SC extends bail of Jayalalithaa, sets up special bench

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 NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday extended by four months the bail of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a disproportionate assets case and asked the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court to constitute a special bench to decide her plea expeditiously within three months.

A bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu ordered that the hearing in the high court on the appeal filed by the AIADMK Chief challenging her conviction and sentence in the case, be conducted on a day-to-day basis.

"Keeping in view the facts of the case, we request the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court to constitute a special bench for hearing of appeal on day-to-day basis. The hearing should be completed within three months," the bench, also comprising Justice A K Sikri, said.

"The bail granted by this court on October 17 is extended by another four months, that is, till April 18, 2015," the bench said.

It also asked senior advocate KTS Tulsi, appearing for Jayalalithaa, who was awarded four years jail term along with a fine of Rs 100 crore in the DA case, to provide a copy of documents of the case to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.

Swamy, during the brief hearing, raised the issue of law and order in Tamil Nadu, saying the posters of the slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran are being pasted across the state.

"We gave you (Swamy) the liberty that if there is anything against you, you just mention that before us. We will take a call," the bench said.

On October 17, the apex court had granted conditional bail to Jayalalithaa, who was sent to jail by a trial court on September 27, saying that hearing on her appeal against conviction in High Court should be completed in five months from now.

The apex court, which had also granted bail to the AIADMK chief's close aide Sasikala and two of her relatives, had refused to dispose of the bail plea while posting the case for hearing today.

The 66-year-old politician, who had moved the Supreme Court for bail on October 9 after she was denied bail by the Karnataka High Court, had submitted that she had been sentenced to only four years jail in the case and she was also suffering from various ailments, as grounds for her immediate relief.

The Special Court had held Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption. The court had also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on the AIADMK chief and Rs 10 crore fine on each of the three other convicts.

Son strangles father to death

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a macabre incident, a son strangled his father to death. He later informed the police and surrendered. The dead has been identified as K Raveendran Nair of Jagathy. The crime was committed by Nair’s eldest son Rajesh (33).

Nair’s wife died of dengue fever five years back. He was in a relationship with another woman but that did not last long. He was working as a driver and was staying in a lodge in Karamana. His two children had disowned him for his illegal relationship with women.

Rajesh had a fight with his father for his misbehaviour towards the former’s wife. When the situation went out of control, he took a towel and strangled his father to death. He immediately informed the police and they in turn took him into custody.

Nurse dies in accident

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KOCHI: A 28-year-old nurse, Reeba P Elias, a native of Poykattussery, died in an accident near Angamaly on Tuesday. The accident took place when a truck hit the scooter she was riding from behind. The scooter was caught under the lorry and dragged for a few metres. She was run over by the truck. In the impact, the victim sustained critical injuries on her head and died on the spot. She was working as a staff nurse at the Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly. A hunt is on to trace the vehicle involved in the accident and its driver.

Chandy, VS to meet Modi over rubber price

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high-level delegation including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan will visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi to appraise him of the crisis faced by rubber farmers due to its fall in price.

Ahead of this a meeting of rubber farmers would be convened here on December 18, the chief minister told the state assembly. The decision was taken on the basis of discussion held with a recommendation team that included former ministers. It has also been decided to increase the production of rubberized bitumen from 8000 tons to 50,000 tonnes aimed for construction of rubberized roads in the state.

The need of rubberized tarring in the entire country would be brought to the notice of the Central Government. It is a matter of protest that the Central Government has not taken into consideration the persistent request of the State to include rubber as a farming commodity.

More pressure will be exerted to consider this. It has also been decided to formulate a new package for rubber re plantation. The need to increase the subsidy for the same from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 was also raised in the meeting.

It has also been stressed in the meeting that the import duty of rubber should be increased from 20% to 25%. The team would also raise the need of an independent market for the rubber wood. The need to call a confederation of rubber producing countries by India will be stressed. The rubber price has fallen from RS 240 to RS 109. As this is causing huge loss rubber growers have stopped collecting milk from rubber trees. If this situation prolongs then rubber farming would be in peril which would affect industries. Rubber import should be banned temporarily, he added.

Govt to recruit nurses for Kuwait

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nurses in Kerala might be able to go to Kuwait without paying the hefty fees that private agencies charge as the state government plans to entrust state agencies with the task of recruiting nurses. These agencies include the Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants (ODEPC) and Roots-Norka (the agency that looks after the welfare of the Kerala diaspora). The idea was mooted by the Indian embassy in Kuwait after numerous complaints of Kerala nurses recruited through private agencies getting a raw deal in terms of salaries and service conditions. State Minister for Diaspora K.C. Joseph told IANS: "The Centre has to chip in for this and we are preparing a detailed road map to see that our own agencies also enter into this and Kuwait is one target area." The nurses who seek jobs in Kuwait have to shell out huge amounts as recruitment fees, touching more than Rs 1 million. Speaking to IANS a nurse currently employed in Kuwait said that it's the Indian nurses that are given a raw deal. "Nurses from Philippines come to work in Kuwait without paying any recruitment fees at all. Since we (Kerala nurses) come here after paying very high recruitment fees, despite all hardships we cling on here, as our first priority is to recover the recruitment fees, whereas Philippine nationals resign and return the moment they feel unhappy with the working conditions," said the Kerala nurse who did not wish to be identified.

Chandy to be cross-examined in solar case

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KOCHI: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the staff members of his office will be cross-examined as witnesses in the sensational solar case. The judicial investigation commission probing the case had earlier prepared the witnesses list to be cross-examined. The chief minister was included in the list. The list of 48 persons to be cross-examined was made after codifying it. The chief minister will be cross-examined lastly. The panel will take statement from the main accused Saritha S Nair, Biju Radhakrishnan and the MLAs and MPs, who contacted the two on the phone. It was earlier found that the accused in the solar case had contacted the chief minister’s office many times. Apart from the chief minister, statements will be taken from the then Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Tenny Joppan, who was one among the personal staff of the chief minister, Jikkumon and former gunman Salim Raj. The list also includes superintendents of Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram jails where the accused were lodged and officials of the special team who investigated the case.

Oppn walks out over changes in liquor policy

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The opposition LDF walked out of the assembly in protest against the denial of permission on the notice for adjournment motion seeking discussion on the practical changes in the liquor policy. The notice was moved by A Pradeep Kumar. He alleged that the government is a puppet in the hands of bar owners. Seeking permission for the motion, he said many noted personalities will be behind bars if the statement of Biju Ramesh is exposed.

Replying, Excise Minister K Babu said there is no practical change in the basic policy of the liquor prohibition. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, who spoke after that, sought the removal of the advocate general. The AG had held talks with the officials’ investigating the bar scam, he said.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said there will be no change in the basic policy of the liquor ban. A decision was taken to bring in practical changes for implementing a faultless policy. Ten bar employees committed suicide after the announcement of the policy and taking that into consideration it was decided to make changes. The government has faith in the advocate general. Following chief minister’s reply, deputy speaker denied permission for the motion and immediately the opposition staged a walkout.

Pakistan Taliban say targeted school in revenge for military attacks

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PESHAWAR: The Taliban attacked a military-run school on Tuesday, killing 84 students, because they wanted revenge for the Pakistani military targeting their own families, a spokesman said.

 

"We selected the army's school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females," said Taliban spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani. "We want them to feel the pain."

 

Victims killed in Sydney hostage drama identified

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Tags: Victims, Sydney Hostage Drama
SYDNEY: Two hostages who have been killed in the 17-hour-long hostage drama at a cafeteria in Sydney were identified as the manager of the Lindt Chocolate cafe and a lawyer.   The 38-year-old lawyer, Katrina Dawson, was a mother of three young children who became the victim of the siege.   She was a barrister at Selbourne Chambers and was married to Paul Smith, a partner at Mallesons.   Dawson studied law at Sydney University, where she lived at the women's college as a student. She did her clerkship at Mallesons where she met her husband.   Lindt Chocolate cafe's 34-year-old manager, Tori Johnson, was also killed in the siege operations yesterday.   He had worked at the cafe since October 2012 and at a string of other restaurants and hospitality companies around Sydney.     "Yesterday, Premier Baird showed great steadfastness and Sydneysiders can be proud of their calm during what was a very difficult and testing day," he added thanking New South Wales (NSW) Police and all the other agencies involved for their professionalism and courage.   "Australians should be reassured by the way our law enforcement and security agencies responded to this brush with terrorism," he said.   Prime Minister Tony Abbott added that there is nothing more Australian than dropping in at the local cafe for a morning coffee and it's tragic beyond words that people going about their everyday business should have been caught up in such a horrific incident.   "Our hearts go out to all of those caught up in this appalling incident and their loved ones. On behalf of all Australians, I extend my sympathy to the families of the two hostages who died overnight," Mr Abbott said.   He warned that the country was vulnerable to politically motivated violence.   These events do demonstrate that even a country as free, as open, as generous and as safe as ours is vulnerable to acts of politically motivated violence.   "But they also remind us that Australia and Australians are resilient and we are ready to respond," he said. New South Wales (NSW) Polie commissioner Andrew Scipione said: "It's incredibly sad, I've got to say I don't think I could be sadder."   "Having said that, I'm completely proud of our police and what they have done to keep us safe, I've got nothing but praise for them," he said adding he wanted to see the flowers people had left as a tribute to the siege victims.   "I've come to have a look at what Sydney's done," he said. Meanwhile, flags on all Commonwealth and NSW Government buildings will be flown at half-mast today in honour of the victims of Sydney siege.   According to NSW premier Mike Baird, flags will fly at half-mast today on NSW Government buildings to honour those who tragically lost their lives in the siege at Lindt cafe.   Westpac also confirmed today that four of its employees were among the 17 hostages being held at Martin Place in Sydney.   All four were reportedly safe with one undergoing medical treatment for what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.   The killed gunman was identified as 50 year old an Man Haron Monis, who arrived in Australia as a refugee from Iran in 1996.   Police fired stun grenades and shots as they stormed the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney's commercial district after 2:30 AM local time Tuesday (9 PM IST Monday) and later declared that the siege was over.   Two Indian nationals -- Vishwakant Ankit Reddy and Pushpendu Ghosh -- were among the hostages involved when Monis began his siege. However, Reddy, an Infosys employee in his mid-30s, and Ghosh, whose details were not known, escaped safely.

India strongly condemns Peshawar school attack

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NEW DELHI: India today strongly condemned the barbaric attack on a school in Peshawar in which at least 160 children were killed, saying there is never a justification for terrorism.

 

"No words will capture the feeling of deep revulsion and horror we feel about this terror attack against innocent children of the Army Public School in Peshawar -  It was not just innocent children who have been massacred today, but the very conception of humanity," 

Official Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said here.

 

Terming the attack as "crime against humanity", he said prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those who lost their lives or were injured in this barbaric incident.

 

"We hope the almighty gives them the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable loss. There never has been, nor will there ever be, a justification for terrorism. Our hearts go out to the grief-stricken families of the innocent children killed and injured in this barbaric attack in Peshawar," he added.

 

At least 124 students were among 160 people killed earlier in the day when heavily-armed Arabic speaking Taliban suicide attackers stormed an army-run school, shooting from classroom-to-classroom and taking several hostages using them as human shield in Pakistan's volatile Peshawar city.

 

A group of 8-10 suicide attackers wearing paramilitary Frontier Corps uniforms entered Army Public School on Warsak Road around 10.30 (local time) and started indiscriminate firing, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said there.