia Research, who remarked that iPhone sales have been falling in the past two-three months as well.

Samsung, which has a 40% share of the smartphone market in India, had responded to Apple's marketing and sales moves with its own offers of discounts and financing schemes.

Even globally, Apple has been facing increasing criticism about the absence of new device launches that could help the company continue its popularity among users.

Since the launch of iPhone 5, the company's stock has fallen nearly 40%. Analysts have also been awaiting clarity from Apple's management about its strategy to gain in emerging markets such as China and India.

Research firm Strategy Analytics estimates that nearly 10 million smartphones were sold in India during the first three months of 2013, making it third-largest market after the US and China.

Apple's slowdown is also impacting its large national distributors such as Redington, which sold some Rs 1,100 crore worth of iPhone in the last five months of 2012. An analyst with a foreign brokerage that tracks the Chennai-headquartered distributor said that he estimates this to fall to as low as Rs 800 crore in 2013 on account of waning demand for the device. Sales of iPhones make up some 7% of Redington's revenue.

According to Kawoosa, the discounts and EMI schemes may have affected Apple's brand image among high-end smartphone users. "Apple has a certain image and it is not the sort of brand that gives you huge discounts. I think they went after market share at cost of diluting brand value and this was clearly a short-sighted strategy."

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

4 Pahariya girls dragged out of hostel, raped by 25 drunk men

RANCHI: Four minor girls belonging to the primitive Pahariya tribe were gang-raped outside a residential school at Lawada village in Pakur district, 350 km from the state capital, late on Sunday night. The girls, in the age-group of 12 to 15, are in a critical condition at a hospital. Police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused.

The police said around 25 boys, armed with knives and other traditional weapons, barged inside the campus of the residential school and took the guards hostage. They picked four girls and dragged them outside the campus. The boys, most of them in a drunken condition, took them to a nearby deserted place where they took turns to rape for two hours before fleeing. The school staff tried to raise an alarm but their cell phones were snatched by the boys. The staff informed the police about the incident later in the night.

Officers from the Littipara police station, 9km from the school, arrived at the spot several hours later to take stock of the situation. Officer-in-charge Teslal Ram said: "The girls belong to the Pahariya tribe and they were staying at the hostel to learn tailoring. Some of the boys who participated in the crime were also staying at the same place." He added that all the girls have been admitted in the hospital.

Police officers from Littipara and Hiranpur police stations have recorded the statements of over 10 people in this connection. They have also sought the help of locals of Lawada village to find out more about the incident. A team of forensic experts on Monday visited the place where the incident occurred

Pakur SP Y S Ramesh said that the police have identified all the accused. "Joint raids are being conducted to nab the criminals. We would soon arrest the culprits," said Ramesh. The accused were in their 20s, said sources. An FIR has been lodged against 25 unknown persons.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More