Terrorism has to be fought together: Patil

President Pratibha Patil Wednesday stressed the need for a collective and “firm commitment” of the international community to fight terrorism.“Fighting terrorism requires a firm commitment by the international community to act collectively and decisively,” she said at a ceremony to accept credentials by seven new ambassadors.She said the prospects for peace in the contemporary world were threatened by forces of extremism and terrorism.The envoys who presented their credentials were Ruben I. Zamora of El Salvador, Ronald B. Allarey of the Philippines, Thongphanh Syackhaphom of Laos, Doulat O. Kuanyshev of Kazakhstan, Nanguyalai Tarzi of Afghanistan, Marco Piccinini of Monaco and Byron Escobedo Menendez of Guatemala.The presentation ceremony was attended by the members of the diplomatic community and senior officials of the ministry of external affairs.

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Judicial custody of Mecca Masjid blast accused extended

Hyderabad,June 30:A city court Wednesday extended the judicial custody of one of the two accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case by 10 days.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing 2007 blast, produced Devender Gupta in the court after his CBI custody ended. On a petition by the CBI, the 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate extended Gupta's remand. The accused was later shifted to Cherlapally jail on the city's outskirts as he was reportedly facing threat to his life from some inmates in Chanchalguda jail. The CBI brought Gupta with another accused, Lokesh Sharma, here from Ajmer June 17. The two are also accused in the blast at the Ajmer dargah in Rajasthan. The investigators grilled Sharma during the 10-day custody to gather evidence of his involvement and of others in the blast. The court Tuesday sent Sharma to CBI custody for 10 days. The agency moved for Sharma's custody after he was identified by two witnesses during identification parade at the Chanchalguda jail last week. Nine people were killed in the blast during Friday prayers at the 17th century mosque May 18, 2007. Five people died in subsequent police firing on protestors near the mosque. Both Sharma and Gupta are members of Hindu extremist group Abhinav Bharat and are also accused in the October 2007 blast at Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi dargah in Ajmer, which claimed one life and injured 30 others. According to the CBI, two other accused in the mosque blast are absconding.
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SCR announces new exp, passenger train timings

Vijayawada,Jun 30: The Vijayawada division of South Central Railway (SCR) today announced change in timings of three express and two passenger trains in the new time table which comes into force from tomorrow.Vijayawada Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Koganti Sambasiva Rao said the Yesvantpur-Lucknow-Yesvantapur Express was speeded up and changed to Super Fast.He said Train No.7255 Narsapur-Hyderabad Express will depart Narsapur at 1855 hrs. instead of 1845 hrs, Train No.7402A Narsapur-Tirupati Express will depart Narsapur at 1720 hrs. Instead of 1715 hrs, Train No.2710 Secunderabad-Gudur Simhapuri Express will depart Secunderabad at 2230 hrs instead of 2200 hrs.Mr Rao said Train No.D.130 Guntur-Vijayawada Passenger will depart Guntur at 2010 hrs.Instead of 2050 hrs and Vijayawada at 2115 hrs. Instead of 2150 hrs and Train No.498 Narsapur-Guntur Passenger will depart Narsapur at 1245 hrs instead of 1300 hrs.Train No.2578 Bangalore-Darbhanga, Bagmati (Weekly) Express will depart Bangalore on every Friday at 1015 hrs, arrive/depart Chennai Central at 1505/1615 hrs, Vijayawada at 2255/2305 hrs and arrive Darbhanga at 1435 hrs on every Saturday.
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Rosaiah announces Rs.25 lakh for Saina Nehwal

Hyderabad, June 30 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah Wednesday announced a cash award of Rs.25 lakh to badminton champion Saina Nehwal for winning three international titles in a row and being ranked world number three.Rosaiah announced the award when Saina called on him at his camp office here this evening. "You have done a great job. The country, particularly Andhra Pradesh, is proud of you. All my best wishes and greetings to you," the chief minister told the champion. Rosaiah, who presented a bouquet and a shawl to Saina, said he is sure that she will become world's number one player in the near future. He described Saina as a role model for upcoming young players. Saina, who returned to the country Tuesday, was accompanied by her coach Pullela Gopichand, her father and sister. Saina won the Indonesian Open Super Series Sunday to make a hat-trick of badminton titles in three weeks. She earlier won the Indian Open Grand Prix and the Singapore Open Super Series to move up to the third position in world rankings. The Haryana Badminton Association Tuesday announced a cash award of Rs.5 lakh for Hisar-born Saina while Andhra Pradesh Badminton Association presented her a cheque of Rs.1 lakh.(photo by bollywodsargam.com) 
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Election panel asked to hold by-polls in Telangana

Hyderabad, June 30: The Andhra Pradesh High Court Wednesday asked the Election Commission to hold by-elections to two assembly seats in Telangana along with 10 other seats going to polls July 27.The court passed the orders on a petition by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) challenging the decision of the Election Commission not to hold by-polls to Sircilla and Vemulawada assembly constituencies in view of some election petitions pending in the court. The Election Commission June 21 announced an election schedule for 10 assembly seats but not in these two seats. TRS general secretary K. Yadagiri Reddy said in his petition that the Election Commission had no power to defer the by-elections. The petition pointed out to the court that the elections can be put off only if the situation is not conducive to holding them or if the general elections were scheduled within a year. He argued that once the speaker of an assembly declares a seat as vacant and conveys this to the Election Commission, it becomes the statutory duty of the election panel to conduct the polls within six months. The seats fell vacant in February after all 10 legislators of TRS and one each of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Telugu Desam Party resigned over the demand for separate statehood to Telangana region. TRS chief K.Chandrasekhara Rao's son K.Tarakarama Rao was elected from Sircilla constituency in last year's elections by a thin majority of 171 votes. A petitioner has claimed that the votes were not counted properly. In Vemulawada,Ch. Ramesh of TDP was elected but a contestant filed a petition contending that Ramesh was not a citizen of India.
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