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Wed, 07 March 2012
HC relief for Yeddyurappa disappointing: Hegde
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19:15 HC relief for Yeddyurappa disappointing: Hegde
While B S Yeddyurappa and his followers rejoiced after getting relief from the Karnataka high court on the mining report, Justice Santhosh Hegde -- the man who prepared the report -- said he was disappointed.
Justice Hegde told rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa that he was told that the high court in its judgment said that he violated the principles of natural justice in his report on illegal mining.
"This is their view and it can now only be challenged in the Supreme Court. My major grievance is that the high court has stopped all investigations into illegal mining.' "The high court has also said that investigating into Yeddyurappa's dealings with a mining company is out of my jurisdiction, I do not agree with this," Hegde added.
18:12 Mulayam meets UP governor
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and son Akhilesh Yadav meet Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Josh in Lucknow.
Top leaders of the Samajwadi Party met in the morning to discuss their plans to formally stake claim and form the new government.
They won 224 of the state's 403 seats in the state.
Top leaders of the Samajwadi Party met in the morning to discuss their plans to formally stake claim and form the new government.
They won 224 of the state's 403 seats in the state.
17:49 Grateful to Maya for giving Cong credit for BSP loss
Congress leader Digvijay Singh took a dig at Mayawati for her contention that his party was responsible for the defeat of the Bahujan Samaj Party in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
"We are grateful to Mayawatiji for giving Congress party the credit of defeating BSP," Singh told the media.
Singh was speaking at All India Congress Committee headquarters after Congress President Sonia Gandhi held a meeting of party general secretaries and office bearers to discuss the outcome of assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, and the reasons behind it.
"We are grateful to Mayawatiji for giving Congress party the credit of defeating BSP," Singh told the media.
Singh was speaking at All India Congress Committee headquarters after Congress President Sonia Gandhi held a meeting of party general secretaries and office bearers to discuss the outcome of assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, and the reasons behind it.
17:41 Cheque bouncing case: Azhar slapped Rs 15L as cost
Congress MP Mohd Azharuddin was slapped a cost of Rs 15 lakh by a Delhi court for showing "utter disdain" to it by not appearing before it in a cheque bounce case and "wasting its time."
Metropolitan Magistrate Vikrant Vaid, who had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against the cricketer-turned-politician for his failure to appear before him in the case, imposed the cost after being informed that Azharuddin had amicably arrived at an out-of-court settlement.
"If settlement had to be done, it could have been done on the first date itself," the court said while taking strict view on the conduct of the Lok Sabha MP from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.
"As the accused (Azharuddin) showed utter disdain to the court and wasted its time and did not appear (before it) for this reason, I do not find any reason why the court should not impose the cost," the judge said.
Metropolitan Magistrate Vikrant Vaid, who had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against the cricketer-turned-politician for his failure to appear before him in the case, imposed the cost after being informed that Azharuddin had amicably arrived at an out-of-court settlement.
"If settlement had to be done, it could have been done on the first date itself," the court said while taking strict view on the conduct of the Lok Sabha MP from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.
"As the accused (Azharuddin) showed utter disdain to the court and wasted its time and did not appear (before it) for this reason, I do not find any reason why the court should not impose the cost," the judge said.
17:23 Norway gunman charged with 'acts of terror'
Anders Behring Breivik, who confessed to killing 77 people and injuring 151 in Norway, has been formally charged with committing acts of terror and and voluntary homicide, according to a 19-page indictment presented by prosecutors.
The charges carry a penalty of up to 21 years in prison, though the incarceration can be extended for as long as he is considered a danger to society.
Defence lawyers went to his prison near the capital, Oslo, to present their client with the charges, reports the BBC.
Breivik is expected to go on trial on 16 April.
He has been charged under a paragraph in Norway's anti-terror law that refers to violent acts intended to disrupt key government functions or spread fears in the population.
The charges carry a penalty of up to 21 years in prison, though the incarceration can be extended for as long as he is considered a danger to society.
Defence lawyers went to his prison near the capital, Oslo, to present their client with the charges, reports the BBC.
Breivik is expected to go on trial on 16 April.
He has been charged under a paragraph in Norway's anti-terror law that refers to violent acts intended to disrupt key government functions or spread fears in the population.
17:16 UK troops missing in Afghanistan presumed dead
Six British soldiers are missing and are believed to have been killed in Afghanistan, the ministry of defence said on Wednesday, taking the British death toll in the country to over 400.
"I have the tragic duty to report that six soldiers are missing, believed killed, during a security patrol," said British spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Mackenzie.
The ministry said an explosion had hit the soldiers' armoured vehicle on Tuesday while they were on patrol in Helmand Province, the restive southern area where most British troops are based.
The servicemen's families have been informed, the ministry added.
British Prime Minister David Cameron described it as a "desperately sad day for our country".
"I have the tragic duty to report that six soldiers are missing, believed killed, during a security patrol," said British spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Mackenzie.
The ministry said an explosion had hit the soldiers' armoured vehicle on Tuesday while they were on patrol in Helmand Province, the restive southern area where most British troops are based.
The servicemen's families have been informed, the ministry added.
British Prime Minister David Cameron described it as a "desperately sad day for our country".
17:04 Jawan shoots 2 women dead in Poonch
Suspecting
his wife of having an illicit relationship, an Indian Army jawan shot dead two
women, including the mother of the purported lover, and set his house ablaze in
Poonch district.
He even
tried to shoot his wife, but was empowered by his colleagues.
The incident took place early Wednesday morning when Tariq Ahmed -- of the 168
battalion of the Territorial Army, working with Rashtriya Rifles in Mendhar
belt of the district -- opened fire using his service rifle, a senior Army
official
Two women were killed and two others were injured in the firing, the official said. Ahmed has been arrested and will be tried under a criminal case, the official added.
16:21 World's biggest albino family lives in Delhi!
An Indian couple, along with eight other family members, is set to land a Guinness World Record as the biggest albino clan in the world.
The family, headed by white-skinned couple Roseturai Pullan, 50, and wife Mani, 45, stays in a crammed one-bedroom flat in Delhi.
All the members have pale skin, white hair and poor vision, a side effect of being albinos.
While sons Vijay, 25, Shankar, 24 and Ramkishan, 19, and daughters Renu, 23, Deepa, 21 and Pooja, 18, have inherited their albinism.
Renu had wed another albino Rosheh, 27, and their two-year-old son Dharamraj also has the condition.
16:17 IATA suspends Kingfisher ticket sales
Good times are over for Kingfisher Airlines, and how!
The International Air Transport Association has 'suspended' ticket sales of Kingfisher Airlines. IATA is the umbrella body of all travel agencies.
According to sources, negotiations are currently on between Kingfisher Airlines and the IATA to settle the issue.
Meanwhile, some reports have claimed that the Income Tax Department has frozen 19 more accounts of the beleaguered airlines.
16:10 Is India a superpower? Not really!
Despite "impressive" achievements in various sectors in recent years, India is unlikely to be a superpower and in fact, should not aspire to become one, a study by the London School of Economics has concluded.
The study, titled India: The Next Superpower, recalls and dismisses Unites States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's statement made during her visit to India in 2009 that "I consider India not just a regional power, but a global power".
The LSE study comprising essays by nine experts in the areas of India's economy, defence, government, culture, environment and society advises "caution in assessing India's claim to superpower status".
16:02 Delhi police question Geelani about LeT ultra
The Delhi police has recorded the statement of pro-Pakistan hardliner Hurriyat Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani in connection with a recommendation letter he allegedly gave to arrested Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant Athesham Malik, for getting a Pakistani visa.
Geelani, whose recommendation letter's Xerox copy was recovered from the belongings of Malik, arrived at the Special Cell at Lodhi Road along with his son-in-law AltafFantoosh and close aide Shafi Reshi.
Geelani was shown the papers and asked about his relation with Malik. He was also asked about the person who had introduced the Lashkar terrorist to him.
Malik had gone to Pakistan in December last year, where he received training for fabrication of improvised explosive devices.
15:35 'SAD spent Rs 8-10 crore to woo each constituency'
A day after his party got a miserable drubbing in the assembly polls, Peoples Party ofPunjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal accused the Shiromani Akali Dal of using money power to garner votes.
"A big factor that went against the PPP was the use of money power by the SAD to come to power," he said at a press conference.
PPP had 92 candidates in fray. He alleged that the SAD spent around Rs eight to Rs ten crore in each of the assembly constituencies to woo voters.
"One of the biggest problems faced by the PPP during polls was that it could not match the money power of established parties," Manpreet alleged.
15:32 Six acquitted in 2002 Gujarat riot case
Six persons accused in a 2002 riot case, where a youth and his mother were allegedly burnt to death in Gomtipur area in Ahmedabad, were acquitted by a trial court for lack of evidence.
Additional Sessions Judge M P Sheth, while hearing the case, acquitted all six accused in the case on the grounds that the prosecution could not prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against those arrested and charge-sheeted by the police.
According to case details, the incident had taken place on April 21, 2002 when two people -- identified as Firoz and his mother Hamidabanu -- were burnt alive. Six persons from Gomtipur area, including one Vicki Christian, were arrested by the police four years after the incident.
The chargesheet filed described how petrol was procured and the mother-son duo was torched on the road in broad daylight.
15:20 SP to choose Uttar Pradesh CM after Holi
The Samajwadi Party, which got an absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh, will chose its next chief minister after the festival of Holi.
"The meeting of legislators will be held after Holi to decide the future chief minister's name," party sources said.
Earlier, a meeting of the SP parliamentary board was held, in which majority of members pitched for state President Akhilesh Yadav as the next chief minister. The final decision will be taken by party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Many political experts also think Akhilesh would be a better fit for the top post.
15:06 Will an asteroid hit you anytime soon? Maybe!
What are the chances of an asteroid hitting you?
Plenty, if you believe a report by the United States National Research Council. The report states that on an average, 91 people should be killed every year due to asteroid strikes.
It is a different case that there really are not that many known cases of people kicking the bucket after being hit by a giant rock from outer space!
In fact, the last time an asteroid crash landed on earth and created a smashing impact was in 1908.
14:13 Dalai Lama is the hatchet man of anti-China forces
China has once again launched a blistering attack on the Dalai Lama, terming him the 'hatchet man of anti-China forces' and calling the recent spate of suicides by Tibetan monks and nuns as an orchestrated attempt to create chaos.
The fresh broadside against the Tibetan spiritual leader came as three more immolations were reported from Tibet.
Unlike the previous 22 attempts of self immolations, which were carried out by monks and nuns, the three who committed suicides now were civilians, including a mother of four.
14:11 BOTH Cong, BJP want to form the govt in Uttarakhand
Despite falling short of a majority, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttarakhand has begun efforts to form the government, with its senior leaders trying to establish contact with Independent legislators and the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal.
"We are assessing the political situation. In case the party thinks that it is appropriate to form the government, we will surely stake our claim," said outgoing Chief Minister B CKhanduri as party bigwigs, including Rajnath Singh and Ananth Kumar, held talks about the political situation in the state.
The BJP, which got 31 seats, one short of Congress, has also convened a meeting of its newly-elected MLAs.
The Congress is also trying to form a new government in Uttarakhand, following its wafer-thin one seat lead against the ruling BJP in the cliff-hanger contest for the state assembly polls.
14:00 Maldives prez wants probe into his ouster
Maldives' former president Mohamed Nasheed wants a foreign body to probe the circumstances of the "coup" that ousted him in February and plunged the country into a political crisis.
Nasheed told at a news conference that his Maldivian Democratic Party is considering requesting a "foreign organisation" to look into the incidents of February 7 impartially.
He did not elaborate over which foreign body his party wanted to approach.
13:56 Sarah Palin vs Obama in US prez polls?
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has not given up her hopes for the White House. She has said that she could yet bid for the American top slot, should the Republican presidential race lead to an open convention in August.
"Anything is possible. I don't close any doors that perhaps would be open out there,' Palin said after casting her vote in Alaska's Republican caucus.
"I could seriously do whatever I can to help put our country back on the right track," she said.
13:49 Mitt Romney ends up having a 'Super Tuesday'
Mitt Romney seems to be the man destined to challenge Barack Obama in the presidential elections slated for later this year.
He narrowly won the crucial swing State of Ohio, along with solid wins in four other states, on 'Super Tuesday'. Besides his home State of Massachusetts, Romney won Vermont, Virginia and Idaho.
His nearest rival, Rick Santorum, the former Senator from Pennsylvania, won North Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
13:42 'Allow Lankan VIPs only after consulting state'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has asked the Centre to "discourage" frequent visits of Sri Lankan VIPs to the state as the people were "greatly exercised" over the government's conduct on the issue of ethnic Tamils.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jayalalithaa said that Sri Lankan VIPs should be allowed to the state only after consulting the state government.
Noting that Sri Lankan VIPs and other dignitaries come on private visits without informing the state government, she wanted such trips to be allowed only after consulting the state.
13:39 Sonia holds meet on poll results, Rahul skips
Before addressing a short press conference, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting of party general secretaries and office bearers to discuss the outcome of the assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, and the reasons behind it.
Gandhi met party general secretaries and
office-bearers at the All Indian Congress Committee headquarters in
General secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had campaigned extensively for the party in Uttar Pradesh, kept away from the meeting.
13:31 Akhilesh Yadav to be next UP CM?
Faisal Kidwai reports from Lucknow: The buzz about Akhilesh Yadav becoming the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh is getting louder.
Leaders of the Samajwadi Party have refused to comment on whether Akhilesh, not his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, will get the top post.
13:18 We have too many leaders, says Sonia
When asked if the lack of strong leaders in the states was the reason behind the party's defeat, Sonia Gandhi quipped, "I think we have too many leaders, that is the problem".
"We accept this defeat," she said, adding that the party with the maximum number of seats should get the opportunity to form the government.
Gandhi also ruled out reports about replacing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
13:17 Every election is a lesson for us: Sonia
"Every election is a lesson for us, whether we win or lose," said Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
"We will have to sit down, look at the situation and think about every stage," she said.
"People were angry at the Bahujan Samaj Party, so they chose the Samajwadi Party as the alternative," said Gandhi.
13:11 We HAVE TO rectify our mistakes: Sonia
Wrong choice of candidates was one of the major reasons behind the Congress's debacle in the recently held state polls, said party president Sonia Gandhi, while addressing the media on Wednesday morning.
She conceded that price rise and the party's weak organisational structure contributed to the Congress's poor performance.
"We have to rectify our mistakes,' she said.
13:04 Vidya Balan wins National Award for 'Dirty Picture'
Vidya Balan has won the National Award for Best Actress for The Dirty Picture.
Girish Kulkarni has won the National Award for Best Actor for Marathi film Deool.
The Best Hindi Film Award has gone to I am directed by Onir.
13:00 'Osama's body cremated in US, not buried'
Leaked e-mails from an intelligence analysis firm have suggested that former Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden's dead body was actually sent to the United States for cremation.
According to e-mails, Bin Laden's body was transported to the US for cremation after he was killed in a Navy Seals raid in an Abbottabad compound on May 2.
The revelation is in contrast to an earlier Obama administration statement that his body was buried at sea, off the USS Carl Vinson, in accordance with Islamic tradition.
The emails were allegedly obtained by the hacker group from Stratfor, an organisation dealing with the analysis of intelligence and geopolitical intelligence.
12:31 Mayawati blames BJP, Congress for SP's victory
When asked if the massive corruption allegations against her and her ministers had affected the outcome of the elections, Mayawati dismissed any such possibility.
She claimed that the Congress and the BJP helped the SP achieve such a spectacular win by splitting both the Muslim and upper caste Hindu votes.
While the Congress's promises of a quota for Muslims made the upper caste Hindus vote for the SP, the saffron party's aggressive posturing prompted Muslims to vote for Mulayam Singh Yadav's party as well, she said.
12:27 UP will regret SP rule, remember BSP: Maya
Very soon, the people of UP will get tired of the SP's misrule and they will remember the efficient governance of the BSP, claimed Mayawati.
In the next state election, the BSP will again come back to power with a majority, she said.
She also blamed the media for its "negative portrayal' of her government and its actions.
Mayawati also expressed fear that the SP government may block the development projects initiated by her administration.
12:14 I worked hard for welfare of UP, says Maya
In her first comments since the debacle of the Bahujan Samaj Party in the state polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati claimed that she had worked hard for the welfare of the state since her victory in the 2007 polls.
She also slammed the Congress-led government at the Centre for "non-cooperation' and accused it of being indifferent to the state's problems.
Mayawati claimed that the new government led by Samajwadi Party could undo the "progress' of UP under her regime.
11:57 HC quashes illegal mining case against Yeddyurappa
Vicky Nanjappa reports from Bengaluru: Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has been cleared in the illegal mining case with the high court quashing the case against him in this regard.
The Karnataka high court, which heard a petition filed by Yeddyurappa challenging the chapter of the illegal mining report against him, has quashed it.
The complaint filed against Yeddyurappa, the First Information Report and the sanction accorded against him by the governor have also been quashed by the high court.
Reacting to the judgment, B S Yeddyurappa expressed hope that he would be cleared of the remaining charges against him as well.
11:19 Smiling Mayawati resigns as UP CM
Mayawati has resigned as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
TV channels showed the smiling Bahujan Samaj Party chief handing over her resignation to Governor B L Joshi at the Raj Bhavan in Lucknow.
The two were seen exchanging pleasantries and having a short conversation.
This is the outgoing CM's first public appearance since the BSP's defeat in the UP assembly polls on Tuesday.
11:12 Mayawati reaches Raj Bhavan to hand in resignation
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has reached the Raj Bhavan in Lucknow to submit her resignation to Governor B L Joshi.
Since her party received a severe drubbing in the polls, the outgoing CM has not made any public appearance.
She has not even issued a statement to the media. Political pundits, however, caution against writing off the firebrand Dalit leader so soon.
10:51 Romney, Santorum battle for Ohio
While India witnessed Verdict 2012 on March 6, on the other side of the planet, the United States too watched a decisive electoral battle as the presidential candidates of the Republican Party battled it out.
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, with three wins each in their kitty, were running almost neck to neck in Ohio on "Super Tuesday" wherein 10 States went into Republican presidential primary.
Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor, had won Vermont, Virginia and his own home State of Massachusetts; while Santorum, the former Pennsylvania Senator, had garnered North Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
10:46 Man detained for Delhi car blast
A 50-year-old man has been detained for questioning by the Delhi police in connection with the car bomb attack on an Israeli embassy vehicle in Delhi in February.
Here is some non-election news:
The suspect was picked up from the capital and is being questioned, police sources said.
Israeli diplomat Tal Yehoshua and the driver of the vehicle were among the four people injured in the blast after a magnetic bomb stuck to the vehicle went off.
10:42 Congress leaders to ponder over poll debacle
Top leaders of the Congress -- including party chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul -- will meet in Delhi on Wednesday morning to take stock of the poll drubbing the party received in the state polls.
Apart from Manipur, where the Congress comfortably got a simple majority, the party failed to make much of a mark in the other states.
10:41 Uttarakhand: All eyes on independent MLAs
In Uttarakhand, where the Congress has won 31 seats and the BJP has secured 30 seats, all eyes are on the smaller parties and independent candidates as they hold the key to government formation.
Both the national parties will need 36 seats in the 70-member assembly to ensure a simple majority and form the government.
10:32 Will Akhilesh Yadav become the UP CM?
Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh, who has been credited for the successful campaign of the party, may be nominated as the chief minister.
Though the SP has maintained that Mulayam will be the next chief minister of UP, reports indicate that party leaders may nominate the young and educated politician for the top post.
On Tuesday, several political experts had opined that Akhilesh, not Mulayam, should become the CM if the party wanted to maintain its winning streak.
10:26 Mulayam to meet governor for govt formation
Senior leaders of the Samajwadi Party, which surpassed expectations by winning 224 seats in the 403-member assembly, will meet in Lucknow on Wednesday evening to plan the way forward.
SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav is also expected to meet the governor and stake a claim to form the state government.
10:24 Mayawati to resign soon; Akhilesh to be CM?
Good morning!
The day after Election 2012, it is time for post-poll calculations and strategising in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab and Uttaranchal.
First off, let's hear the post-poll buzz from Uttar Pradesh:
Chief Minister Mayawati is likely to meet Governor B L Joshi on Wednesday morning and hand over her resignation. The Bahujan Samaj Party, which has been in power in UP for the last five years under Maya's leadership, received a severe drubbing in the state polls.
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