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| Advani says allowing people to vent anger not "cheap politics" NEW DELHI, July 7: Rejecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s charge that Sangh Parivar outfits were indulging.....more 21 BSF men
trapped AMRITSAR, Jul 7: Army boats have been summoned to evacuate 21 Border Security Force(BSF) personnel.......more Chandraswami
alleges NEW DELHI, July 7: Controversial Godman Chandraswami today alleged before the Delhi High Court that.......more Flu: Watch
out for NEW DELHI, July 7: A report to appear in tomorrow’s issue of the American journal ‘Science’ suggests that.....more |
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Jacob displays grenade; uproar in Kerala Assembly THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, July 7: Kerala Congress-J leader T M Jacob today created a flutter when he........more Bollywood
on mobile: NEW DELHI, July 7: With the mobile subscriber base in India about to touch the 50 million mark, Bollywood is..........more Allahabad
HC order NEW DELHI, July 7: BJP president L K Advani today refused to term the Allahabad High Court order in the Babri Masjid demolition case as a setback, saying "Koi Dikkat Ki Baat Nahin Hai." .......more WB demands
more state KOLKATA, July 7: West Bengal Government has demanded inclusion of more roads in the state under.........more |
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Ex-MP moves SC for inquiry into "extravagant" bofors probe ...... Snoring, sleep apnea make diabetes, blood pressure worse ....... |
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Advani
says allowing people to NEW DELHI, July 7: Rejecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s charge that Sangh Parivar outfits were indulging in "cheap politics" over the Ayodhya attack, BJP president L K Advani today said they were only providing an outlet for the people to express their outrage over the attack. "Politics cannot be done on this matter. People have been given an outlet to express their anger over the attack. This is not politics," Advani told reporters here after paying a visit to the two CRPF jawans injured in the militant attack on the makeshift Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Prime Minister had reacted to the protests by the saffron outfits yesterday, calling it "cheap politics." Blaming the present political dispensation for the attack in Ayodhya, he said, "even when we were in Government we kept getting information about such an attack being planned. But the militants could never enter the temple complex, which has now happened." The BJP chief, meanwhile, lauded the bravery shown by the CRPF jawans in thwarting the militant attack. "I came here to visit the two CRPF jawans who were badly injured while protecting the Temple in Ayodhya...We should laud the bravery they showed in fighting the terrorists who were determined (to storm the temple)," Advani said. The two CRPF personnel, badly injured in the terror attack, were shifted from St George’s Hospital, Lucknow, to All India Institute of Medical Sciences here yesterday. Advani also informed that eminent cardiologist Dr P Venugopal, who heads the cardiothoracic sciences centre at AIIMS, himself operated upon one of the jawans late in the night to save him. "Dr Venugopal had a fall recently and suffered a head injury recently. But despite that he operated upon the jawan himself," he said. Advani said that by God’s grace the jawans were doing well. He, however, refused to divulge the names of the jawans as their family members have not yet been informed about their injury. (PTI) |
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AMRITSAR, Jul 7: Army boats have been summoned to evacuate 21 Border Security Force(BSF) personnel who were trapped at Bamial border post across the flooded Ravi river along the Indo Pak border in Gurdaspur district. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Hardish Singh Randhawa said here that the spating Ravi had flooded some border areas in Gurdaspur district and these 21 security personnel posted at the border post just across the river were trapped at their water marooned border post. Mr Randhawa said that increased discharge in the river from upstream Himachal Pradesh had led to rise in water level in the river. Meanwhile, spating Beas river also played havoc in some parts of Amritsar district inundating a large number of agricultural land in villages along its bank. Reports reaching here said that over 1000 acres of farmland was flooded in Dhunda, Mananke, Khak and Behla villages causing extensive damage to the crop. However, in Jalandhar district the spating Satluj has receded at Phillaur today. The discharge in the river which crossed the mark of 25,000 cusecs last evening was measured at 16100 cusecs at 1500 hours this afternoon. (UNI) |
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Chandraswami alleges NEW DELHI, July 7: Controversial Godman Chandraswami today alleged before the Delhi High Court that the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) set up to probe into the conspiracy angle of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination was doing only "cosmetic investigation" and claimed that it did not do anything in the last almost eight years. During arguments on Chandraswami’s plea for permission to travel abroad, his counsel P N Lekhi accused CBI (under which MDMA works) of indulging in character assassination in the name of further investigation into Gandhi’s death. It was due to CBI’s opposition that a fera court had in December last year refused him permission to go abroad but the agency has failed to furnish any evidence against him so far, he claimed and alleged that the trial court took the decision merely on the basis of suspicion. Lekhi said when the MDMA was set up in December 1998, it had 250 men but now only 20 persons were there and it was not clear how much time it would take to conclude the probe. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P P Malhotra submitted that MDMA undertook the probe after geting permssion from a Chennai Court and letters rogatory had been sent to Foreign Governments and the agency was awaiting response thereto. Contesting his submission, Lekhi said out of the 23 lrs sent by MDMA, only four had been responded to till date and the rest 18 might take several years. "By that time Chandraswami may not be in this world", he said adding a person cannot be deprived of his right to travel abroad on flimsy grounds. (PTI) |
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Flu: Watch out for birds from China NEW DELHI, July 7: A report to appear in tomorrow’s issue of the American journal ‘Science’ suggests that a highly infectious form of the Avian flu virus ‘H5N1’ can potentially enter India through migratory birds that breed on a lake in China. The report says Chinese scientists have detected a massive outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 infection among waterfowls in lake Qinghaihu, in the Qinghai province of western China in which more than a thousand birds were affected in May and June, 2005. The potential threat to India stems from the report’s observation that "this lake is one of the most important breeding locations for migratory birds that over winter in southeast Asia, Tibet and India. Several species were infected, including the bar-headed goose (Anser Indicus), great black-headed gull (larus ichthyaetus) and brown headed gull (larus brunnicephalus)," the report said. Sequencing of complete genomes of virus strains isolated from the dead birds revealed this virus to be so "highly pathogenic" that experimentally infected chickens died within 20 hours. Since 2003, H5N1 has emerged in 10 Asian countries, including Thailand, Vietnam and China. "The occurrence of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian flu infection in migrant waterfowl indicates that this virus has the potential to be a global threat," the report concluded. (PTI) |
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WB demands more state roads under NH grid KOLKATA, July 7: West Bengal Government has demanded inclusion of more roads in the state under the National Highway Grid. "Located strategically with long international borders, West Bengal is the gateway to the north eastern states and can reasonably demand inclusion of more state roads under the NH Grid," according to PWD Minister Amar Chowdhury. The State Government is interacting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for improvement of roads under sub-regional transport connectivity projects, he said. Siliguri in north Bengal was likely to emerge as one of the busiest centres of economic activity in south Asia if the old international trade route comprising Tibet Kalimpong-Siliguri-Mayanmar-Thailand-Cambodia was revived, the minister said. This would necessitate a fast corridor between Siliguri and Kolkata and other important economic centres of south Bengal. The minister said both the State and Centre were actively considering private participation for road infrastucture to supplement existing budgetary resources. As a result, the NH Act 1956 has been amended to permit private entrepreneurs to undertake NH projects on bot basis. Chowdhury said the state had placed before the Centre a proposal for declaration of 391 km from Tulin to petrapole as a Natioanl Highway to establish a direct link between Bihar and Bangladesh borders. Chowdhury said roads were now transporting nearly 80 per cent of goods and passengers and the railways the rest, which was the reverse some time ago. The minister said with the ongoing massive road development programme in the state under golden quadrilateral project of the NHDP, the entire NH-2, Dankuni-Kharagpur section of NH-6, Kharagpur to Orissa border section of NH-60 were being four-laned. The West Bengal Corridor Development Project has also been taken up under loan assistance from the ADB to connect several destinations in the state with wider and better roads. It plans to improve portions of the Raiganj-Dalkhola section of NH-34, Siliguri to Galgalia (NH-31C), Sevok to Gangtok (NH-31A), besides construction of the Barasat bypass and the road between Hasimara and Joygaon in north Bengal. A feasibility study was also being undertaken for improvement of bridges over river Bhagirathi at Berhampore in Murshidabad district and over river Mahananda in Malda town in Malda district. The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (MOSRTH) at the same time is also planning to include some more NHs in the state under NHDP. A detailed study was also underway for construction of an eastern and southern expressway to connect NH-34 with diamond harbour road in south 24 parganas and to Haldia in east Midnapore district by a road bridge across the Hooghly along Raichak-Kukrahati, Chowdhury said. (PTI) |
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Ex-MP moves SC for inquiry into NEW DELHI, July 7: Taking forward the recent comments of Delhi High Court that the CBI probe into Rs 65 crore Bofors payoff case cost the exchequer a whopping Rs 250 crore, a former Congress MP today filed a pil in the Supreme Court seeking fixing of accountability for such an "extravagant" probe in which no evidence was found against any one. Four-time Congress MP from Chail, Allahabad, Lok Sabha constituency, Ram Nihor Rakesh in his writ petition, filed through advocate Anis Suhrawardy, said since 1987 when the Swedish radio announced alleged payment of Commission in the Bofors gun deal, detailed probe by CBI has revealed nothing except that it was unable to prove charges against any one. Extensively quoting the May 31 judgement of the High Court quashing the case against the three-europe based Hinduja brothers, the petitioner clarified that he was not challenging the verdict but wanted the Apex Court to lay down guidelines to stop misuse of the premier investigating agency, CBI, by political parties when in power. The petitioner said the Bofors case saw many ups and downs in the Indian politics leading toppling and forming of Governments and the hype created by the media resulted in many countries refraining from dealing with India, whose prestige suffered in the international arena. "The other Governments coming to power by politicisation of the issue in question instead of addressing bare realities, gave wind and fire to the issue, thus glorifying the issue which resulted in hampering with the security of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi resulting in his untimely and unnatural death." The petitioner sought a "high-level inquiry" to fix accountability for an expenditure of Rs 250 crores from the public exchequer on investigation "for a subject matter of not more than 64 crores" by CBI. Seeking detailed guidelines to be laid down by the Apex Court in future dealing with the Bofors case, the PIL before the Supreme Court said "the CBI considered to be the premier investigating agency, continued to dance to the tunes and whims of their existing masters and ultimately at the end of the day was unable to prove or substantiate the charge." While casting a doubt on CBI’s performance also in ISRO detective case, Purulia arms dropping case and St Kitts case, the petitioner was critical of the political parties creating an issue out of a non-issue like bofors but not making much of an issue of the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya, Gujarat riots and the controvery on recent remarks on Jinnah, which he felt hit at the root of secularism. Seeking a directive from the Apex Court to the Election Commission banning registration of political parties acting against the basic fabric of democracy, the former Congress MP posed a question whether political parties and their leadership be "permitted to flout the basic norms and ethos of the Constitution by raking such frivolous issues and cause a communal divide on the basis of religion caste or sex?" The petitioner requested the court to direct EC to prohibit political parties from raising such issues "which run contrary to the scheme of the Constitution. (PTI) Snoring, sleep apnea make
diabetes, NEW DELHI, July 7: Has snoring something to do with high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes ? yes, says Dr A K Jhingan, noted Diabetologist and Chairman of the Delhi Diabetic Research Centre (DDRC). Large number of obese people snore disturbing their own sleep. This sleep disturbance is called sleep apnea. Such people, who are diabetic, get up in the morning tired and exhausted due to lack of proper sleep. They also may have body ache, neck pain and headache. Lack of exercise adds to their problems resulting in uncontrolled blood sugar and blood pressure, despite medication. Obesity or overweight is considered to be a major cause for type II diabetes, Dr Jhingan says. Eighty per cent of type II diabetic patients are obese and more than 50 per cent of them have high blood pressure. A DDRC study on sleep apnea and high blood pressure, revealed that proper treatment of sleep apnea resulted in reduction of sugar levels and blood pressure. They could also reduce the dose of medicines. Regular exercise along with this treatment has shown considerable improvement in sugar level and blood pressure, besides weight reduction, Dr Jhingan said. (UNI) Police still clueless about Ayodhya attackers AYODHYA, July 7: Even after 48 hours of terror attack on the high-security Ram Janambhoomi complex, the investigative agencies have not yet been able to establish the identities of the five slain militants. "The militants have not yet been identified but we are working on a couple of leads," senior Superintendent of Police, Faizabad, Avinash Chandra told PTI here today. Chandra said that the photographs of the slain militants had been sent to different parts of the country to establish their identity. A team of the intelligence bureau headed by an officer of Joint Director rank, is also camping in the temple town to help in the investigation, he added. A Special Task Force (STF) of the UP police was also working on the case to help establish the identity of slain militants, he said, adding so far no terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. The interrogation of Raj Kumar, driver of the jeep that the terrorists used to come to Faizabad from Akbarpur, about 70 kms from here, was still on, the SSP said. The driver of the jeep used in the attack, Rehan, was also being extensively quizzed, Chandra said. Meanwhile, the district administration also admitted that only five militants were involved in the attack and not six as claimed by it till yesterday and that the sixth person killed in the incident was a local resident, Ramesh Pandey. Senior Suprintendent of Police Avinash Chandra told PTI today that Pandey, who was living near the site of the attack, was identified by his family members, who had yesterday lodged a report in this regard at the Ram Janam Bhoomi Police Station. Pandey, a guide, had possibly approached the militants on their arrival and offered to take them around the complex, taking them to be pilgrims, his family members said. The SSP, however, said that Pandey might have been near the site of the blast, triggered by terrorists to breach the cordon and gain entry to heavily-guarded complex. (PTI) Temple doors open again in Kashmir after 15 years DEVSAR (SOUTH KASHMIR), July 7: Amidst chiming of bells and Aroma of incense sticks, the doors of the famous Tripur Sundari Temple complex, nestled in the dense woods and narrow valleys of south Kashmir, are open again after 15-year closure forced by insurgency. Over 2000 Kashmiri Pandit migrants have visited this 600-year-old Temple complex popularly known as "Khunbarian Mata" located in highly militancy-prone Devsar forests of Anantnag district in south Kashmir this year. "I have come here after a gap of 16 years to ring the bells of the historic Temple complex dedicated to Goddess Parvati - daughter of Lord Shiva," said State Government Engineer R K Pandita, who along with his wife and two daughters, came all the way from Jammu to seek the blessing of the Goddess. Pandita, who left the place along with over 300,000 Kashmiri Pandits during the emergence of Pak-sponsored militancy in J&K in 1989, is among 70,000 migrants who have visited different temples including Kheerbhawani, Shankeracharaya, Shailputri, Zeethyar Parbut, Nagbal, Durga Nag, during their seven-day stay in the Valley. Another 65-year Kashmiri Pandit, Ragunath Bhat, who started from darshan of famous Rogniya Bagwati at Kheerbhawani Temple at Tulmullah, has sought blessings at Shankeracharya, Durga Nag, Zalaji, Hari Parbhat, Nagbal, Tripur Sundari, Durga Nag, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Verinag, Handwara and Baramulla. "I will visit all Temples in Kashmir Valley and this is my last wish. I will have no regrets if I die now," said Bhat whose brother was shot dead by militants in Kupwara resulting in his family migrating to Jaipur in 1990. "It is homecoming for Pandits, who have come to fulfil their emotional aspirations. Their visits to the Valley Temples is a very positive sign as Government is giving final touch to return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley," State Relief and Revenue Minister Hakeem Yasin told PTI. Yasin, who has been looking after the job of construction of hamlets for Kashmiri Pandits at different places in the Valley for their return, said "over 1.2 lakh Pandits have so far visited at least 23 shrines, particularly Kheerbhawani and Shankeracharya in Srinagar this year." The gates of 167 ancient Temples were locked during the rise of militancy in 1989-90. Of these, 47 temples were either burnt or destroyed during militancy period. Rest of the Temples were renovated or taken care of by the security forces who in most of the places in the Valley set up camps and posts in these Temples. Pandits could not visit the Temple in such a large number as they did during this year, said a senior Army officer, who was also instrumental in getting the repairs of Tripur Sundari Temple done. Northern Command Chief Lt Gen Hari Prasad, during his early posting as head of Armed division ‘Kiloforce’, then a Major General, had several gutted Temples, including famous Shailputri Temple (Devi Bal) in Baramulla, rebuilt. (PTI) |
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