Afghan official defects: A former Afghan lawmaker and district governor has defected to the Taliban in the northern province of Sar-e-Pol, officials said today. Qazi Abdul Hai served as a Senator during 2004-08.     PTI
China-Japan dispute: Two Chinese ships entered waters around islands at the centre of a dispute with Japan on Thursday in the latest such incident at a time of frayed ties between the Asian powers.   AFP
Fukushima leaks: Japan Premier Shinzo Abe told Fukushima’s operator to fix radioactive leaks at the crippled-nuke plant, less than two weeks after assuring the world the situation was under control.     AFP
Philippines violence: Philippine security forces killed eight Muslim rebels on Thursday as they hunted the remnants of a guerrilla force hiding in homes of a major city and believed to be holding hostages.     AFP
Pervez attack case: A Pakistani national, accused of attacking a convoy of former president Gen Pervez Musharraf in 2003, has been acquitted by an anti-terrorism court due to lack of evidence.   PTI
Gibraltar governor: Britain today named James Dutton, a former Royal Marine general who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to the post of governor of Gibraltar, the territory at the centre of a fierce feud with Spain.     AFP
‘Trial by fire’: At least 20 tribal elders in Pakistan’s Punjab province were booked by authorities after they ordered two men to walk on burning coals to prove their innocence in adultery and murder charges.     PTI
Facebook likes: Clicking “Like” on Facebook is constitutionally protected free speech and can be considered the 21st century-equivalent of a campaign yard sign, a US federal appeals court in Richmond has ruled.     AP

Malda, 19 September: One person was arrested for allegedly heckling and threatening a college going girl of Majhra gram panchayat area in Gazole police station today.
It has been learnt from police sources that the accused Parimal Roy (24), a married labourer often heckled the 19-year-old girl with marriage proposals.
He even allegedly threatened the girl with dire consequences if she had turned down his offer.
The girl being scared fell ill and was admitted to Gazole hospital.
On the basis of her complaint, Parimal was
arrested.
The SP, Mr Kalyan Mukherjee, said: “Police started cases under specific sections against
Parimal.”     sns

Statesman News Service
Raiganj, 19 September
More than 10 years have passed since Dalkhola municipality was formed in North Dinajpur district, yet healthcare facilities for the residents have remained undeveloped. In case of emergency, the patients are being moved either to Raiganj district hospital or to Islampur Sub-divisional hospital. Sometimes patients expire before reaching the hospitals. This dismal sight of health infrastructure of Dalkhola is one of the issues in Dalkhola municipality elections this year.
The president of Dalkhola Town TMC Committee, Mr Swadeh Sarkar, said: "In the past 10 years, both the CPI-M and Congress ruled Dalkhola municipality. The health infrastructure of Dalkhola has remained undeveloped in the past 10 years. In absence of a proper hospital, in case of any serious illness the patients have to move to Raiganj and Islampur around 50 km and 60 km away from Dalkhola respectively. We are rising this issue to the voters. Apart from health, no drainage system has been introduced here. After rains, water logging is another factor the residents of all wards of the municipality face. Both the CPI-M and Congress councillors are responsible for it.
The Secretary of Dalkhola Zonal CPI-M committee, Mr Sujit Dey, said: "In the first five years when the CPI-M ruled Dalkhola municipality, some new drains and roads were constructed. We also took initiative to develop the infrastructure of the Dalkhola health centre. In the past five years, the opponents ruled in Dalkhola municipality. It is to be noted that the municipality board fell three times in the past five years. No development work was done. As a result, residents have no faith on the Congress and TMC."
The Chairman of the last Congress-led board of Dalkhola municipality, Mr Subash Goswami, said: "The infrastructure of old Dalkhola PHC has not been developed yet. In March 2012, during the meeting of Rogi Kalyan samiti we took a resolution and sent a proposal for the State General Hospital to the state health department. In the past two years we also constructed some drains to save residents from water logging."

Stanley Theodore
stanley_theodore@yahoo.com 
Hyderabad, 19 September
Union Minister Veerappa Moily told Seemandhra MPs the Centre was
not going forward on
the Telangana statehood process and will not
proceed till a consensus is arrived at between the two regions. 
“We have noticed the severity of the integrationist agitation as well as the ground level situation in your state. We have not gone forward in any way and we will not go forward. We have realised that we cannot move forward till there is a consensus between the two regions,” Mr Moily was quoted as saying.
Union ministers Mr K Sambasiva Rao, Mr K
Chiranjeevi, Mr J D Seelam, Mrs P Lakshmi and MPs Mr K V P Ramachandra Rao, Mr V Aruna Kumar, Mr L Rajagopal among others met Mr Moily and later met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi&’s political secretary Mr Ahmed Patel last night.
Mr Moily and Mr Patel are part of the Anthony committee constituted by
the Congress to look into the concerns of Seemandhra. Mr A K Anthony is at present unwell. Mr Moily pointed out that the committee is yet to give its report and that the Centre “cannot put a step forward”, until they receive it.
Mr Patel told them: “Somewhere we committed a mistake. Now we are realising it. We have been given a wrong picture by some leaders.”
When an MP asked
him if the Central leadership is hard pressed to resolve
the prevailing situation, then the MLAs majority opinion on the Telangana resolution should be taken into consideration. (It is only after this resolution that the Assembly will take up the Telangana Bill for expressing views.) To this Mr Patel said: “This too is an option.”
He elaborated here by saying that the leadership is caught in a Catch-22 situation.
He said if they attempt to go back to reduce the emotions in Seemandhra, then another strong
agitation will unfold in Telangana.
Mr Rajagopal told both leaders that Telangana statehood sentiment is strong in three districts but the integrationist agitation is strong in the 13 districts in Seemandhra.
At both meetings MPs demanded that the Telangana process be halted. When they met Mr Moily they appealed that the
Congress Working Committee resolution favouring Telangana statehood be withdrawn. He shot back asking how it could be possible.

Kurseong, 19 September: With administrative/ police reshuffling continuing in the restive Darjeeling Hills, Mr K Kannan, an IPS officer, took over as the new ASP for Kalimpong sub-division yesterday. This was followed by a new SDO and a new BDO having recently assumed charge in Kalimpong.
It is learnt that Mr Kannan served as the ACP in Bidhannagar before his transfer to Kalimpong. 
Meanwhile, Mr Songmit Lepcha who was the Kalimpong ASP has been posted as the Commanding Officer of the 10th battalion of the state armed police force in Siliguri.     sns

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
Siliguri, 19 September
Some community Durga Puja organisers in Siliguri have expressed their unhappiness over the schedule of immersion as announced by police. The Siliguri Police yesterday announced that immersions would take place on 14 and 17 October. Immersions will not be allowed on 15 and 16 October because of another religious programme clashing with them, police said.
The big budget idols are not usually immersed on ‘Bijaya Dasami’ in Siliguri.
“We are not happy with the immersion dates. Our puja have been drawing huge crowds for the past many years. People from Jalpaiguri district and some other places keep thronging our puja. Hence, we immerse the idols a day after Bijaya Dasami. This year, if we do not arrange the immersion on Dasami, we will have to wait till 17 December. It would involve extra expenses. We would request the administration to re-schedule the dates”, said the puja committee secretary of Subrata Sangha, Mr Saikat Das Majumdar.
Another puja committee organiser echoed the same ~ extra burden on the budget because of the two-day gap in the immersion dates.
"Though it would tax our budget we would abide by the order if police stick to their announcement,” said the puja committee secretary of the Surjyanagar Friends’ Union, Mr Soumen Malakar.
Over 450 Durga Pujas are held in Siliguri, of which around 42 pujas are billed as big budget ones.

Effigy burnt: The anti-Gorkhaland pressure group, Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Banchao Committee (BOBBBC), burnt the GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung&’s effigy in Siliguri on Thursday.
One held: One Ashok Golay (51), was arrested by police on charge of raping two mentally-disabled sisters from Kalimpong town on Thursday evening. The accused will be produced before the ACJM Court on Friday.
Joining: At least five doctors are expected to join Siliguri District Hospital in 15 days, said the health standing committee chairman and Siliguri MLA, Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya on Thursday.
Opposition leader meets CPM man: The Opposition leader in the state Assembly Mr Surjya Kanta Misra, met the CPI-M councillor Mr Joy Chakrabarty, who had been admitted with suspected dengue symptoms at a private nursing home inSiliguri on Thursday.
By-election: The by-election of ward 11 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation will be held on 22 November along with ward 31. Mr Nantu Pal was elected from ward 11.
Twinkle cop dies: A dog from the Kolkata Police’s dog squad died on Thursday after a renal failure. An officer of the city police said that the dog was popularly known as Twinkle and was of the Labrador breed.     SNS
Man kills self: A 50-year-old man committed suicide by hanging himself with a towel from the ceiling of his room. Police recovered the body of Sunil Singh of Benitala Lane in Armherst Street.      SNS
Murderer arrested: Police arrested Ram Kumar Shah (24) for murdering a building contractor in Bihar. Police said that after the murder, Ram came to the city and took up a job in a garments store in Posta.

Guwahati, 19 September: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today claimed there was no major infiltration from neighbouring Bangladesh through the Dhubri sector.
After inspecting the India-Bangladesh border sector in western Assam yesterday Mr Gogoi said the "hue and cry over illegal immigration from Bangladesh raised by the Opposition" was not based on facts.
‘‘We will tackle whatever little infiltration is taking place from Bangladesh. The BSF strength in the Dhubri sector will be increased in phases. Floodlights along the sector have been erected to strengthen night vigilance. We are providing fully-functional floodlights along the border in the Dhubri sector at the earliest,” Mr Gogoi said.
The chief minister also held a meeting with senior BSF officers and Dhubri district administration officials at the Sonahat border outpost, where Mr Gogoi instructed them to speed up border area development works. He reviewed a slew of measures like double-barbed wire fencing, construction of border roads and installation of 793 flood lights with 28 generator sets that have been initiated to strengthen border infrastructure, said a government Press release on Wednesday.
In view of the upcoming general election, Mr Gogoi had also recently made a significant statement relating to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh. The veteran politician argued that the minority Hindu people from Bangladesh may be considered refugees. He said  many Hindu resident families left Bangladesh because of religious and social repercussions there.      SNS

New Delhi, 19 September: Fast growing mobile phone company, Lava today launched another smartphone which is priced in the below Rs 10K bracket.
The Iris 505q offers a great viewing experience with its large 5 inch FWVGA display screen most suitable to enjoy movies on the smartphone.
The Iris 505, features a 5-inch display with 480×854 pixels resolution and is powered by 1.2GHz dual-core processor. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It sports a 5MP camera (rear auto-focus with in-built flash) that provides multiple camera options including panorama mode, smile detection to capture stunning photographs and a 0.3 MP front camera for 3G video calling.     sns

Press Trust of India
Mumbai, 19 September
The BSE benchmark Sensex today galloped by 685 points to close at nearly three-year high of 20,646.64 on massive buying in interest-sensitive sectors after US Fed’s decision to leave economic stimulus untouched spurred hopes that RBI will ease monetary policy tomorrow.
The rise in Indian stock markets, which made investors richer by a staggering Rs 1.84 lakh crore, was a part of the global rally in equities as fears of immediate FII outflows lessened after Federal Reserve decided to maintain status quo on its monthly $85 billion bond-buying programme.
The rupee was trading at 61.8 versus the dollar, up over 150 paise, when stock markets closed for the day.
Rising for the fourth straight day, the Sensex spurted by 684.48 points, or 3.43 per cent to end at 20,646.64 ~ a level last seen on 10 November 2010. Today’s gains are the biggest since 727 point-rise on 10 September.
Twenty eight constituents of the 30-share Sensex gained with ICICI Bank, ITC, HDFC Bank, HDFC, L&T and SBI contributing heavily. RIL, ONGC, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel also gained.
Overall in BSE, 1430 stocks rose while 997 scrips fell.
The 50-share National Stock Exchange index surged 216.10 points, or 3.66 per cent to 6,115.55, after touching a high of 6,145.50. Also, SX40 index, the flagship index of MCX-SX, closed at 12,232.1, up 430.52 points or 3.65 per cent today.
“There was relief among emerging markets in a salute to Fed’s Taper Hold decision. Indian markets also rose on reduced threats of foreign money as well as in anticipation of a favourable policy from the new RBI Governor,” said Dipen Shah, Head – Private Client Group Research, Kotak Securities.
The banking index gained the most by rising 6.78 per cent as the 13 constituents surged by up to 23 per cent. SBI shot up by 8.07 per cent, ICICI Bank by 6.55 per cent, HDFC Bank by 5.13 per cent and Yes Bank by 22.54 per cent.
Shares of oil retailers gained as a rally in the rupee against the dollar was seen easing concerns about higher cost of crude oil imports. HPCL, ONGC, BPCL and IOC rose.
Yesterday, observing America’s economic growth has been proceeding at a moderate pace amid uneven improvement in labour market conditions, US Fed decided to maintain a status quo on bond-buying programme.

Press Trust of India
Kabul, 19 September
A former Afghan lawmaker and district governor has defected to the Taliban in the northern province of Sar-e-Pol, officials said today.
Qazi Abdul Hai served as a Senator during 2004-08 and was later made a district governor in Sar-e-Pol.
Hai is believed to have defected to the Taliban with two bodyguards. He is thought to be the highest ranking Afghan civilian official to have joined the Taliban, the BBC reported.
The deputy governor of Sar-e-Pol province said he did not know why Hai had defected. The move came against the backdrop of foreign combat forces preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014 and ahead of elections.
 

Press Trust of India
Darjeeling, 19 September: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha plans to draft students into an active role in its movement for a separate state, its president Bimal Gurung today said.
He said all students in the Darjeeling hills and Dooars would go to Delhi to press for formation of a separate state.
“Mission Gorkhaland will be the name and task for all the students in the hills and Dooars. The students must play an active role in the formation for Gorkhaland. The students will create awareness for Gorkhaland,” Mr Gurung said on Facebook.
Mr Gurung earlier held a meeting with students of the hills.
He said, “A team comprising 21 students” would go to Delhi and meet various ministers to press for the demand.
 

Press Trust of India
Kolkata, 19 September: The two-day bus strike across West Bengal, which failed to evoke much response today, was withdrawn by the sponsors this afternoon following “assurance” of a possible fare hike from the state transport minister.
“We have decided to lift the 48-hour bus strike from 4 p.m. and resume normal services on being assured of a possible fare hike by the transport minister after the Puja festival,” according to joint secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicates Tapan Banerjee and Minibus operators’ Coordination Committee secretary Abasesh Daw.
Both Mr Banerjee and Mr Daw claimed that transport minister Madan Mitra, with whom they had held a first round meeting at the state secretariat, assured that after the puja festival, “the government may allow a hike in transport fare”.
The sponsors would have another round of meeting with the minister during the day. Mr Mitra was, however, not available for comment.
Transport services in the metropolis and surrounding areas were largely unaffected on the first day of the strike called to demand hike in bus fares in view of the rise in diesel prices and prices of accessories and inputs.
The transport minister had earlier refused to accept their demand and warned of strong action in case there was any law and order problem.
Bengal Bus Syndicate, the major bus operators’ body, did not join the strike. Taxis and auto-rickshaws were also operating in full strength since morning.
The minister had earlier accused the striking bus operators of working in close concert with the CPI-M, and added that all measures had been taken to avoid any untoward incident.
 

Press Trust of India
Mumbai, 19 September
Mumbai police today filed a charge-sheet against four accused in last month’s gangrape of a 23-year-old photo journalist.
A charge-sheet was filed separately against the juvenile accomplice of the accused before a juvenile court.
The accused have been charge-sheeted under various Sections of IPC including 376(d) (gangrape), 377 (unnatural offence), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) among others.
The 600-page charge-sheet filed in a magistrate’s court has details of the victim’s ordeal, statements of 86 witnesses, forensic evidence collected from the spot, DNA analysis reports, besides phone call records.
The photo journalist was allegedly raped by the five accused when she had gone to the deserted Shakti Mills compound on 22 August with a male colleague on assignment.
The accused ~ Salim Ansari, Vijay Jadhav, Mohammed Kasim Hafiz Shaikh alias Kasim Bengali, Siraj Rehman Khan and the minor ~ had tied up the victim’s male companion with belts and allegedly raped her. Police had claimed it had a “water-tight” case against all the five accused.

Press Trust of India
New Delhi, 19 September: A Special CBI court here today held Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country in 1990-91 as minister of state for health.
Special CBI Judge J P S Malik held Masood guilty of nominating undeserving candidates for academic session 1990-91 to MBBS seats allocated to Tripura from the central pool.
Masood was minister of state (Independent Charge) in ministry of health and family welfare when the offence took place.
Besides him, two top bureaucrats and others have also been held guilty. Sentencing in the case will be pronounced on October one.
The judgement has been delivered in 11 similar cases registered by CBI in 1996. Of the 11, Masood was named in three cases.
CBI had said in the charge sheet that Tripura does not have any medical college of its own.
“Consequently some MBBS and BDS seats are allocated every year from central Pool by the ministry of health & family welfare, Government of India in various medical colleges across the country,” CBI counsel V N Ojha had told the court.
These seats are made available to Tripura for allotment to eligible students from the state on the basis of merit, he had said.
The Government of Tripura constituted the Tripura Board of Joint Entrance Examination (TBJEE) in 1988 for selection of candidates through joint entrance examination held every year. The candidates were nominated.
CBI had alleged that some candidates got their names nominated for MBBS seats for academic session 1990-91 from accused Gurdial Singh, then Resident Commissioner Tripura and an IPS officer of Gujarat cadre who was on deputation to government of Tripura.

Press Trust of India
New Delhi, 19 September: Ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to the USA, a controversy has broken out over the nuclear liability law with reports suggesting that an agreement will be signed which may not be in tune with the law.
The Cabinet Committee on Security will consider a proposal to sign an agreement between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and the US-based operator Westinghouse Electric Company.
The USA sees the Civil Liability for Nuclear Disaster Act as hurdle in selling nuclear reactors to India.
The law allows NPCIL to seek partial compensation from suppliers if their reactors are involved in a nuclear accident.
But in an opinion to the Department of Atomic Energy, Attorney General G E Vahanvati is learnt to have stated that it is upto the nuclear plant operator to invoke section 17 of the Act regarding liability of suppliers in case of a mishap.
The opinion will help New Delhi sign the contract.
But the government sought to downplay the controversy saying that there will be no dilution on the issue and the interest of India will be protected.
External affairs minister Salman Khurshid said while India needs energy, it will get it at its “own terms and conditions.”
He said the two sides have their own points of view, the discussions should result in a “win-win” situation for both the sides.
Minister of state in Prime Minister’s Office V Narayanasamy said the government will go by the law passed by Parliament.
“As far as nuclear liability is concerned, whatever the law laid down in our country, law passed by Parliament will prevail.
“The opinion given by the Attorney General is there but the opinion of the Attorney General is not going to be implemented for the simple reason that the Indian law will prevail for everything,” he said.
The Prime Minister will have a discussion with authorities there within the framework of the nuclear liability law only, he said.
 
 

press trust of india
New Delhi, 11 August
The BJP today slammed as undemocratic its leader Arun Jaitley being stopped at Jammu airport from visiting riot-hit Kishtwar and accused the Jammu and Kashmir government of not allowing the truth to come out in the communal
clashes.
Mr Jaitley said there was “anarchy” and “non-accountability” in Kishtwar as no arrests had been made so far in the violence. “Unfortunately, the state government does not want the truth to come out…There is complete anarchy and non-accountability.
“…It is widely perceived that a Minister of (state) government who belongs to Kishtwar town is behind this. Officers like the SP and the Collector posted by him for hours remained silent spectators when this violence was on…,” Mr Jaitley said on his return to Delhi. Terming the decision to detain Mr Jaitley as “undemocratic”, Mr Narendra Modi alleged “it shows that the state government does not want the truth to come out.”
Accusing Omar Abdullah of failing to protect the minorities in the state, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, “The Omar government has failed to handle the situation.” Mr Hussain said his party had alerted and warned the state government earlier of the impending situation when Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mrs Sushma Swaraj spoke to Mr Omar Abdullah. “What if the Home Minister or Prime Minister of the country wants to visit the area, how can the state government stop them from visiting the state,” Mr Hussain asked.
BJP Spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said there are disturbing reports both from people at the spot as well as news media that “the MOS Home Mr Sajjad Kitchloo was in the area where the trouble happened and was at best a mute spectator. We demand that to restore confidence especially in the minority community in Kashmir, Mr Kitchloo be removed pending an impartial inquiry on his role in the riots in Kishtwar.”