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Blast kills 5 kids in Allahabad
Jaya’s thumbs down to
UPA-II
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Major fire at PNB’s Delhi office; 125 rescued
MPs’ demand for red beacon nipped in bud
HC lifts freeze on bank accounts of Jagan’s firms
Robotics, artificial intelligence to enhance war-fighting skills
Hospital to pay Rs 2 lakh after infant dies of rat bite
CPM, Maoists plotting to kill me with foreign help: Mamata
Govt raises interest rate on GPF to 8.8%
Leopard skin seized in Odisha, 2 held
Govt to set up shelter homes for women in distress abroad
M’rashtra to shoot poachers in tiger sanctuaries
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Blast kills 5 kids in Allahabad
Lucknow, May 23 Briefing the media, IG (Law and Order) BP Singh said the blast was caused by a ‘desi’ bomb. “That area is notorious for manufacturing crude bombs. It is a sort of cottage industry over there,” he said. A Home Department release confirmed that five children had died in the blast. While the official version put the number of injured at five, eye witnesses claimed that at least 18 persons had been injured in the blast which occurred around 3.30 this afternoon. The injured have been admitted to the Colvin district hospital and the SRN Medical College Hospital. The state’s Anti Terrorist Squad had been rushed to Allahabad to carry out investigations. The IG, however, denied that the Union Home Ministry had sought a report on the blast. The IG said senior officials who had reached the site had prima facie ruled out any conspiracy angle to the blast. The bomb was most probably placed in the garbage, claimed the IG. Responding to a question regarding the blast happening a day after an IB alert, Singh claimed that he was not aware of any such IB input. The predominantly Muslim locality mostly consists of thatched hutments and semi-pucca houses where people working class people, mostly rag-pickers and ‘kabadis’ reside.
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Jaya’s thumbs down to UPA-II
Chennai, May 23 "The average citizen feels that there is no government at the Centre. The country is in a state of drift. It is almost as if there is no government at the Centre," the AIADMK chief told reporters when asked to rate the UPA's performance. Jayalalithaa's remarks come a day after the Congress-led UPA coalition celebrated three years in office. Asked if Lok Sabha polls would be held ahead of the 2014 schedule, Jayalalithaa said she did not want to speculate. To a question if she would take up with the BJP the candidature of PA Sangma for Presidentship, she said she had spoken to political parties "whom I know," apparently referring to the telephonic conversation she had on Sunday with different leaders, including BJP’s LK Advani, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat and TDP chief M Chandrababu Naidu. Asked whether she got any assurance from them, she said "I have made a request to certain political parties and leaders whom I know well to give their support to Sangma in the Presidential election. I prefer to wait and watch. I have no further comments to make on the matter." Jayalalithaa and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik have strongly pitched for Sangma's candidature. But Sangma's own party NCP has rebuffed his moves, while major political parties have shown no enthusiasm over his bid. — PTI
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Major fire at PNB’s Delhi office; 125 rescued
New Delhi, May 23
According to Director AK Sharma of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), no person was injured and no one had to be hospitalised. “The fire started at the generator room where there is an air-conditioning (AC) plant. The smoke from the fire indicated that it probably started from the burning of the electrical wiring due to a short-circuit in the AC plant,” said AK Sharma. Sources said that the employees of the bank managed to save their important documents and files on the server that was reportedly not damaged in the fire. AK Sharma said that the fire department received a call about the fire at the PNB office at 4.40 pm. Initially, seven fire tenders were sent to the site. “When we saw that many people are stuck in the topmost floor, we sent additional resources,” he said. A woman employee of the PNB office said that through the central voicing system, persons present inside the office were informed about the fire. This was perhaps what led to prompt action and no casualties, with just one asthmatic person — with no injury — taken to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
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MPs’ demand for red beacon nipped in bud
New Delhi, May 23 "It was a firm 'no' from her...It was like an order for us," a senior minister said citing the proceedings of an internal meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Congress MP and Chairman of Parliament's Privileges Committee PC Chacko had raised the demand for allowing MPs to have a red beacon atop their cars in the capital. "The Congress President was very clear on the subject. She said let the states do whatever they want to, but the Government of India will not issue a notification for MPs to have a red beacon for their vehicles," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told a press conference. Members cutting across party lines have been pressing for the right to sport a red beacon contending that even an Additional District Magistrate gets the privilege while an MP, representing lakhs of people, is deprived of it. Reports had it that the Home Ministry was ready to extend the facility to MPs except in VVIP areas in the Capital. A number of MPs, across the political spectrum, were also planning to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press for their demand. Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi had voiced opposition to the move by
fellow Parliamentarians and in a letter to the Prime Minister said that in the current climate of cynicism, it could become
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HC lifts freeze on bank accounts of Jagan’s firms
Hyderabad, May 23 The court imposed conditions on maintenance of accounts saying transactions are to be through cheques and no property should be sold until the case is completed. On May 8, CBI, which is investigating source of funds and other aspects of Jagan's business empire, had written to banks ordering the freezing of accounts in the name Jagathi Publications, which runs Sakshi newspaper; Indira TV, which operates Sakshi TV; and Janani Infra. — PTI
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Robotics, artificial intelligence to enhance war-fighting skills
Shimla, May 23 “Robotics and artificial intelligence are key areas of development that have numerous military applications. We need to tap these technologies to enhance our war-fighting skills,” a senior officer at ARTRAC said. “A beginning has been made in the field of virtual reality simulation by ARTRAC’s Simulator Development Division, which enables training of a team of 10-12 soldiers in a virtual environment,” he added. The Army is laying a strong emphasis on simulation and computer wargaming as it is not only a cost-effective method of training at various levels, but also allows for instant and highly accurate feedback and evaluation of skill levels. Over the years, a large number of simulators have been developed, which include those for firing and driving. Infantry weapon training simulators have been introduced that can train troops on all types of weapons and in various combat situations, including conditions of bad weather, poor light and night. “So far, only ‘Level-1’ simulation was being used, which is platform-centric and is primarily meant to enhance individual skills in firing, driving etc. We are now moving towards ‘Level-2’ for simulating crew training for tank or artillery gun crews and ‘Level-3’ which involves tactical team simulations for executing field operations,” the officer said. The Army already has three computer wargaming centres operations, including one at Headquarters Western Command, Chandimandir. Three more wargaming centres are coming up at various places, including one at the Army War College. Officers at ARTRAC said while several wargaming models exist for training up to the battalion level, a division-level wargame, involving the employment of three battalions, has been fielded recently and ARTRAC’s next endeavour is to develop a corps’ level wargame that would employ multiple divisions. It is working with the Defence Research and Development Organisation on this project. Wargames being developed take into account not only the number of troops and support elements in the opposing forces, but also co-relate their capabilities and firing trajectories with terrain features to assess whether a particular manoeuvre or fire support ordered by a commander is feasible or not and its impact and other doctrinal and tactical aspects to produce a realistic war scenario.
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Hospital to pay Rs 2 lakh after infant dies of rat bite
Jodhpur, May 23 The District & Session Court held the hospital administration responsible of the death of the child and passed the decree jointly against the state government, Secretary (Medical & Health), district collector along with the hospital. It also directed them to pay the entire legal expenses of the petitioner who lost his child right from the date of filing of the petition along with the interest of 6 per cent. Petitioner Rajuram's wife Guddi had delivered a baby in Umaid Hospital on November 23, 2009, which was bitten by a rat on the night of November 27.— PTI
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CPM, Maoists plotting to kill me with foreign help: Mamata
Washington/Kolkata, May 23 The CPM dismissed the allegation as "ridiculous" and said the party will examine whether it merited a defamation suit against the firebrand Trinamool Congress supremo. Mamata launched the fresh tirade against her arch rival when she spoke about conspiracy theories after she was asked about the arrest of a Jadavpur University professor over his cartoon for poking fun at her. — PTI
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Govt raises interest rate on GPF to 8.8%
New Delhi, May 23 The interest rate on such funds was 8.6 per cent during December 2011-March 2012 period, while it was 8 per cent for April-November 2011. "It is announced ... that during the year 2012-13, accumulations at the credit of subscribers to the General Provident Fund and other similar funds shall carry interest at the rate of 8.8 per cent per annum," the Finance Ministry said. The benefit of increased interest rate will be available to subscribers of Contributory Provident Fund (India), All India Services Provident Fund, State Railway Provident Fund and General Provident Fund (Defence Services). Contributors to Indian Ordnance Department Provident Fund, Indian Ordnance Factories Workmen's Provident Fund, Indian Naval Dockyard Workmen's Provident Fund, Defence Services Officers Provident Fund and Armed Forces Personnel Provident Fund will also benefit from the move. Rate of interest on the GPF is generally fixed after taking into consideration the average secondary market yields on government securities of similar maturity. — PTI
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Leopard skin seized in Odisha, 2 held
Baripada (Odisha), May 23 The poachers were suspected to have fed the four-year-old leopard with poisoned bull flesh to kill it, they said. The five-and-half-feet-long leopard skin was seized from Baliadhipa village under Bisoi Forest Range jurisdiction. — PTI
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Govt to set up shelter homes for women in distress abroad
New Delhi, May 23 It has issued instructions to heads of missions of these countries, mostly in the Gulf, to establish shelter homes and provide speedy assistance to these women, according to Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi. As per the Emigration Act 1983, the ECR category of Indian passport holders need to obtain "Emigration Clearance" from the office of Protector of Emigrants (PoE) for going to 17 countries. Countries where ECR is mandatory include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Libya, Malaysia, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Syria, Indonesia, Lebanon and Thailand. Ravi told Parliament in a written reply this week that the government was also providing legal assistance to overseas Indian workers, including women in distress, in "deserving cases" through the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), which has been set up in all Indian missions abroad. The objective is to provide some financial assistance to needy women in distress, who have been deserted by their overseas Indian spouses, for obtaining counselling and legal services. The counselling and legal services were being provided through credible Indian women’s organisations, community associations and NGOs identified for providing such services and empanelled with Indian Missions in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Gulf. The scheme is a welfare measure to support women of Indian origin in distress through the mobilisation of the local Indian community. A total of 19,179 Indians benefited from the ICWF in the last three years. Altogether, Rs 21.70 crore has been spent by the missions from the fund so far. The mission in the UAE spent a maximum of
Rs 6.94 crore while providing assistance in 3,497 cases, followed by spending of Rs 3.52 crore by the mission in Bahrain.
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M’rashtra to shoot poachers in tiger sanctuaries
Mumbai, May 23 On Tuesday, state's Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam said the state
government was in the process of recruiting more than 500 forest officers
in order to shore up patrolling in the four tiger reserves. Kadam said the government would not file cases against guards who shoot and kill poachers. The move comes after intelligence reports indicated that poachers from Madhya Pradesh have entered Maharashtra's four tiger reserves to kill at least 25 tigers. "We have information that the poachers have been promised Rs 40 lakh- Rs 50 lakh to kill 25 tigers in the next few weeks," Principal Secretary (Forests) Pravin Pardeshi said. The government has cancelled orders of forest guards till June 15 and tightened patrols in the reserves, he added. According to the tiger census carried out by the government, there are just 106 tigers in
the four reserves at Tadoba, Pench, Melghat and Sahyadri.
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A powerful blast reportedly caused by a crude bomb killed 5 children and injured five in the densely populated urban slum of Kareli in old Allahabad here this afternoon.
Briefing the media, IG (Law and Order) BP Singh said the blast was caused by a ‘desi’ bomb. “That area is notorious for manufacturing crude bombs.
Chennai, May 23 
