Sania,Shoaib get married

Hyderabad, April 12 : Indian tennis star Sania Mirza tied the knot with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik at a hotel here Monday after getting a no-objection certificate from the city police."The Nikah has been completed. Please pray for the couple," Sania's spokesperson Rucha Naik told media persons outside hotel Taj Krishna, adjacent to Taj Deccan. Sania, 23, and Shoaib, 28, signed the 'nikahnama' and said "qabool hai" in the presence of a qazi and two witnesses from each side, sources said. About 70 people, including close relatives and friends from both sides, attended the much-hyped and controversial marriage ceremony. After the 'nikah', the guests offered 'zuhar namaz'. It was followed by lunch, where they were treated with traditional delicacies, including the famous 'Hyderabadi biryani'. Since the Qazi had refused to perform the 'nikah' Friday in the absence of Shoaib's passport, sources said Sania's family got a no-objection certificate from the Hyderabad police. Shoaib's passport, seized last week in connection with a case filed by his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, is still with the police. Earlier, clad in red traditional bridal wear, which her mother wore on her wedding 25 years ago, Sania left her residence in Jubliee Hills amid drum beats and reached hotel Taj Deccan shortly after noon. From there they went to the adjoining Taj Krishna, where Shoaib and his relatives are staying. She was accompanied by her father Imran Mirza, mother Naseema, younger sister Anam and a few close relatives. Shoaib, who divorced Ayesha last week, wore a black 'sherwani'. His mother, sisters and some close relatives attended the wedding. Security has been tightened at the hotel and the media was not allowed inside. Earlier, Naik told reporters outside Sania's residence that there would be a 'mehendi' ceremony Tuesday. The 'sangeet' would be held the next day while Sania's family would hold the wedding reception April 15. The high-profile marriage was surrounded by controversies ever since it was announced March 29. It is learnt that the two families decided to solemnise the marriage Monday to avoid further controversies, especially in the light of Sunday's 'fatwa' issued by Islamic religious scholars against Sania and Shoaib living together before their wedding. Sania's media manager Sunday night clarified that Shoaib moved out of Sania's house a few days ago. The Sunni Ulema Board, a group of religious scholars, had declared that the act of Sania and Shoaib living together was against Islamic Shariat. It asked Muslims not to attend such marriages where men and women come together in close proximity in violation of Islamic rules. Additional Commissioner of Police N. Narasimha Reddy said it may take a week for Shoaib to get back his passport from a court as some formalities with regard to closure of the case would have to be completed. Ayesha withdrew the case Wednesday after Shoaib divorced her.
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India needs educated citizens in knowledge century: President

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil Monday exhorted students to contribute to nation-building through their talent and knowledge, saying India will certainly emerge a stronger country when the youth determinedly work for it.“When the 540 million youth of the country are educated and they determinedly work for the country, India will certainly emerge as a stronger country,” she said, addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of the Punjab Public School here.The president said that India needed educated citizens who have in them the ability to innovate and invent, particularly in the 21st century, where the progress of the nation would be driven by the knowledge base of its population.Urging students to utilise their time at school in the best possible manner, the president said they must study hard and “for true learning and understanding”.“Therefore, approach your studies with a sense of enquiry. Think independently and creatively. Be disciplined and methodical in your daily lives. Inculcate values like compassion, tolerance and harmony that will instil a feeling of welfare for humanity.”“Promote a feeling of national harmony so necessary for keeping together our country which has diverse religions, faiths, languages, castes, communities and also vast geographical distances. What we need is unity in diversity to keep our great country together.”She also asked students to participate in sports and other extra-curricular activities because it was sports that could teach them to put in their best and to accept both victory and defeat in the true spirit of a sportsperson.Dwelling on the role of teachers in today’s fast changing society, the president said that teachers have a greater responsibility in interpreting developments in the world to students in the proper perspective.She conferred the school’s roll of honour for 2009 on its ex-student, Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh, general officer commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C) of the army’s eastern command.Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal were also present on the occasion.   (way2online)======================================================

Obama asks Pakistan to punish Mumbai attackers

Hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed concern over Pakistan’s will to punish those responsible for the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, President Barack Obama asked Islamabad to move against the perpeterators.A couple of hours after meeting Manmohan Singh, Obama Sunday told Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani that the Indian leader was sincere in improving ties with Islamabad, but wants Pakistan to take action against those responsible for the Mumbai attacks.Obama, according to diplomatic sources, told Gilani at their 40-minute meeting that he also personally believes that Pakistan taking action against those responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack “would be a positive thing”.The US president also made no commitment on the issue of an India-type civil nuclear deal to meet Pakistan’s acute energy needs saying there is need to have a proper balance between progress and security concerns.Voicing his desire for an improved India-Pakistan relationship, Obama said he believes that this would be not only beneficial to the South Asian neighbours, but would also have a positive impact on the overall situation in the region.“Obama began by noting that he is very fond of Pakistan, having visited the country during college,” the White House said in a statement later.“The President discussed with the Prime Minister (Gilani) the bilateral progress made during the March 24-25 Strategic Dialogue and reiterated the US pledge to work with Pakistan to address issues of mutual concern in the long-term relationship,” it said.“The Prime Minister (Gilani) also indicated his approval of the progress made during the Strategic Dialogue and his hope that the working groups that have been established to address various aspects of the relationship would yield progress in advance of the next Strategic Dialogue meeting, scheduled for late 2010 in Islamabad,” it said.According to the White House, Gilani indicated his assurance that Pakistan takes nuclear security seriously and has appropriate safeguards in place.The Pakistani officials later said that the US president told them that he is satisfied with the measures taken by Islamabad for the safety and security of its nuclear weapons.Gilani not only sought an India type nuclear deal saying it was fully qualified, but also lobbied hard for international acceptance as a responsible nuclear state soon after his arrival.“The prime minister is arguing for Pakistan’s acceptance as a responsible nuclear state at every opportunity he gets, from his meeting with Mr Obama to his speech at the summit,” a Pakistani official said.
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BJP announces state executive commiteee

Hyderabad, Apr 12 : Andhra Pradesh BJP president G Kishan Reddy today announced the office-bearers and the state executive members of the party with nine vice-presidents and four general secretaries.He also announced nine secretaries to the state party, according to a release here.The president announced the State Executive with 83 members in it.He said youth and women have been given special priority in the current list, which was a ''judicious mix of youth and experience''.He said a large number of women had been given opportunity in consonance with the party policy of inducting one-third of its office-bearers and executive members with women.In the office-bearers, there were six BCs, two SCs and one ST with seven women while in the executive there were 12 SCs, 3 STs, 53 BCs and 26 women. There were 58 young leaders who got first opportunity to work at the state-level.
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Govt will take all safety measures to protect dams: Minister

Hyderabad, Apr 12 : Andhra Pradesh Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah today said the State Government would take all safety measures to protect canals and dams during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon floods.

Addressing the press here, he said the government had sanctioned Rs 212 crore for taking up permanent and temporary works at the dams and canals and directed the officials concerned to complete the works before the start of the rainy season.He said the committee appointed by the government had given its report with suggestions on safety measures to protect dams and canals during floods. He said the government would consider the suggestions and take all measures to protect the 17 major projects in the State.
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Heatwave prevails in several districts of AP

Hyderabad, Apr 12 : Heatwave conditions prevailed in the districts of Adilabad, Hyderabad, Karimnagar and Mahabubnagar of Telangana region, with the highest maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius being recorded at Adilabad.The maximum temperatures rose at one or two places over Telangana and changed little over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. They were significantly above normal over remaining districts of Telangana and at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. Mainly dry weather was likely to prevail over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema. Heatwave conditions were likely to prevail over Telangana and isolated parts of Rayalaseema during next 48 hours.Maximum and Minimum temperatures in and around Hyderabad would be 42 and 28 degrees Celsius respectively.
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Sania Mirza to marry Shoaib Malik today

Hyderabad, Apr 12 : Despite the interference of community leaders and controversy surrounding their marriage, ace tennis star Sania Mirza is expected to tie the nuptial knot with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on April 12.

"Sania''s nikah with Shoaib will take place shortly," said Sania''s PRO, adding that the reception will take place on April 15.However, due to security concerns the exact location of the wedding was not disclosed.The Sunni Ulema Board had issued a fatwa on Sunday, thereby further adding to Sania''s pre-marital woes.The fatwa claimed that it''s un-Islamic for a man and woman to live under the same roof before ''nikah'', and lashed out at the tennis star and her groom-to-be Shoaib Malik, who has been reportedly staying at the Mirza residence for over a week.''''It''s un-Islamic for a man and woman to see each other during the ceremonies before the ''nikah''. Therefore, what they (Sania and Shoaib) are doing is not correct,'''' said Sunni Ulema Board General Secretary Hasibul Hassan. Sania''s father Imran Mirza had earlier on Friday said the pre-wedding ceremonies would start off from April 13.Pakistan''s Interior Minister Rehman Malik had on Sunday asked Pakistan''s High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik to request the Indian authorities to return Shoaib''s passport, which was seized after Ayesha Siddiqui claimed to be his wife and filed a police complaint against him.The two sports personalities are expected to settle in Dubai after their marriage.
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