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Fri, 19 October 2012
Activists in UK express concern over Kudankulam
Timeline Refresh
23:36 Anti-nuke activists in UK express concern over Kudankulam
Voicing their opposition to atomic power as a source of energy, anti-nuclear activists in Britain have expressed their solidarity with the protests against the nuclear power plants at Kudankulam in India and Hinkley Point in the UK.
The activists, including doctors and academics, held a meeting at the House of Commons here last night and expressed their concern about the present situation in Kudankulam. The meeting was hosted by MP Caroline Lucas and organised jointly by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and South Asia Solidarity Group.
23:02 Soldiers who died in Indo-China war to be honoured
For the first time ever in fifty years, India will officially remember and pay homage to the soldiers who fought in the 1962 India-China war. Defence Minister AK Antony, Marshal of the Indian Air Force and the senior-most living officer Arjan Singh, and the three service chiefs will be at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in New Delhi tomorrow morning to honour the martyrs.
The nearly month-long war with China, in which about 4000 soldiers and officers lost their lives, began on October 20, 1962. The 4th Division that had fought admirably during World War II was demolished, and the Indian Army was forced to retreat from Arunachal Pradesh, then known as NEFA.
21:47 Malala Yousufzai able to stand: Hospital
Doctors treating 14-year-old Pakistani shooting victim Malala Yousufzai said on Friday that she is able to stand with help and to write, though she still shows signs of infection, reports The Dawn.
.The girl is "well enough that she's agreed that she's happy, in fact keen, for us to share more clinical detail," said Dr Dave Rosser, medical director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
"She is also keen that I thank people for their support and their interest because she is obviously aware of the amount of interest and support this has generated around the world."
Read the full report here
.The girl is "well enough that she's agreed that she's happy, in fact keen, for us to share more clinical detail," said Dr Dave Rosser, medical director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
"She is also keen that I thank people for their support and their interest because she is obviously aware of the amount of interest and support this has generated around the world."
Read the full report here
21:01 Hijack drama: DGCA asks for recordings of black box
Aviation regulator DGCA today asked for recordings of the black box of the Air India Express plane after a high drama unfolded at Thiruvananthapuram when some agitated passengers entered the cockpit, leading itspilot to press the hijack alarm.
The DGCA has asked the pilots to appear before it to provide their version of the incident and directed the airline to submit the Cockpit Voice Recorder or the black box for an inquest, official sources said.
The regulator also asked Air India Express to take action as per the Aircraft Act against the passengers who entered the cockpit. Following this, six passengers were detained at Kochi airport on charges of endangering aircraft safety when theBoeing-737 landed there, but let off later.
The DGCA has asked the pilots to appear before it to provide their version of the incident and directed the airline to submit the Cockpit Voice Recorder or the black box for an inquest, official sources said.
The regulator also asked Air India Express to take action as per the Aircraft Act against the passengers who entered the cockpit. Following this, six passengers were detained at Kochi airport on charges of endangering aircraft safety when theBoeing-737 landed there, but let off later.
19:57 SIT grills Kripashankar again in DA case
Former Mumbai Congress Chief Kripashankar Singh was today questioned for the second time by the Special Investigating Team, probing the alleged amassing of disproportionate assets by him.
Earlier, on October 15, the SIT had recorded Singh's statement but as this could not be completed, he was called again today to seek information regarding his properties and assets, police sources said.
Singh came alone to the police headquarters in South Mumbai, where he was questioned for several hours. A senior police official said, the Congress leader might be called again, if required.
18:40 17 injured as plane evacuated in in UK's Glasgow airport
Update on the on the incident at Glasgow airport. Seventeen people were today injured after a plane was evacuated shortly before take-off at Glasgow Airport following detection of smoke in the cabin.
The incident happened on the Boeing 737 plane bound for Alicante in Spain at about 7.40 am (local time). The 189 passengers left the Jet2 aircraft using inflatable chutes after smoke was detected in the cabin. Police said four people had been taken to hospital and 13 people had received medical treatment at the scene. No one is understood to have been seriously injured.
The incident happened on the Boeing 737 plane bound for Alicante in Spain at about 7.40 am (local time). The 189 passengers left the Jet2 aircraft using inflatable chutes after smoke was detected in the cabin. Police said four people had been taken to hospital and 13 people had received medical treatment at the scene. No one is understood to have been seriously injured.
18:37 Shot Pakistani teenager Malala 'standing with help': Docs
Pakistan's teenage rights activist Malala Yousufzai, shot in the head by Taliban, has managed to stand with help for the first time and is also able to write, doctors treating her at a UK hospital said today, while warning that "she is not out of the woods" yet. 15-year-old Malala "is now well enough... she is happy, in fact, keen for us to share quite a lot of clinical detail with you," Dr David Rosser said. "She's communicating very freely, she's writing," he said.
The girl has managed to stand with help for the first time since the October 9 attack. Malala was "doing very well" but there were still some concerns about her smooth recovery, he said, adding that she was "not out of the woods" yet.
The girl has managed to stand with help for the first time since the October 9 attack. Malala was "doing very well" but there were still some concerns about her smooth recovery, he said, adding that she was "not out of the woods" yet.
18:29 No info about Damania deal, says Kejriwal
A subtle distancing? Arvind Kejriwal tells CNN IBN that he had, "no idea about IAC activist Anjali Damania's land deals, but you can't call her guilty till the charges against her have been proved."
Earlier in the day, announcing the formation of a probe panel, Kejriwal said it has been alleged that Prashant Bhushan has done irregularities in buying land in Himachal Pradesh, Mayank Gandhi has links with builders, and questions have been raised against Anjali Damania's land deals in Maharashtra, but none of the charges had been proven.
Earlier in the day, announcing the formation of a probe panel, Kejriwal said it has been alleged that Prashant Bhushan has done irregularities in buying land in Himachal Pradesh, Mayank Gandhi has links with builders, and questions have been raised against Anjali Damania's land deals in Maharashtra, but none of the charges had been proven.
18:19 Vasundhara Raje: Rubbish! I'm not quitting BJP
Leader of the Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Vasundhara Raje today dubbed as "misleading and baseless" media reports that she is likely to quit BJP and float her own party before assembly elections are held in the state in 2013. In a statement circulated by the BJP headquarters here in Raje's name, the leader said there is no need for her to give a clarification on her and her family's relations with the party.
She termed the news report a "political conspiracy" on the part of Congress and some selfish individuals. "They want to harm my image by getting published such misleading and baseless reports against me in the media. I have the love and blessings of the people of Rajasthan. So, I am not going to get perturbed by such reports and neither are such reports going to break a strong party like BJP," Raje said in the statement.
She termed the news report a "political conspiracy" on the part of Congress and some selfish individuals. "They want to harm my image by getting published such misleading and baseless reports against me in the media. I have the love and blessings of the people of Rajasthan. So, I am not going to get perturbed by such reports and neither are such reports going to break a strong party like BJP," Raje said in the statement.
18:17 Dear Kejriwal, what after the media love-affair ends?
He has created the buzz, now what? Arvind Kejriwal has had a dream run thus far, basking in media attention and public sympathy. Read
18:14 And the Gadkari-IAC plot thickens
For the second time in less than a month, the Bharatiya Janata Party has had to speak up on behalf of its president Nitin Gadkari. The first was when anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania alleged that he refused to take a stand on the irrigation scam in Maharashtra citing business relations with Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party. Read
18:11 Three scenarios how India and China could clash again
While a full-fledged war between the two nuclear and rising powers in Asia is highly unlikely due to the costs of war, yet a scenario of a quick land grab by China to humiliate India again cannot be rule out in future, says Srikanth Kondapalli. Read
18:01 SC nod for release of Chakravyuh with song featuring Tata, Bata
The Supreme Court today allowed Prakash Jha to release his film Chakravyuh featuring a controversial song that mentions Tata, Birla and Bata with a condition that a disclaimer would be shown on-screen during the airing of the song. A bench said that an audio disclaimer would also be aired before the song is played on radio and also cautioned the filmmaker to be "careful" in future for not hurting sentiments of other people.
17:51
Back in Srinagar, the army, CRPF and police are now conducting a search operation in the aftermath of a shootout by militants that left one dead and at least three people injured.
17:47 First look at Starbucks Mumbai
You may either love or loathe Starbucks, the American chain of coffee shops, but if you live in Mumbai, you can't possibly ignore it today. Only a few hours remain before the black curtain that has shrouded the flagship India Starbucks store in Fort, is taken down. Read
(Prices range from Rs80 for a single shot of espresso to Rs200 for a venti caramel frappuccino and are exclusive of taxes.)
(Prices range from Rs80 for a single shot of espresso to Rs200 for a venti caramel frappuccino and are exclusive of taxes.)
17:41 Manhunt for militants, 1 killed in Srinagar shootout
The hotel is located near the airport and just off the highway. The militants, believed to be at least three in number, have reportedly fled and a manhunt has been launched.
17:37 Suspected militants open fire in Srinagar, 1 dead
Rediff.com's Mukhtar Ahmad reports that the suspected militants opened fire near the gate of the four-star hotel at Pantha chowk-Parimpora bypass road on the outskirts of Sringar city, killing an employee.
The incident happened at around 4:20 pm and all the vicitms -- one dead and possibly three injured -- are employees of the hotel.
The person who is dead has been identified as Farooq Ahmad, police said.
It is believed that hotel or a security forces convoy passing through the area was the target of the militants Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a hunt to track down the militants, the police said.
The injured have been taken to hospital.
Additional inputs from PTI.
The incident happened at around 4:20 pm and all the vicitms -- one dead and possibly three injured -- are employees of the hotel.
The person who is dead has been identified as Farooq Ahmad, police said.
It is believed that hotel or a security forces convoy passing through the area was the target of the militants Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a hunt to track down the militants, the police said.
The injured have been taken to hospital.
Additional inputs from PTI.
17:32 Suspected militants open fire in Srinagar, 1 dead
Just in: One dead, three injured as suspected militants open fire in Nowgam, Srinagar. The encounter took place near the gate of Hotel Silver Star in Srinagar.
17:30 Minor fire at Finance Ministry
A minor fire broke out at the Finance Ministry in North Block here today. The blaze was reported from a room next to Minister of State Palani Manickam this afternoon and four fire tenders were rushed to the spot which doused it in minutes, fire brigade officials said. A short circuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire. No one was injured in the incident, they said.
17:28 It's back -- the link between mobile phones and cancer
Italy's Supreme Court has ruled that use of mobile phones can cause brain tumours in a landmark case. And experts have predicted a flood of legal actions from other victims, the Sun reported. Italian businessman Innocente Marcolini, 60, was diagnosed with a brain tumour after using his mobile phone at work for up to six hours a day for 12 years. He was complaining of head and chin pains. Now, his country's Supreme Court found there was a causal link between his heavy phone use and the growth.
17:26 Pakistan court rules army must stop interfering in politics
In a rare challenge to Pakistan's powerful generals, the country's Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the military should stop interfering in politics. Read
17:16 10 classic Newsweek covers
Huge bout of nostalgia even before Newsweek ends the print version of its magazine. See
17:14 Was there a conflict of interest behind the Nobel lit prize?
Last week's decision to award the Nobel Prize in literature to Mo Yan was national news in China as state broadcasters broke into the regularly scheduled evening news to make the announcement that a Chinese writer had finally won the prize, easing anxiety among the country's leaders regarding the Western world's recognition of Chinese cultural prowess.But now the integrity of that prize has come under question in Sweden. Read
16:59 Pak mulls starting Indian fuel imports as thaw sets in
Pakistan appears to have warmed up to the idea of allowing fuel imports from India, following this week's visit to Delhi by Asim Hussain, the country's petroleum minister. Read
16:49 KFA to pay Rs 30K for denying boarding to woman flier
Kingfisher Airlines has been asked by the apex consumer commission to pay Rs 30,000 as compensation and to issue a complimentary air ticket to a woman for "arbitrarily" denying her boarding citing "over booking" of flight despite her having a confirmed ticket.
Kingfisher, meanwhile, has extended the partial lockout till October 23.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission's (NCDRC) order was passed while dismissing a plea by Kingfisher Airlines challenging the decisions of the Chandigarh State Consumer Commission and a district forum which had directed the airline to pay the compensation to the woman passenger, apart from issuing her a complimentary return ticket.
Kingfisher, meanwhile, has extended the partial lockout till October 23.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission's (NCDRC) order was passed while dismissing a plea by Kingfisher Airlines challenging the decisions of the Chandigarh State Consumer Commission and a district forum which had directed the airline to pay the compensation to the woman passenger, apart from issuing her a complimentary return ticket.
16:43
The BJP had amended its constitution enabling the party president, state and district unit chiefs to get a second term, which has now paved the way for Nitin Gadkari as party president. His tenure ends in December.
16:31 IAC members Damania, Gandhi open to probe
India Against Corruption members Mayank Gandhi and Anjali Damania today welcomed the organisation's decision to set up a three-member panel of retired judges to probe the charges against them, and said they were ready to face any probe.
"We are ready to face any probe. If the probe finds us guilty, we will quit," Gandhi and Damania told reporters here. "I am legally a farmer and have documents to prove it," Damania said.
"I have not done any `benami' transactions," she said, referring to questions about her land deals. "We have nothing to hide. The probe will clear everything," said Gandhi, facing allegations of having links with builders.
"We are ready to face any probe. If the probe finds us guilty, we will quit," Gandhi and Damania told reporters here. "I am legally a farmer and have documents to prove it," Damania said.
"I have not done any `benami' transactions," she said, referring to questions about her land deals. "We have nothing to hide. The probe will clear everything," said Gandhi, facing allegations of having links with builders.
16:28 Kejriwal fires a dud, Gadkari gets 2nd term as BJP prez
So Arvind Kejriwal's dud missile fired at BJP chief Nitin Gadkari in Delhi on Wednesday has not affected his chances of getting a second term as president of the party. Read more
16:24 Nitin Gadkari gets second term as BJP president
Just in: Nitin Gadkari is set to continue for the second term as BJP president. The decision was taken at a meeting with the RSS.
16:15 SC rejects Deccan Chargers plea against IPL termination
The Supreme Court dismisses Deccan Chargers plea against their termination from IPL. The cash-strapped Deccan Chargers today moved the Supreme Court against the team's termination from the Indian Premier League by the BCCI. The Deccan Chargers have challenged the Bombay High Court order refusing to set aside a status quo order passed by an arbitrator on cessation of its membership in the league. This means Deccan Chargers stands terminated from IPL.
16:01 'Missing' farmer says Gadkari did not grab his land
Arvind Kejriwal's IAC has inadvertently become a sitcom. The 'missing' farmer Gajanan Ghadge now says he is not missing and that BJP leader Nititn Gadkari has not taken his land. "My land is with me," he says. Ghadge also says that Anjali Damania (IAC) only wanted to help and was seeking his support. "Don't know who is playing politics with whom," says Ghadge.
This is what the IAC website says on Ghadge. Read
This is what the IAC website says on Ghadge. Read
15:46 6 passengers held, 'hijacked' plane lands in Kochi
The 'hijacked' Air India Express flight from Thiruvananthapuram has landed in Kochi. Six passengers have been detained at Kochi airport for allegedly threatening the pilot and entering the cockpit. The other passengers however say a false complaint was filed and nobody entered the cockpit. Scroll down for the story.
15:38 3 bar girls gangraped by 8-9 youths in Karnataka
Close on the heels of alleged gangrape of a woman law student in Bangalore, three bar girls were reportedly raped by eight-nine men in the city.
"At around 12:30 am last night, eight to nine men aged between 20-25 came in a Maruti Omni van and Honda Activa to a house in Mariappanpalya where seven bar girls working in Casino Bar in Gandhinagar in Bangalore were staying on the ground floor for past one and a half months," Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal said.
The gang overpowered two security guards posted outside the house in Mariappanpalya in Jnanajyothi extention in Bidadi police station limits and forcibly entered it, he said.
"They threatened the girls to part with whatever valuables they have and took a gold chain, six gold rings, a television, a DVD player, five mobiles and Rs 15,000 cash from them," he said.
The youths then kidnapped three bar girls out of the seven, and bundling them into the van after blindfolding them, took them to a nearby house and raped them, he said. A manhunt is on for the culprits.
"At around 12:30 am last night, eight to nine men aged between 20-25 came in a Maruti Omni van and Honda Activa to a house in Mariappanpalya where seven bar girls working in Casino Bar in Gandhinagar in Bangalore were staying on the ground floor for past one and a half months," Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal said.
The gang overpowered two security guards posted outside the house in Mariappanpalya in Jnanajyothi extention in Bidadi police station limits and forcibly entered it, he said.
"They threatened the girls to part with whatever valuables they have and took a gold chain, six gold rings, a television, a DVD player, five mobiles and Rs 15,000 cash from them," he said.
The youths then kidnapped three bar girls out of the seven, and bundling them into the van after blindfolding them, took them to a nearby house and raped them, he said. A manhunt is on for the culprits.
15:33 Heard of Baba Shetty?
Yesterday, Newsweek editor-in-chief Tina Brown announced that the magazine would be adopting an all-digital format or in other words ending their print version next year. The report was filed by Brown and another person -- someone called Baba Shetty -- who is the CEO of Newsweek Dailybeast co. Here's more on the mystery man. Read
15:14 Kejriwal lashes out at YP Singh
Today, Kejriwal refuted former IPS officer Y P Singh's allegations that he concealed information about Sharad Pawar. Kejriwal said he had raised corruption charges against the NCP chief earlier and there was no point in repeating it.
He said it was "not right" on the part of Singh to allege that he had not revealed evidence against Pawar while targeting BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and pointed out that they had held a press conference and demanded his removal during a fast in August.
He said it was "not right" on the part of Singh to allege that he had not revealed evidence against Pawar while targeting BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and pointed out that they had held a press conference and demanded his removal during a fast in August.
15:08
A sneak preview of Starbucks first India store. Read
15:05 Govt reacts: IAC accused CANNOT order probe
Just in: The government reacts to Arvind Kejriwal's statement that he had dared the government to order a probe into the alleged financial irregularities of three IAC members. The MoS says accused cannot order a probe.
Kejriwal said the IAC HAD formed an independent committee of ombudsmen consisting of three retired judges enjoying a reputation of high integrity and independence to inquire into any charges made against key members of IAC. The three members being probed are Anjali Damania, Prashant Bhushan and Mayank Gandhi.
Kejriwal said the IAC HAD formed an independent committee of ombudsmen consisting of three retired judges enjoying a reputation of high integrity and independence to inquire into any charges made against key members of IAC. The three members being probed are Anjali Damania, Prashant Bhushan and Mayank Gandhi.
14:54 North Korea leader's nephew in rare interview
14:38 Malala 'comfortable and stable' at Birmingham hospital
Pakistan's teenage rights activist Malala Yousufzai, shot in the head by the Taliban, remains in a "comfortable and stable" condition at a UK hospital, doctors said today, amid hundreds of messages of support for the girl. In a statement, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham said Malala's condition this morning was "comfortable and stable".
A team of doctors from both the Queen Elizabeth and Birmingham Children's hospitals was looking after her, the statement said. "Malala's family remain in Pakistan at this time," the statement said. The 14-year-old schoolgirl was flown to the UK on Monday following a surgery in Pakistan during which a bullet lodged near her spine was removed.
Also read: Angelina Jolie pens: We all are Malala column
A team of doctors from both the Queen Elizabeth and Birmingham Children's hospitals was looking after her, the statement said. "Malala's family remain in Pakistan at this time," the statement said. The 14-year-old schoolgirl was flown to the UK on Monday following a surgery in Pakistan during which a bullet lodged near her spine was removed.
Also read: Angelina Jolie pens: We all are Malala column
14:28 Dear Saifeena: Thank you for not converting
Saif was upfront and unequivocal about Kareena not converting to Islam: "I would never want Kareena to change her religion. That is the trouble with religion, really. It expects conversion. I don't buy or believe that." Read
14:17 Now, morning-after pill that can be taken five days later
A contraceptive pill which can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex will now be made available at pharmacies in the UK without the need for prescription, a move that has drawn concern from critics.
The UK-based Co-Operative Pharmacy chain is to sell the 'five-day-after pill' for 30 pounds, with no requirement for women to have had a doctor's consultation beforehand, The Telegraph reported.
Until now it has only been possible to get the pill, ellaOne with a prescription from a General Practitioner. Now, the pill will be on sale in around 40 branches in "areas of high demand" including Essex, London and Bristol, a spokesman from the company was quoted as saying.
The UK-based Co-Operative Pharmacy chain is to sell the 'five-day-after pill' for 30 pounds, with no requirement for women to have had a doctor's consultation beforehand, The Telegraph reported.
Until now it has only been possible to get the pill, ellaOne with a prescription from a General Practitioner. Now, the pill will be on sale in around 40 branches in "areas of high demand" including Essex, London and Bristol, a spokesman from the company was quoted as saying.
14:12
Killings derail effort at grass-roots governance in India. Read
14:11 Beware of this crippling condition
It's called repetitive strain injury, or RSI and is a condition caused by frequent, unnatural movements like typing on a computer. Read
14:07 Smoke-filled jet evacuated on Glasgow runway
After the Thiruvananthapuram hijack scare, a passenger jet has been evacuated on the runway at Glasgow Airport following reports of smoke filling the cabin, reports Yahoo. The incident involved a Jet2 aircraft, flight LS177, bound for Alicante in Spain carrying 187 passengers. The company said the plane, a Boeing 737-800, made an emergency stop on the runway just prior to take off because of smoke in the cabin. At least four people sustained injuries, which are not thought to be serious.
13:59 'I was, I am, and will remain anti-Chinese'
Brigadier Amarjit Singh Behl (retd), then a second lieutenant, and his men fought to the end before being taken prisoners of war by the Chinese in the 1962 Indo-China war. Then a 21 year old, the soldier looks back at a war fought in extremely difficult circumstances and life as a Chinese PoW in this interview to Rediff.com's Claude Arpi. Read
13:58 'We were told that the Chinese will come in waves'
Brigadier Amar Jit Singh Behl (retd) speaks to Claude Arpi in an exclusive interview. That's part of our new series on the India-China War, 50 years later.
Read
Read
13:56 In conversation with Omar Abdullah
Last week at his residence in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, spoke on a wide-ranging discussion that touched on the bumpy introduction of gram panchayats into the state. Read
13:44
So why is Arvind Kejriwal digging up scams? Here's why.
13:39
This is what the IAC's press release says on the internal probe against Anjali Damani, Prashant Bhushan and Mayank Gandhi.
"We have from time to time requested the Government to set up an independent enquiry to investigate into the matter and give us double the punishment than prescribed if found guilty. Unfortunately, the government has been more interested in mud-slinging than setting up an independent probe. Therefore, we have formed an independent ombudsmen consisting of three retired judges enjoying a reputation of high integrity and independence to inquire into any charges made against key members of IAC."
"We have from time to time requested the Government to set up an independent enquiry to investigate into the matter and give us double the punishment than prescribed if found guilty. Unfortunately, the government has been more interested in mud-slinging than setting up an independent probe. Therefore, we have formed an independent ombudsmen consisting of three retired judges enjoying a reputation of high integrity and independence to inquire into any charges made against key members of IAC."
13:35
The return of Preity Zinta, courtesy the Dalai Lama. Read
This is what rediff.com's Claude Arpi says on the Dalai Lama and cricket.
"I had met a few days after this cricket match.
I asked him: "Do you understand cricket?"
He answered "Nothing".
But he said that when he was younger he played table tennis with Zhou Enlai in Beijing.
He defeated Zhou who apparently had a handicap with his arm."
This is what rediff.com's Claude Arpi says on the Dalai Lama and cricket.
"I had met a few days after this cricket match.
I asked him: "Do you understand cricket?"
He answered "Nothing".
But he said that when he was younger he played table tennis with Zhou Enlai in Beijing.
He defeated Zhou who apparently had a handicap with his arm."
13:27 Kejriwal wants probe against Damania, Bhushan
Just in: India Against Corruption activist and now politician, says he has ordered an internal probe against team members Anjali Damania, Prashant Bhushan and Mayank Gandhi over allegations of financial irregularities.
Addressing the charges of former IPS officer YP Singh that he remained silent on Sharad Pawar, Kejriwal said the cannot make charges without proof and that he had in fact, exposed Pawar earlier.
Addressing the charges of former IPS officer YP Singh that he remained silent on Sharad Pawar, Kejriwal said the cannot make charges without proof and that he had in fact, exposed Pawar earlier.
13:17
And another tweet from @ShashiTharoor Hijack drama atTrivandrum airport turns out2b agitated passengers thumping on cockpit door because flight diverted by bad weather. No worries
Tharoor, incidentally, is an MP from Thiruvananthapuram.
Tharoor, incidentally, is an MP from Thiruvananthapuram.
13:14
@ShashiTharoor Reassuring all members of the public worried about so called hijack drama that all is well, Thiruvananthapuram airport is safe, calm restored.
13:13
The Air India Express flight is scheduled to leave Thiruvananthapuram for Kochi in 10 minutes.
In other news, an interesting story on the Slate... If all the previous US Presidents were alive and running for office in 2012, who would win? Read
In other news, an interesting story on the Slate... If all the previous US Presidents were alive and running for office in 2012, who would win? Read
13:04 Action against AI pilot for false hijack alarm
TV reports say action is likely to be taken against the pilot for raising a false hijack alarm. The flight, with new crew and pilot, is about to leave for Kochi, seven hours after it made an emergency landing.
12:55 What Google looks like from inside the belly of the beast.
Fantastic pictures of the innards of the search engine. See
12:53 SC notice to Mamata Banerjee
Taking exception to Calcutta High Court's order refusing to give notice to Mamata Banerjee on appointment of Dr Sukumar Mukherjee as chief health advisor to the state goverment, the Supreme Court today issued notice to the West Bengal Chief Minister.
A bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave issued notice to Banerjee seeking her reply on why she should not be made party in the case challenging the appointment of Mukherjee, against whom Supreme Court had made adverse remarks earlier.
"It was surely abnormal procedure adopted by the Calcutta High Court. She should have been issued notice and she should be heard before deleting her name from the list of parties," the bench said. The bench further clarified that it is issuing notice to Banerjee only as to why she should not remain one of the respondents in the case filed in high court.
A bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave issued notice to Banerjee seeking her reply on why she should not be made party in the case challenging the appointment of Mukherjee, against whom Supreme Court had made adverse remarks earlier.
"It was surely abnormal procedure adopted by the Calcutta High Court. She should have been issued notice and she should be heard before deleting her name from the list of parties," the bench said. The bench further clarified that it is issuing notice to Banerjee only as to why she should not remain one of the respondents in the case filed in high court.
12:43
The Air India Express COO confirms that this is not a hijack, just a case of miscommunication.
Apparently when the pilot raised the hijack alarm, commandos at the Thiruvananthapuram airport ran onto the runway and surrounded the plane.
Apparently when the pilot raised the hijack alarm, commandos at the Thiruvananthapuram airport ran onto the runway and surrounded the plane.
12:40 124 IRATE passengers on board 'hijacked' airfcraft
Passengers say they are now being threatened by the pilot and rubbished reports that they had entered the cockpit. They says they have not been provided food or water since the plane landed in Thiruvananthapuram at around 6 am. There are around 124 passengers on board the aircraft.
12:35 AI hijack scare: Irate passengers refuse to deplane
CNN IBN reports that the pilot and crew will be replaced and the same aircraft will fly to Kochi. If you've just joined us, here's an update on the Air India Express hijack scare.
The pilot of the Abu Dhabi-Kochi Air India Express flight sent a hijack message to airport officials at Thiruvananthapuram this morning after passengers allegedly tried to force their way into the cockpit. The flight, which was headed from Abu Dhabi to Kochi was diverted suddenly to Thiruvananthapuram because of fog and technical issues.
Enraged passengers allegedly tried to force their way into the cockpit to protest against the re-routing; they said they had not been informed about the diversion.
Passengers also said they had not been treated properly. The plane, which landed at 6 am, has not yet taken off and neither have the passengers deplaned.
The pilot of the Abu Dhabi-Kochi Air India Express flight sent a hijack message to airport officials at Thiruvananthapuram this morning after passengers allegedly tried to force their way into the cockpit. The flight, which was headed from Abu Dhabi to Kochi was diverted suddenly to Thiruvananthapuram because of fog and technical issues.
Enraged passengers allegedly tried to force their way into the cockpit to protest against the re-routing; they said they had not been informed about the diversion.
Passengers also said they had not been treated properly. The plane, which landed at 6 am, has not yet taken off and neither have the passengers deplaned.
12:25 Deccan Chargers move SC against termination from IPL
The cash-strapped Deccan Chargers today moved the Supreme Court against the team's termination from the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the BCCI. The Deccan Chargers have challenged the Bombay High Court order refusing to set aside a status quo order passed by an arbitrator on cessation of its membership in the league. The appeal against the High Court order was mentioned by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi before a bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, which said it would hear the matter later in the day.
12:04
More details on the hijack scare at Thiruvananthapuram airport in a bit. Meanwhile, another story on the Indo-China war on the Economist.
How 50 years after the nasty high-altitude war, the border dispute remains unresolved. Read
How 50 years after the nasty high-altitude war, the border dispute remains unresolved. Read
11:58 AI passengers 'hijack' Dubai-Kochi flight
Just in: There has been a hijack scare at the Thiruvananthapuram airport. An Air India Express plane had to make an emergency landing after the pilot raised the hijack alarm as passengers had forcibly entered the cockpit. Early reports indicate that there was a technical snag and the pilot decided to land the Dubai-Kochi flight at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport. But passengers refused to cooperate and entered the cockpit demanding that the flight take off as per schedule. The pilot then pressed the emergency alarm. The passengers have refused to disembark.
11:48 India's best kept secret outed: The 1962 war defeat
The Indian army has held up the declassification of one of India's most
classified documents, the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat report. The report
submitted by Lieutenant General Henderson Brooks and then Brigadier Prem
Bhagat to the government in 1963 outlines the reasons for the defeat of
the Indian army in the 1962 border war with China. Read more
11:37 Unforgettable band of friends
Figure this out. What could be common to Joan Baez, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Erich Honecker? The Telegraph Kolkata has the answer.
11:32 Scribe held in Israeli diplomat attack gets bail
Journalist Syed Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi, arrested for his alleged role in the February 13 bomb attack at an Israeli diplomat's car in New Delhi has been granted bail.
Kazmi was arrested by Special Cell of Delhi Police on March 6. Kazmi, who claims to have been writing for an Iranian publication, was picked up by the Special Cell of Delhi Police after the probe showed he had been in touch with a suspect who is believed to have stuck the magnetic bomb on Israeli diplomat Tal Yehoshua's car on February 13.
Yehoshua and an Indian driver of the Embassy vehicle were among the four people injured in the blast.
Kazmi was arrested by Special Cell of Delhi Police on March 6. Kazmi, who claims to have been writing for an Iranian publication, was picked up by the Special Cell of Delhi Police after the probe showed he had been in touch with a suspect who is believed to have stuck the magnetic bomb on Israeli diplomat Tal Yehoshua's car on February 13.
Yehoshua and an Indian driver of the Embassy vehicle were among the four people injured in the blast.
11:27 Bangladeshi NYC terror suspect planned to kill Obama
The Bangladeshi man, who was arrested by the FBI for plotting to blow up the Federal Reserve in New York, had planned to kill US President Barack Obama, it has emerged.
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, 21, was arrested on Wednesday after an FBI sting operation thwarted his alleged attempt to detonate a 1,000 lbs car bomb in Manhattan.
On Thursday, it was claimed that Nafis'' initial plan had been to assassinate Obama, the Telegraph reports. His wish to 'attack and kill a high ranking government official' was aimed at the US president, it was alleged.
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, 21, was arrested on Wednesday after an FBI sting operation thwarted his alleged attempt to detonate a 1,000 lbs car bomb in Manhattan.
On Thursday, it was claimed that Nafis'' initial plan had been to assassinate Obama, the Telegraph reports. His wish to 'attack and kill a high ranking government official' was aimed at the US president, it was alleged.
11:17 Indian Hotels shares fall after Orient-Express bid
Shares in Indian Hotels Company Ltd , controlled by the Tata Group conglomerate, dropped as much as 3.8 percent in the early trade on Friday, after the company made an unsolicited USD 1.2 billion bid for luxury hotels group Orient-Express Hotels. Read
11:10 HC summons Aroon Purie for TV Today's Khurshid scam
Just in: The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the TV Today Group over its sting operation on Salman Khurshid's Trust. TV Today has to file a reply within four weeks. The summons were issued to TV Today chairman and managing director Aroon Purie and 13 others. Salman Khurshid's wife Louise had accused the television network of maligning her family and
sought damages worth Rs 1 crore. The TV Today group aired a sting
operation about how Khurshid's trust for the disabled had forged
signatures to acquire funds.
10:59 Vasundhara Raje to break away from BJP to form own party?
Even as BJP battles instability in its Karnataka unit along with former CM B S Yeddyurappa threatening to walk out, a bombshell seems to be waiting to explode for the party in Rajasthan, with Vasundhara Raje on the verge of revolting against party's central leadership. Read
10:57 Tatas launch hostile bid for Orient Express Hotels
Tata-owned Indian Hotels Company Ltd has launched a bid to control British luxury chain Orient Express Hotels along with Ferrari boss Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and Paul White. Interestingly, White is a former chief executive of the New York-listed Orient Express Hotels and had earlier opposed an alliance with the Indian conglomerate. Read
10:50 6 Indian UN peacekeepers wounded in ambush in Congo
Update on the kidnapping of the six Indian peacekeepers in Congo.
The six men and a local interpreter, serving with the United Nations mission in strife-torn Congo, were wounded when their patrol was ambushed in what is being termed as a "targetted and deliberate" attack.
The six peacekeepers were part of the Indian contingent serving with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo. They were ambushed along with their interpreter while returning from a patrol with 12 other peacekeepers near Buganza in North Kivu province on October 17 after finding the bodies of four civilians, the mission said in a news release.
"This premeditated, targeted and deliberate attack is inadmissible," said the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of MONUSCO, Roger Meece. "We will work with the national authorities to identify those responsible for this ignoble deed so that they are called to justice."
The six men and a local interpreter, serving with the United Nations mission in strife-torn Congo, were wounded when their patrol was ambushed in what is being termed as a "targetted and deliberate" attack.
The six peacekeepers were part of the Indian contingent serving with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo. They were ambushed along with their interpreter while returning from a patrol with 12 other peacekeepers near Buganza in North Kivu province on October 17 after finding the bodies of four civilians, the mission said in a news release.
"This premeditated, targeted and deliberate attack is inadmissible," said the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of MONUSCO, Roger Meece. "We will work with the national authorities to identify those responsible for this ignoble deed so that they are called to justice."
10:16 Apple loses 'iPad design infringement' case against Samsung
Tech giant Apple lost its patent case against Samsung in an appeals court in London after a judge ruled that the Korean electronics manufacturer's Galaxy tablet does not copy the iPad's design.
London's Court of Appeal upheld a previous decision that said Samsung''s Galaxy tablet did not infringe upon Apple's patents.
The court said there were similarities between the two devices, but that Samsung had not infringed Apple's design, in part because its products were "not as cool".
10:15 Google sees $22 bln value wipe out after 'mistake'
Google saw its shares plunge after the Internet search giant inadvertently released its third-quarter earnings statements hours ahead of schedule.
The web search giant's stocks crashed by as much as 11 percent and wiped over 22 billion dollars off the value of the company after the inadvertently published figures revealed a 20 percent fall in profits.
According to the Telegraph, the announcement was scheduled for publication after markets closed in New York, but they were accidentally published four hours early.
10:11 William Burns to meet Advani
A correspondent from Delhi reports: United States Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, along with American ambassador Nancy Powell, will meet BJP senior leader L K Advani on Friday morning.
09:51 Why should Tendulkar get Order of Australia: Hayden
Upset at Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar getting the Order of Australia, former batsman Matthew Hayden said the honour should be exclusive to his countrymen.
"Now, if Sachin was living in Australia -- give him the prime minister's gong I reckon -- but the reality of it is he is living in India," Hayden told a radio show.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the honour for Tendulkar during a recent visit to India.
Hayden, who is also a former recipient of the title, said only Australians should be conferred with such awards as they are about national honour.
09:50 Sensex falls 62 points in early trade
The BSE benchmark Sensex declined by over 62 points in early trade today as funds and retail investors preferred to book profits after two sessions of gains. Besides, a subdued trend on Asian bourses also dampened the trading sentiments here.
The 30-share barometer, which gained nearly 215 points in the previous two sessions, fell by 62.38 points, or 0.33 percent, to 18,729.55.
09:45 Kejriwal jealous of Gadkari: Thackeray
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has defended BJP chief Nitin Gadkari against the corruption allegations levelled by activist Arvind Kejriwal.
In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, Thackeray claimed that Kejriwal and the India Against Corruption had hatched a conspiracy against Gadkari as they were jealous of the BJP president.
09:29 6 Indian UN peacekeepers injured in Congo ambush
Six Indian United Nations peacekeepers have been injured in an ambush in eastern Congo.
Further details are awaited.
08:33 Hillary denies running for presidency in 2016
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has denied speculations over contesting for presidency in 2016 and said that she would be "cheering" for the country's first woman president.
"I'm going to be cheering them on. I hope to be around when we finally elect a woman president. That would be a great experience for me, to be up there cheering," Clinton said.
Clinton, who had an unsuccessful bid for presidency in 2008 when she lost to Barack Obama in the Democratic party primaries, has repeatedly denied reports that she intends to seek the highest office of the country, which has eluded a woman so far, in 2016.
08:32 Obama daughters' school evacuated following threat
The school attended by US President Barack Obama's daughters was briefly evacuated following a phoned-in threat of a suspicious bag lying on the campus.
The suspicious bag, which created panic in the school for some time among security agencies, including the Secret Service, was later on found to be a child's back pack.
"This is an emergency message from Sidwell Friends School. Due to a suspicious phone call, the buildings on the Wisconsin Avenue campus have been evacuated. We will notify you when further information is available," said the school's emergency alert system earlier in the day.
08:31 Clinton accuses Romney of hiding the truth
Campaigning in support of incumbent President Barack Obama, former US
During an election rally in the battleground state of Ohio, the charismatic Democratic leader alleged that Romney is hiding the fact that he will have to raise middle class taxes to pay for his $5 trillion tax cuts favouring the wealthiest Americans.
He also accused Romney of hiding his tax returns, as well as hiding whether he opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which helps women fight back when they don't get equal pay for equal work.
03:53 Bangladeshi accused in US plot had student visa
A young Bangladeshi man accused of plotting to blow up the New York Federal Reserve entered the United States on a student visa which was issued in December, US officials confirmed Thursday.
Authorities in New York allege Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis traveled to the country with "the purpose of conducting a terrorist attack" and sought out Al-Qaeda contacts after his arrival.
But the State Department confirmed Nafis, 21, had an F class visa, which is a "student visa to attend a legitimate academic program in the United States for which he was qualified," spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
03:52 Airstrikes in northern Syria kill at least 43
Syrian warplanes hammered a strategic city captured by rebels, leaving behind scenes of carnage captured Thursday on amateur videos that showed a man holding up two child-sized legs not connected to a body and another carrying a dismembered arm.
Activists said airstrikes over the past two days on opposition targets across Syria's north have killed at least 43 people.
03:48 Rwanda joins UN Security Council
The vote comes a day after a leaked UN report said Rwanda was supporting a rebellion in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Five non-permanent seats to the 15-member council were decided at the United Nations on Thursday.
Argentina, Australia, South Korea and Luxembourg have also been elected to sit on the Security Council.
02:52 What really happened in Benghazi?
An unidentified member of the Libyan government says the leader of the Benghazi consulate attack has been identified, according to The Los Angeles Times and other US outlets.
Good news '" we'll soon know the full truth of what happened on Sept. 11 in Benghazi, how the attack was planned, and how many were involved. Right?Well, I remain skeptical.
While I haven't been in Benghazi in a year and a half, I've been communicating with reporters and friends there off and on for the past few weeks and there are many divergent stories from eyewitnesses, rival militia leaders, and Libyan government officials eager to project an air of stability and authority.
02:21 Obama was considered potential target
A Bangladeshi man snared in an FBI terror sting considered targeting President Barack Obama and the New York City Stock Exchange before settling on a car bomb attack on the Federal Reserve, just blocks from the World Trade Center site, a law enforcement official said today.
The official, who was not authorised to speak publicly about the investigation and talked to the AP on condition of anonymity, stressed that the suspect never got beyond the discussion stage in considering an attack on the president. In a September meeting with an undercover agent posing as a fellow jihadist, Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis explained he chose the Federal Reserve as his car bomb target "for operational reasons," according to a criminal complaint.
Nafis also indicated he knew that choice would "cause a large number of civilian casualties, including women and children," the complaint said.
02:02 Obama's daughters' school evacuated; all clear
The Washington DC private school attended by the daughters of President Barack Obama says it briefly evacuated after it received a phone call that officials considered suspicious.
Sidwell Friends said in a message on its website today afternoon that students and teachers returned to class after law enforcement determined there was no threat. Neither the school nor authorities revealed what the caller said.
DC police spokesman Araz Alali says officers also responded to the campus for a report of an unattended bag at the rear of the school. The bag was checked but didn't contain anything hazardous.
01:16 Pak police detain family of suspect in attack on Malala
Pakistani security forces have detained relatives of a man accused of attacking Malala Yousafzai, the schoolgirl who became an icon of resistance against Talibanoppression and who is now being treated at a British hospital, neighbors of the man's family said on Thursday.
The authorities in the Swat Valley, where the attack happened on Oct. 9, said they were still searching for the man who shot Ms. Yousafzai and wounded two other girls on a school bus. The suspect has been identified as a member of the Pakistani Taliban named Attaullah, and the authorities are seeking an accomplice as well.
00:42 Google threatens to drop links to French media
Google has threatened to exclude French media sites from its search results if France implements a proposed law forcing search engines to pay for content, according to a letter.
The letter sent by Google to several ministerial offices this month said it "cannot accept" such a move and the company "as a consequence would be required to no longer reference French sites."
The letter obtained by AFP said such a law, which would require Google to make payments to media sites for displaying links to their content, would "threaten (Google's) very existence".
00:19 US wins WTO case against China
The US has won its case against China at the World Trade Organsation on the Chinese imposition of import duties on high-technology American steel product, an official said today.
A WTO Panel agreed with the United States that China had acted inconsistently with its WTO obligations in imposing the duties and as such the Appellate Body, in turn, rejected all of Chinese claims on appeal. 'This is a victory for the United States as well as for American workers and manufacturers," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, adding that the Obama Administration will not stand by and allow China to break international trade rules.
"American manufacturers and workers can compete and win on a level playing field, but China's unfair duties choked off nearly all US GOES exports to its market," Kirk said.
00:18 Bangladeshi police quiz family of US bomb plot accused
The family of the young Bangladeshi man accused of plotting to blow up the New York Federal Reserve said today they had been questioned by police.
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, 21, was arrested yesterday in Manhattan after he tried to detonate what he thought was a live bomb, but was actually a dummy provided in a sting operation, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said.
Bangladesh police visited Nafis's home in a southeastern neighbourhood of Dhaka today afternoon and questioned family members over his activities in Bangladesh and the United States, his brother-in-law told AFP.
00:18 Greece hit by new general strike over austerity
Thousands of people protested across Greece on Thursday against the next round of spending cuts, required in return for another bailout instalment.
The 24-hour strike is the country's 20th national stoppage since the debt crisis erupted two years ago and comes as EU leaders met in Brussels.
Taxi drivers, doctors, teachers and air traffic controllers were among those taking part in the rallies.Athens police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators throwing petrol bombs.
Syntagma Square was temporarily shut down but has since reopened to traffic; it was quite a small protest as Greek protests go and remained mainly peaceful, says the BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens.
00:11 Obama ad: Romney would ban abortion
President Obama has really been pushing women's issues lately, and now his campaign has a new ad out saying Republican Mitt Romney would ban abortion -- although it uses a truncated quote.
The ad replays a moment during a Republican primary debate in which moderator Anderson Cooper asks GOP candidates, "If Roe v. Wade was overturned, Congress passed a federal ban on all abortions and it came to your desk -- would you sign it? Yes or no?"
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