6,000 workers from Telangana in Gulf jails

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World Cup Kabaddi 2014: Indian men, women win Worl...

Punjab News Weekly: World Cup Kabaddi 2014: Indian men, women win Worl...: The Indian men's team continued their winning streak by clinching the fifth Kabaddi World Cup title, while the women's side bagged ...

Thai Princess Srirasmi steps down from royal post

Thailand's crown prince has divorced his wife, in a dramatic fall from grace for a senior princess at a time of heightened anxiety over the health of the country's revered but ailing monarch.
A statement published by the palace early yesterday in the Royal Gazette said Princess Srirasmi had relinquished her royal status, a move that ends her 13-year marriage to Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Princess Srirasmi will lose her royal title, "Mom", which translates as princess. - See more at:
Several of the princess' relatives have been arrested recently in a high-profile corruption scandal that has sent shock waves through Thailand's elite.
"The king has granted permission to announce that Princess Srirasmi, the wife of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, has informed in a written document that she has resigned from her royal status," the palace said, signalling an end to the marriage.
Analysts said the 62-year-old crown prince's split from his wife would deepen fears for the monarchy's future as Thailand's 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej enters the twilight of his reign.
In May, Thailand's military seized power after months of occasionally violent street protests, saying it needed to protect the monarchy and restore order to the politically divided nation.
The king has been largely confined to hospital this year and pulled out of plans to hold a public audience this month during his birthday celebrations.
Srirasmi married the crown prince in 2001 and had been expected to become queen. The couple have a nine-year-old son who was thought to be Prince Vajiralongkorn's most likely heir.
"This announcement will add a greater sense of uncertainty and anxiety among Thais over the future of their monarchy - not just with the current generation, but with later generations too," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thailand expert at Japan's Kyoto University.
The Crown Prince married Princess Srirasmi in 2001. Thailand's laws protecting the monarchy are among the strictest in the world. It is a crime to defame, insult or threaten the King, Queen, heir-apparent or regent and anyone convicted of doing so faces up to 15 years in prison for each offence. -

139 complaints or cases of fraud NRI marriages received from US, 22 from Canada in in 3 years: Indian Minister

New Delhi: The US tops the list of eight countries from where complaints or cases of fraudulent Non-Resident Indian (NRI) marriages have been received, with 25 complaints received so far this year, the Indian Parliament was told Wednesday.

Minister of State in the ministries of Overseas Indian Affairs and External Affairs General V.K. Singh (retd) said in the Lok Sabha that the Indian missions provide assistance to the complainant in the form of financial help for legal procedures, counselling and taking necessary action as per the need and requirement of the case.

In the list circulated by the minister, covering three years from 2011-12 onward to the present, the largest number of complaints or cases of fraudulent NRI marriages have come from the US.

In 2011-12 it was 26, followed by 49 complaints in 2012-13, 39 in 2013-14, and 25 in the current year, with the total working out to 139 complaints.

Canada followed with a total of 22 complaints or cases over the three years, with the highest of 11 complaints filed this year so far.
Britain has 13 complaints or cases filed over the three year period, with the highest of eight complaints filed this year so far, the list shows.

The other countries from where complaints or cases have been reported are New Zealand, Germany, the Philippines, Australia and Singapore.

NRI marriages during each of last three years and the current year, which are as follows:

S.No.	Name of Country	No of Complaints/Cases
		2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	Current year	Total
1.	New Zealand	2	0	5	0	7
2.	Germany	0	0	1	0	1
3.	Philippines	0	0	0	1	1
4.	United States of America(USA)	26	49	39	25	139
5.	Canada	3	4	4	11	22
6.	Australia	0	0	0	1	1
7.	United Kingdom(UK )	0	3	2	8	13
8.	Singapore	2	1	1	0	4
	Total	33	57	52	46	188

Singh said the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) implements the scheme for giving legal/financial assistance to Indian women deserted by their overseas Indian/foreigner husbands through the empanelled NGOs and legal organisations.
Such assistance under the MOIA’s Scheme is provided through Missions/Posts in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Gulf countries.

The amount of assistance provided per case under the scheme to deserted Indian women is up to $3,000 in developed countries and $2,000 in developing countries, an official statement said.

Ease norms for MBBS seats, demand NRIs

Edmonton - After denied admission in the MBBS course in Punjab, many NRI students have approached the Medical Education and Research Department, seeking abolition of new rules under the All-India Pre-Medical Entrance Test (AIPMET) on July 6.
Earlier, all NRI quota seats in medical colleges of Punjab were filled on the basis of marks obtained by the candidates in exams equivalent to Class XII of the PSEB or CBSE. Under the new rules, it is mandatory for every candidate to appear in the AIPMET and get a minimum 50 per cent marks to be eligible for MBBS and BDS courses.
The seven state medical colleges have 72 NRI quota seats, but the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) could find only two eligible candidates.
A number of other applications were rejected as the candidates had scored less than 50 per cent marks in AIPMET. Several others did not even appear in the AIPMET.
In their representation to Minister, Medical Education and Research Department, Punjab, the NRI students said they had passed their qualifying examination (equivalent to Class XII) from the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other countries. They maintained that they had different curriculum than the one taught in India, so they had no exposure to the Indian examination system.
Dyal Sharma, father of Akanksha Sharma, an NRI student, said: "Since the academic period in India and in several foreign countries is different, it is not practical for NRI students to travel to India and appear in the AIPMET."

NRI Sabha, Canada urged Punjab Govt. that these conditions must be relaxed else all NRI seats will remain vacant in the state, the students said in their representation.

7 IAS, four PCS officers shifted

Chandigarh, August 23
The Punjab Government today transferred seven IAS and four PCS officers.

Ajoy Sharma has been posted Special Principal Secretary to the CM while Vipul Ujwal has been made the Commissioner, MC, Moga.

Shena Aggarwal would be SDM, Raikot; Sangam Aggarwal SDM, Khanna; Vineet Kumar SDM, Dera Baba Nanak; Keshav Hingoma SDM, Phagwara, and Surabhi Malik SDM, Nangal.

Among the PCS officers, Jagwinderjit Singh Grewal has been posted DTO, Gurdaspur, in addition to SDM, Batala. Rahul Chaba has been made ADC (General), Muktsar; Rakesh Kumar Popli, Estate officer, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority, Ludhiana and Rajat Oberoi SDM, Mukerian.

Road repair plan

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked Major General MS Pillai (Retd), adviser (Roads) to the state government, to prepare a master-plan for periodic maintenance of the total roads measuring 60,676 km in Punjab. Badal took this decision at a meeting with the Chief Engineers of the Public Works Department, NHAI, Punjab Mandi Board and BRO. 

Supreme Courtrefuses stay on UPSC exam

New Delhi, August 23
The Supreme Court today refused to postpone the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Preliminary Examination scheduled for August 24, saying the objections raised by students on comprehension part have been addressed.

In a special hearing, a Bench of Justices JS Khehar and Arun Mishra, dismissed a plea seeking a stay on the examination saying it couldn’t be given at the last hour when nine lakh students were ready to appear. The Bench did not agree with the petitioner’s contention that the examination procedure favoured students of science background. “You have raised only one point i.e. on comprehension, and it has been removed. Defect has been remedied,” the Bench said.

“We find no merit in this petition,” it said.

2 Jalandhar boys feared drowned in Italy

Jalandhar, August 23
Two Punjabi boys, Ravinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh from village Sanora in Jalandhar, are reported to have died after the boat they were in capsized while on its way from Libya to Italy.

The duo was among the 150 passengers aboard the boat. Though the incident occurred on the night of August 14/15, the victims’ families came to know about it yesterday. The relatives of a fellow passenger informed them.

Karnail Singh, Gurpreet’s father, said, “We received a call from Dalbir Kaur of Moga, who said her husband Cheter Singh too was on the boat along with the boys.”

Though Cheter was rescued by the by the Italian army, the fate of the boys was still not known.

Jagdish Singh, Ravi’s father, said he had received a call from his son a day before the incident that he was leaving for Italy, and that he would not be able to call up home for the next 12 days.

“He was very upset for the last four months as he had not been able to earn money due to tension in Libya. A day before the incident, he informed us that he along with many other Punjabi boys was boarding a ship for Italy. I haven’t heard from him ever since,” said Jagdish.

The families also informed that though their travel agent had promised them a visa for Dubai, he could only send them to strife-torn Libya after charging them Rs 1.5 lakh each. 

UK NRI couple among five killed, 15 injured in bus-car collision near Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH: Five persons including a NRI couple were killed and 15 injured when a Delhi-bound luxury bus from Dharamsala collided with a car here today. Three occupants of the ill-fated car were badly charred as the vehicle caught fire after the collision near a traffic signal in Chandigarh's Sector 45 here, Assistant Superintendent of Police (South) Urvija Goel said.

Three persons, two of whom hailed from Himachal Pradesh and one belonged to Rewari in Haryana, were travelling in the ill-fated car and they got trapped in the burning car after the accident.

The traffic signals were in a blinker mode at that time, Goel said.

Police said that a UK-based NRI couple Kavita and Rupesh, who hail from Himachal Pradesh, were also killed when the bus turned turtle after the collision.

The injured were rushed to a government hospital in Sector 32 here where the condition of a nine-year-old girl was said to be critical.

Goel said that a case under various Sections of the IPC has been registered against the driver of the Himachal Roadways bus, Surinder Singh, who is also got injuries and was admitted in the hospital.

Both the vehicles are believed to be at high speed at the time of the accident, police said.

FIFA investigate tackle that ended Neymar's World Cup and left him with fractured back

• 
  
• Neymar ruled out of World Cup after tackle from Colombia's Juan Zuniga
• Zuniga says he did not mean to hurt the Brazil star 
• Brazilian legend Ronaldo say tackle was 'violent' and meant to harm
• 
  

FIFA's disciplinary committee is studying the challenge that led to Brazil's star player Neymar suffering a fractured vertebra to decide on action against Colombia's Juan Zuniga.

The Colombia defender caught Neymar with a knee in his back in a full-blooded challenge that went unpunished during Brazil's 2-1 quarter-final win.

FIFA head of media Delia Fischer said: 'The disciplinary committee is analysing the matter. The spirit of fair play is very important and we want to avoid difficult things on the field of play.'

+5

Cynical: With the ball nowhere near Juan Zuniga smashes his knee into the lower part of Neymar's back

+5

Man down: The Barcelona forward falls to the ground after the challenge that rules him out of the semi-final

+5

Down: Neymar lies on the floor in pain and holds his back

+5

Worry: Brazil's star man had to be carried off on a stretcher with three minutes of the game to play

+5

The damage: Brazilian television stations obtained an x-ray of Neymar's back and highlighted the broken bone

Ronaldo, Brazil's former World Cup-winning striker, believes Zuniga had intended to hurt Neymar.

He told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro: 'The challenge was a very violent one - I believe there was an intention by the Colombian player to cause some harm

'I don't think it was normal football play, I don't know whether he had planned this beforehand but I do believe it was very aggressive, very violent.'

Zuniga defended the challenge after the match, saying he had not deliberately hurt Neymar. He said: 'It was a normal move, I never meant to hurt a player. I was on the field, playing for the shirt from my country, not intending to injure anyone. I was just defending my shirt.'

13 Hottest Kate Upton Photoshoot Locations

Bulgaria

This south eastern European country has more to offer than meets the eye. Along its Black Sea Coast are some of its most popular seaside resorts; Sunny Beach and Golden Sands. Bulgaria is rich in history, religious art, and the lowlands of the Danube.

Czech Republic

Most popular for its flora and fauna! The Czech Republic has an overabundance of historical castles and churches all packed in cozy little area! This culturally rich land is a perfect haven for the outdoors type.

France

The land of love! Who wouldn’t shoot sexy swimwear photos here? With its cute cafés, nightlife, Versailles (castle of French kings), beaches and ancient Roman ruins, you’ll get a sample of everything fun and adventurous all in one place.

Greece

Greece is a country of mythical legends, the original Olympics and has the lowest divorce rate in the world. This country has over 2,000 islands, boasts over 250 days of sunshine and is founder of the saying ‘grab the bull by the horns’.

Italy

Home of the leaning Tower of Pisa and great coliseum, this boot shaped country boasts romantic medieval towns, historical attractions and is the birthplace of famous Italian artists.

Korea

The custom to eat and drink once a week as a social event with co-workers is called “hoesik”. This high-tech, industrial country is inhabited by people who know how to enjoy down time at their ‘toilet themed’ amusement park!

Mexico

The birthplace of chocolate, corn, chili and home of the rare volcano rabbit that only lives near volcanos. This country’s beaches, nightlife, festivals and historic attractions will keep you coming back.

Poland

The city of Krakow stays youthful and hip as it is home to the largest student population. Bursting with historical sites and culture, costumes and handicraft make it a tourist destination worth seeing.

Romania

This place has the real Dracula’s Castle – which goes with the ‘cave of bones’. The beauty of the country is the Transfagarasan Highway the world’s favorite race highway. Rich in culture, geographical beauty and history, it is no wonder Miss Upton made a stop!

Apalachicola, Florida

We are sure Kate looked awesome during her Floridian photo shoot. Being surrounded by beautiful wildlife, natural foliage and miles of river to canoe and fish on it’s no wonder she was sold!

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Most famous for its beaches, this city contains most of the urban population of the continent. Riding on the Sydney Ferries is a pastime enjoyed by native and tourist alike since 1875.

Boracay Island, Philippines

Boracay is home of beautiful resorts, breathtaking beaches, calm, relaxing hide-a-ways and restaurants that serve food from every destination under the sun.

Cook Islands

This is a network friendly society is comprised of 15 cozy little islands. The skill of wood carving is kept alive from generation and the black pearl is what is produced as a staple.

Neymar Ruled Out of FIFA World Cup With Fractured Vertebrae

Brazil will battle Germany in the FIFA World Cup semifinal without Neymar's support as the striker suffered a serious injury during the match against Colombia.

Neymar grimaces in pain after the Brazilian striker was injured late in the team's quarter-final match against Colombia at the FIFA World Cup on July 4, 2014.

Fortaleza: Brazil will be without star striker Neymar for the remainder of the FIFA World Cup, after he fractured his vertebra late in the team's 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia on Friday.

Neymar was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and appeared to be in considerable pain.

Colombia defender Juan Zuniga kneed the 22-year-old Neymar in a crunching tackle and the Barcelona player was stretchered off in agony in the closing minutes of the game in Forteleza. 

The injury and the suspension of captain Thiago Silva for the semi-final against Germany overshadowed a sensational David Luiz goal that sealed victory in one of the most physical games seen at this World Cup.

A hospital exam "showed he suffered a fracture of the third vertebra" in his back, team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar told reporters.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari fumed that Neymar has been "hunted" throughout the tournament and that no punishment was given for the tackle on him.

"I have been saying for three matches that Neymar has been hunted, but all the other countries say it is not true and it is only their players that are hunted."

Silva was booked for a second time in the tournament for impeding a clearance by Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.

But in Zuniga's case "there was not even a yellow card and Thiago got a yellow card for nothing," Scolari said.

Brazil are in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 12 years, but Scolari, who has vowed his side will win their sixth World Cup, now faces a major crisis.

Silva put Brazil ahead after seven minutes and Luiz scored a sensational 30 metre free kick to give Brazil victory.

Colombia's James Rodriguez extended his lead as the tournament's top scorer with his sixth goal in five games from the penalty spot after Julio Cesar brought down Carlos Bacca.

But Colombia now leave and Brazil must now prepare without Neymar and key defender Silva for only their second World Cup meeting with Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday. The Germans beat France 1-0 earlier in the day.

Luiz's goal was another special moment in the World Cup.

"Today It was great because I hit the exact point where the ball can go many ways and it is difficult for the goalkeeper," said Luiz.

And the Paris St Germain defender said Brazil had the replacements in Dante and Henrique to cope with the absence of his club teammate Silva.

"We have two players that are great players and that have prepared to play just like Thiago and myself.

Colombia also complained about Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo.

"The referee did not help," said Rodriguez who suffered in marking but was himself booked for a tackle on Brazil's Hulk.

- Brazil roared on -

Roared off on by a fervent home crowd, the hosts made a fast start and were ahead inside seven minutes.

Just as in their last 16 clash with Chile, a Neymar corner kick finished at the back post and Silva escaped defender Carlos Sanchez to bundle the ball home.

Silva then had defensive duties as he got the slightest of touches to Juan Cuadrado's drive to turn it behind as Colombia tried to react.

Colombia could have fallen further behind as Ospina got down well to parry Hulk's effort before making a more comfortable save from Oscar.

Chances at both ends dried up in the second-half, despite the game still being played at a frenetic pace.

Brazil were dealt a huge blow when Silva was booked for barging into Ospina as he sought to clear the ball. Scolari covered his head in his hands.

Brazilian nerves were settled in the 69th minute when Luiz sent a wonderful dipping free-kick high past Ospina from fully 30 metres.

Yet, Colombia were back in the game 10 minutes from time when substitute Carlos Bacca was upended by Julio Cesar inside the area.

The Brazil goalkeeper was lucky just to see a yellow card from Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo. But he could do nothing to stop Rodriguez rolling home his sixth goal of the tournament from the resulting penalty.

Scolari's men saw out the final few minutes, but disaster struck when Zuniga's knee hit Neymar's back two minutes from the end of a game which saw dozens of heavy handed challenges.

Video Credits: NDTV

Indian Tourism Ministry launches a mobile app to help users explore 16 Indian cities

New Delhi:  The Ministry of Tourism has launched a mobile application to enable its users to independently travel and experience 16 cities in the country.

The self-guided tour application 'Incredible India Walking Tours' was launched by the Ministry in collaboration with Genesys International Corporation and will cover 16 Indian cities including Agra, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Coastal Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Pune and Surat.

The facility will be extended to 36 cities by December, 2015.

The app enables users to sightsee free of cost at their own pace and convenience, with the help of walking tours curated by travel experts.

"We are extremely excited about this because it is the first time an app can enable users to discover India on their own. It's free, easy to use and, most importantly, comes with 360 degree street views and information put together by a panel of experts. It's like having a local take you by the hand and show you his city, at your convenience," Tourism Minister Sripad Naik said.

The application, however, is only available on Blackberry mobile handsets. It runs on all BlackBerry 10 handsets including the Z3, Z10, Z30, Q5 and Q10 phones.

An Android version of the free application is also in the works and is expected to be announced in coming weeks, said a senior Tourism Ministry official.

Two Punjabi murdered in Philippines

NRI Sabha Canada: Two Punjabi murdered in Philippines: ਕਪੂਰਥਲਾ , 17 ਜੂਨ - ਫਿਲਪਾਈਨਜ਼ ਗਏ ਕਪੂਰਥਲਾ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹੇ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਿਤ ਦੋ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਨੀਲਾ 'ਚ ਗੋਲੀਆਂ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਜਾਣ ਦੀ ਦੁਖਦਾਈ ਖਬਰ ਮਿਲੀ...

Two Punjabi murdered in Philippines

NRI Sabha Canada: Two Punjabi murdered in Philippines: ਕਪੂਰਥਲਾ , 17 ਜੂਨ - ਫਿਲਪਾਈਨਜ਼ ਗਏ ਕਪੂਰਥਲਾ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹੇ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਿਤ ਦੋ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਨੀਲਾ 'ਚ ਗੋਲੀਆਂ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਹੱਤਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਜਾਣ ਦੀ ਦੁਖਦਾਈ ਖਬਰ ਮਿਲੀ...

Helicopter Jailbreak: 3 Inmates Escape Orsainville Detention Centre in Quebec

MONTREAL -The search has widened for three Quebec inmates who used a helicopter to escape from jail on Saturday evening.

Quebec provincial police say they have alerted authorities across the province and elsewhere.

Sgt. Ann Mathieu says police are reluctant to provide many details about their investigation for fear the escapees could be monitoring media reports.

Audrey-Anne Bilodeau, another police spokeswoman, said Saturday police were working with surrounding airports and Quebec’s Valcartier military base to help track down the chopper.

The men fled from the Orsainville Detention Centre in suburban Quebec City shortly before 8 p.m. with the help of a green-coloured helicopter,  Quebec provincial police said.

For the second time in just over a year, inmates used a helicopter to make a brazen escape from jail in Quebec.

Audrey-Anne Bilodeau, a police spokeswoman, said the helicopter flew west from the provincial detention centre, perhaps toward Trois-Rivieres or Montreal.

"We (are working with) a few partners like the airports of Quebec City and surrounding areas, the military bases and, of course, there's a ground search in the event that the helicopter is located," Bilodeau said late Saturday.

Provincial police Sergeant Ann Mathieu said the chopper put down in a courtyard of the detention centre then quickly took off again heading west.

Mathieu, however, said police were reluctant to reveal much else about their investigation for fear the escapees could be monitoring media reports.

The escapees were identified as Yves Denis, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and Serge Pomerleau, 49.

The three men were being held at the detention centre waiting to stand trial, it was not immediately clear what charges they were facing.

Police released photos of the three men on social media and appealed to the public for help, but warned anyone who spotted them not to approach and immediately contact police.

The Orsainville Detention Centre, about 10 kilometres from the centre of Quebec City, can hold up to 710 offenders.

In 2010, it was the scene of a fire and a violent skirmish that ended with two inmates dead and another six rushed to hospital.

It was also the scene of a riot in February 2008, which was apparently triggered by a smoking ban at the facility.

Saturday's helicopter escape had similarities to another bold jailbreak last year.

Two inmates made a similar jailbreak from a St-Jerome, Que. prison in March 2013.

A helicopter pilot was forced at gunpoint to fly to the prison on a Sunday afternoon.

Two inmates at the facility, which is about 60 kilometres from Montreal, climbed a rope ladder into the hovering helicopter and fled.

The two escapees and the two men accused of hijacking the chopper were picked up by police in Mont-Tremblant, about 85 kilometres away, within a few hours of the escape.

Sikh hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal pleads guilty to U.S. campaign contribution scheme

New York, June 3 - Indo-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, who has pleaded guilty to illegally donating thousands of dollars to American political campaigns, has requested a US court to adjourn the sentencing date to October from July to prepare necessary legal brief.

In a submission before US District Judge I Leo Glasser, lawyer Jonathan Sack yesterday requested an "adjournment of the sentencing" from July 31 to around October 23, citing the need for more time to gather relevant information for Chatwal's pre-sentence report and sentencing submissions on his behalf.

Sack said Chatwal has lived in India, Ethiopia as well as the US and "gathering information about his background and substantial activities at those locations has proved time-consuming." Sack said the alternative date in October was agreeable to federal prosecutors.

Chatwal, 70, a Padma Bhushan awardee and major fund raiser for former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, had pleaded guilty in April to conspiring to violate the Federal Election Campaign Act by making more than $180,000 in federal campaign donations to three candidates through straw donors who were reimbursed and to witness tampering.

Chatwal is free on a $750,000 bail and has surrendered his passport.

Prosecutors also said Chatwal tampered with a witness in June 2012, more than two years after a grand jury investigation had been launched.

"Mr. Chatwal deeply regrets his actions and accepts full responsibility for the consequences," said Lesley Bogdanow, a spokeswoman for Chatwal. "He looks forward to resolving this personal matter."

Bogdanow and Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch declined to identify the candidates who received the improper donations.

Chatwal was released on $750,000 bail. Glasser scheduled the sentencing for July 31.

The case is U.S. v. Chatwal, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 14-cr-00143.

India’s 29th state Telangana is born, KCR to be sworn in as first CM

HYDERABAD: Today is a new dawn in the history of the Indian Union. For the first time — outside the Hindi- and Bengali-speaking areas — two states speaking the same language have been created. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the two successor states to Andhra Pradesh, that come into existence on Monday, swear by Telugu.

This knocks down the basis on which the internal map of the Indian Union was redrawn in the first decade after Independence. With the linguistic basis of states — language being assumed as the indicator of a homogeneous culture — being challenged, there is scope for another exercise to redraw the internal map of India. Whether this will happen or not is a moot point but the question is why did this "Telugu state" break down. And what are the lessons for the future?

Although there was a demand for a composite Telugu state from before Independence, the Nehru-led government created Andhra Pradesh due to Congress's political interests. History has thus come full circle. In Andhra state (which was carved out of the Telugu speaking areas of then Madras state in 1953), the Congress was facing a tough electoral contest from the Communists.

So it was decided to merge Andhra with the Telugu speaking areas of the dominion of the deposed Nizam of Hyderabad. This would create a larger entity where the communists could be defeated.


(People celebrating the birth of Telangana as India's 29th state near the Charminar in Hyderabad)

The exercise created a monopoly In the 1977 post-Emergency elections, the Congress was soundly thrashed nationally but won 41 of the 42 seats in AP! The following year, Indira Gandhi romped home to the Lok Sabha from Medak.


(Preparations are under way at the official Telangnana Formation Day celebration venue at Parade Grounds in Hyderabad)

The second unstated reason was that the Nehru government, chastened by the experience of the integration of Kashmir, did not want to leave the territories of the Nizam as they were. Therefore, while the Telugu-speaking areas went to Andhra Pradesh, the Marathi and Kannada speaking areas went to Bombay and Mysore provinces.



But the Congress chief ministers did little to promote rural empowerment or land reforms. The only chief minister who tried — Narasimha Rao — faced opposition from vested interests and was axed. Growing rural angst led to Maoism striking deep roots.

The Congress was replaced in 1983 by the Telugu Desam Party, whose founder NT Rama Rao gave a clarion call to "Telugu pride" His son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu became the first chief minister anywhere in India to latch on to economic reforms. Soon capital Hyderabad became swanky with Microsoft and others setting shop. But the countryside was neglected and farmers' suicides increased. In Telangana region, which had been bearing the burden of the Nizam's feudal rule earlier, the situation was worse.

(A view of the illuminated gate of the public garden near the assembly on the eve of the Telangana Formation Day celebrations in Hyderabad)

Soon a separate state movement caught on: the people of Telangana believed that they would be better off as a separate state. Naidu lost power and was replaced by Congressman YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2004 who started a regime of "free-ships" (free power, fee reimbursements to students, free houses, free medical treatment et al).

These moves taxed the exchequer but translated into heavy electoral gains for Congress, enabling it to form a government in New Delhi in 2009. After the sudden death of YSR, the Congress was in a tizzy even as the separate state movement gathered steam.

Then on the eve of the 2014, to beat the nationwide anti-incumbency and cash in on perceived political gain, Congress bosses passed a bill to divide the state. Unfortunately for the Congress, the move failed to reap it political dividends and it was soundly rejected in both regions.

As K Chandrasekhar Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samiti and N Chandrababu Naidu of the TDP take the reins of office today, they would do well to remember that instead of indulging in gimmckry, the best way to ensure they have a bright future is to provide it to the people of their states — both in rural and urban areas.

Prime Minister Modi takes charge as 15th PM

 45-member team takes oath  Cabinet berth for Rajnath, Sushma, Jaitley, Gadkari, Harsimrat 

New Delhi, May 26 - Ushering in the new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Pranab Mukherjee today administered oath of office and secrecy to the 45-member Council of Ministers, marking the completion of a transition to a new order mandated by the people and witnessed by a galaxy of leaders of South Asian region and India.

As the evening shadows lengthened across the sprawling forecourt, the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan formed an impressive backdrop to the special stage set up to conduct the ceremony witnessed by over 3,000 special invitees and millions through television and live streaming on the web.

Ministers of State (Independent Charge): Gen VK Singh (retd) | Rao Inderjit Singh | Santosh Gangwar | Shripad Naik | Dharmedra Pradhan | Sarbnanda Sonawal  Prakash Javadekar | Piyush Goyal | Dr Jitendra Singh | Nirmala Seetharaman Ministers of State: GM Siddeswara | Manoj Sinha | Nihal Chand | Upendra Kuswaha Pon Radhakrishnan | Kiren Rijiju | Krishan Pal | Dr Sanjeev Kumar Baliyaan | Mansukh Bhai Vasava | Rao Saheb Dadarao Danve | Vishnu Dev Sai | Sudarshan Bhagat

Having propelled the BJP to victory with absolute majority in three decades, the 63-year-old Modi took oath in Hindi shortly after 6.00 pm. Earlier, on his arrival, slogans of Bharat Mata-ki-Jai' and `Vande Matram' reverberated in the air.

Promising to usher in a transparent era of governance matched with delivery, the Modi government was fastest-off-the-block with the official website launched almost simultaneously as Modi signed the register.

In his first message to the people, he said: “On 16th May 2014, the people of India gave their verdict. They delivered a mandate for development, good governance and stability. As we devote ourselves to take India’s development journey to newer heights, we seek your support, blessings and active participation. Together we will script a glorious future for India. Let us together dream of a strong, developed and inclusive India that actively engages with the global community to strengthen the cause of world peace and development.”

Responding to Modi's major diplomatic initiative, leaders of SAARC countries, including Nawaz Sharif (Pakistan), Hamid Karzai (Afghanistan), Mahinda Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka) graced the occasion. Vice President Hamid Ansari, outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Governors, including NN Vohra, Lieutenant Governor Virendra Kataria, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, allies of NDA, members of the diplomatic core, and personalities from the field of sports, films and industry also witnessed the 90-minute grand ceremony.

The new Prime Minister, who advocates a lean government, inducted 24 ministers in the Cabinet, 10 Ministers of State with Independent Charge and 12 Ministers of State seeking to strike a balance with a blend of experience and new.

The biggest beneficiary among the allies was SAD’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal. She was rewarded with a Cabinet rank even without any previous experience unlike Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP) Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP) and Ananth Geete (Shiv Sena), all of whom have had a stint as ministers either in the state or Centre. Bagging a Cabinet berth, television-star-turned-politician Smriti Irani was another big gainer.

Star-studded show

SAARC heads: Nawaz Sharif (Pakistan), Hamid Karzai (Afghanistan), Mahinda Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Tshering Tobgay (Bhutan), Sushil Koirala (Nepal) , Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom (Maldives), Navinchandra Ramgoolam (Mauritius), Shirin Chaudhury (Bangladesh Speaker)
Bollywood: Salman Khan, Anupam Kher, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Hema Malini
Industry: Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, Anil Ambani, Gautam Adani, Ashok Hinduja, Sunil Mittal

Other VVIPs: Hamid Ansari, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, APJ Abdul Kalam

Gunmen attack Indian consulate in Afghanistan

All four terrorists killed  Modi talks to Karzai, vows to continue help

New Delhi, May 23

Gunmen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the Indian Consulate at Herat in Afghanistan early this morning, barely three days before the BJP-led NDA government formally assumes office in Delhi.

The Indian diplomatic staff escaped unharmed, while all four attackers were killed. The attack is believed to be the handiwork of elements operating from Pakistan.

Gunmen opened fire around 3.15 am on the consulate from a nearby home, Herat provincial police chief Abdul Sami Qatra was quoted as saying. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack that was repulsed by India's Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel and Afghan security forces.

One attacker was killed while climbing the wall to enter the premises of the consulate that also houses the residence of the Consul General, said Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin was guarded in his response to questions from the media on the attack. “We strongly condemn this cowardly attack. It again underscores that the main threat to Afghanistan and its peace, stability and security stems from terrorism beyond its borders,” he said.

Asked if India apprehended Pakistan’s involvement in the incident, Akbaruddin said New Delhi was assessing the entire incident in coordination with the Afghan authorities. “I won’t like to jump to any conclusion at this stage.”

Herat lies near Afghanistan's border with Iran and is considered one of the safer cities in the country. The Indian Consulate there focuses on some development projects, including the Salma Dam hydropower project.

Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi spoke to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha to discuss the situation arising from the attack. During the 10-minute conversation with Karzai, he told the Afghan leader attacks of this nature would not dilute India’s commitment to assist the people of Afghanistan.

On his part, Karzai promised Modi he would do everything to protect Indian missions in his country. “India salutes the efforts of India’s security personnel and Afghan security forces for their valiant efforts to fight terrorists in Herat,” Modi tweeted later.

This is not the first time that terrorists have attacked an Indian mission in the war-ravaged nation, where India has invested more than $2 billion in development works, including roads and power projects.

Last August, an assault on the Indian consulate in the eastern city of Jalalabad killed at least nine persons. Earlier this year, a suicide bomber was gunned down near the consulate in the southern city of Kandahar. In 2008, suicide bombers attacked the Indian Embassy in the capital, Kabul, killing about 50 persons and wounding scores. There was another attack on the Indian Embassy in 2009.

Terror attack rocks China’s Xinjiang, 31 killed

94 hurt as militants ram two explosive-laden vehicles into a crowd, set off over a dozen blasts

Beijing, Urumqi - May 22
At least 31 persons were killed and 94 others injured today in China’s bloodiest terrorist attack at a busy market in Urumqi, provincial capital of the restive Xinjiang province, when militants rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into a crowd and set off over a dozen blasts.
The two vehicles, without license plates, broke through roadside fences and ploughed into people at an open air market at Park North Street near Renmin Park at 7:50 am (local time) and the occupants set off explosive devices, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region’s government said in a statement.
Witnesses said explosives were thrown before the vehicles exploded. Many of the injured were elderly people who frequently visited the morning market, according to witnesses.
A business owner in the market told state-run Xinhua news agency he heard a dozen big blasts.
This was by far the biggest attack suspected to have been carried out by the banned East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) fighting for the independence of Xinjiang, the sprawling province bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Afghanistan.
In response to today’s attack, President Xi Jinping pledged to severely punish terrorists and spare no efforts in maintaining stability and directed the local authorities to solve the case quickly, put the injured under proper care and offer condolences to families of the victims.
A work panel led by Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun has headed for Xinjiang to join the investigation. All the injured were rushed to hospitals.
The regional government has launched an emergency response system and organised medical efforts for treatment of the injured, said the statement.
Observers say that scale of today’s attacks showed ETIM, stated to be an Al-Qaida-backed outfit is gaining ground in Xinjiang taking advantage of the anger of native Uyghur Muslim militants over Han Chinese settlements.
Xinjiang has witnessed riots between Uyghurs and Han settlers from outside the province. The Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking community, resent the settlements as they believe the large scale migration is marginalising them in their own homeland.
Today’s attack is regarded as the worst violence as militants, earlier largely confined to knife attacks, used multiple explosives besides triggering car bombs.
Today’s blasts came a day after sentencing of 39 persons for up to 15 years of imprisonment for inciting violence in Xinjiang in the last two months.
Significantly, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain who met his Chinese counterpart Xi in Shanghai today promised to step up crackdown against “East Turkestan” forces said to be operating from Pakistan’s tribal areas. This was a rare admission by Pakistan about East Turkestan forces, which China equates with the ETIM.
Hussain is in Shanghai to attend the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). 

The restive province

• Xinjiang, bordering PoK and Afghanistan, has been plagued by violence for years.
• Chinese officials suspect that the explosions were caused by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, an Al-Qaida affiliate.
• Xinjiang region has witnessed riots between native Muslim Uygurs and Han settlers from outside the province.
• Uygurs, a Turkic speaking community, resent the settlements as they believe the large scale migration is marginalising them in their own homeland.

India condemns attack

NEW DELHI: India on Friday condemned the terrorist attack in Urumqi saying it opposed terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In a statement, MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said: "We strongly condemn the terrorist attack which took place earlier today at Urumqi, China. India opposes terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We extend condolences to the families of the victims.