Nupur Talwar surrenders, court to decide on bail plea

Nupur Talwar, facing an arrest warrant in the double murder of her daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj, surrendered in a Ghaziabad court today and was taken into judicial custody. She also applied for bail.
On Friday Supreme Court directed her to surrender before the CBI court

in Ghaziabad. A special bench of justice AK Patnaik and justice KS Khehar asked Nupur — accused of dodging several summons —  to appear before the trial court on April 30.

Nupur is expected to surrender after 10:00am. Her lawyers will be filing for regular bail. But if the magistrate rejects her bail plea, she could be sent to judicial custody.

A few days ago, the CBI raided Nupur's residence in the Hauz Khas area to execute the warrant to ensure her presence in the court.

The warrant was issued even as she moved the SC for reviewing its judgment, upholding the CBI magistrate's summons.

But the apex court did not stay the summons. "We will take this matter (the review petition) with ease. Meanwhile, you must surrender," justice Patnaik told Nupur's counsel, Mukul Rohatgi.

On May 16, 2008, Aarushi, a 14-year-old Class 9 student, was found dead with her throat slit in her parents’ home in Noida.

Suspicion initially fell on the family's live-in domestic help Hemraj, who had been missing. But the following day, his body was found on the terrace of the same house.

The police first arrested Aarushi's father, Rajesh, for allegedly committing the double murder. But Nupur accused the Noida police of framing her husband and requested then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati to transfer the case to the CBI, which took over the case on June 1, 2008.

 

Continue reading...

Priyanka is a great buddy: Shahid Kapoor

Shahid Kapoor, who has been lying low after the debacle of his father Pankaj Kapoor’s directorial debut Mausam last year, has been fairly active on the micro-blogging website Twitter.

Late last year, a tabloid had written a graphic report about his Badmaash Company (2010) co-star Anushka
Sharma and him getting cozy at a private party. The actor refused to speak to the press after the incident, but reacted angrily on the website.

“I discussed the incident and the way it had been reported with Anushka. It’s so annoying to read a piece of trash in a supposed newspaper that runs information without crediting anyone for it,” says the actor, who recently announced his collaboration with Pioneer’s products in the city.

“There’s a limit to everything. I felt disgusted to read reports written in such bad taste about a lady who comes from a respected family.”

When asked why he had reacted only on Twitter, Shahid reasons that he felt it was an apt platform to vent his anger. “We have many  fans out there. And what I said came straight from my heart and was meant for fans to read and know how much truth there is to certain pieces of information,” he retorts.

Over the last one year, there have been ample occasions when the 30-year-old was linked to his Kaminey (2009) co-star Priyanka Chopra.

Various stories about them spending quality time together were written. But Shahid didn’t react to any of them on his web page.

“Priyanka and I have just completed work on Kunal Kohli’s film. She’s a fantastic co-star and a great buddy,” he says, adding, “We just choose to let these concocted stories be because the minute we react, they gain undue importance.”

Continue reading...

14 authors vie for South Asian literature prize

It’s been doing the runs for a few months now. Since January, in fact. At the Jaipur Literature Festival, the organisers had floated the idea of instituting the prize for South Asian Literature.

On Tuesday, the first steps for the prize were taken. Touted to bring the “rich and varied” SouthAsian literature to forefront, the prize and the money both are nothing to look down upon.

At US $50,000, the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature is heftier than the Man Asia Literary Prize — Asian Booker — which offers US $30,000. The prize is for a work of fiction, published between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010 and “can be written by an author of any ethnicity from any country which predominantly features themes based on South Asia”.

At the announcement of the “longlist” of novelists — 14 of them — writer, critic Nilanjana S. Roy, who is also one of the jury, said: “The content and not the nationality of the writer is important. Any writer — be it Dutch or an American — is eligible for the prize. The only qualification necessary is that the book should be set in South Asia, feature South Asian characters or has a deep allusion to the varied history and culture of South Asia.”

“Any Indian, or even Asian language is eligible — as long as it is translated in English,” said Manhad Narula, director, DSC Limited.

But why only translations? Why not felicitated the original? Lord Meghnad Desai, a member of the advisory board that picked the jury for the literary prize said: “English is the only language in South Asia. It is the language that is common to everyone, that keeps everyone connected. I can’t read Bangla or Tamil. But there is so much great literature in these languages that needs to reach the masses.” Only translation can help that, he said.

Roy confirmed it by saying: “The question is not why we are looking at English, the question is why there is no prize yet in Bangla or Tamil… for these great works of literature.”

Desai added: “Even if there are prizes in these languages, it doesn’t matter to those outside that vernacular.” We are trying to make these distinctions disappear, he said.

The longlist for the prize comprises: Upamanyu Chatterjee’s Way To Go, Amit Chaudhuri’s The Immortals, Chandrahas Chaudhury’s Arzee The Dwarf, The Story of a Widow by Musharraf Ali Farooqui, A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman, Anjum Hassan’s Neti Neti, Atlas of Unknowns by Tania James, Manju Kapur’s The Immigrant, H.M. Naqvi’s Home Boy, Ali Sethi’s The Wish Maker, Chef by Jaspreet Singh, Aatish Taseer’s The Temple Goers, and in translation The Hour Past Midnight by Salma  and Sankar’s The Middleman.

The shortlist of five or six writers will be announced at London, at the DSC South Asian Literature Festival in October.

The winner of DSC Prize for South Asian Literature would be announced in January 2011 at next year’s Jaipur Literature festival.

At the press meet, Surina Narula, festival advisor of the Jaipur Literature festival, said: “The London’s festival is about outreach. It’s not just about the literature enthusiast in London, but also those in Manchester and Birmingham.”

The 15-day literature festival in UK, to begin on October 15, will be travelling across UK. “The festival will visit the outer boroughs of the Capital (London), with authors appearing throughout London’s extended library network” in places such as Greenwich, Westminster, Islington, Harrow and Brent.

Continue reading...

CPI demands political dialogue to restore normalcy in J-K

CPI on Tuesday demanded a meaningful political dialogue to restore normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) claiming that the controversial law had alienated the people there. The demand comes a day ahead of the all-party meeting on Kashmir convened

by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Condemning the violence "provoked by certain elements in the US", the party said these elements have used the already prevailing sense of alienation among the people to take to the streets and confront forces.

Charging the Government with dithering to take decisive action, the party said, "Only in such a situation can meaningful political dialogue take place and a political solution can be found."

"For quite a long time, the Centre has been dithering when it is clear that there is hardly a functioning government in the state," the CPI Central Secretariat said in a statement.

Many political parties, including CPI, have been demanding withdrawal of AFSPA which has "only led to further alienation of the people as was seen earlier in North-East, in Manipur and now in Jammu and Kashmir," it said.

"It is the government that has to take the crucial decision for defusing the situation in the strife-torn state and allow sane, sober and democratic elements to restore peace and normalcy in the state," it said.

The party also appealed to the people in Kashmir not to fall prey to any provocation.

"We also appeal to all political forces and formations in the state to come forward and engage in a political process so that the situation does not further deteriorate and lead to a point of no return," it added.

Continue reading...

Cuba to axe one million state jobs

Cuba has announced plans to slash one million state jobs and encourage the growth of its emerging small business sector in a gamble it hopes can keep its communist system and floundering economy afloat. Workers laid off from government jobs will no longer be sent home with partial pay, but will instead have to find other means to make a living, the Cuban Worker's Central, or CTC by its Spanish acronym, warned on Monday.

It said more than 500,000 public sector jobs will be eliminated, in a first major cut, by March 2011.

"Our state neither can nor should continue maintaining companies... with inflated payrolls, and losses that are a drag on the economy, are counterproductive, generate bad habits and deform workers' performance," the CTC said.

President Raul Castro said in 2009 the government wanted to relocate more than a million state employees, sending shockwaves through a society which has grown accustomed to stable levels of employment over the last 50 years.

Cuba has a workforce of 4.9 million people in a country with 11.2 million population. The state controls 95 percent of the economy.

For years, the government has given laid off workers up to 60 percent of their salary while they were waiting to be placed in a new job.

But the CTC said "it will no longer be possible to indefinitely protect or subsidize workers' incomes."

The government is to hand out 250,000 permits in some 120 different types of small business and is encouraging mechanics, cobblers, hairdressers, gardeners and translators among others to apply, say documents circulating in workplaces.

Workers typically will pay a license fee, and sometimes rent. The government is hoping the emerging private sector can absorb workers but many analysts have their doubts.

Still, Yvonne Molina, 27, who recently received a permit to open a small seamstress business in her garage in downtown Havana, was hopful.

Molina said she hopes to earn significantly more than the meager wages of around 20 dollars a month the government pays.

"Every month I pay 300 pesos (about 12 dollars) for my license, and I earned 250 pesos (around 10 dollars) in one week. I've always fixed clothes," she said used to do it illegally. Now I can make dresses, sell them and earn a living with no fear that I will be fined."

Cuba's economy went into freefall after the collapse of former communist allies in the east bloc after 1989.

It emerged battered but afloat once it locked in Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez as a key political ally. Caracas supplies Havana with cut-rate oil and props up its economy -- as do hundreds of millions of dollars in remittances from about 1.5 million Cubans who voted with their feet and live abroad.

Hopes for change ran high after Raul Castro took over the country's helm in 2006 as his brother, revolutionary icon and longtime president Fidel, faced a life-threatening illness.

But even economic change -- much less political -- has been minor and rare under Raul Castro, 79. Fidel, now 84, remains Communist Party chief.

Half of Cuba's land is currently not producing, and the country imports 80 percent of its food. Though slightly larger than Portugal, Cuba has great trouble simply moving food from the country into cities.

Fidel Castro last week caused a stir when it was reported he told a US journalist: "The Cuban model doesn't even work for us any more."

The former president later confirmed he made the remark, but said it was not meant to have been taken literally and that he meant "exactly the opposite."

Peru's President Alan Garcia, asked about the flap in Lima, said "is the Cuban model of state ownership of everything applicable to society now? I'd say it is not."

Continue reading...

Eid marred by violence in Valley

Several Eid-ul-Fitr congregations turned into major pro-freedom protest demonstrations in Kashmir on Saturday. After protest marches, the devotees set afire police posts and government buildings forcing the security forces to resort to firing and tear-smoke shelling. Hundreds of white-kurta clad devotees wearing black bands on the arms as mark of protest converged on Srinagar streets since early in the morning to say Eid prayers at Eidgah area. Hundreds of vehicles and two-wheelers ferried devotees to the venue from far off places. They were raising anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.

Both hard-line and moderate Hurriyat chiefs Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had asked people to pray at historic Eidgah area, which houses Srinagar's biggest graveyard of people who died in the unrest in the last 22 years.

Over one lakh people, including women and children, participated in Eid prayers at Eidgah with the Mirwaiz leading it and at Hazratbal shrine.

"I ask India to accept the disputed nature of Kashmir and offer right to self determination to people. The only way forward now is trilateral dialogue (Pakistan, India and Kashmir). No Eid package can help improve the situation in J-K," said the Mirwaiz told the congregation.

Prior to Eid prayers, the Mirwaiz announced a protest march from Eidgah to historic Lal Chowk, some seven kilo meters distance. The march took the state government completely off-guard. Geelani was arrested two days ago only to stop any protest rally in Kashmir.

After several rounds of meeting, the state government first called in troops and later withdrew to allow the Mirwaiz's protest march on the assurance that it will be peaceful.

"Mirwaiz was incapable to organising a peaceful march. Mirwaiz and Yasin contacted my office and sought permission for peaceful protests. We allowed them but they have abused the trust and vitiated Eid festivity," said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The Mirwaiz said his procession was completely peaceful. "We passed many security pickets on the way to Lal Chowk and nobody hurled a stone. Once we concluded the sit-in at Lal Chowk, it's thereafter some miscreants set afire government buildings. We condemn it," said the Mirwaiz.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik and the Mirwaiz addressed hundreds of protesters at Lal Chowk. The separatist leaders asked people to exercise discipline and called on other separatist leaders to come under one umbrella.

The protesters, however, after the separatist speeches set afire government buildings housing the offices of chief engineer of the power department and the crime branch.

Earlier in the day, separatist supporters burnt down a police post and a police vehicle outside the Hazratbal shrine immediately after the prayers. Police fired in the air to control the situation. Wanted Masrat Alam reportedly was present inside the shrine, while other separatist leader Noor Muhammad Kalwal addressed the congregation.

This is for the first time in the last 22 years that Eid witnessed pro-freedom protests.

Continue reading...

Ayodhya title suit verdict on Sept 24

The High Court verdict in 60-year-old title suit in Babri Masjid-Ramjamabhoomi issue would be announced on September 24. Senior counsel representing Sunni Waqf Board in the case Zafaryab Jilani told HT that the court issued notice in connection with this today. The three-member bench consisting

of Justice SU Khan, Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice DV Sharma would announce verdict at 3.30 pm. The hearing in the case was completed in July and the court had then reserved the verdict.

The verdict is believed to have major political consequences as votebank politics will take centrestage and could lead to law and order issues in Uttar Pradesh.

Continue reading...

Ohio bans outsourcing, Infosys concerned

Infosys, the country's second largest software company, today expressed concern over the Ohio state government's move to ban IT outsourcing to offshore locations such as India. Infosys CEO & Managing Director Kris Gopalakrishnan said, "We are concerned with the recent news from US about banning offshore outsourcing by Ohio State government departments.

"Infosys' initiative in the Public Services sector is focused on creating a domestic Delivery Center in the US hence this should not be affected."

Media today reported that the U.S. state of Ohio had banned outsourcing of government IT and back-office projects to offshore locations such as India, raising fears of similar moves by other American states.

Continue reading...

Cabinet targets Sena, BJP for malaria

Politics over the malaria outbreak in Mumbai took the centrestage at the state Cabinet’s weekly meeting on Wednesday. The ministers accused the bosses of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-— the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party — of inefficiency in taming the threat to
public health. They took senior BMC officials, who were summoned to the meeting, to task and asked them to perform beyond their routine duties.

The city’s municipal, government and private hospitals are teeming with malaria patients. Other cities such as Thane, Pune and Nagpur have also reported an alarming number of patients over the past fortnight. The Sena-BJP combine is under attack from all parties. The Congress-led state government beat the saffron combine in efforts to control the illness. Health officials from across the state have been summoned to monitor the measures.

Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar, deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil led the attack. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also participated. Public Heath Minister Suresh Shetty assured the Cabinet that his department would work on a war footing to compensate for the BMC’s inability to handle the crisis.

Chavan directed BMC commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya to reign in developers whose construction sites have provided breeding grounds for mosquitoes. “Make it compulsory for builders to take preventive measures,” he said.

He also directed that hospitals owned and operated by the Mumbai Port Trust, railways and other central agencies be told to treat malaria patients. “We will inform the Centre today [about this].”

The Cabinet also decided to fill vacant posts of doctors and paramedics in state hospitals.

The condition of Mumbai’s roads was also discussed. Jayant Patil narrated how he drove the three additional municipal commissioners on potholed roads in south Mumbai. Pawar said his daily commute had become a nightmare.

Now, NCP blames Sena

The NCP has held the Sena responsible for the malaria outbreak. A delegation led by city NCP chief Narendra Verma met BMC commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya and threatened to agitate if the BMC did not control malaria and fill potholes. Verma alleged that the Sena-BJP alliance that rules the BMC has no political or administrative will to sort these issues.

Continue reading...

India bandh: Capital set to strike back

Brace yourself amid conflicting claims as Monday dawns. The combined opposition, which has called two separate Bharat bandhs — one by the NDA, the other by the Left — to protest the hike in fuel prices announced on June 25, insists it will bring Delhi, along with the rest of the country, to a complete halt.
The Delhi Police, however, insist Monday will be like any other. They will ensure roads remain open and traffic moves smoothly. The 500 odd markets in the Capital, taking no chances, have already announced they will stay shut. But most offices will be open, as will most schools, and public transport will ply.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg said, “We have made arrangements,” said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic). “Almost the entire force would be out on the road. We will keep the traffic flowing smoothly on all the major highways and arterial roads.”

BJP sources claimed 50,000 workers would be converging on the Capital to block roads and burn effigies of those they hold responsible for the fuel price rise.

“Blueline buses will operate,” said Shyam Lal Gola, Delhi Bus Ekta Manch spokesman.

“Though we too are affected by the CNG hike and by inflation, we will run the buses to ensure the public is not inconvenienced,” Gola said.

“We have not declared a holiday. Delhi Transport Corporation has assured us that the schools buses will function as usual,” said Sister Nirmalini, principal, Carmel Convent, echoing the position of most school principals.

A few well-known schools, however, are taking no chances. “The safety of the children is more important than one day of school,” said Jyoti Bose, principal, Springdales, Dhaula Kuan, justifying her decision to keep the school closed.

Amid traffic snarls caused by protesters, rains could make matters worse.

Continue reading...

RJD leader and former MLA Rajendra Prasad Yadav was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Bihar court in connection with a murder case in G

India and the United States will hold a Joint Commission meeting on Science and Technology in Washington this week.

The two-day meeting would be co-chaired by John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences. Holdren and Chavan would lead their respective country's delegations.

Continue reading...

Bihar court awards life-term to ex-RJD MLA

RJD leader and former MLA Rajendra Prasad Yadav was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Bihar court in connection with a murder case in Gaya district.

Fast-track court judge Achyutanand Upadhyay found Yadav guilty of killing a woman Mintoo Kumari in course of firing while taking out a victory procession from Atari at Dariapur village in the district in February, 2005.

Upadhyay awarded life-term to him.

Yadav had won the elections twice from Atari on RJD ticket in 2000 and February 2005.

Continue reading...

Kanishka bombing most barbarous act of terror: PM

Terming the 1985 Kanishka bombing as the "most barbarous act," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said terrorism must be fought and eliminated with determination and joint action.

"This was a horrific incident which shook the world's conscience. It is with a sense of deep pain and sorrow that I join the families and friends in paying my homage to all those who fell victim to this most barbarous act of terrorism", he said on the 25th anniversary of the crash of Air India Flight 182.

The Prime Minister, who will be in Canada later this week in connection with the G-20 Summit, said that no religion, faith or cause could justify such violence or inhumanity.

"On this solemn occasion, we must rededicate ourselves to fighting and eliminating terrorism with determination and joint action," Singh said.

Air India's Kanishka aircraft had plunged into the Atlantic on June 23, 1985 after an onboard explosion, killing all 329 passengers and crew.

Continue reading...

President asked to reject Guru's mercy plea

The Union Home Ministry has asked President Pratibha Patil's office to reject Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's mercy plea, informed sources said.

However, few reports in media say that the Home Ministry has yet not confirmed this.

Guru is on the death row since 2002 for the 2001 parliament attack. His wife Tabassum filed a mercy petition with the Rashtrapati Bhavan four years ago.

The sources said the mercy petition was sent to the home ministry for its view and it returned the file last week, rejecting the plea because of the heinous nature of the crime.

With the home ministry recommending that the plea be rejected, it is now up to the president to take a call on the fate of Guru, exercising her powers under Article 72 of the constitution.

Continue reading...

China to go ahead with plans to build two N-reactors in Pak

China is likely to go ahead with its decision to "finance" the construction of two 650 MW nuclear power plants in Pakistan disregarding the concerns raised by India and the United States.

It is expected to announce its decision at the Nuclear Security Group meeting being held in New Zealand on Thursday.

"China will likely go ahead with financing the construction of two nuclear reactors in Pakistan despite concerns from other countries," state-run China Daily quoted Chinese experts as saying.

"China is expected to announce its plans to build the reactors in Pakistan's Punjab province at the 46-member NSG meeting in New Zealand. Meanwhile, the United States, with heavy lobbying from India, is reportedly raising doubts over the legitimacy of the deal," it said in its report.

The report in the official daily is regarded as a sort of an official announcement as Chinese Foreign Ministry so far has declined to say anything directly concerning China's plans to build new reactors in Pakistan. It only said that its cooperation with Islamabad concerning the civil nuclear is for peaceful purposes and being carried under the safeguards and supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, (IAEA).

The write up in the daily comes after the recently concluded visit of Pakistan Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani during which Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie announced that "China would join hands with Pakistan to bring military relations to a new high".

China's plans to build two nuclear reactors came to light when state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced in April this year that it will export nuclear power reactors to Pakistan in a USD 2.375-billion agreement.

This is in addition to two nuclear reactors built by China at Chashma in Pakistan's Punjab province.

Zhai Dequan, deputy secretary-general of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, defended China's plans to build new reactors saying that China has been helping Pakistan with reactors earlier.

"This is not the first time China has helped Pakistan build nuclear reactors, and since it will be watched by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the deal is not going to have any problems," Zhai said, adding the US will not pressure China too much as it previously struck a deal with India.

The US last week asked China to clarify the details of the deal, but stopped short of publicly opposing it, the daily said in its report.

In 2008, the NSG - which represents the 46 countries that control the world's atomic trade - made an exemption allowing Washington to sell civil nuclear technology to New Delhi.

Continue reading...

Suspected honour killing: Photos of three accused released

Delhi Police on Wednesday released photographs of the three alleged accused in the suspected honour killing case of an inter-caste couple and their relative and decided to announce cash rewards for anyone providing information about the trio.

DCP (North West Delhi) N S Bundela said cash rewards will be given to anyone providing information about Mandeep (23), Ankit (22) and Nakul alias Nikku (21) -- who allegedly murdered Monica along with her husband Kuldeep on Sunday for marrying in another caste.

However, the amount for the cash rewards has not been fixed, he said.

The trio is also allegedly involved in the killing of 22-year-old Shobha, a cousin of Monica. Police had on Tuesday recovered the body of Shobha, who too had eloped with a man belonging to a different caste.

All the three are suspected victims of honour killing.

Police feel that the perpetrators of the crime could have been enraged over the inter-caste marriages in the family which apparently started with Monica, 24, who was followed by her cousin sister Shobha.

Ankit is brother of Monica while Mandeep is her cousin. Shobha is Mandeep's sister.

Mandeep and Ankit are absconding and police suspect the involvement of both in Shobha's murder.

Continue reading...