| 18/03/2010 | Delight as Sahil is reunited with father |
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The five-year-old boy freed by kidnappers in Pakistan after his family paid a £110,000 ransom was “really happy” to be reunited with his father today, a spokesman for the British High Commission said. Sahil Saeed, who was released on Tuesday after being snatched at gunpoint in Pakistan two weeks ago, met Raja Naqqash Saeed at the home of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad. 
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| 18/03/2010 | British police helped with £100k ransom that got Sahil freed |
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Greater Manchester Police helped organise the payment of a ransom to the kidnappers of five-year-old Sahil Saeed, the M.E.N can reveal today. Senior sources confirmed that GMP officers – working with police in Pakistan and Spain – helped ‘facilitate’ a payment. 
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| 29/01/2010 | Do you have a story? Contact us |
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Do you have a story which you want our reporting team to investigate? Contact the news desk with press releases and general enquiries by calling 0161 211 2256 or email asiannews@menmedia.co.uk 
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| 18/03/2010 | Four on drugs arrest |
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Four Oldham men have been arrested in Glodwick on suspicion of money laundering and conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs. On Wednesday 17 March officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Crime Division executed warrants at houses on Grendon Avenue, Cranbrook Street and Brompton Street. A large amount of cash was also recovered from the addresses. 
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| 18/03/2010 | EDL demo to go ahead in Bolton |
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The English Defence League rally in Bolton will go ahead on Saturday after the Home Secretary said he had no power to ban it. The council was hoping that Alan Johnson would outlaw the demonstration on safety grounds, fearing violence could erupt in the town centre. 
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| 17/03/2010 | RDB perform at UK Asian Music Awards |
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RDB rocked the stage last week with a special performance at the UK Asian Music Awards. The annual award ceremony took place on March 11th at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The event was a star studded affair with appearances from Jay Sean, Malkit Singh and Sugababes. 
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| 16/03/2010 | Indian soap deals with issues of female feticide |
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It's been nearly a month and Megha Malik has only just taken a day off from shooting for the popular Colors TV show, Na Aana Is Des Laado.
Most people will recognise Megna as the over zealous lady of the house, Amma in the programme which deals with the controversial issues of female feticide and infanticide. 
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| 15/03/2010 | Academics gather at Bollywood and Beyond conference |
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Leading academics of Hindi cinema gathered to speak at the cinema studies conference Bollywood and Beyond, at University of Westminster’s recently launched India Media Centre. The nine experts from leading institutions in the UK and India presented on a range of Bollywood topics, to an audience of cinema fans and film students attending from as far afield as New York. 
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| 15/03/2010 | Akshay Kumar returns in Housefull |
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Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is all set to rock the Box Office this year with the much anticipated release of his first film of 2010, romantic comedy Housefull. Co-produced by Eros International, Housefull was filmed on location in UK, Italy, Hong Kong and India. 
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| 10/03/2010 | Shyam Benegal celebrated at film festival |
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One of India’s leading filmmakers, Shyam Benegal, is in the UK for a series of events exploring his vast career and celebrating his achievements in Indian cinema. As part of the Tongues on Fire 12th Asian Film Festival, the director is attending a range of functions across London, including a BAFTA interview, a director’s workshop at the University of Westminster, and a talk on women in films at the Nehru Centre. 
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| 08/03/2010 | From tea-boy to Bollywood star - Abhishek Bachchan on his climb to fame |
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In a 36 hour visit to the UK, Abhishek Bachchan gave London audiences an insight into his life and work at the 12th London Asian Film Festival. The actor opened the ten day series of events with a BAFTA interview and gala dinner on Friday, wrapping his jam-packed visit with an Actor’s Masterclass at a West End cinema on Saturday, before flying home. 
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| 03/03/2010 | Akshay Kumar kickstarts shoot for Tees Maar Khan |
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Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar and Bollywood’s most lovable director, Farah Khan have just kick-started their already-hyped new venture Tees Maar Khan at Mumbai's Film City. Akshay is currently shooting his introductory shot in the film - a major action comedy scene on a huge jumbo jet constructed by set director, Sabu Cyril. 
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| 03/03/2010 | Hrithik Roshan on the colours of love |
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On the occasion of Holi, Hrithik Roshan speaks up on his colourful life and his upcoming movie Kites, which stars Brazilian actress Barbara Mori and the beautiful Kangana Ranaut in a never-seen-before role. 
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| 08/03/2010 | 12th London Asian Film Festival attracts Bollywood stars |
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Bollywood fans in the UK will get the chance to interact with some of the biggest names in the Hindi film industry at the Tongues on Fire 12th London Asian Film Festival (5-14 March 2010). Leading Bollywood figures are scheduled to attend including Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Jaya Bachchan, Soha Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore. 
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| 17/03/2010 | Twin ‘confessed over shooting’ to river rescuer |
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A man accused with his twin of shooting dead a young dad told an ambulancewoman about the killing after trying to take his own life, a jury was told. Brett and Jordan Francis, 26, of Birch Avenue, Chadderton, deny murdering Amran Khan, 29, in a row over £12,000 of drugs money. 
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| 17/03/2010 | 13 years for man who fired shotgun in nightclub |
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A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison following a shooting in Bradford city centre last year. Omar Shah of Little Horton was arrested and charged after the incident at the Cube Nightclub on Ivegate in November 2009. He was convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, GBH and two counts of ABH. 
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| 17/03/2010 | Fusion awards final call for nominations |
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Nominations for this year's north west Fusion Awards is closing at the end of the month. The awards recognise the commitment of individuals across communities who help make the north west a better place to live and work. 
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| 17/03/2010 | Sahil kidnap gang hunt switches to Spain |
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The hunt for the kidnap gang who snatched five-year-old Sahil Saeed has switched to Spain after part of the ransom was paid there. It is understood that the family of Sahil’s mother, Akila Naqqash, managed to raise the cash. Sahil, from Oldham, was kidnapped two weeks ago while on holiday in Pakistan when his family were held at gunpoint by robbers. 
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| 17/03/2010 | Three arrested in Spain over Sahil kidnapping |
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Three people have been arrested in Spain suspected of being linked to the kidnapping of five-year-old Sahil Saeed, according to reports. A Spanish newspaper said two Pakistanis and a Romanian woman were arrested in the town of Constanti, near the north-eastern city of Tarragona. 
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| 17/03/2010 | Man arrested in murder investigation |
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A 22-year-old-man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 19-year-old man died following a stab wound. The man remains in custody after being arrested earlier today. |
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| 18/03/2010 | Leprechaun bank robbers die in Tennessee shoot-out |
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Two suspected bank robbers, one of them wearing a St Patrick’s Day costume, have been killed in a shoot-out with police in Tennessee.
First State Bank in the Nashville suburb of Gallatin was held up on Wednesday by a man dressed as a leprechaun, police said.
The man left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.
Both suspects were shot dead when they ditched their vehicle and ran into a field, pursued by police officers.
The costumed suspect had initially walked into a Fifth Third Bank nearby at lunchtime but left again because it was too crowded, witness Bradley Webb told Tennessee’s News Channel 5.
’Large-calibre gun’
Sharon Riehemann, manager of the Fifth Third Bank, said the costumed man had been wearing a green top hat, vest and shorts and a fake brown beard and wig.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8573736.stm
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| 18/03/2010 | Manhunt for Lankan’s killer |
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The Canadian police have launched a nationwide manhunt to arrest a man wanted over the death of a Sri Lankan in Toronto in what was initially believed to have been a hit and run incident, the Canadian media reported.
According to CBC, the Toronto police have issued a Canada-wide second-degree murder warrant for a 28-year-old man charged in a homicide in the city’s east end on Saturday.
Police responded to what they originally believed was a hit and run at Terraview Learning Centre at 1641 Pharmacy Avenue.
Officers discovered the body of Nanthi Eashan Dharmaratnam, 25, in the centre’s parking lot. After further investigation, police believe Dharmaratnam was deliberately hit by a vehicle. An autopsy on Sunday determined Dharmaratnam died from head and torso injuries.
Seran Kasilingam of Toronto has been charged with second-degree murder. Kasilingam is described as five feet 11 inches tall, 230 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
He goes by the nickname Kuttyshawn. Toronto’s homicide squad said the two knew each other.
www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/2428-manhunt-for-lankans-killer.html
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| 18/03/2010 | Second Court Martial to be reconvened |
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The second Court Martial assembled at the Navy Headquarters yesterday morning to hear charges of alleged contravention of military procurement procedures against General Sarath Fonseka unanimously decided to adjourn its sittings and refer the composition of the tribunal to convening authorities.
The tribunal, considering submissions maintained that although the provisions in the Army Act empower same members of one Court Martial to sit for another tribunal for the same accused, provided alleged prosecuting charges are of different nature, it prefers to be reconvened for the sake of maintaining high degree of transparency and unprejudiced nature.
The sittings were therefore adjourned.
www.dailynews.lk/2010/03/18/news03.asp
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| 18/03/2010 | Plate activities being watched |
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The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau says it is monitoring the seismic activity close to Sri Lanka following the 6.0 earthquake recorded in the area earlier this week.
The 6.0 quake was the biggest to have been recorded from that particular plate and a bigger one could occur but is unlikely to cause any major damage to Sri Lanka, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau added.
Speaking to Daily Mirror online, Chairman of the Bureau, Dr. N.J. Vithyananda said, "We are monitoring the situation closely. 6.0 is the highest earthquake we have had."
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck close to Sri Lanka early on Monday morning but did not cause any damages nor was there a threat of a tsunami. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 and was centered about 1,151 kilometers (716 miles) south-southeast of Colombo according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Center. It struck about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake.
www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/2439-plate-activities-being-watched.html
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| 18/03/2010 | EU - Lanka to continue talks |
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The Sri Lankan government and the European Union (EU) have agreed to meet again for further discussions following preliminary talks held in Brussels this week on continuing with the GSP plus facility, a EU spokesman told Daily Mirror online.
EU Trade Spokesman John Clancy said the delegation of high-level Sri Lankan officials held a preliminary exchange of views with European Commission officials following the announcement by the EU on 15th February of the decision for the temporary withdrawal of GSP+ benefits from Sri Lanka.
The delegation led by Romesh Jayasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with Commisisoner De Gucht and held a preliminary exchange of views. The EU spokesman however refused to elaborate further on what was discussed and if the talks so far were fruitful.
"The Commission remains committed to work with Sri Lanka to see whether the conditions for a reversal of such a decision are in place as a result of significant improvements on the effective implementation of the human rights conventions at issue. The Sri Lankans and EU counterparts agreed to meet again," John Clancy told Daily Mirror online via email.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/2430-eu-lanka-to-continue-talks.html
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| 18/03/2010 | Trial of Sri Lanka ex-army chief Fonseka adjourned |
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The second of two courts martial set up to try Sri Lanka’s ex-army chief, Sarath Fonseka, has abruptly adjourned.
The three-judges said they wanted to clarify whether they could conduct both sets of proceedings, a defence lawyer told the BBC.
Wednesday’s trial was to have heard charges that Gen Fonseka broke procedure on military procurement.
Gen Fonseka says all the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to bar him from forthcoming elections.
He was arrested by the army last month, after losing presidential elections to incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa in January.
Gen Fonseka led Sri Lanka’s army when it defeated Tamil Tiger rebels last year but he and President Rajapaksa later fell out.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8572586.stm
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| 18/03/2010 | Court Martial adjourns sittings |
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The second Court Martial which convened today to hear charges over the alleged contravention of military procurement procedures by General Sarath Fonseka, adjourned sittings over the composition of the tribunal, the army said in a statement.
The second Court Martial assembled at Navy Headquarters this morning to hear the charges but later unanimously decided to adjourn its sittings and refer the composition of the tribunal to convening authorities.
The tribune, considering submissions maintained that although the provisions in the Army Act empower same members of one Court Martial to sit for another tribunal, provided alleged prosecuting charges are of different nature, it prefers to be reconvened for the sake of maintaining high degree of transparency and unprejudiced nature.
www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/news/2426-court-martial-adjures-over-tribunal.html
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| 18/03/2010 | Won’t allow firings to recur, PC tells Lapang |
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Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday assured Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang that the Centre would not allow incidents of firing between BSF and BDR to recur.
Lapang, who called on Chidambaram in New Delhi on Wednesday, discussed the recent incidents of firing by BDR and BSF along the border in Meghalaya and raised concerns of the civilian population living in the area, an official statement here said.
Asserting that the land at Muktapur, which BDR has been claiming, has been with India since decades, Lapang said the cordial atmosphere prevailing between New Delhi and Dhaka should not be disturbed by such incidents.
"The Union Home Minister informed that he has already taken up the matter with concerned authorities and assured that such incidents will not be allowed to recur," the statement said.
Lapang also apprised the Home Minister of the outcome of Tuesday’s talks between the banned Achik National Volunteers Council and Centre’s interlocutor P C Haldar.
www.indianexpress.com/news/wont-allow-firings-to-recur-pc-tells-lapang/592105/
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| 18/03/2010 | BJP takes credit for Women’s Bill |
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BJP on Wednesday sought to take credit for its role in passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha and forcing the government to defer the nuclear liability bill.
"When the Women’s Reservation Bill came many said opposition unity will be broken but we were not affected by criticism that BJP was aligning with the Left," Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told a press conference.
When she was reminded that Congress has already taken credit for passage of the women’s bill in Rajya Sabha, she said, "Democracy runs on numbers. In the House where it was passed, government did not have a majority."
Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Arun Jaitley, who was also present, referred to the din and use of marshals when the contentious bill came up for discussion and passage.
"My de facto intervention became the de jure debate," he claimed, adding that he had objected to the use of marshals even in his speech. "You cannot have voting or debate in the presence of marshals," he said.
www.indianexpress.com/news/bjp-takes-credit-for-womens-bill/592059/
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| 18/03/2010 | Rahul, Priyanka surprise guests at wedding of stafferâs son |
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Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra paid a surprise private visit to Thrissur, Kerala, this afternoon to attend the wedding of the son of P Madhavan, a man who has been a part of the personal staff of the Nehru-Gandhi family for over two decades now.
The Kerala police and the Congress unit in the state were kept in the dark about the trip. “It was a secret visit, and we were not informed,” Thrissur Superintendent of Police M P Dinesh said. “But the state police provided the minimum requirements of security quickly,” he added.
Rahul and Priyanka arrived at Kochi International Airport by a special aircraft and drove the 40-odd kilometres to Thrissur in a tourist taxi. A police pilot vehicle accompanied them. By the time the Gandhi siblings reached Thrissur, the administration had managed to also position a fire tender and an ambulance as part of the security trappings at the wedding venue.
www.indianexpress.com/news/rahul-priyanka-surprise-guests-at-wedding-of-staffers-son/592325/
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| 18/03/2010 | US fully recognises India’s role in Afghanistan: Rao |
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Underlining the importance of stability in Afghanistan for regional security, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said Washington "fully recognises" India’s role in the war-torn country and reiterated that New Delhi will not be "scaling down" following the recent attacks targeting Indians.
"The United States fully recognizes that India has legitimate interests in Afghanistan. It appreciates the development work we do there," Rao said.
"It appreciates that we are force of stability and moderation in our region. We are not scaling down in Afghanistan," she added.
Rao is visiting New York after her meeting with top Obama Administration officials in Washington including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her counterpart, Bill Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs where they discussed a host of issues on Indo-US relations.
www.indianexpress.com/news/us-fully-recognises-indias-role-in-afghanistan-rao/592437/
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| 18/03/2010 | Punjab Public Service Commission accused of corruption |
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Doctors in Punjab say that good marks don’t ensure a job in the state and allege that medical posts are being sold.
Even the Punjab Public Service Commission’s results show several discrepancies in choosing candidates.
Dr Mandeep Singh’s son topped the Punjab state medical exam last year. Yet, when he applied for the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) he was turned down.
The doctor alleges that government medical posts are being sold to those who agree to pay hefty bribes.
"Bright candidates did not get in. People who did not have a chance did. The PPSC did not even tell us the break up of marks or criteria for selection," says Dr Singh.
A look at the results from the last set of PPSC exams reveals major inconsistencies.
Of the 10 toppers, one of the candidates has taken 11 years to complete a five-year MBBS course.
ibnlive.in.com/news/punjab-public-service-commission-accused-of-corruption/111669-3.html
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| 18/03/2010 | BSP’s I-T return rises 30 times in 3 years |
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Bahujan Samaj Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati was gifted one more cash garland on Wednesday.
The garland worth Rs 18 lakh was gifted by BSP leaders during a press conference in Lucknow just a couple of days after she was presented with a multi-crore garland made up of hundreds of Rs 1000 notes during the party’s 25th foundation day celebrations on Monday.
Even as Opposition parties have been crying hoarse over what they call the ugly display of wealth by Mayawati, defiant BSP leaders have vowed to gift only cash garlands to her.
As allegations of brazen money display mount, a CNN-IBN investigation has revealed that the BSP’s fortunes have seen a dramatic jump.
Information accessed by RTI has revealed that the BSP’s income tax returns showed its cash coffers went up 30 times in just three years.
ibnlive.in.com/news/bsps-it-return-rises-30-times-in-3-years/111667-37.html
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| 17/03/2010 | Don’t expect miracles from India-Pakistan dialogue: Antony |
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Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday said Pakistan “was not taking serious steps” to destroy 42 terror camps on its soil. Stating that India was “exploring all possibilities”, Mr. Antony also said he did not expect any “miracles” from the dialogue with Pakistan.
“All the terror camps in Pakistan are active. Pakistan has not taken any serious steps to destroy these camps,” Antony told a press conference on the sidelines of the launch of Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Vishwast at the port town of Vasco, 30 km from here.
Mr. Antony said India was one of the important targets for terrorist groups and that there were 42 terror training camps in Pakistan which were aimed at creating violence in the country.
beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article252738.ece
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| 17/03/2010 | UP tops in child rape cases, Delhi comes second |
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Uttar Pradesh has achieved the dubious distinction of reporting the maximum number of child sexual abuse and rape cases and the national capital comes a close second.
The country’s largest state in terms of population has reported 61 child sex abuse cases and 900 cases of rape of children with Delhi coming next with 52 child sexual abuse and 301 rape cases, according to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
While the figures for child sexual abuse are a compilation since the inception of the NCPCR in 2007, the number of rape cases are for the year 2008.
Andhra Pradesh reported 16 abuse and 412 rape cases, Bihar 15 and 91 and Madhya Pradesh 18 and 892.
The corresponding figures for Orissa were 22 abuse and 65 rape cases while Tamil Nadu and West Bengal reported 14 and 10 abuse cases respectively.
ibnlive.in.com/news/up-tops-in-child-rape-cases-delhi-comes-second/111642-3.html
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