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Archives for January 2016

Bengaluru bomb threat call turns out to be hoax

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Cauvery Theatre bomb

New Delhi: Bomb scare at a popular Bengaluru theatre turned out to be a hoax following a thorough search conducted by bomb squad and local police on Friday.

 

Bengaluru’s popular Cauvery theatre was on Friday evacuated following the bomb threat.

Bomb disposal squad reached the spot immediately after people informed the police about an unidentified box which was lying near the theatre.

No explosives were found at the said spot, the police said. The city has been kept under alert following the bomb scare.

(Agencies)

Sunanda death not natural: Delhi Police chief

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sunanda pushkar

New Delhi: The death of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, was not natural but no radioactive substance was found in her body, Delhi Police said today on the basis of report by a medical board of AIIMS which analysed FBI findings on her viscera sample.

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi said the high-profile case will be taken to its logical conclusion soon and all possible angles are being examined.

“One thing is clear that the death was not natural. It was unnatural as per our investigation till now and evidences collected so far. I can say that with certainty,” Bassi told reporters here.

In January last year, Delhi Police had registered a case of murder in connection with the death of Sunanda. An AIIMS medical board had found poisoning as reason for her death following which the police had sent her viscera samples to an FBI lab in Washington last year.

There was earlier speculation that Sunanda may have died as a result of poisoning through radioactive substances.

The FBI had sent its report to Delhi Police two months back. The report said the radiation levels in Sunanda’s viscera samples were “within the standard safety norms” besides mentioning other details.

As police could not firm up about cause of the death based on the FBI report, they requested a medical board of AIIMS to analyse the contents of the report.

“The medical board has submitted to us 11-page report with 32 pages of annexures which are to be examined. They have mentioned about certain conclusions which are now to be investigated,” Bassi said.

51-year-old Sunanda was found dead at a suite in five-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014, a day after her spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar on micro-blogging website Twitter over her alleged affair with Tharoor.

“I have no knowledge on the mention of any dangerous chemical in the FBI report. The FBI report had said none of the samples contained any radioactive material. I can confirm there’s no radiaoactive material but certain other findings are there. We had given the entire report to the medical board which has examined and gave us a report.

“FBI report had said that radioactive levels were within acceptable range. It had ruled out the radioactive angle. Certain other chemical compounds were found by the FBI lab. The medical board has given certain conclusions. We will investigate those,” Bassi said.

The Delhi Police Commissioner today held a meeting which was attended by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case. Special Commissioner of Delhi Police (Law and Order) Deepak Mishra briefed all about all related angle in the case.

“Have been told that Medical Board’s advice in late Sunanda’s case has been received,” Bassi tweeted earlier. Bassi added Mishra was reviewing the progress in the case.

The investigators have so far conducted polygraph test on six persons, all prime witnesses in the case, including Tharoors’ domestic help Narayan Singh, driver Bajrangi and Sanjay Dewan, a close friend of the couple. Tharoor was not subjected to the test but was questioned thrice in the case.

The FBI report had ruled out the theory of the variant of a radioactive element named Polonium having caused Sunanda’s death, noting that radiation levels in her viscera sample were within the standard safety norms.

In January last year, police had claimed that Sunanda was poisoned, and registered a murder case against unknown persons. Three others — S K Sharma, Vikas Ahlawat and Sunil Takru, had also undergone the polygraph test.

The police team probing the case has so far questioned at least 15 people. Tharoor, his staff members and close friends were among those questioned by Delhi Police. Sunanda’s son Shiv Menon was quizzed by the SIT on February 5 last year.

(Agencies)

Southern Films Round Up

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asin-rahul

Asin To Have A Dual Custom Wedding

The Ghajini girl Asin is all set to marry her long time lover Rahul Sharma who is the owner of India’s largest domestic cell phone manufacturing company Micromax. Asin is a Christian while Rahul is a Hindu and hence they are going to have the marriage rituals of both the religions when they tie the knot on 20th Jan, 2016 in a private hotel in New Delhi.

The couple will also have a Sangeeth ceremony on 19th Jan, 2016 and also a party on 23rd Jan, 2016. Their close friends from Bollywood will take part headed by Akshay Kumar who is said to have played a big role in bringing the lovebirds together.

Prabhas In Great Demand

2015’s sensation, Prabhas who touched hearts with his spellbinding performance in Baahubali – The Beginning has a huge audience base digitally. The Tollywood actor who debuted in Bollywood with Baahubali – The Beginning has turned into a national star.
Prabhas who is on Social media but is less active has his fans eagerly waiting for his updates. Any content uploaded on Prabhas’s social media page witnesses a huge number of hits, with fans flooding the comment section. The actor who makes selected public appearances, has his fans longing to stay connected and gain regular insights about his life. The actor has nearly 5 million followers on social media, with the number growing by the day. With Bahubali being such a tremendous hit, fans are now keenly awaiting the release of its sequel.

Raju Murugan’s Next Flick Complete

After the super hit & critically acclaimed Cuckoo Journalist turned director Raju Murugan started directing a new film based in Dharmapuri with predominantly débutante actors as cast members. Earlier it was speculated that the film was about the Dharmapuri caste violence that rocked Tamil Nadu in the year 2013 but later it was denied by the director. However this film is expected to carry a strong social message. The shoot of this yet to be titled film has been completed by Raju Murugan. The announcement of the cast & the crew members and release dates of the film will be made very soon.

Mia Goerge Denies Acting In Vijay 60

For the past couple of days it is being speculated that actress Mia George of Amara Kaviyam & Indru Netru Nalai fame has been roped in to play an important role with Ilayathalapathy Vijay in Vijay 60 to be directed by Bharathan. A Twitter account running under the name of the actress had also confirmed the news. But now Mia has officially clarified that the news was entirely fake and also the Twitter ID was not hers. She also made it clear that she was never approached by anyone for any role in Vijay 60. She requested the fans to not trust any such news about her. Mia George is presently acting in Vetrivel with Sasikumar.

Ram To Be Directed By The Same Director

Nenu Sailaja has been a special film for Ram. After a long hiatus, Ram got a clear Box Office hit with this film. Therefore, it is natural that Kishore Tirumala is in the good books of Ram. The débutante director is going to be Ram’s director, again. It is going to be a rom – com, again. Even though Kishore has been sought after by many production houses, he is learnt not to be interested in them for this year. Rarely has a director worked with a hero for a 2nd time in quick succession in a long time.

NTR Fans Attack A Theater In Vijayawada

Young Tiger NTR’s much awaited film Nannaku Prematho has hit the theaters on 13th Jan, 2016. With the mania soaring new heights, NTR fans have created ruckus at Vijayawada’s Raj – Yuvaraj theater. Reportedly, Young Tiger fans have pelted stones and broke the window panes of Yuvaraj Theater for not issuing the tickets. The fans alleged that the management of Yuvaraj is selling tickets in black and not abiding by the rules framed by the Government.

Police immediately sprung into action, controlled the angry mob and brought the situation back to normalcy. Directed by Sukumar, Nannaku Prematho is the story which showcases the bond between father & son.

Babai Director To Direct Abbai

The Babai & Abbai in question are not Balayya & NTR. It is Pawan Kalyan & Ram Charan. Vishnu Vardhan, who directed Panjaa is in talks with Ram Charan to direct him in his next.

The film is well likely to go on the floors this year itself. The project will definitely be one of the most prestigious in Charan’s career. Many years after working with a biggie like Rajamouli, Charan is getting to be directed by a maverick director. Meanwhile, Charan is all set to join the shoot of Thani Oruvan’s remake with Surendar Reddy from 10th Feb, 2016.

Taapsee Pannu Bags A Rare Honor

Taapsee Pannu has bagged a rare honour. The Daruvu actress been roped in as the brand ambassador of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL). A self – proclaimed sports freak, Taapsee Pann is elated to don the mantle of the brand custodian and avers, ‘I am a big sports freak. I watch all sports but cricket excites me the most. I see cricket & movies as the most loved activities of our country. They are like 2 favorite religions which are being accepted by all sections of people. I am looking forward to see my colleagues in action with CCL.”. Taapsee Pannu, who is basking in the success of Baby, has been signed to play the female lead opposite Rana Daggubati in a trilingual war – drama Ghazi.

Director VR Gopalakrishnan Commits Suicide

In a shocking news, director VR Gopalakrishnan has reportedly committed suicide. He committed suicide by hanging on the roof of the ceiling of his house. He was living at Ramanathapuram at Palakkad. Gopalakrishnan was 60 at the time of death. The reason for the suicide is still unknown.Gopalakrishnan has written many successful screenplays like Vandanam, Deem Tharikida Thom et al. His last popular hit was the Dileep starrer Ee Parakkum Thalika. He has directed movies like Kakatholayiram, Bharya et al. His wife is Geetha and he has 2 sons, Arjun & Aravind.

Srinda Is All Braced Up In Kinder Joyee

Srinda has been steadily carving a niche for herself in tinsel town. The kind of roles she has been doing stays. Her comic timing & freshness of characterization has always been interesting. Her upcoming movie in which she plays the female lead is Kinder Joyee directed by Aneesh Upasana. Interestingly, Srinda sports a braced look in it. She has been wearing steel braces and needed to wear it for 3 months. When she told director Aneesh about this, he immediately decided to keep the look. Hence Srinda will appear in graces & straightened hair in the movie. She also wears modern clothes in it. The movie co – stars Soubin, Shine Tom et al.

Vaishnavi Has 5 Films On Hand

At the pre university college days this tall & beautiful Vaishavi Chandran is feeling proud. She has 3 Kannada & 1 each in Telugu & Tamil on hand. It makes a good beginning. Even before the release of 1 film, 5 films in the kitty is a good sign for Vaishnavi Chandran. Vaishnavi hails from Kerala. Is a student of Mount Carmel college. She is at the II PUC level. From the young days dance was her forte. From the age of 2 years she practiced Bharatanatya for 6 years. She is now learning contemporary dance to suit the filmdom requirement.

Jaguar Goes On The Floors

The launch event of Nikhil Kumar (earlier Nikhil Gowda) grandson of former Prime Minister of India HD Deve Gowda, son of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was held at the right time. Former PM Deve Gowda sounded the clap board while grandmother of Nikhil Kumar Chennamma Deve Gowda switched on the camera.
Jaguar means speed, Cheetah, et al. The electrifying trailer of Nikhil Kumar’s preparation was screened before the launch of the film. Dance director & action director from Hollywood have prepared Nikhil Kumar. Nikhil Kumar personally greeted the guests on the occasion. Nikhil averred, “It is after 1 year I am coming up with training. To give justice to the role, I have taken training in fight, dance et al. Nikhil Kumar looked well set with macho looks and stylish outfits.

Sania-Martina earn 29th win in a row, enter final

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AP

AP

Sydney: Top seeds Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis survived a scare to win their 29th consecutive match and enter the women’s doubles final of the Sydney International here on Thursday.

The Indo-Swiss tennis pair won a rain-interrupted semi-final 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 in one hour and 32 minutes to beat Romanian Raluca Olaru and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan on Court 1 of the NSW Tennis Centre.

In the process, they eclipsed the 22-year-old record set by Gigi Fernandez of the US and Natasha Zvereva of Belarus, who won 28 consecutive matches in 1994. Sania and Martina have now begun to chase the world record which was set in 1990 by the dynamic Czech duo of Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova, who won a whopping 44 matches in a row.

“Today the girls we were playing, they were playing probably the best I’ve seen them play. Slava has won Slams, before Olaru was playing really well. We had to really put everything that we had and really come out with our A Game when we needed to, especially in that super tie-break,” said Sania.

“It’s not like because we been winning so much we take it for granted really. We try every time. We’re the hunted. Everyone plays their best against us, and we have to keep playing our best as well to win.”

The world’s top ranked pair are now eyeing their second title win of the year after clinching the Brisbane International crown last week. They claimed nine titles last year en route to becoming the top ranked women’s doubles team, the highlight being wins at the Wimbledon and US Open.

On Thursday, the top pair, dubbed ‘SanTina’ by their fans, were trailing by a set, lost 4-6, and were down 1-2 in the second set when rain intervened. That helped them turn the tables upon resumption as they fought back to overturn the deficit and claim the second set 6-3 and utilised their experience to claim the decider narrowly 10-8.

The win was viewed by the ecstatic pair as an ideal preparation for their Australian Open ambitions, starting next week, which will be their third straight Grand Slam triumph if they win it. They have not lost a match since the Cincinnati Masters last year.

“This is something that I dreamed about and was hoping for. I can only say it over and over again. It’s something that it’s a priority also. When I was playing singles, singles was priority. I became No.1 there. Also simultaneously I was No.1 in both,” said Martina.

“Now I put 100 or 120 percent into this, and that’s what makes us this great doubles. The chemistry is amazing. We don’t always play super tennis, but we come out and find a solution, that’s what makes us right now the best doubles in the world.”

In men’s doubles, Sania’s compatriot Rohan Bopanna, partnering Romanian Florin Mergea, defeated Australians Sam Groth and John Peers 6-2, 6-4 in 57 minutes to enter the semi-final.

(IANS)

West Africa declared Ebola-free but flare-ups expected

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WHO marks end of Ebola outbreak in West Africa but stresses on vigilance in the months to come to avoid flare ups.

The World Health Organization said that transmission of the Ebola virus has been halted after a two-year-long battle [Ahmed Jallanzo/EPA]

The World Health Organization said that transmission of the Ebola virus has been halted after a two-year-long battle [Ahmed Jallanzo/EPA]

by Al Jazeera

Liberia is marked as Ebola-free effectively by the World Health Organisation (WHO), joining Sierra Leone and Guinea, ending the world’s worst outbreak of the disease.

Wednesday’s announcement came 42 days after the last case was confirmed in Liberia, the final of three West African countries with active transmission of the virus.

However, the organisation has warned of existing risks of flare up of the disease that killed more than 11,300 people out of 28,600 cases during the epidemic.

“The risk of re-introduction of infection is diminishing as the virus gradually clears from the survivor population, but we still anticipate more flare-ups and must be prepared for them,” Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO’s Special Representative for the Ebola Response said in a statement.

“A massive effort is underway to ensure robust prevention, surveillance and response capacity across all three countries by the end of March,” Aylward said.

The country had previously declared itself virus-free in May and September of 2015 but each time a fresh cluster of cases appeared.

A country is declared Ebola free 42 days after the recovery or death of the final patient and if there are no new infections.

Russia’s ‘highly effective’ vaccine

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russian scientists have created a medicine for fighting Ebola that has shown “high efficiency”.

“We have registered a medicine for the Ebola fever that after relevant checks has shown high efficiency, higher than the remedies used across the world up until now,” he said in a meeting of senior officials, state news agency TASS reported.

Earlier, chief state doctor Anna Popova that the vaccine would be tested on Russians travelling to parts of the world suffering from the virus, the Interfax news agency reported.

Ebola, which was discovered in 1976 and is transmitted through contact with blood and other bodily fluids, causes massive haemorrhaging and has a fatality rate of up to 90 per cent if left untreated.

Jakarta attacks: ISIL claims responsibility

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Police in Indonesia say ISIL behind coordinated bomb and gun attacks in business district that left seven dead.

Police were deployed near the site where one explosion went off, as local media reported more blasts in other parts of the city [Dita Alangkara/AP]

Police were deployed near the site where one explosion went off, as local media reported more blasts in other parts of the city [Dita Alangkara/AP]

by Al Jazeera

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group has claimed responsibility for the coordinated bomb and gun attacks in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, a news agency linked to ISIL reported on Thursday.

At least seven people, including five attackers, were killed in the explosions and gun battle between police and the attackers in the central business district of the city.

Tito Karnavian, the Jakarta police chief, said ISIL was “definitely” behind the attack.

Karnavian told Reuters news agency that Indonesian ISIL fighter Bahrun Naim, who is believed to be in Syria, was “planning this for a while. He is behind this attack.”

Earlier, police told Al Jazeera that ISIL had made specific threats before Thursday’s attacks.

Six blasts occurred about 50 metres apart in the central business district, which also houses a United Nations office.

At least 20 people were injured in the security operations at the Sarinah shopping complex on Thamrin Street. Police said the attack had ended and that security forces were in control of the area.

There were conflicting reports on the number of casualties as the police battled the fighters.

Earlier, tweets from the account of Jeremy Douglas, regional representative of the UN office on Drugs and Crime for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, described a bomb and “serious” exchanges of gunfire on the street outside his office.

Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen, reporting from Jakarta, said a police post was destroyed in a grenade blast and that sporadic gunfire was heard in the downtown area of the capital.

“Six gunmen on motorbikes entered the downtown area carrying long rifles, shooting into the crowd, with some carrying explosives,” Vaessen said. “One of the gunman shot a police officer from close range.”

Some gunmen on motorbikes reportedly escaped, police sources told Al Jazeera.

“Witnesses told Al Jazeera that they found nails on the streets near the affected area, indicating that the fragments came from the explosives used in the attacks,” Vaessen said.

The attacks caused panic and prompted a security lockdown and enhanced checks in several areas in the city of 10 million.

“The police are still investigating, so we don’t know how and why the attack happened. There were at least six explosions, and so far it looks like the police was the target,” our correspondent said.

Presidential statement

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who was on a working visit in the West Java town of Cirebon, condemned the brazen attacks.

“This act is clearly aimed at disturbing public order and spreading terror among people,” Jokowi said in statement on television.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has been a victim of several bombing attacks in the past, claimed by Islamic groups.

Thursday’s attacks, however, were the first major incidents in Indonesia’s capital since the 2009 bombings of two hotels that killed seven people and injured more than 50.

The attacks come two days after jailed Islamic leader Abu Bakar Bashir appealed to a court to have his conviction for funding a “terrorist training camp” overturned.

The 77-year-old leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah network filed a judicial review of his 2011 conviction, when he was sentenced to 15 years in jail for setting up the camp in Aceh province. A higher court later cut the sentence to nine years.

Urdu teachers with two wives not eligible for govt jobs in UP

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Urdu_Schools

Agra: The new notice of the Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party government, pertaining to appointment of Urdu teachers to government-run schools has sparked widespread protests among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh.

The notice for appointment of 3,500 Urdu teachers says: “All those who have two wives, both living, will be considered non-eligible for the post. Also, female candidates who are married to a man who has two wives, both living, will also be considered non-eligible.”

While the Muslims have been calling this rule to be discriminatory, justifying the move the government officials say that it has been done only to avoid confusion with regard to payment of widow or widower’s pension.

However, the Muslim clerics refuse to accept this explanation.

Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, Imam of Lucknow’s Eidgah and member of the Muslim Personal Law Board told Times of India that the government cannot impose such conditions when it comes to recruitment of staff.

“There is a provision for four marriages in Islam. Even though just about one percent of Muslim men have two wives, such conditions should not become part of the job application process,” he opines further adding that if a man leaves behind him two wives, the pension can be divided among the two wives, rather than snatching away a man’s right to job.

(Agencies)

Madani can approach trial court seeking to combine trials: SC

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abdul_nasser_madani

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday has said PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani can approach the trial court seeking to combine the trials in all the nine cases against him in connection with the 2008 Bengaluru blasts.

The apex court, while considering Madani’s plea, also asked him to file a plea in the trial court in this regard in a week. “The trial court should take a decision on it in a week,” the court said.

The Supreme Court also questioned the trial court how long would it take to complete the trial proceedings in the case.

Madani is among the 31 persons chargesheeted for the 2008 Bangalore blasts, which killed one person and injured 20 others, on charges of conspiracy and sheltering some of the key accused.

(Agencies)

India’s Aadhaar increased access, reduced corruption: World Bank

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Aadhaar

Washington: Citing how India increased access and reduced corruption in public services by providing unique digital identification to one billion people in five years, the World Bank says digital technologies can promote inclusion, efficiency, and innovation.

Indian are using their digital IDs called Aadhaar “to open bank accounts, monitor attendance of civil servants, and identify recipients of government subsidies,” noted the new ‘World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends,’ released here on Thursday.

“In public health services, simple SMS messages have proven effective in reminding people living with HIV to take their lifesaving drugs,” said the 350 plus page report that was two years in the making by a 15 member team led by co-directors, Deepak Mishra and Uwe Deichmann.

However, the report noted that while the internet, mobile phones and other digital technologies are spreading rapidly throughout the developing world, the anticipated digital dividends of higher growth, more jobs, and better public services have fallen short of expectations.

As many as 60 percent of the world’s population remains excluded from the ever-expanding digital economy with the benefits of rapid digital expansion skewed towards the wealthy, skilled, and influential around the world.

In addition, though the number of internet users worldwide has more than tripled since 2005, four billion people still lack access to the internet.

“The digital revolution is transforming the world, aiding information flows, and facilitating the rise of developing nations that are able to take advantage of these new opportunities,” said Kaushik Basu, World Bank Chief Economist.

To deliver fully on the development promise of a new digital age, the World Bank suggested two main actions that the report calls analog complements to digital investments.

These are closing the digital divide by making the internet universal, affordable, open, and safe and strengthening regulations that ensure competition among business, adapting workers’ skills to the demands of the new economy, and fostering accountable institutions.

China has the largest number of internet users, followed by the US, with India, Japan, and Brazil filling out the top five.

The world’s offline population is mainly in India and China, but more than 120 million people are still offline in North America.

With the internet enabling more products to be exported to more markets, often by newer and younger firms, the report noted firms in India, Jamaica, and the Philippines have captured a share of global markets for services ranging from traditional back-office services to long-distance online tutoring.

The internet’s ability to reduce transaction costs increases opportunities for people who face barriers in finding jobs or productive inputs. This promotes inclusion for women, for persons with disabilities, and for people in remote areas, the report said.

The Indian state of Kerala, for example, set up the Kudumbashree project to outsource information technology services to cooperatives of women from poor families; 90 percent of the women had not previously worked outside the home.

The internet is also encouraging more cross-border exchanges of goods and services, allowing consumers and firms to bypass national borders.

But cross-border issues-such as barriers to data flows and uncoordinated intellectual property rights regimes-are impairing the growth of internet firms and robbing consumers of gains from increased digital trade.

The small scale imposed by cross-border barriers may also partly explain why e-commerce firms are often losing money in Africa while being profitable in China and India, the report said.

(IANS)

Hindu Sena members vandalise Pakistan Airline office

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pak-airline-office

New Delhi: Members of a right-wing group allegedly vandalised the office of Pakistan International Airlines today near Barakhamba Road here.

The incident took place around noon following which police were informed and a team was rushed to the spot, said a police official.

DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal confirmed the development and said that appropriate action will follow.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused are associates of the person who had called up the police last year regarding “beef” being served at Kerala House here, an official said.

(Agencies)

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