| Operation
Lalgarh: Forces face tough resistance Lalgarh
(West Bengal): The West Bengal police supported by Central paramilitary forces
launched “operation Lalgarh” to clear the areas in and around Lalgarh from Maoist
captivity in West Midnapore district. The security forces are facing tough time
in clearing the human shields, consisting of women and children put up by ultras
on the way leading to Lalgarh. The troops were halted from crossing the Jhatika
forest beyond Pirrakula last night, as the area was not cleared from the landmines.
As the anti landmine vehicles were deployed in operation the forces now are heading
towards the ground zero. According to sources, the march of security forces faced
a stiff resistance by “human wall” in Malida, consisting of hundreds of tribal
carrying traditional weapons like bows, arrows and shouting pro-Maoist slogans.
Two tribal and a cameraperson were injured in the clash. The Police used baton
charging and tear gas shell to chase away the mob. Later they also raided few
houses. There were also reports of clashes between security personnel and Maoists
from Doima, Raj Kanojia, and Bankura. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
ruled out negotiations with Maoists, unless until they shed violence. But he said
talks could be held with tribals. The West Bengal Chief Minister has said his
government is considering launching similar operations in other affected districts
of Bankura and Purulia to clear them from rebels. Meanwhile, Maoist leader Kishanji
called for a 48 hour shut down starting from Monday in West Bengal, Jharkhand,
and Bihar. Rahul
Gandhi turns 39 Top New
Delhi: Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was instrumental in the
Congress' emergence as the single largest party in recently concluded Lok Sabha
polls, turned 39 on Friday. The Congress party has decided to celebrate Rahul
Gandhi's birthday as ''Samrasta Divas'' and hold the ''sahbhoj''. Andhra Pradesh
Congress Committee will also organize essay writing and elocution competitions
in English on the occasion. Born on June 19, 1970, he is a Member of Parliament
from Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh. He has been widely credited with Congress''s
big win in 2009 general elections. His tactics are game-changing: insisting on
grassroots activism, building deep connections to rural India and trying to democratize
the hierarchical Congress Party itself. He turned down a cabinet post in the Manmohan
Singh Government and is concentrating on strengthening the party at the grassroots.
Nepal Cabinet
overturns Army Chief''s sack Top Kathmandu:
Lawmakers of the CPN (UML) have criticised the Nepal Cabinet decision to overturn
the previous government's decision taken on March 3 to sack Army Chief Rookmangud
Katawal and appoint Lieutenant General Kul Bahadur Khadka as the acting chief.
At a meeting held at the UML parliamentary party office in Singhadurbar here today,
the disgruntled lawmakers said the government took the decision in haste and without
seeking political consensus. They also accused the government of concentrating
more on reverting decisions of the former government rather than pursuing genuine
agenda. UML-led coalition, which had said it would not touch the army chief issue
before the case is decided by the Supreme Court, took the decision on Thursday.
The apex court is yet to give its verdict on the case. Party chairman Jhala Nath
Khanal and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal were yet to answer the questions
when this report was filed. Meanwhile, the Unified CPN (Maoist) has slammed the
government''s decision to reinstate Kawatal. Senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai
said that the action was against maintaining civilian supremacy and that his party
would announce fresh stir against the move. General Katawal was sacked by the
Maoist-led government on March 3. President Dr Ram Baran Yadav blocked the erstwhile
cabinet''s decision by asking Katawal to remain in position. Erstwhile Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal ''Prachanda'' resigned the next day over the same issue, Nepalnews
reported. Centre
returns Gujarat 's anti-terror Bill Top New
Delhi: The Central government for the second time returned the Gujarat Control
of Organised Crime Act (GUJCOCA), a stringent anti terrorism bill framed by the
Narendra Modi's Gujarat Government. Addressing the press conference after the
cabinet meeting, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said the Cabinet has sought
three amendments to GUJCOCA. He also said that under this law a confession made
a police officer is admissible in court and this should not be made admissible.
A clause in the act prevents the court from granting the bail if the public prosecutor
opposes it, Home minister added. Chidambaram did not specify the amendment suggested
to section 20(2) of the GUJCOCA The Union Home Minister said the Cabinet could
only recommend it for the President's nod only when all the suggested amendments
are made. Sarod
maestro Ali Akbar Khan passes away at 87 Top New
Delhi: Noted Sarod player Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, who belonged to Sania Maihar
Gharana, breathed his last on Friday at his residence in San Anselmo, San Francisco
, USA . He was 87. During his illustrious career, was awarded Padma Vibhushan
, India 's second highest civilian honour 1989, National Heritage Fellowship (1997)
highest award for traditional Arts in the US , MacArthur Genius Grant (1991) and
was nominated for five Grammy Awards. Born in 1922, in village of Shibpur , Comilla
in Bangladesh Ali Akbar Khan was the child of Baba Allauddin Khan, the illustrious
multi-talented maestro and Madina Begum. Khan had his training in both vocal and
Sarod from his father at a very early age. He began learning music at the age
of three. He learnt vocal music from his father and drums from his uncle, Fakir
Aftabuddin. He learnt several other musical instruments too but finally decided
to concentrate on the Srod and on vocal. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan gave his first public
performance in Allahabad at the age of thirteen. In his early twenties, Ali Akbar
Khan made his first recording in Lucknow for the HMV label, and the next year,
he became the court musician to the Maharaja of Jodhpur. He worked there for seven
years and the state of Jodhpur bestowed upon him the title of “Ustad”. He was
also adept in playing several other instruments like Sur Bahar, Sitar, Tabla,
Drums etc. He became a court musician of Jodhpur Kingdom at the age of 22. He
performed all over India and extensively in the West. Khan married three times
and was the father of 11 children. His son Aashish Khan is a noted Sarod player.
He founded Ali Akbar Khan College of Music in 1956 at Kolkata and another College
of the same name at Berkeley , California in 1958. A branch of this college was
opened in Basel , Switzerland in 1985. The School at US was moved to its present
location at San Rafael , California in 1968. Khan’s style of Sarod playing was
to bring out more melody with fewer strokes. He was known for his long expansion
of Raga in Alap and Jod and mesmerising Gat and Jhala. He also performed many
Jugalbandis with the likes of Pt. Ravi Shankar, Pt. Nikhil Bannerjee, Pt. Vilayat
Khan, Vid. L. Subramanyam and many western musicians. He was the first Indian
to cut a Long Play record of Indian music in the West. 50
per cent Israelis think Obama is more pro-Palestine Top Jerusalem:
A whopping 50 percent Israelis consider the policies of Obama's administration
more pro-Palestinian than pro-Israeli, while 36 percent said the policies were
neutral, a new poll has found. A new Jerusalem Post-sponsored Smith Research poll
also found that only six percent of Jewish Israelis think that US President Barack
Obama’s administration is pro-Israel. The recent views expressed by Israelis follow
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's speech in support of a demilitarised
Palestinian state. The views were in stark contrast to the last poll published
on May 17, on the eve of the meeting between Netanyahu and Obama at the White
House. A total of 31 percent had labelled the Obama administration pro-Israel,
while 14 percent considered it pro-Palestinian and 40 percent said it was neutral.
The poll, which has a margin of error of 4.5percent, was conducted among a representative
sample of 500 Israeli Jewish adults this week, The Jerusalem Post reports. One
possible explanation for the Obama administration's plummeting approval rating
among Israelis, is its opposition to building for natural growth in settlement
blocs, and its refusal to differentiate its policies regarding construction in
unauthorized outposts, settlement blocs close to the Green Line and suburbs of
Jerusalem. Regarding outposts, 57 percent favor removing them, 38 percent are
against, and 5 percent did not express an opinion. Reacting to the poll, Netanyahu's
external adviser Zalman Shoval questioned whether the Obama administration could
mediate in the Middle East conflict due to the numbers and its recent statements
and actions. “Some of the indications we have seen in the last few weeks make
it more difficult for Israelis to see the US in its traditional role as an honest
broker. The vast majority of Israelis don't blame the prime minister for a confrontation
with the US . They are putting the onus on the Obama administration,” he said.
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